Current Affairs

  • Video In, Pictures Out

    Thursday was a day of mixed fortunes for both sides in the Michael Jackson trial, as attorneys sparred over the final witnesses and evidence to appear in the trial. Judge Rodney Melville ruled that jurors will be allowed to see a video of the accuser’s police interview but will not see pictures of the singer’s genitalia, taken during a 1993 investigation. The police interview with the boy was filmed in July 2003 after he was sent to law enforcement by psychologist Stan Katz. He was referred to Katz by attorney Larry Feldman, a prosecution witness in the case. Both Feldman and Katz were key players in similar allegations brought against Jackson in 1993. Charges were never filed in that instance, but the accuser accepted a multi-million dollar out-of-court civil settlement. Arguing against the motion, defense attorney Robert Sanger told the Court that the video contained "prejudicial material" including officers telling the boy, "You're really brave, we want you to do this." He said if the video was introduced, the defense may call the accuser and his mother back to the witness stand, along with Katz and Feldman. Judge Melville said the video was “awful long” and suggested that playing a half hour of the tape would be sufficient. However he told prosecutors and defense attorneys to negotiate the editing of the film amongst themselves. Genitalia pictures are out In a victory for the defense, the Judge told prosecutors they could not introduce pictures of Jackson’s genitalia. The pictures were taken by law enforcement in 1993 after Jackson was served with a subpoena. Jackson’s then-accuser was asked to draw a picture of Jackson’s genitalia, including a blemish that was allegedly unique to the singer’s anatomy. Prosecutor Ron Zonen said he wanted to show jurors a child's description "of a unique feature of his (Jackson's) anatomy." He said it would show that Jackson's relationships with boys were "not casual." But Sanger called the photographs an "unfair surprise" and said prosecutors had "not even hinted that they were going to try this tactic in advance." He cited a U.S. Supreme Court decision which states a judge is supposed to avoid dramatic, prejudicial evidence at the end of a trial. "This is really a stretch to come up with any kind of reason to bring this in as evidence," Sanger said, arguing that it would be "very shocking" for the jury to see. The Court ruled that the prejudicial effect of the photos would far outweigh any probative value in the case and he pointed out that the defense would have no one to cross-examine. Jordie Chandler, the 1993 accuser, has been unavailable to serve as a witness in Jackson’s trial. Prosecutors have also requested to admit e-mails sent between Jackson’s former attorney Mark Geragos and private investigator Bradley Miller. Should Judge Melville allow the material in, both the prosecution and defense indicated they would call Geragos back to the witness stand. Rebuttal Witnesses Prosecutors called several rebuttal witnesses Thursday, including a former Arvizo family attorney. Bill Dickerman represented the accuser’s family in an effort to obtain the family’s passports, visas and furniture which was put into storage by Jackson’s associates. Exchanges between Dickerman and lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau often became heated. "You and your client were trying to set up Mr. Jackson for a lawsuit," Mesereau charged the witness. Dickerman denied the claim and was admonished after saying, "If we want to get to the truth Mr. Mesereau, instead of playing games, we can have a reasonable trial where the facts come out." "Counsel you are not an advocate here, you are a witness," the Judge warned him. At one point Dickerman complained that Mesereau wasn't listening to his answers. "Is the microphone on?" he said while testing it, "Is it on?" The rebuttal phase of the trial may last longer than expected following today’s rulings, as both sides have indicated they will re-call a number of witnesses and introduce new evidence. Source: AP/Reuters/eMJey

  • "I Was Actually Happy To Be At Neverland The Whole Time"

