The Michael Jackson Fan Club

(18-10-2011) Contrary to reports floating around the Internet this week, Michael Jackson's eldest son Prince, 14, will not testify in the involuntary manslaughter trial of the doctor accused of killing his father.

Dispite mounting speculation that Prince was being prepped to take the stand, Katherine Jackson, matriarch of the Jackson family and legal guardian of Michael's three children, reconfirmed to CNN Tuesday that she is opposed to her grandson being called as a witness and that there are no discussions going on with prosecutors about it.

The relevance of the teenager's testimony increased last week after jurors listened to Murray's recorded police interview.
 
The Jackson family disputed Murray's claim, given in the interview, that the doctor comforted the children in the emergency room after they learned their father had died, according to Jackson family member, Trent Jackson. Trent is the nephew of Katherine and Joe Jackson.
 
Jackson family members were reportedly upset that jurors may sympathize with Murray because of perceived compassion for the children that day, Trent told CNN.
 
On the recorded interview played for the jury, Murray can be heard saying, "I hugged them all, gave comfort to Paris, comfort to Prince, comfort to Blanket, which is the last little guy, because whenever they were sick, they would always ask for Dr. Conrad."

But Murray never spoke to Michael Jackson's mother or his children at the emergency room, contrary to his statement to police, Trent Jackson said.

Prince, Paris, 13, and Blanket, 9, Jackson were initially kept in an SUV outside of the emergency room after they followed the ambulance carrying their father to the hospital, Trent Jackson said. Frank Dileo, who was Michael Jackson's manager at the time, later escorted them inside once their grandmother arrived, according to Trent Jackson.

While the truthfulness of Murray's interview is a major issue in the trial, it is not expected that Prince, or his siblings will be called to testify, the relative said. Katherine Jackson, who has custody of the children, is opposed to any of them being called as witnesses, he said.
 
Prosecutors are nearing the end of their direct presentation in Murray's trial, but rebuttal witnesses could be called next week after the defense rests its case.

The maximum sentence Murray could get if convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson's death is only four years. However, a new California law could mean the doctor may never see the inside of a state prison cell.
 
The law, which is intended to reduce state prison overcrowding, provides for most non-violent offenders with no prior record to be kept in county jails. And a four year sentence could become just two years if Murray is ordered to serve his time in the Los Angeles County jail, according to sheriff's spokeswoman Nicole Nishida, since County inmates are given a deal of "one day served, one day credit."

Also, the Los Angeles jail is under a court order to reduce overcrowding, which means many non-violent first time offenders are allowed to serve the bulk of their time under supervised house arrest.
 
But there are "so many different possibilities" it is not possible to predict how much time, or where, Murray would serve his sentence if convicted, Nishida said.
 
A spokeswoman with the Los Angeles district attorney's office would not comment because of the gag order imposed by the judge in Murray's trial.

A conviction, however, would likely trigger the end of Murray's medical career with his licenses in California, Texas and Nevada being revoked.

The trial has been put on hold until at least Wednesday in order to give the defense time to study new lab test results the prosecution contends show Jackson did not ingest a fatal overdose of the sedative lorazepam.
 
Testimony was first suspended last Thursday afternoon to allow the prosecution's anesthesiology expert to attend a medical convention, and again Monday because that witness's father died.

Despite the delays, the trial, which is in its fourth week, is still expected to wrap up soon with the start of jury deliberations next week.

Source: MJFC / CNN.com