Jury selection began today in a Los Angeles courtroom for what is expected to be a $40 billion wrongful death lawsuit against concert promoter AEG by the Jackson family. The trial is expected to revolve around the hiring of Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, and whether the pop star had a prescription drug addiction.
Murray, who was convicted for the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson in 2011, is expected to plead the fifth and not appear in court so he cannot incriminate himself.
Jury selection is expected to take several days as member are vetted on whether they are able to serve on a trial that is expected to last two to three months. They will also be asked what their knowledge is of Jackson’s 2009 death and the Conrad Murray trial.
There is no word yet on whether the trial will be broadcast on live television. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos agreed to consider requests by major news organizations such as CNN and NBC. Katherine Jackson is pushing for television coverage while AEG is against it. AEG is also asking for gag orders to be placed on everyone involved in the trial so information can not be leaked to the media.
TMZ reported that AEG is calling the $40 billion in damages absurd since Jackson’s career was in a “downward spiral.”
