Jury Selection Begins

Prospective panelists are due in a downtown courthouse Thursday morning as jury selection is scheduled to begin in the trial of Michael’s personal physician.

An appellate court on Wednesday decided not to sequester the jury without commenting, the appeals court upheld the ruling of the trial court judge who said round-the-clock isolation was unnecessary, prohibitively expensive and stressful for jurors. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said he had faith in jurors’ ability to follow instructions about avoiding media coverage.

Prospective jurors will be asked to fill out a lengthy questionnaire that the judge has called “exhaustive and exhausting.” The questionnaire has been sealed by the judge.

The trial is expected to begin in the last week in September.

Source: Los Angeles Times & MJWN