娱乐英语新闻:U.S. court refuses to have jury sequestered in trial of Jackson's doctor

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A California Appeals court denied a motion filed by defense team for Michael Jackson's personal physician to have the jury sequestered on Wednesday, allowing the trial to go ahead with jury selection set to start Thursday.

The 2nd District Court of Appeals denied the defense's petition "in the absence of a showing of discretion" by Judge Michael E. Pastor, who ruled on Aug. 25 that he did not believe sequestration was warranted for jurors in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray.

Pastor said he has "tremendous faith" in the jury system. He will admonish jurors to "take the high road" and instruct them "in the strongest terms" about what they can and cannot do during the trial, which is expected to last four to five weeks.

Murray's attorneys, in a petition filed late Friday, asked the court for an "immediate stay" in Murray's trial pending its ruling on their appeal, contending that Pastor abused his discretion by refusing to sequester jurors.

In the hearing, Pastor also refused to grant a motion put forward by the defense to allow five other doctors, including two physicians whose names were found on the bottles of prescription pills the authorities found during a raid on Jackson's ranch in connection to child molestation allegations against him.

A Miami-based physician who wrote to Jackson to discussed alternatives to Demerol use, was also barred from testifying.

However, two other doctors who have treated the singer in 2009 and 2008 respectively, would be able to be called by the defense during the trial, Pastor said,

Murray, 58, a cardiologist, is accused of administering a powerful anesthetic, propofol, to the late King of Pop to help him fall asleep, then failing to properly monitor him.

If convicted, he will face up to four years behind bars.

Analysts said Murray had originally planned to point the finger at Jackson's longtime dermatologist, Dr. Arnold Klein, claiming he got the singer hooked on Demerol and other powerful narcotics. Paster's ruling has blown a hole in Murray's defense, thus forcing him to take the stand himself.

According to court papers, jury selection is set to begin in Los Angeles on Sept.8, when prospective jurors will be asked to fill out extensive questionnaires detailing what they know about the already much-publicized case. Opening statements are tentatively slated for Sept.27.

Jackson, 50, died from propofol intoxication on June 25, 2009 while preparing for a series of concerts to be held in London.