Jackson Trial

[Skinartia]

Michael Jackson's trial starts this week. Anyone going to be keeping their eye on it? I know I will be.

[Skinartia]

This just keeps getting weirder and weirder...


Jackson's dummy sex

(BANG) - Michael Jackson pretended to have sex with a naked child dummy, it has been claimed.

The eccentric singer, who is facing child abuse charges, reportedly giggled as he climbed on top of the mannequin, which looked like a black, eight-year-old girl.

The singer's alleged molestation victim, Gavin Arvizo, claimed in leaked court documents that the dummy romp took place in Jackson's bedroom.

Gavin explained: "We had a doll, shaped in a funny way. It was laying on the bed and then he was on top of it. Then he was acting like he was having sex with it. He was on his knees trying to have sex with the mannequin."

The incident was also reportedly witnessed by Gavin's brother, 11-year-old Star, who had joined Jackson's sleepover at his Neverland Ranch home.

Star told a grand jury last year in the pre-trial hearing: "The mannequin was a female child, African-American. All I remember is that he picked it up and was pretending he was humping it."

Meanwhile, Jackson is preparing to head back to court tomorrow (22.02.05) after being hospitalised with "severe flu".

Jackson has denied all 10 charges against him.

[Booker Thee]

Official prediction: Guilty on all counts.

If the OJ fiasco did anything, it was pave the way for celebrities to be scrutinized during trials. Justice will prevail in this one.

Micheal Jackson is a moron. He was given a Get Out of Jail free card ten years ago when he bought off the victim and he promptly turns around and continues his behaviour. I hope his children have been seen by a counsellor.

Perhaps Dr Dalton should conference with Jackson about controlling his 'inner bomb'.

[Skinartia]

Looks like Marlon Brando may have agreed with you...



Marlon Brando on Michael Jackson

Angela Baldassarre

When he was alive, Hollywood actor Marlon Brando often wondered what Michael Jackson did with the kids on his Neverland Ranch.

Brando was very disturbed by Jackson's behaviour with children, said cooks Philippe and Stella LeMarque in a taped 1993 interview. The married couple worked at the Neverland Ranch for 10 months between 1991 and 1992.

"The only one who ever said something was Marlon Brando," the New York Daily News quoted Stella LeMarque as telling freelance investigator Paul Barresi.

"He was the only one. ... He said, 'What the hell is Michael doing with those kids?' He would come to the ranch and always see Michael playing, and disappear with the children. Michael would never spend time with the adults who came to the ranch," she added.

Barresi quit working for Jackson's defense team in the original molestation case, which was settled for a reported $15.3 million in January 1994.

The LeMarque tape has been lying with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office since then. The tape has now been sent to the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office, which is gathering evidence for the trial that is scheduled for this week.

Philippe LeMarque, whose statement can prove Jackson's crime, declines to comment on Brando now. "I can't talk to you; I'm under the gag order," the New York Daily News quoted Phillip as saying.

[Skinartia]

And some more...


Jackson Trial Could Be All About The Parents

22/02/2005 4:00:00 PM

(ChartAttack)
By now all those potential jurors have to be getting an idea of just how loooooong this Michael Jackson trial could take. During its brief existence, jury selection has already been delayed twice - once for a lawyer's family death and, last week, because Jackson called in sick.

Even though Jackson was released from the hospital last Wednesday, things just started up again Tuesday morning. So everyone's taking their time with the proceedings, but, y'know, some people have kids to get home to.

To give us a little inside insight of the courtroom process Associated Press has been working out the numbers, and their stats on the potential juror pool have pointed out one overwhelming consideration that could make or break Jackson's defence - a whole lot of these people are parents. In fact, four out of five juror prospects (189 of the 242 still in the running) are part of a parental unit.

According to AP's legal experts, this isn't necessarily a bad thing for the pop star's case. While the prosecution is likely going to seek out parents with very small children who are still feeling super-protective and liable to be especially upset by the allegations,

Jackson's defence team could have an advantage with parents of older kids. Since it's looking like his lawyers will argue that the accuser's mother instructed him to lie about the abuse, parents with children of a fibbing age might be more inclined to buy it.

Within the massive group of parents there's also a second noteworthy group - those who have had some kind of indirect contact with Jackson. This is, after all, Jackson's home turf, so it turns out that of the 98 potentials with kids under 18, a third know someone who's been to Neverland or met the singer. If the experiences were positive ones then that could be a factor.

Finally, there's one more way the defence can influence parents in the jury box - by playing up Jackson's own fatherhood. His children, Paris and Prince, have been announced as possible witnesses.

-David McDougall


I think this could blow up in his face. I don't think most parents see Michael's way of being with children (ie. having kids crawl into bed with a man in his 40's to have some warm milk).