    In an attempt to fix the damage done by the revelation made Monday by defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. that the accuser had told the dean of his school, Jeffrey Alpert, that nothing had ever happened between Jackson and himself, the accuser explained that he was afraid of being teased. The accuser claimed that following the documentary "Living with Michael Jackson" featuring the then 13-year-old boy holding hands with Jackson, he was ridiculed in school which caused him to be involved in alot of fights. Due to the fights, the boy was called into the dean's office and claimed nothing had ever happened in an attempt to stop the ridicule. "I didn't want them to think it happened" he explained. The redirect by District Attorney Thomas Sneddon came after Thomas Mesereau Jr. had finished his cross examination, questioning whether the accuser knew of a possible profit if he filed a lawsuit against Jackson, something the boy denied. When asked why none of the family members ever alerted authorities during their alleged captivity, the accuser offered no other explanation than "they hardly ever let us be apart. They wanted to keep us together," and that he "was actually very happy to be at Neverland the whole time." "I was having a lot of fun," he said. "My mother was the one that was worried. I didn't realize 'til the last time that I didn't want to be there." Sneddon's redirect ended with the question of what the accuser thinks of Jackson now, to which the accuser replied "I don't really like him anymore. I don' really think he's deserving of the respect I was giving him as the coolest guy in the world." Afterwards, a series of law enforcement witnesses were called by the prosecution. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Sgt. Steve Robel showed items seized during the first of two searches of Jackson's Neverland Ranch, including an adult magazine called "Teenage", a black & white image of a nude woman, and a book by photographer Bruce Weber called "The Chop Suey Club." Robel said he found the items in a closed box at the foot of Jackson's bed. However, defense attorney Robert Sanger attacked the relevance of the items, stating that no witnesses claimed to have seen the items, and that none of the items are illegal to possess, and both were confirmed by Robel. When asked more specifically about the items, Robel acknowledged that he did not know that the book "Chop Suey Club" was sent to Jackson unsolicited by Weber, and that it contained a photo of Jackson friend Elizabeth Taylor. Terry Flaa, a former sheriff's investigator testified that he made the decision not to investigate two child welfare complaints by Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred and psychologist Carole Lieberman due to an interview by Los Angeles County's children services authorities, in which the boy and his family all said nothing had happened. The last witness of the day was that of sheriff's Lt. Jeff Klapackis who said he ordered the Jackson investigation re-opened after talking to the family's attorney Larry Feldman and psychologist Stan Katz. Prosecution claims that the molestation allegations appeared during the boy's interviews with Katz. Source: AP/MJJF/eMJey

  • "Man In The Mirror" Coverversion By Texas Lightning

    On the one hand, their repertoire includes material from country legends like Johnny Cash, Patsy Cline, Bill Monroe or Tex Williams. On the other hand Texas Lightning shows us that a country heart can beat in almost every great song. Classics like "Highway to Hell", "Like a Virgin", "Kiss" or "Dancing Queen" are reborn with a trace of saloon and gunpowder. The german modern country group will sing at the "Eurovision Song Contest" in Athens (Greece) on May 18 & 20, 2006. They will play the song "No No Never". On their album "Meanwhile,Back at the Ranch " they play a coverversion of "Man In The Mirror". You can hear a cutout of the country version in the Album Jukebox. LINK:http://www.texaslightning.net/index.php?area=songs&language=e Source: texaslightning.net/JAM-FC/MJJF/eMJey

  • A P.I Speaks Out

    A private investigator working at the time for defense attorney Mark Geragos, has given MSNBC’s Dan Abrams an interview before the PI was subpoenaed by both the prosecution and defense in the current Jackson trial. Bradley Miller’s office was raided on the same day that the entertainer’s Neverland Ranch was raided and it is said that the prosecution was after a tape that Miller recorded in which the accusing family are showering praise upon Jackson. Miller goes on to state that both the boy and his family were well aware of the 1993 allegation brought against Jackson where the star receded to a multi million dollar out of court settlement. Although prosecutor Tom Sneddon in his opening statement and the boy’s sister on stand on Thursday stated that the tape is heavily edited and that Miller would stop and go if he felt the family were not saying the right things. The Private Investigator is assertive about the fact that Jackson upon revelation of the family’s motives wanted so badly to distance himself and Miller goes on to say "This family, every conversation I had with them, every meeting I had with them, any interaction with them centered around either money, fame, celebrity and/or possessions," Source: CNN/MSNBC/Santa Maria Times/eMJey

  • A Spy In The Jackson Camp?

