LOS ANGELES (AFP) — A judge Monday postponed the trial of Michael Jackson’s personal doctor on manslaughter charges until September, days before it was due to start in Los Angeles.

The ruling came after attorneys for Conrad Murray called for a new delay in his trial over the 2009 death of the pop icon — which was due to start next week — to give them time to prepare for new witnesses for the prosecution.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor said he would dismiss all the prospective jurors who have already filled out extensive questionnaires, in preparation for the long-awaited trial.

Murray’s lawyers only asked for a two-week delay, but the judge decided on a longer postponement to ensure everything would be ready. Murray was in court for the decision, which followed his attorneys’ request on Friday.

Prosecutors allege that Murray, 58, “abandoned his patient” after administering the powerful sedative propofol to help Jackson sleep, and then tried to cover it up after the singer’s death on June 25, 2009.

Murray acknowledged that he had used propofol, but denied involuntary manslaughter, saying that on the day of the 50-year-old singer’s death he administered only a small amount of the drug that should not have been fatal.

After preliminary hearings in January the trial was initially set for March 28, but was then pushed back with opening statements due May 9. There have already been some jury selection sessions, and more had been planned this week.