There was a status hearing yesterday here are the updates
Michael Jackson death: Lawsuit could be impacted by doctor’s criminal trial
By Tammy McCoy, on June 1st, 2011
By City News Service
The outcome of the involuntary manslaughter case against Michael Jackson’s personal physician could affect the length of the trial of a related civil lawsuit next year, an attorney for the late singer’s mother told a judge Wednesday.
Lawyer Kevin Boyle, during a hearing before Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos, predicted Katherine Jackson’s civil case against AEG Live would take about four weeks to try, not including what is expected to be a lengthy jury selection process.
The company promoted a series of sold-out London concerts for which Jackson was rehearsing in Los Angeles at the time of his death.
However, Boyle said that if Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with the entertainer when he died, is convicted, the jury in the civil case will not have to deal with the negligence issues in the case and can focus squarely on whether AEG Live was Murray’s employer.
AEG Live attorneys dispute that their client employed Murray, whose criminal case trial was recently rescheduled for September.
“I think the (civil) trial would be considerably shorter,” Boyle said after the hearing.
However, AEG Live attorney Marvin Putnam said he was not sure a conviction in Murray’s criminal case would have the impact Boyle predicts. He also said the civil case could take even longer to try than Boyle’s estimate.
Palazuelos scheduled the civil suit trial for
Sept. 10, 2012. She said she also will keep the case before her despite the possibility it will last several weeks and noted she recently tried another lengthy case.
“If I can try try an asbestos case in 14 to 21 days, there’s no reason I can’t try your case,” the judge told the attorneys.
The lawsuit was filed last September by Katherine Jackson on behalf of herself and her son’s three children, Michael Jr., Paris-Michael Katherine and Prince Michael. It alleges AEG Live is responsible for the medical decisions made by Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death.
The 50-year-old singer died June 25, 2009, of acute propofol intoxication.
Palazuelos also is managing a separate suit filed against Murray by the singer’s father, Joe Jackson, that alleges wrongful death. The case was not part of today’s hearing. A Nov. 2 status conference is scheduled in that suit.
http://www.swrnn.com/2011/06/01/mic...-could-be-impacted-by-doctors-criminal-trial/