    An allegation that Michael Jackson’s record label placed a spy in the singer’s camp was the most interesting revelation in an otherwise uneventful third day of the superstar’s child molestation trial. The day was dominated by testimony from Ann Marie Kite, a publicity specialist hired briefly for the singer in the aftermath of ITV’s “Living with Michael Jackson,” said by some to be a publicity disaster.Kite was called to the stand by prosecutors to testify about the conspiracy allegations made against Mr. Jackson and a number of unindicted co-conspirators. She claimed there had been panic in the Jackson camp when the accuser and his family left Neverland in the middle of the night following the broadcast of the ITV documentary. She said that one of the unindicted co-conspirators, Marc Schaffel, told her that their leaving the ranch made him “uncomfortable.” She further testified that, later the same day, he told her “the situation has been contained” and the family had been brought back to the ranch. “I didn't understand why he would be upset about them leaving the ranch," she said, adding that she was told defense lawyers would portray the accuser’s mother as a “crack whore.” Kite’s testimony was undermined under cross-examination when she confirmed that she had never actually met the family or Mr. Jackson and that her knowledge of events was mostly third hand. She further acknowledged that she had only worked for the entertainer for six days, between February 9th and February 15th, 2003. Kite had been hired by her ex-boyfriend and Jackson attorney David LeGrande. She further alleged that, following her dismissal, she refused a request from then defense attorney Mark Geragos to sign a confidentiality agreement. "I believed it would negatively impact me. I believe it was designed to shut me up," she said. Record Label Spy The most intriguing testimony came when Kite hinted that a spy had been placed in the Jackson camp by the star’s own record label, Sony Music. She said she had learned that one of Mr. Jackson’s advisors, Ronald Konitzer, may have been working behind the scenes in an attempt to allow Sony to take ownership of the Sony/ATV music catalogue, which is half-owned by the reclusive superstar. Konitzer is also one of the unindicted co-conspirators. "You said that Mr. Konitzer was hired to isolate Michael Jackson and let him create his downfall so that Sony could get the catalogue back, isn't that correct?" asked Mesereau. "Not in those words," she replied, adding that she was aware of the importance of the catalogue and that "Sony was waiting for the opportunity to get the Sony catalogue back." There has been much public animosity between Sony and Mr. Jackson, arguably their biggest star. He spoke out against then chief Tommy Mottola who resigned shortly afterwards. Kite further alleged that she was also suspicious of other members of Mr. Jackson’s team. In an earlier interview with police investigators, she said she felt some of the singer’s team were not acting in his best interests. She named Schaffel, Konitzer and financial advisor Al Malnik and said she got her information from the internet and from Le Grande. "The ones you are most suspicious of are Schaffel and Konitzer?" Mesereau questioned. "The ones I was most suspicious of were those who were taking their eyes off the devastation that was happening to Michael Jackson," she replied. Her internet research revealed that Malnik was a “reputed mobster” and Schaffel was a producer of gay pornography. She thought their association with Mr. Jackson would be viewed negatively. After questioning from Mesereau, she confirmed she had no information that the singer himself was involved with the pornography. Kite mentioned that the Jackson camp seemed at odds with one another. "I couldn't discuss anything with anyone because they all had different agendas," she said. Prior Allegations Earlier in the day, following a question from prosecutors about other PR problems faced by the singer, Kite mentioned previous allegations made against the singer in 1993. Judge Rodney Melville has yet to rule on whether evidence from the prior allegations can be used by prosecutors. No charges were filed in that case. The defense objected to questions about 1993, and Judge Melville warned jurors to only consider testimony as it related to explaining Kite's motivations and not for the "truth of the matter." The trial continues in Santa Maria tomorrow. Source: AP/CBS/MJJForum/eMJey Source: AP/CBS/MJJForum/eMJey

  • Accuser Denied Abuse to Social Worker

    Irene Lavern Peters, a social worker for the Department of children and Family Services, testified Tuesday concerning an interview of Mr. Jackson’s teen-age accuser and his family. She and two other social workers interviewed the family on February 20, 2003. Irene Lavern Peters.jpg The accuser’s mother requested that the interview be held at Neverland, however, she was informed that Peters wanted to see where they lived. As a result, the interview was held at the home of the mother’s boyfriend A Jackson bodyguard and several other people were present at the apartment where the interviews took place, but Peters conceded that they all left before the interview began. The interview, which took place one day after the taping of the rebuttal video, began with the accuser’s mother playing a video tape of Mr. Jackson interacting with her sons. "She denied all allegations of general neglect," Peters said. "I asked her about the relationship with Michael Jackson. She went on to say he was like a father to her children and she felt he was responsible for helping (the boy) to survive his cancer, for his cancer to go into remission.” "I asked her if the kids ever slept in Michael Jackson's room and she said no, that never happened." Despite allegations by the prosecution that the family was coerced, Peters testified that the children "all seemed to be in agreement with their mom,” adding that the family seemed happy and well-adjusted and "they all seemed spontaneous in their comments”. The accuser and his siblings who were interviewed separately, described Mr. Jackson as a “father figure”. When asked if “he had been touched inappropriately by Michael Jackson”, the accuser answered “no”, and seemed to be quite upset by the question. He then told her about how his schoolmates had been taunting him because he was seen holding hands with Mr. Jackson in the Bashir documentary “Living with Michael Jackson”. During the interview the accuser’s mother expressed that she was not pleased with Bashir filming her children without her consent. Peters testified that the mother told her that "Michael wanted to send them to Brazil and she didn't want to go." Peters said the mother referred to Brazil as "that dump." A travel agent has testified that she arranged a March 1, 2003, flight but the trip was abruptly canceled. Peters told the jury that the family never complained about being held against their will. Even after bumping into the family two months after the interview at a hamburger stand, they all seemed fine. Simone Jackson, a 16 year old cousin of Mr. Jackson testified Tuesday that as she sat in the corner of the large Neverland Ranch kitchen area playing a video game, the accuser and his brother entered and took a bottle of wine. "They didn't see me, I was sitting off to the side," Simone Jackson said, speaking softly from the witness stand. "They grabbed it and (the accuser's brother) got a wine glass and (the accuser) just took the bottle." When the boys then saw her, she said, "I told them they weren't supposed to do that, and they told me not to say anything." Also in court Tuesday, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville refused to reverse a decision he made to limit the testimony of Angel Vivanco, a former chef's assistant at Neverland who, the defense claims, developed a relationship with the accuser's sister. Sources: AP/CNN/eMJey