[dragoness]

What a way to keep your name in the media. This is going to be a looong trial.

[Skinartia]

I doubt very much that Michael Jackson and his publicists are going by the adage of "any publicity is good publicity" and looking for a way to keep his name in the media. I'm pretty sure they'd rather that this just go away.

[Skinartia]

If only everyone had a personal dresser for when they went to court...


Jackson's jury chosen

(BANG) - The jury for Michael Jackson's child molestation trial has been chosen - including a woman whose grandson is a convicted paedophile.

The four men and eight women - aged between 20 and 79 - also include a juror whose sister was raped at 12 and a woman related to the pilot of the fated Flight 93, which crashed on September 11, 2001.

The grandmother of the sex offender told the Santa Maria courtroom: "I love my grandson. He got a fair trial and I think Mr Jackson should do too. My grandson made some mistakes. He is doing very well now."

The 12 jurors - seven white, four Hispanic and one Asian - were picked yesterday (23.03.05) two weeks ahead of schedule.

The defence and prosecution teams will now decide on eight reserve jurors.

The trial, which is due to last up to five months, looks set to start on Monday (28.02.05).

Meanwhile, Jackson, who denies all 10 child abuse charges against him, is reportedly spending hundreds of dollars a week on a dresser for his court appearances.

The assistant allegedly lays out clothes every day for the star from a C$90,000 wardrobe.

For his first day in court, the eccentric singer was dressed completely in white to symbolise "innocence".

[Booker Thee]

Michael shouldn't worry. He won;t have much trouble picking out his wardrope in a few months...stripes or solid orange? Tough choice.

[Greyshadow]

But which goes better with the rhinestone glove, the black 'n white stripes or the solid orange? I mean, the stripes might be too monochromatic for the glitter, but do you honestly think that neon orange glow would shine well through the rhinestones?

[Skinartia]

Is the boy telling the truth or is mommy-dearest putting him up to it? I actually kinda think it's the mom.


Jackson Exploited Teen Cancer Boy, Jury Told

By Dan Whitcomb

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (Reuters) - Pop superstar Michael Jackson sexually exploited a teenage cancer patient at his Neverland ranch with pornography and talk of masturbation "instead of bedtime books and discussions of Peter Pan," a prosecutor said Monday.

Making his opening statement in Jackson's child molestation trial, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon said the singer invited the 13-year-old boy to his Neverland Valley Ranch then manipulated him "through exposure to strange sexual behavior."

"The private world of Michael Jackson, instead of bedtime books and discussions of Peter Pan ... he's talking to them about masturbation," Sneddon told the jury.

Jackson, 46, is charged with molesting the boy, who had been told by his doctors he was dying, at the singer's Neverland Valley Ranch in the foothills of the central California coast above Santa Maria.

He is also accused of plying the boy with wine disguised in soda cans in order to seduce him, and conspiring to commit child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment.

Jackson has pleaded innocent. If convicted of all 10 charges, he faces nearly 20 years in jail. Defense lawyers are expected to tell jurors that Jackson was framed by the money-hungry mother of his young accuser.

Jackson arrived for opening statements wearing a dark suit with a red armband and flanked by his mother and brother Jermaine. More than 40 fans got seats in the packed courtroom on the first full day of what is expected to be a bitter six-month trial.

Jackson's lawyers are expected to argue that he was the victim of a scam engineered by the accuser's mother. Their opening statement is expected after the prosecution finishes it initial remarks.

The trial will offer a rare glimpse into Jackson's bizarre lifestyle and his lawyers have promised to call as witnesses some of the most famous people in America -- including basketball star Kobe Bryant, "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno and actress Elizabeth Taylor.

Sneddon said a controversial 2003 British television documentary made by journalist Martin Bashir, in which Jackson defended his practice of sharing his bed with boys, had created a public-relations nightmare for the singer.

"On Feb. 3, 2003, Michael Jackson's world was rocked." Sneddon said. "It didn't rock in a musical sense. It was rocked in a real world sense.

"This case is about a conspiracy, it's about the train wreck caused by the Bashir documentary. This is also a case of Michael Jackson's exploitation of a 13-year-old boy, a cancer survivor," Sneddon told the jury.

Sneddon said Jackson's accuser had been told to "prepare for his funeral" after undergoing surgery to remove a tumor from his abdomen, along with his gall bladder and kidney.

In 2000, he was granted his wish to meet one of his idols -- Michael Jackson -- and was invited to visit Neverland and spend the night there.

Sneddon said that while there, Jackson showed the boy pornographic magazines and Web sites. Jackson's young son Prince Michael was also in the room at the time.

Jackson and Sneddon have been at odds since the mid-1990s, when another young boy accused the performer of molestation. Jackson and the boy's family settled out of court and no criminal charges were ever brought.

Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville has not yet decided if prosecutors can present evidence about the earlier case during the trial.

A jury of eight women and four men, including one woman whose sister was raped at the age of 12 and another whose grandson is a registered sex offender, was selected to render a judgment against Jackson.

[Skinartia]

Interesting. The boy's mom tried using other celebrities as marks for money including Jay Leno and Jim Carrey.


Prosecution, Defense Outline Jackson Case

By TIM MOLLOY

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) - In opening statements in the sexual molestation case against Michael Jackson, prosecutor Thomas Sneddon told jurors that the pop star plied his victim with vodka and porn, while the defense portrayed the accuser's mother as a grifter hoping to profit from a smear.

Sneddon said Monday the boy, now 15, will describe to the jury his sexual experiences with Jackson and show that the musician's Neverland Ranch was a devilish lair.

``The private world of Michael Jackson will show that instead of reading them Peter Pan, he's showing them sexually explicit magazines. ... Instead of cookies and milk, you can substitute wine, vodka and bourbon,'' he said.

Jackson, 46, sat still as a statue with one hand pressed against his cheek as Sneddon outlined the accusations. In the front row of the courtroom, Jackson's mother, Katherine, sat beside her son Jermaine. They were the only Jackson family members present.

After the nearly three-hour opening by the prosecutor, defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. went on the attack, saying the mother of the accuser fraudulently claimed to many people that she was destitute and that her son needed money for chemotherapy. In truth, he said, the boy's father was a member of a union that covered his medical bills.

Mesereau said the mother went to comedian Jay Leno for money and Leno was so suspicious that he called Santa Barbara police to tell them he had been contacted and ``something was wrong. They were looking for a mark.''

The mother also approached comedian George Lopez and a Los Angeles TV weatherman who staged a fund-raiser for the child at a comedy club, the defense attorney said.

He said celebrities including Mike Tyson and Jim Carrey turned the family away, but Jackson was too sympathetic. ``The most vulnerable celebrity became the mark, Michael Jackson,'' Mesereau said.

British journalist Martin Bashir, who produced the documentary ``Living With Michael Jackson,'' was expected to be the prosecution's first witness after Mesereau completes his opening statement. He was to continue Tuesday morning.

The documentary drew widespread news coverage and an investigation by Los Angeles County officials because of Jackson's on-air admission that he has shared his bed with children.

The prosecutor alleged that when the boy and his family first visited Neverland, Jackson told the boy to ask his mother if he could sleep in Jackson's bedroom. He said Jackson then showed sexually explicit Web sites to the boy and his own son, Prince Michael, on that visit.

Searches of Neverland turned up sexually explicit DVDs and magazines, including 1960s-era periodicals with pictures of naked children, and correspondence from the accuser addressed to ``Michael'' or ``Michael Daddy,'' Sneddon said.

Some magazines had the fingerprints of Jackson, others had the prints of the boy and his brother, and one had prints from both Jackson and the accuser, the prosecutor said.

Before opening statements, Judge Rodney S. Melville read the indictment, revealing for the first time the names of five Jackson employees and associates described as unindicted co-conspirators.

It alleged that Jackson employee Frank Tyson told the family they were in danger and had to return to Neverland. It said Tyson threatened the accuser, telling him that ``Michael could make the family disappear'' and that he also said, ``I could have your mother killed.''

The indictment also alleged a series of bizarre activities following the 2003 documentary, including a panicky effort by Jackson employees to get the family of his accuser ready for a trip to Brazil.

[Skinartia]

Warrant issued for Michael Jackson's arrest

CTV.ca News Staff

The judge in Michael Jackson's child molestation case has issued a warrant for the entertainer's arrest, after he failed to show up for his trial Thursday.

Jackson, 46, is currently out on $3-million US bail. Judge Rodney Melville has said he will revoke the bail unless Jackson appeared in court by 9:35 a.m. PT (12:35 ET).

That deadline has now passed.

The pop singer's lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr., says his client is being treated for a serious back problem but is on his way. Mesereau can be seen outside the court house pacing and talking on a cell phone.

Jackson was reportedly being treated at Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, which is about a 55-kilometre drive from the court.

If he is arrested, Jackson could lose his freedom and be taken back into custody.

This is not the first time Jackson has failed to report to court. During the jury selection phase, he was rushed to hospital with flu symptoms. That delayed proceedings for a week. Jackson has arrived to court on time since then.

Today is the day that the Jackson's accuser is expected to provide the most graphic evidence yet in the trial. The 15-year-old began his testimony Wednesday but is expected to decribe the alleged molestation incidents today.

"Today, of course, will be the crucial day," legal analyst Steven Skurka told CTV's Canada AM Thursday. "We're going to get into the description of all of the incidents themselves."

