LOS ANGELES (CNN) — A Los Angeles County judge is expected to consider Wednesday a request to delay the start of the involuntary manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor.
The trial has already been delayed twice since Dr. Conrad Murray invoked his right to a speedy trial after his arraignment in January.
A Los Angeles coroner ruled Jackson’s death on June 25, 2009, was from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, combined with other drugs.
Authorities claim Murray, who was hired as Jackson’s personal physician as Jackson prepared for comeback concerts in London, administered the fatal dose. The doctor’s defense attorney, Ed Chernoff, contends Jackson was “a desperate man in many respects” and gave himself the fatal dose of surgical anesthesia while the doctor was not watching.
Jury selection was underway in May when the defense requested a delay so its expert witnesses could have more time to prepare for new experts hired by the prosecution. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor then dismissed hundreds of prospective jurors and rescheduled the trial to start on September 8.
Deputy District Attorney David Walgren said in June that the prosecution needed another three weeks to prepare because of “scheduling issues.” Defense lawyers did not object to moving jury selection to the end of September.
Also in June, the judge approved a plan to allow defense lawyers and prosecutors to view dozens of hours of raw video shot of Jackson’s last rehearsals. The video was bought by Sony Pictures for its film “This Is It.”
On Wednesday, lawyers are expected to present to the judge how much of the video they want to use.
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