  • Accuser's Sister Takes the Stand at Jackson Trial

    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

  • Accuser’s Mother Admits Previous False Testimony

    The mother of Michael Jackson’s accuser spent much of Friday’s proceedings engaged in bickering with the star’s lead defense attorney as he attacked her credibility and forced her to admit lying under oath twice in previous legal proceedings. April.15_TM.JPG Attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr.'s aggressive cross-examination and the witness's long, rambling answers that often strayed from the subject prompted the judge to admonish both sides. The exchanges became so heated that at one point the judge threatened to shut down court for the day. "Do you want me to shut the trial down this afternoon?" Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville said after one exchange between the prosecution and defense over the woman's testimony. "You are not to engage in this kind of interaction with each other, or the witness." Mesereau questioned the mother about her previous civil lawsuit against the department store J. C. Penney. In that suit she made allegations of rough treatment by security guards as they sought to apprehend her son for shoplifting. Mesereau noted that in a sworn statement, the woman said she had never been abused by her husband at the time — an important issue, because her alleged injuries may have been caused by such violence. "You were not telling the truth under oath when you made those statements," Mesereau said. The woman eventually responded, "This is correct," but claimed that she lied because she was embarrassed about the abuse. She also admitted to being untruthful when she said in the lawsuit that her husband was honest. She attempted to excuse her lies by claiming that once she finally got away from her husband, she contacted her attorney in an effort to have her testimony corrected – after she had received a settlement in excess of $ 150,000 from the department store. "I finally was liberated to say," she said, telling jurors that she filed for divorce "after (her husband) was finally arrested for domestic violence." Mesereau, however, made sure jurors knew her divorce filing came just five days after the case was settled. The witness was also questioned about a report she made to police in which she accused her ex-husband of inappropriately touching their daughter. She initially refused to answer the question directly and instead turned to the jury and said, "No, he's wrong." She finally admitted to making the report but tried to downplay the allegation, claiming that “it was a one-sentence statement” given to the police after “they asked for a history” of problems in the family. Mesereau also asked the woman about a child welfare investigation back in the 1990s, triggered after her son, the accuser, alleged she had abused him. She said the investigation by the state Division of Children and Family Services was initiated when a school nurse wanted to send her son home early, and the boy expressed reluctance to go. The nurse, interpreting the conversation as a sign of possible abuse, called DCFS. The witness stated that no action was ever taken against her, and she described her interaction with the DCFS caseworkers as "positive." Earlier, the witness spoke of the rebuttal video in which she was effusive in her praise of Jackson. When Mesereau pressed her on the issue of whether she was “lying” when she made those positive comments regarding Jackson, she claimed that she was “acting” and merely following a script that she had memorized. She said that Jackson aides scripted almost every aspect of the video and also claimed that she had met up to 10 times with a Jackson aide in Neverland in order to discuss what she would say on the tape – a detail never mentioned in any of her previous interviews with police or attorneys. The mother’s cross-examination began Friday morning, after prosecutors concluded their questioning of the woman by showing jurors surveillance videotapes, found in private investigator Brad Miller’s office, to support their claims that the family were being monitored. Cross-examination of this witness will continue on Monday. Source: AP/CNN/MJJForum/eMJey