"The evidence of the accuser for the next three days or so is really going to determine Michael Jackson's fate. If he doesn't do well on the witness stand, Jackson will be acquitted."

The boy told the jury Wednesday that during his first trip to Neverland Ranch when he was 10, he viewed adult websites with Jackson.

He said that his parents had given him and his brother permission to sleep in Jackson's bedroom. In the bedroom, a Jackson aide accessed several Internet sites featuring nude women. Jackson laughed and made off-color remarks, the boy testified.

"There was this girl with her shirt up and it was all quiet and stuff and Michael's like, 'Got milk?' '' he said.

The boy also testified that Jackson told him to call his "Daddy" or "Daddy Michael'' during the taping of a documentary produced by British journalist Martin Bashir, which aired in February 2003.

Jackson is accused of molesting the boy, giving him alcohol and conspiring to hold the boy's family captive.

Jackson's defence contends the accuser's family has a history of filing false claims to get money.

Brother changes story

Earlier in the day, Mesereau tried to show discrepancies between the accuser's younger brother's testimony and his earlier accounts of seeing Jackson molest his brother.

During questioning by the prosecution, the boy said he twice looked through the doorway of Jackson's bedroom as the pop star molested his sleeping brother while masturbating.

Under cross-examination, Mesereau showed the boy a previous statement he made to sheriff's investigators in which he said that during the second incident, he was in the room curled up on a small couch, pretending to sleep.

When Mesereau asked if his account of the second molestation had changed, the boy interjected that there were actually three incidents, although that has never been alleged.

"I was nervous while I was doing the interview,'' he told Mesereau.

"Because you were nervous you didn't get the facts right?'' the attorney asked.

"Yes,'' said the witness.

The Jackson defence has been quite successful at dissecting the witness testimony throughout this case, Skurka believes.

"When this case started, there was a real sense that it was overwhelming against Michael Jackson, but something has happened. The case has crumbled so far. The eyewitness, the younger brother of the accuser testified and was caught in huge inconsistencies."

"I've been surprised by many things in this case so far," Skurka adds.

"You start with this documentary where Michael Jackson is basically confessing to enjoying sleeping with children, promoting it, with the accuser on the video and you think, 'My gosh, this is going to be an incredibly difficult case.' I thought of it as a lawyer and I thought, 'Boy, if I was defending this case, I'd be very worried about the outcome.

"But right now, I just get the sense that the tides have shifted and that there's even some sympathy or some sense that Michael Jackson may have been targeted unfairly here."

[Skinartia]

I didn't think they'd go ahead with this, but...

Judge allows past allegations against Jackson

CTV.ca News Staff

The judge in Michael Jackson's molestation trial has decided the jury should hear about past allegations against the pop star.

Prosecutors plan to bring forward witnesses to testify about past improper behaviour -- including one witness who will say the singer put his hand down his pants.

In all, the prosecution could present testimony involving five boys -- two who reached multimillion dollar civil settlements with Jackson in 1990 and 1993.

One alleged victim who reached a multimillion dollar settlement from Jackson in 1993 will not testify. The jury will instead hear testimonies from other witnesses about Jackson's history in dealing with the accusations.

The judge did, however, say he would allow testimony by a 1990 accuser who received a $2.4 million settlement from Jackson, including testimony by that boy's mother.

Also to be heard from, according to court documents, is a former child star who had a history with Jackson.

Prosecutors say these earlier allegations help corroborate the current accuser's claim.

Jackson was not present in court when Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville made his ruling Monday morning.

Prosecutors wanted to introduce testimony about seven boys in total; the judge allowed five of those into evidence.

More details to come . . .

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Jackson molested Culkin, prosecution claims
(BANG) - Michael Jackson groomed and sexually abused former child star Macaulay Culkin, it has been claimed by prosecutors in the star's trial.

According to sensational new evidence, Culkin - who has always denied he was sexually molested by Jackson - is one of five more alleged 'victims' of the star.

The jury will now hear previous claims that the singer had abused a number of boys, dubbed 'The Jackson Five', throughout the 1990s.

Actor Culkin, 24, was a regular visitor to Jackson's Neverland ranch over 10 years ago and has always claimed their relationship was perfectly innocent.

Now the prosecution, who aim to show Jackson as a serial paedophile, say Culkin will be one of their key witnesses.

However, only Jason Francia, the son of Jackson's former maid, is likely to take the witness stand.

The decision could devastate Jackson's defence which has centred on undermining the credibility of Jackson's current accuser, a teenage cancer sufferer.

Prosecutor Tom Sneddon told the courtroom that evidence showed almost identical choice of victims, method of grooming and abusing them.

He added: "The molestations were very similar. They involve the genitalia of the child, two incidents outside the clothing and the third where the hand was thrust under the child's clothing."