Jury selected in Jackson doctor's case

Jury selected in Jackson doctor's case

FILE - In this Jan. 25, 2011 file photo, Dr. Conrad Murray, singer Michael Jackson�s personal physician, appears in Los Angeles Superior Court where Murray pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the pop star�s 2009 death. The case resumes Friday, Sept. 23, 2011, with in-person questioning of potential jurors.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- More than two years after Michael Jackson was found dead in a Los Angeles mansion, a judge swore in jurors Friday to hear the case against the doctor accused of killing him with an overdose of a powerful anesthetic.

After months of investigation, Dr. Conrad Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter in February 2010. Since then, both sides have jockeyed to frame the case in their favor.

Prosecutors contend Murray was negligent in administering to Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol and other sedatives in the bedroom of the singer's rented mansion without access to proper life-saving equipment.

Murray's attorneys have floated theories that the 50-year-old singer may have given himself the fatal dosage in June 2009 and say the Houston-based cardiologist did not give the singer anything that should have killed him.

Opening statements were scheduled Tuesday in the case.

The seven man, five woman jury was selected after less than six hours of questioning by a judge, defense attorneys and prosecutors.

The speed with which the panel was seated is likely a result of exhaustive 30-page questionnaire the group filled out earlier this month when jury selection began.

Deputy District Attorney David Walgren joked with prospective jurors that the process seemed like "the courtroom version of speed dating, trying to get the most information in a short time."

Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, determined to move the process quickly, gave each side only 20 minutes to question the first 27 prospects.

The court worked later in the day to find six alternates to step in if any of the jurors had to be excused during the trial.

Murray has pleaded not guilty and could face four years in prison and loss of his medical license if convicted.

As might be expected, the personality and life of the late singer dominated much of the jury questioning.

"Part of this trial is going to be about Michael Jackson," said defense attorney Ed Chernoff. "We're not going to drag up stuff that happened that people may not want to hear about."

But he immediately asked panelists how they remembered Jackson.

One woman said, "as a child with the Jackson Five."

He then asked if she felt that Jackson was childlike in adulthood. She answered no. He asked the entire panel if they saw Jackson as so childlike that he might not be able to make responsible decisions.

"Does anybody here believe Michael Jackson was less capable of making decisions than anybody else?" Chernoff said.

Jurors shook their heads no.

"Does anybody feel Michael Jackson should be held to a different standard of responsibility?" the lawyer asked.

Again, jurors indicated negatively.

During his questioning, prosecutor Walgren framed the issue differently. He wanted to know if a "victim" in a hypothetical car accident could be held partially responsible for his own death if he walked in front of a driver who was running red lights and driving recklessly.

The defense objected to the term "victim," and Walgren changed it to "alleged victim."

He was probing whether panelists might hold Jackson partially responsible for his own demise and thus absolve Murray of responsibility. None said they would.

Bailiffs marched 84 potential jurors into the courtroom, but 10 were quickly dismissed because they said they could no longer serve on such a long case.