Using charts, the lawyer pointed out the absurdity of the timeline presented by the prosecution. It is alleged that Jackson molested the accuser at the height of public scrutiny and other investigations following the airing of Martin Bashir’s documentary, “Living with Michael Jacksonâ€.
Mesereau responded to Zonen’s attacks on him and other Jackson attorneys, saying that "whenever a prosecutor does that you know they're in trouble. This is not a popularity contest between lawyers".He said prosecutors had engaged in a "nasty attempt, a barbaric attempt" to attack Jackson personally by bringing up his financial problems, collection of adult magazines and "sagging music career".
Zonen used a large screen to present images of adult materials found at Jackson’s Neverland ranch.
“Are you confident with a middle-aged man getting in bed with a 13-year-old boy as he possesses material like this that excites him?" he questioned.
Mesereau countered, saying "Yes. He [Jackson] is a human being. They found a lot of girlie magazines. Did he want the world to know that? No."
Zonen told jurors that although the accuser and his siblings enjoyed themselves at Neverland during the day, "at night, they entered into Michael Jackson's bedroom, which is a veritable fortress. They entered into the world of the forbidden (where) they learned about human sexuality with someone who was only too willing to be their teacher."
Alleged prior victims
"Michael Jackson molested (his accuser) and many other boys," he continued. He said Jackson, who is also accused of plying his accuser with alcohol, "has a drinking problem. There is no other explanation for it."
Mesereau reminded the jury that the molestation case against Jackson involved only one alleged victim.
"They (the prosecution) brought in alleged victims from the '90s because they are desperate," he said. The defense had earlier elicited testimony from three of these alleged victims who all testified that Jackson had never molested them, contradicting prosecution witnesses.
Mesereau told the jury that "the issue in this case is the life, future, freedom and reputation of Michael Jackson". He went on to say "there is no way in the world you can find the (accuser and his family) are trustworthy beyond a reasonable doubt … Mr. Jackson must be acquitted under our legal system."
Zonen admits welfare fraud
Zonen was defensive in talking about the boy’s mother, Janet Arvizo, one of the most erratic witnesses in the trial.
"[Janet Arvizo] never asked for one penny from Michael Jackson,†he said, "she never desired anything from him and she doesn't today."
"The suggestion that all of this was planned and plotted, that it was a shakedown was nonsense," he continued, "it is unmitigated rubbish."
Zonen conceded that Arvizo had committed welfare fraud only ten days before receiving a large settlement from retailer J.C Penney. “It was a bad mistake on her part, and she may well have to deal with the consequences," he told the 12 jurors.
Mesereau pointed out that the accuser was unemotional as he described the alleged molestation in both the video and in testimony.
"You saw no emotion whatsoever. When did you see him really get angry? When he talked about Michael Jackson abandoning his family," said Mesereau.
Closing arguments are expected to continue tomorrow prior to the case being handed to jurors for deliberation.
Source: AP/Reuters/eMJey