The sister of Michael Jackson's teenage accuser on Thursday supported prosecution charges that the pop star drank wine with young boys, held her family against their will at Neverland ranch, and planned to get them out of the way by sending them to Brazil.
Speaking in a little-girl voice that sometimes trailed off, the 18-year-old college freshman came across as earnest and sympathetic in her testimony at Jackson's trial. However, she has yet to face cross-examination by Jackson's attorneys, who contend that her mother is a con artist who manipulated her children into making phony claims against the pop star.
The daughter and mother bear a striking resemblance to each other, with the daughter even wearing a similar black suit and white blouse to testify. The daughter on Thursday appeared composed, while her mother was combative and dramatic at a pretrial hearing last fall.
Under questioning from Santa Barbara County Dist. Atty. Tom Sneddon, the young woman spoke of growing up in an East Los Angeles "bachelor's apartment" with her parents and two younger brothers. She said her father abused the entire family, hitting her mother "too many times to count." The couple divorced several years ago.
Asked to identify photos of figures in the case that were projected on a big screen at the front of the courtroom, she paused at her mother's."That's my mommy," she said.
After she returned to the stand Friday, District Attorney Tom Sneddon asked if she ever witnessed Jackson inappropriately touching her brother.
"He would be constantly hugging and kissing him ... on the cheek or the head," she said.
During the playing of the video, Jackson appeared to dab at his eyes with a handkerchief. His mother, Katherine, wiped away tears as the accuser's family talked about how good Jackson was. Also present were Jackson's sister LaToya and brother Jackie. Jurors took many notes as the video unfolded.
The defense contends the video supports its claim that the family is only after Jackson's money and that they only accused him of wrongdoing when he stopped giving them money and gifts.
In the video, the boy's sister broke into tears while describing her brother's illness and how Jackson helped him.
At another point, the mother stated that no one else would help the family until Jackson took them in.
But she suggested that Jackson took the family in without question.
The mother also said she was upset by media reports that portray Jackson in a bad light.
"It breaks my heart because they're missing out on something very beautiful that they have tainted. It stemmed from jealousy, envy a lack of happiness in their own life," she said.
Source: LA Times/AP/eMJey