Jackson trial delayed due to illness in attorney’s family

Posted on Fri, Feb. 04, 2005 Click here to find out more! Jackson trial delayed due to illness in attorney’s family Associated Press SANTA MARIA, Calif. – Individual questioning of prospective jurors for Michael Jackson’s molestation trial will not begin as scheduled on Monday because the sister of lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. is gravely ill, the court said late Friday. “Due to the grave illness of Mr. Mesereau’s sister neither he nor the defendant will be in court on Monday,” said an announcement issued by the court. The announcement said that prospective jurors will still report to court as previously ordered. They are expected to be assigned new jury numbers as part of the administrative process and then will be sent home, the court said. Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville plans to hold a previously scheduled hearing on media issues. But the court said there will be no sessions Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday and it is uncertain whether court will be in session Thursday. The judge recessed court last Tuesday after selecting a pool of 250 prospective jurors who were willing to serve for up to six months on the high-profile trial. He had planned to begin the process of in-person questioning of those who have filled out preliminary questionnaires. Potential jurors were asked on the questionnaire if they’ve ever had cancer, about their opinion on people of different races and even about whether they followed the 1993 molestation allegations against the pop star. Source: http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/montereyherald/news/10821367.htm