  • Accuser’s Mother Wanted Money

    Pop superstar Michael Jackson’s defense received a huge boost Monday as several witnesses painted the accuser’s mother as a greedy welfare cheat. Jurors heard emotional testimony from the accuser’s aunt who said the mother, Janet Arvizo, was only interested in money for her then cancer-stricken son. The aunt, who is estranged from the Arvizo family, said she attempted to arrange a blood drive for her nephew. But she told jurors that Arvizo told her in a phone call that “she didn’t need my (expletive) blood” and that instead “she needed money.” "I think I just hung up on her," the aunt recalled.Welfare Fraud An employee of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services testified that she processed Arvizo’s welfare application in November 2001. She said that in the application, Arvizo stated she had no sources of income, assets or health insurance. However, just 10 days earlier the family had received a $152,000 settlement from a lawsuit filed against J.C. Penney. This followed an altercation with store security guards in 1998 - the guards had suspected Jackson’s accuser of shoplifting. The family claimed the guards battered them and eventually received a settlement which was split between the mother, father and all three children. The defense contends that the family has a history of using false allegations for financial gain. Mercy Dee Manrriquez stated that Arvizo did not disclose any of the settlements on her welfare application and that a person who willingly excluded sources of income from the forms was guilty of fraud. “Would it be fraud to fail to disclose it at this point?” asked defense attorney Robert Sanger. “Yes it would be,” Manriquez said. She also stated that all income should have been reported - including gifts and the $5,000 a month pay of her then boyfriend. Manrriquez further revealed that the mother swore under penalty of perjury that the family did not have any medical insurance. However, it was established in earlier testimony that the accuser’s cancer treatments were in fact covered by his father’s employer. During her testimony previously, Arvizo invoked Fifth Amendment protection against self-incrimination concerning her alleged welfare fraud. Family Greed Next to testify was Mike Radakovich, an accountant who examined the bank accounts of the Arvizo family. He testified that a week after the accuser’s mother deposited her $32,000 portion of the J.C. Penny settlement, she withdrew $29,000 in a cashiers check made out to a car dealership. Then the paper trail mysteriously ended. “I never saw it going back into any account I looked at,” Radakovich told jurors. He also stated that the accuser’s family was still collecting welfare payments in February and March 2003. At the same time, Jackson was spending “several thousand dollars” paying their expenses, including a private jet trip to Miami, an orthodontist appointment and a body wax for the mother. This is also the time period that the prosecution alleges the family was held captive by Jackson. Radakovich said that during this same time, two welfare payments of $769 were deposited into the bank account of Arvizo’s then boyfriend (now her husband). The boyfriend then paid the rent on the family’s apartment. Editor was “duped” The defense also called Connie Keenan, editor of the Mid Valley News, to the stand Monday. The editor testified that she ran a story about the medical plight of Jackson’s accuser. “It was a story I didn’t want to do but (the mother) played on some sympathies in the office so I assigned it,” she testified. After the story ran, Arvizo wanted another one, Keenan said. “The mother wanted an additional story because she didn’t make enough money from the original story - those are her words, not mine,” she asserted. Keenan also told jurors that Arvizo wanted the article to say people could send her money. She said she had told Arvizo it would be unethical for people to send money to her house and urged her to set up a trust fund in her son’s name. The editor said the account was eventually created and she ran the story on the front page. When defense attorney Thomas Mesereau asked why it was given such prominence, she said, “I think the story tugged at your heart strings. The face of the child was beautiful.” Bringing the testimony to a close, Mesereau asked Keenan if the mother had called her personally and how long the conversation was. “Approximately one minute and 20 seconds,” she retorted. “I didn’t want to talk to her. I had already established the fact that I had been duped.” Source: AP/CNN/eMJey

  • Accuser’s Mother: “I did what my husband told me”

