Michael Jackson pre-trial starts

February 8, 2005

The pre-trial hearings in the trial of the pop singer Michael Jackson have begun the process of jury selection. An initial jury selection of 4,000 people has been narrowed down to 250 by Judge Rodney Melville and the prosecution and defence attorneys.

The process of selecting the final 12 jurors and eight stand-by-jurors will continue on February 14th, following the death in the family of Jackson's lead defence lawyer.

Jackson, 46, is accused of child molestation in a case which is expected to last up to six months.