High profile lawsuits are handled very carefully. This is especially true when celebrities are involved. This is why it is no surprise that the potential jury pool in the wrongful death lawsuit involving pop singer Michael Jackson’s estate and concert promoter AEG Live has garnered so much attention. According to an ABC News report, the court has qualified 81 potential jurors to serve on the case.
Screenings for the jury pool will continue through the rest of the week and more people could be added to the pool.
ABC News also reports that potential jurors are being given a 24 page questionnaire to assess their knowledge of the case. Next week, lawyers for both sides will begin questioning (and eliminating) candidates. When all is said and done, 12 jurors and a number of alternates will hear the case.
Michael Jackson’s estate, represented by his mother Katherine, claims that AEG Live failed to use reasonable care in assessing the doctor (Dr. Conrad Murray) hired to care for Jackson as he prepared for his “This Is It” concerts that were scheduled in London, England. He passed away in 2009 after a reported overdose of painkillers and sleeping medicine. Since then, Dr. Murray has been convicted of criminal negligence and is currently serving time in jail.
It is this key criminal conviction that likely will serve as the basis for the estate’s wrongful death suit. Essentially, the crime can serve as evidence that AEG did not use reasonable care in caring for Jackson and that Dr. Murray’s inaction was a breach of the duty to use such care.
We will continue to provide details as they become available.
Source: ABC News.com, Jury pool for Jackson death civil case grows to 81, April 11, 2013
