Judge Refuses To Sequester Jury In Trial Of Dr. Conrad Murray
Aug. 25 2011, Published 2:15 p.m. ET
By Jen Heger - RadarOnline.com Legal Editor
Los Angeles Judge Michael Pastor has formally denied Dr. Conrad Murray's defense team motion to sequester the jury at his upcoming involuntary manslaughter trial in connection with the death of Michael Jackson, RadarOnline.com has confirmed.
The stunning decision was made at a pre-trial hearing Thursday morning as Murray's attorney Ed Chernoff vehemently argued that his client's right to a fair trial would be compromised if the jury was not sequestered.
The judge said that the cost to sequester the jury would exceed over $500k, and that juries that are sequestered often feel like inmates themselves, and are emotionally cut off from their families.
Judge Pastor said he would admonish the jury to not watch or read any coverage about the case once the jury was formally impaneled. The DA's office didn't think the jury should be sequestered either. The defense stated in their motion that the cost of not sequestering the jury could result in a mistrial at any point because of an increased risk of juror misconduct, which would result in a new trial.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin on September 8, and could take about three weeks.
If convicted of involuntary manslaughter, Dr. Murray could be sentenced up to four years in state prison.
RELATED STORIES:
Jackson Family ‘At War’ Over Michael Forever Tribute Concert
Nine Of Michael Jackson's Former Docs Could Be Called As Witnesses In Dr. Conrad Murray Trial
Katherine Jackson's Attorneys Seeking $350,000 From Michael's Estate
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
