Summary
22 April 2011
People who could become panel members in the trial of Michael Jackson's personal doctor are being asked unusual questions to find a fair group. Dr Murray says he did not kill the pop star with a lethal dose of a sleeping drug.
Reporter
Rajesh Mirchandani
Michael Jackson died in June 2009
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"Have you ever considered yourself a fan of Michael Jackson?" That's question number 97 on a 30-page list potential jurors have had to complete. The document also asks if they've ever owned the star's music or if they went to see the movie "This Is It", about preparations for his comeback tour.
Would-be panellists have been asked whether they feel celebrities in Los Angeles get away with crimes because of their status and there are several questions about how jurors would deal with the intense media scrutiny this case will undoubtedly attract.
The trial of Dr Conrad Murray is due to start in early May. He denies killing Michael Jackson with an overdose of a powerful anaesthetic. That was nearly two years ago and the case has rarely been out of the headlines. Authorities have called nearly 500 people to take part in the jury selection process. They must make sure the panel is fair.
Rajesh Mirchandani, 大象传媒 News, Los Angeles
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Vocabulary
- a fan
a person who admires, supports and follows the life and work of someone else
- potential jurors
people who may possibly become members of the panel in a legal case which decides on innocence or guilt
- comeback tour
a series of shows or concerts which takes place a long time after the last one
- would-be
possible, might become
- status
position, importance, standing
- deal with
handle, manage, cope with
- media scrutiny
inspection, examination and enquiries about background information by journalists
- undoubtedly
definitely, certainly, without question
- denies
says it is not true
- anaesthetic
a substance which makes people fall into an extremely deep sleep so that they are unaware of where they are and are unable to feel pain
