Michael Jackson trial: jury selections begins

The Los Angeles court met at 09:00 and began the jury selection in the presence of Conrad Murray after a quick explanation by Judge Michael Pastor.

Judge Michael E. Pastor asked a group of potential candidates if there was anyone who had not heard anything about the case. As nobody raised their hands, the magistrate was not surprised.

“We didn’t expect you’d been living under a rock,” he said, “or made a pit stop from Mars.”

The judge informed potential jurors that they are not allowed to read or listen to what the media says during the trial, which is expected to last five weeks.

The jurors were also asked to fill in a questionnaire of about 30 pages, a document designed to avoid bias against Dr. Murray.

The trial will be broadcast on TV and will start on September 27.

Murray is accused of having administered Jackson the powerful anesthetic propofol and waiting several minutes before calling 911 when the artist stopped breathing.