Many witnesses have admitted previous lies
As the prosecution nears the end of its case against Michael Jackson, jurors face a dilemma: How much should they believe testimony from key witnesses who have admitted past lies?
Prosecutors insist the family of the boy who accused Jackson of molesting him lied only under pressure — first from an abusive father and then from Jackson and his associates.
But defense attorneys, who could begin their case later this week, will urge jurors to discount the family’s testimony altogether because of those previous false statements.
For example, the accuser testified that he lied to a school official, when he said Jackson had not molested him, because he didn’t want his classmates to make fun of him.
Whether jurors believe the family’s accounts will depend in part on how well the prosecution has corroborated their statements during its eight-week case.
Some of the claims by the boy’s mother — such as her admission that she once feared her family would disappear from Jackson’s Neverland estate in a hot-air balloon — may have sounded outrageous, said Ann Bremner, a trial analyst and former prosecutor.
'Acting' and lies
The mother also said she was “acting†in a February 2003 videotaped interview in which her family praised Jackson. She said every moment was scripted by a Jackson associate.
The woman’s three children, including the accuser, also said they had lied in the videotaped interview, made by Jackson associates to counter “Living With Michael Jackson,†a documentary that appeared on ABC.
The woman also admitted lying in a 1999 lawsuit against J.C. Penney when she said her then-husband was an honest person and had never abused her. The family received a $152,000 settlement after alleging they were beaten by security guards at a J.C. Penney store.
District Attorney Tom Sneddon said the woman had lied because she feared her husband would beat her if she told the truth.
Defense lawyers contend the boy’s family is making false claims against Jackson to get his money, a claim the family denies.
They have submitted a lengthy list of potential celebrity witnesses, including Jay Leno and Kobe Bryant, to show the family has a history of trying to attach themselves to the rich and famous.
Prosecutors said last week they planned to rest their case during this, the trial’s ninth week, clearing the way for Jackson’s attorneys to begin their defense of the pop star.
Judge Rodney Melville said Thursday he would allow testimony from Chris Carter, a former Jackson security guard who was recently arrested for investigation of robbery in Las Vegas. Carter was among those expected to testify this week.
Speculation also has mounted about whether prosecutors will call the pop star’s former wife, Debbie Rowe. Rowe is battling Jackson for custody of their two children, Prince, 8, and Paris, 7.
Source: AP/eMJey