    The mother of Michael Jackson’s accuser ended an often bizarre five days of testimony Tuesday as prosecutors prepared to wrap up their case against the international pop idol. Prosecutors also called the accuser’s grandmother and a school administrator to the stand and told the court they would rest their case by the end of next week. Under further cross-examination from the defense, the mother insisted she had never solicited money from any celebrities and claimed the lawsuit she filed against J.C Penney’s was intended to solicit an apology rather that a monetary settlement. The defense has asserted that the woman has targeted celebrities, including comedians George Lopez and Jay Leno, for money - a claim she denied. The defense has named Leno as a possible witness, saying he became suspicious and contacted police after receiving repeated phone call‘s from the family. "I have never spoken to Jay Leno," testified the mother, adding that she also knew nothing about her son having approached Leno himself. The woman also claimed that not only was she never informed about fundraisers held for her son at a Hollywood comedy club, but that she also didn’t know donations were being made after she opened a special bank account for his benefit. She testified the she had no idea why money was being put into the account. "You had no idea why anyone put money in it. You just withdrew it?" asked an incredulous Mesereau. "I did what (my husband) told me," she replied. "And you had no idea that Chris Tucker was going to wire money in to that account," he asked. "This is correct," she answered. Tucker was one of the celebrities to befriend the family. Mesereau asked whether she had known about a benefit held at the Laugh Factory in Hollywood at which the accuser sat in the lobby collecting money. She denied knowing about the event. "And do you remember using money donated for (him) on cosmetic surgery?" asked Mesereau. "No," she replied defiantly, "I used a credit card … which is still outstanding." Mesereau questioned her again as to whether she had known that comedian Louise Palanker had donated $20,000 to build a germ-free room for her son. On Monday, she had testified that she did not know how the money from Palanker was used. This time, after an overnight discussion with prosecutor Ron Zonen, she said all she in fact knew about it was that she had to endorse a cheque for $10,000 to give to her husband. Palanker has already testified that she donated the money and even recommended a contractor who prepared the room but was never paid by the family. The mother also admitted that after receiving money for her son’s illness in 2001 she spoke to "a nice man" at a Los Angeles car dealership about buying a car. However she said she never made the purchase. Manipulated Photographs Mesereau also challenged the authenticity of photographs of the woman used in the J.C Penney lawsuit depicting bruises allegedly caused by the store’s security guards. The mother testified that her then husband had taken her to a one-hour photo studio "immediately" after the incident. The lawyer then introduced a mug shot taken on the day of the incident that showed no bruising at all. She then changed the time frame to say the photos were only taken after they had spoken to an attorney. “I was wearing makeup," she added. In other pictures previously introduced by prosecutors, the mother’s face was heavily bruised and her body was blotched with black and blue marks. Mesereau suggested these pictures were taken after a domestic violence incident, pointing out that she did not file the suit until a year after the alleged incident at the department store. "During the time of the alleged events... you said you weren't going to sue anyone, and then you changed your mind," said Mesereau. The woman insisted that she had initially sought an apology and only later decided to sue. Jackson’s team contends that the woman similarly plans to file a civil suit for damages if Jackson is found guilty. New Witnesses Towards the end of the session, prosecutors called the accuser’s grandmother, who testified in Spanish. She claimed her house was besieged by strangers after the airing of the ITV documentary ‘Living with Michael Jackson’. "Many people came to the door of my house... I was almost like a prisoner," she said. She also claimed that a man threw rocks at the bedroom window of the accuser's sister and that Jackson’s associates sent messages asking her grandchildren to answer the phone. Prosecutors claim the family was harassed in order to force them into taking part in the singer’s rebuttal, later screened on Fox. The defense had no questions for the grandmother, who was followed by school administrator Michael Davy. He testified that Vincent Amen, named by prosecutors as an unindicted co-conspirator, used identification and a note from the mother to take the accuser and his brother from school for three weeks during the period of the alleged captivity. The singer’s defense questioned Davy about the accuser’s disciplinary problems and established he had been a problem for the school well before the period in which he was allegedly molested. Questioned afterwards by journalists Jackson said "I think [the case is] going well, thank you." Source: AP/CNN/BBC/MJJForum/eMJey

