Est. 1998
Defense Appeals Non-Sequestration
Conrad Murray’s lawyers have asked the Court Of Appeal to overturn Judge Pastor’s decision not to sequester the jury in his trial saying, that the they will be “poisoned” by the media frenzy surrounding the trial unless they are kept in isolation.
The Associated Press reported that late Friday Dr. Murray’s lawyers asked Judge Michael Pastor of Los Angeles County Superior Court to halt the start of the jury selection, scheduled for Thursday, until the issue of sequestration is decided by an appeals court. In a twenty-eight page petition filed with California’s 2d District Court of Appeal just before the start of the holiday weekend, lawyers challenged a recent ruling in which Judge Pastor said he had faith in the jurors’ ability to ignore publicity surrounding the case. Dr. Murray’s lawyers argued that “news organisations have planned sets overlooking the courthouse as if they were preparing for the Rose Bowl,’’ adding that “there is sincere danger that a well-meaning juror will be more impressed with an ‘expert’ on television than one presented by the parties at trial.’’
Source: newyorktimes.com & MJWN
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