[size=12pt]Unshakeable opinions over Michael Jackson death[/size]<br />Date<br />April 16, 2013<br />Read later<br />Who doesn't know details about Michael Jackson's death? Canadian singer-songwriter David Walsh certainly had to be recused as a juror.<br /><br /><br />The extensive connections of Michael Jackson, his family and friends have been a challenge for a US judge trying to select an impartial jury for his mother's wrongful death lawsuit against the company that promoted Jackson's ill-fated This is It concert.<br /><br />As individual questioning finally began on Monday, some jury prospects who had passed the written portion of the process had to be excused because of personal connections.<br /><br />Among them was David Walsh, a Canadian singer-songwriter who said he had met members of the musical Jackson family and was friends with Lisa Marie Presley, Jackson's ex-wife. He said his own manager was on the witness list.<br /><br />"I've had friends in Michael's band and my best friend was a backup singer on the This is It concert," Walsh said.<br /><br /><br />Walsh said he had formed opinions about the case that were probably unshakeable.<br /><br />Katherine Jackson's suit claims AEG endangered Jackson's life by hiring an incompetent doctor, Conrad Murray, to look after the superstar singer.<br /><br />AEG lawyers are expected to argue that Jackson was complicit in his own demise by insisting on hiring Murray and demanding the anaesthetic propofol to help him sleep.<br /><br />The latest phase of jury selection came after jurors filled out questionnaires about their views on Jackson, his family and his life and death.<br /><br />A preliminary group of 104 prospects was immediately reduced by six when members reported hardships or acquaintances on the witness list.<br /><br />By day's end, 17 prospects had been excused, most because the extended length of the trial would cause them financial hardship. The case is expected to last for months.<br /><br />More panellists sent notes to Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos before court recessed for the day, asking to be excused.<br /><br />One member of the jury pool said he had met Dr Conrad Murray at a barbecue sometime after Jackson's death and they had a social conversation. But he said he didn't realise who Murray was, and once he did he stopped talking to him. He remained on the panel.<br /><br />Murray is serving a prison term after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death from an overdose of propofol. Jackson died in his bed in June 2009 at the age of 50.<br /><br />Complicating the case is the fact that neither Jackson nor AEG had signed Murray's $US150,000 ($A146,092)-a-month contract. Jackson died before Murray was paid.<br /><br />Katherine Jackson's lawyers contend AEG was negligent in failing to investigate Murray's qualifications before hiring him.<br /><br />AP<br /><br /><br /><br />Read more:
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