  • Accuser’s Stepdad Wanted Money, not House

    April.12_05.JPG Testimony in the Michael Jackson trial returned to focus on the current allegations against the singer following six days of testimony on prior allegations. The accuser’s stepfather testified Tuesday that one of Jackson’s associates offered the family a house and a college education following the broadcast of ITV documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” The documentary featured scenes in which the accuser was seen holding Jackson’s hand. Prosecutors allege that Jackson molested the boy following the broadcast of the documentary and then conspired to hold the family hostage in order to film a rebuttal to the show. Major Jay Jackson, an army reservist, testified that he asked a Jackson associate, Frank Tyson, about compensation for filming the rebuttal. "I said, `What are you offering this family to do this?'” he testified. He said that Tyson, named as an unindicted co-conspirator by prosecutors, replied he was offering “protection.” The stepfather said he replied “`Frank, the family doesn't need protection. Who are you protecting them from?'" He said he never got an answer to the question. "He [Tyson] said he was going to offer a college education and a home," he explained, adding "they didn't need a home . . . and they were only in the eighth grade and didn't need a college education right then." He said he then specifically asked Tyson about monetary compensation. "I was suspicious of him at that point. He [Tyson] actually said, 'Are you trying to blackmail us?' " Deputy District Attorney, Ron Zonen, also questioned the major about two journalists who had approached him following the broadcast of the British documentary overseas. "I was intrigued by it," said the stepfather. "I was maybe thinking about asking for compensation, but I thought that was the industry standard. I meant no malice by it." He testified that he was offered up to $15,000, but said "I declined. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it didn't seem like a good idea." However under cross-examination, lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau asked, "You went back and forth with them about money, didn't you?" "That would be true," replied the stepfather. "And you couldn't reach an agreement, right?" "True," he conceded. Prosecutors focused heavily on the period in February 2003 when the family was taken to Florida, purportedly to hold a news conference with Michael Jackson. It was during this period that the family gave an audio interview to a private investigator, filmed the rebuttal show and was also questioned by child welfare authorities. "And in the middle of all this turmoil, to your knowledge, molestation began on the 20th [of February]?" questioned Mesereau incredulously. Prosecutors objected and the stepfather was told by Judge Rodney Melville not to answer the question. The stepfather also told the jury how the accuser’s mother had called him repeatedly from Neverland during the spring of 2003. "She said she was not able to see her children, that when she went off Neverland she had a chaperone," said the major, who was then dating the mother. "They were short conversations and disturbed," he said. He described the mother’s demeanor as “emotional” and “upset,” saying the phonecalls were always abruptly ended by the mother. At one point the mother returned from Neverland to the family's home in west Los Angeles but the stepfather testified that she was pressured into returning to the ranch by Jackson’s colleagues. He also said that when the accuser himself eventually returned home, his behavior had changed. "It appeared to me he'd been brainwashed by someone," he said. Judge Melville told the jury to disregard the remark. Asked to describe the changes, the stepfather said, "He'd become mean. He was using curse words. He had never done that before." "He was acting very cocky, kind of rude, actually. I don't think he wanted to see me. It was almost like, 'What are you doing here?'" However, upon cross-examination, Mesereau pointed out the boy’s extensive disciplinary problems at school, and also played an audio tape in which the mother praises Jackson for being "like a father... unselfish, kind, exhibiting unconditional love." The tape was recorded on February 16, 2003. Prosecutors are expected to call the accuser’s mother to the stand with the next few days. Source: AP/Santa Barbara News-Press/MJJForum/eMJey

  • ADL Calls For Apology

    Anti-Semitic? That's Not Michael's Message, Says Rep jewishflag.jpg The Anti-Defamation League on Wednesday demanded an apology from Michael Jackson after ABC aired what was said to be a telephone answering-machine message in which the pop star referred to Jews as "leeches." On Tuesday, ABC's "Good Morning America" aired portions of a 2003 voice message that Jackson was alleged to have left for a former adviser, Dieter Wiesner. A transcript provided by King's office quotes Jackson as saying: "They suck them like leeches.... They start out the most popular person in the world, make a lot of money, big house, cars and everything and end up penniless. It's a conspiracy. The Jews do it on purpose." In an exclusive statement to MJJForum, Raymone Bain tells us that Michael Jackson does not have a racist bone in his body. “NEVER would he say anything, or do anything, that would be offensive to any ethnic group, or hurtful to any ethnic group. It is not in his character, or his being. He has spent his entire life reaching out to people throughout the world by spreading love through his music, and his philanthropic efforts.” She says that, “It is unfortunate that these tapes are being disseminated throughout the airways without any "due diligence" with regard to the authenticity.” “However, Mr. Mesereau is representing Mr. Jackson in this matter and the truth will be revealed.” Because this is an ongoing legal matter, Raymone says that they are not issuing any statements at this time. The tape message was among about a dozen released by attorney Howard King, who represents Wiesner and another former adviser who are locked in business disputes with the pop star and are suing him for millions. King said he released the messages to keep Jackson from appearing sympathetic in court. Jackson's attorney Brent Ayscough confirms to NY Daily News that he's going to hit Marc Schaffel with fraud allegations. Ayscough has been debriefing "West Wing" producer Joe Becker, who has claimed that former gay-porn producer Schaffel swindled him out of $120,000 by telling Becker the money would go to a Jackson-sponsored 9/11 charity. Ayscough has also found interesting reading in Diane Dimond's Jackson bio, "Be Careful Who You Love," in which the author cites 13 former Schaffel associates who claim he conned them into investing in movies that were never made. Schaffel's lawyer, Howard King, didn't return a call by deadline. Source: AP/Raymone K. Bain/NY Daily News/MJJF/eMJey

  • AFP: Family of Jackson's Accuser Made A Living From False Allegations

    The family members of the boy who has accused Michael Jackson of child molestation are "professional plaintiffs" with a history of making "outrageous" sex assault charges in lawsuits, Mr. Jackson's lawyers said. Click here to read more.

