Dr. Conrad Murray Refuses To Testify At Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Trial

Dr. Conrad Murray will take no part in testifying at the Michael Jackson wrongful death lawsuit trial, according to a number of reports.

The lawsuit has been brought against concert giant AEG by the king of pop's mother Katherine Jackson who claims that the company negligently hired Murray and failed to oversee him. Back in 2011, the doctor was convicted for involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years of prison; he also refused to testify at his own trial.

Murray is not named in Jackson's current lawsuit, but has been permitted to go to court to testify. According to NBC Los Angeles, he will invoke his right to the fifth amendment, which does not force him to testify against himself. However, the report notes that he may be interested in talking about non-criminal issues.

Jury selection for the trial is set to begin on April 2^nd and Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos anticipates a three-month trial that will investigate the events preceding the singer's death from an anesthetic overdose back in 2009.

According to The Guardian, "AEG is prohibited from mentioning Jackson's child molestation charges because he was acquitted. But Palazuelos said she would allow testimony that Jackson became despondent and reliant on drugs because of the charges."

Palazuelos has also barred AEG lawyers from inquiring into the finances of Jackson's siblings and has prohibited any testimony regarding a claim that Katherine Jackson was kidnapped by family members and taken to Arizona last year.

The National Ledger adds that Katherine Jackson has made filed a motion to have the judge exclude evidence pertaining to the paternity of Michael Jackson's three children Prince Michael, 17, Paris, 15 and Blanket, 10; Katherine Jackson is currently the co-legal guardian of the three children. She claims that "jury does not need to know anything about her grandchildren's biological parentage."

According to The National Ledger, Katherine Jackson is apparently seeking $40 billion. NBC Los Angeles reports that she is seeking $200 million in non-economic damages, including emotional distress.