Judge keeps jury selection talks secret in Conrad Murray trial
Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 11:50PM 
Los Angeles (CNN) -- The hearing to decide which potential jurors to dismiss "for cause" in the Conrad Murray trial was moved behind closed doors Wednesday afternoon, shutting out the public from what the judge described "confidential discussions."
"While they will be on the record, the record will remain confidential until the court rules otherwise," Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said before leaving the courtroom with lawyers from each side.
The secret talks begin a critical phase of the process for choosing 12 Los Angeles citizens who will decide if Michael Jackson's doctor is criminally responsible for the pop icon's death.
Dr. Murray's defense lawyers and Los Angeles County prosecutors will argue over which of 145 potential jurors should be dismissed from the jury pool "for cause," a process designed to remove anyone with a bias they cannot put aside.
Both sides met before Wednesday's hearing to reach common ground on potential jurors they both deem unfit to hear the case.
"There's a fair number we agreed," Deputy District Attorney David Walgren told the court.
Another session of "for cause" discussions will be held Thursday at 1 p.m. to complete the process, Judge Pastor said.
The potential jurors remaining in the pool will gather in court Friday for face-to-face questioning by the lawyers. It is expected 12 jurors and at least four alternates will be chosen by the end court Friday.
Dr. Conrad Murray, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death, faces up to four years in prison if the jury finds him guilty.
The "for cause" strikes will be based mostly on written answers potential jurors gave to 113 questions earlier this month.
Lawyers have had a week to study the questionnaire responses, a process they went through once before in April before the trial was delayed for several months.
"One of the things that we learned in the case the last go-around in the jury selection, it's absolutely shocking how many jurors think already they know everything about this case," defense lawyer Ed Chernoff said in an interview last week with Jean Casarez, a reporter with CNN sister network In Session.
Opening statements for the trial, which will be televised, are scheduled for September 27. The judge told members of the jury pool he expects their service will be over on or about October 28.
The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, combined with other drugs.
Prosecutors have accused Murray, who served as Jackson's personal and full-time physician at the time, of having a role in the overdose.
They contend Murray used a makeshift intravenous drip to administer propofol intended to help Jackson sleep, a practice they argue violated the standard of care and led to the pop music icon's death.
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