Missing Witness Found

The missing witness in the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael’s doctor was found over the weekend and will be available to testify, the prosecutor told the court Monday.

Pharmacist Tim Lopez testified at Dr. Conrad Murray’s preliminary hearing in January that he shipped more than fifteen litres of the surgical anesthetic, propofol, to the apartment of Murray’s girlfriend over the three months before Michael’s death.

The defense also announced it was dropping from its witness list a Texas medical examiner who toured the Los Angeles county coroner’s lab. Prosecutors had objected to his testimony, calling it irrelevant.

Judge Pastor delayed consideration of the prosecution’s request to exclude the testimony of Michael’s makeup artist. The defense wants Karen Faye to repeat statements given in interviews about what she described as Michael’s ill health in the weeks before his death, as he was rehearsing for his comeback concerts. The prosecution told the judge in a hearing Thursday that much of what Faye has said in the past was based on what she heard others say, not her own recollections.

The next hearing is set for Wednesday afternoon, when lawyers for each side will offer their “for cause” challenges of prospective jurors, based on their answers to written questions.

Lawyers will conduct face-to-face questioning of potential jurors on Friday as they choose eighteen Los Angeles citizens to hear the case.

Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27th.

The judge told members of the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28th.

Source: ktla.com & MJWN