Michael Jackson...Conrad Murray's lawyers gearing up for mistrial! Syringe may be auctioned...

The scuttlebutt in legal circles is that the lawyers for Conrad Murray are laying the groundwork for a mistrial in the event there is a guilty verdict against their client.

Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in respect to the administration of controlled substances which were the result of Michael Jackson's death last year.

Allegedly, prosecutors have been withholding pertinent documents and information relevant to the upcoming trial proceedings.

During the "discovery" process, legal counsel on both sides are required to share their paperwork so that each party can ably prepare their stragedy, court arguments, line of defense, and what-have-you.

In a court of law, there are not supposed to be any last-minute "surprises", or conduct which prevents a fair hearing on the issues.

Dramatic cliff-hangers are rare in a court of law and tend to be of the strictly fictional kind found on low-brow serials on the old boob tube.

The kind of bill-of-fare offered up by the likes of Judge Judy around the soap hour are geared towards ratings and and bon-bon-chewing armchair jurists sitting in judgment at home throughout the heartland.

When the stakes are high, though, lawyers can be quite fierce about protecting their work product.

And, they'll fight tooth-and-nail to protect the fruits of their labour and the rights of their client.

Of course, there are many ways to surmount the discloure problem in the event an attorney is not acting above board or ethically.

At the request of either party, the Judge may impose sanctions (penalties) to deter such reprehensible conduct in the future.

And, either party (including the bench-warmer) may request disciplinary action by the State Bar.

An  attorney is also within his rights to file a "motion" to compel opposition counsel  (even an IN PRO PER litigant)) to comply with requests for copies of evidence, complete witness lists, factual information, and so forth and so on.

Meanwhile, on another front, it was reported by one high-profile blogger this morning, that a syringe used by the doctor to adminster drugs on Jackson was never destroyed according to normal procedure and may be offered up for auction in the future.

Creepy!
 
 

 

http://www.thetattler.biz

Britney Spears...just a Louisiana girl fighting an unjust misdemeanor!

When I read this past week that the Britney Spears' attorney was going to fight a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid California license - on the grounds that the Pop Icon is a Louisiana resident with a valid driver's license in that state - some bells went off in my fuzzy head!

After all, the jury in the case must now decide if Britney is a golden state transport, or still just a down-home Southern Comfort sort of gal.


First, I'll note for the record, that it is my understanding that once a licensed driver moves from one state to another, that they have ten days to notify the DMV and apply for an in-state license.

Ah, but that is where the boner - um - bone of contention lies.

Although Britney apparently started to fill out an application, she didn't follow through.

Her pappy - fresh in from the moonshine state for the contentious tar 'n feathering at the expense of the state - testified on the witness stand that she held a valid Louisiana license, alrighty.

Her legal eagle also huffed:

"She is a Louisiana girl, born there, lived there and is going back there as soon as things are straightened out here."

Oh, forgot to mention that.

The defense team has argued that she was just in Tinsel Town to sort out the legal snafus surrounding custody issues - after which - she intends to spread her - uh - wings and fly-away back home.

Maybe that's why, Britney remained at home, far from the prying eyes of the lookie-loos.

"Do you blame the girl for wanting to go back home?" lamented her attorney, emphatically pointing out to the court that the paparazzi's hot pursuit of her, was enough to unsettle any self-respecting lady.

And, if you're wondering just what kind of young lady she is, just take a gander at last week's issue of In Touch magazine.

There's a candid shot of Britney - looking for all-the-world like a hausfrau - dusting up a fury in her upscale digs.

Good therapy, I guess. Gets the cobwebs out!

In his closing statements, the prosecutor took a jibe at Britney and what he labelled her "Louisiana state of mind , in a deceitful attempt to sway the Jury.

"Every significant life event for Spears - her marriage, the birth of her children, her divorce - occurred in Los Angeles."

He overlooked one event which may be the deciding factor.

Her birth. It took place in Louisiana.

If maintaining a Louisiana license gives Britney a sense of security, I say "go girl".

Home Sweet Home...