LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A California appeals court Wednesday refused to order the sequestration of the jury in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, allowing the proceeding to go ahead as planned.
The decision means that jury selection in the long-delayed trial of Dr. Conrad Murray can begin as scheduled Thursday, with opening arguments expected in late September.
Murray is accused of delivering the fatal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid to the "Thriller" singer, causing his death in June 2009 at age 50.
He faces four years in prison if convicted.
Murray's lawyers last week filed a late appeal demanding that the jury be sequestered during the four- to six-week trial in order to keep them away from the massive publicity and media commentary the case is expected to generate.
The Los Angeles judge overseeing the trial ruled last week that he did not believe the jury should be locked away from family and friends. A California appeals court Wednesday upheld that decision.
Murray was at Jackson's bedside in his rented Los Angeles mansion when he was found not breathing on June 25, 2009, weeks ahead of a planned series of comeback concerts in London.
The doctor's lawyers are expected to argue at trial that the pop star was addicted to sedatives and painkillers and could have given himself a second, fatal dose of propofol when Murray was out of the room.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)
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