After a painstaking jury selection, the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial will get underway on Monday (April 29, 2013), Reuters reports today (April 24). The $40 billion civil case will pit Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson and other members of the Jackson family against the concert promoters AEG. Katherine, 82, is suing the promoters of Michael Jackson’s never-realized 2009 concert dates, claiming that they were partly responsible for her son’s death.

Six men and six women were finally selected to take part in the trial, in what will most likely be a very protracted and emotional trial. It is thought that the hearing will take around three months to come to completion and the opening statements will take place at Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday. Of an original selection of 100 potential jurors, many were unable to commit to a 3-month trial as they argued that taking part in such a length legal process would be a hardship to them. Other jurors were rejected as they were deemed to have a bias against Jackson, had business ties to AEG, or the Jackson family. Potential witnesses for the case include Michael’s daughter Paris Jackson, 15, his son Prince, 16 and the singer Diana Ross.

Katherine Jackson is claiming that AEG should take responsibility for the hiring of Dr Conrad Murray, who has already been jailed for causing the singer’s death through negligence. Jackson accuses that the promoters failed to check Murray’s credentials, the BBC reports. 

Katherine Jackson
Katherine Jackson: taking AEG to court over her son's death