Attorneys for Michael Jackson’s doctor called Friday for a new delay in his trial for the alleged 2009 manslaughter of the pop icon, due to start in barely a week’s time.
Lawyers for Conrad Murray say they want more time to prepare for two new witnesses for the prosecution. In the trial, currently scheduled to begin on May 9, jurors will decide if Murray is to blame for Jackson’s death
from an overdose of a powerful sedative.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor called a hearing on the request for Monday, asking Murray to be in court to decide whether to delay the trial, already postponed from March.
“I need to hear and see more information,” said Pastor, asking Murray’s main lawyer Edward Chernoff to submit
a written request for a delay by email by Sunday.
Prosecutors allege that Murray, 58, “abandoned his patient” after administering the sedative propofol to help
Jackson sleep, and then tried to cover it up after the singer’s death on June 25, 2009.
Murray acknowledged that he had used propofol, but denied involuntary manslaughter, saying that on the day of the 50-year-old singer’s death he administered only a small amount of the drug that should not have been fatal.
After preliminary hearings in January the trial was initially set for March 28, but was then pushed back with opening statements due May 9. There have already been some jury selection sessions, with more planned from Wednesday.
Chernoff had sought to prevent the prosecution from calling the two new expert witnesses, claiming they would promote “new theories” not discussed during the six days of hearings in January.
Prosecutor David Walgren said the pair, including a top anesthesiologist expected to testify that Jackson could not have ingested propofol, would merely clarify already established arguments.