  • Allegations fly over Jackson trial jury

    The jury that cleared Michael Jackson of child sex abuse has been accused of misconduct, including smuggling books and videotapes into deliberations. The allegations follow reports that two of the 12 have decided the singer is guilty and plan to write lucrative tell-all books. Former Jackson family friend and spokesman Stacy Brown said the trial had apparently been a waste of time and money. "That jury would have acquitted him even if they had a videotape (of the alleged crime)", he told the New York Daily News. Mr Brown said two jurors, Eleanor Cook and Ray Hultman, had approached him for help with their books. They told him one juror had sneaked a tape of Court TV broadcasts, widely considered biased towards the prosecution, into the deliberation room. Jurors were banned from watching media coverage of the trial and it was only a faulty videotape recorder that prevented a look at the footage, Mr Brown said. Ms Cook, 79, allegedly revealed she had smuggled a medical book in to show that "Jackson fit the book's definition of a pedophile to a T", but was later "intimidated" into voting for an acquittal. Three women on the jury were such fans of the 46-year-old star they allegedly cooed "Not my Michael …" when the panel discussed the sex abuse charges. Mr Brown said he was told the women formed a bond and their "minds were made up about one-third of the way through the trial". He claimed Ms Cook had also admitted she frequently winked at Jackson's mother, Katherine, across the courtroom. Mr Brown, who co-wrote a book about the one-time King of Pop, voiced suspicions about the pair's motivations. "If they really felt Michael Jackson was guilty, they had the opportunity to send that message with their vote," he said. "They could have hung the jury if they really believed a pedophile was going back into their community. I think they are trying to sell books." Source: Yahoo! News/The age

  • Another Former Security Guard Testifies

    On Wednesday Brian Barron a former security guard who moonlighted Jackson's Ranch for three years, took the stand and told of a directive that was given stating not to let the accuser and his siblings out of the property, without the permission of a house manager at the time. Brian Barron.JPG However, under cross examination by defense attorney Robert Sanger, Barron admitted that it was indeed Neverland ranch policy not to allow youngsters out of the property if their parents were not present and that guards would not let children leave the ranch if they were not supervised. "We would not let them go off the ranch without supervision," Barron said. Barron said that he was unaware of who wrote the directive on a greaseboard in a guard station in the estate, but said the notice was put up for about a week sometime in either January or February of 2003. Barron who is a police officer for the town of Guadalupe was not present while the November 2003 raid took place at the singer’s ranch. He went to say that his superiors in Guadalupe suggested he leave the estate because of the criminal investigation. The officer was later asked by the Sheriff's Department to go back to work at Neverland as a law enforcement informant but Barron said that he refused. Under cross examination the former guard also testified that as law enforcement official it was his duty to report any unlawful activities and that he saw none in his time of employment at Neverland ranch. Under questioning by Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss, Barron said employees were tense when Jackson was at Neverland. "He's like a perfectionist. Everything has to be right," Barron said of Jackson. "There was a lot of work to be done. Everyone was walking on pins and needles a little more to make sure everything was right." Auchincloss also asked Barron to identify pictures of three boys from the community of Los Olivos who were frequent visitors to the ranch and to describe their conduct. "Destructive," Barron said. "Whenever they were there we would have broken golf carts. They egged my security chief's car, and I mean a lot of eggs." The prosecution informed the court Tuesday, in the eighth week of the trial since opening statements, that it planned to rest its case next week. Source: AP/eMJey

  • ATTENTION FANS OF MICHAEL JACKSON

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Raymone K. Bain November 23, 2005 ATTENTION FANS OF MICHAEL JACKSON Michael Jackson does not have a racist bone in his body. NEVER would he say anything, or do anything, that would be offensive to any ethnic group, or hurtful to any ethnic group. It is not in his character, or his being. He has spent his entire life reaching out to people throughout the world by spreading love through his music, and his philanthropic efforts. It is unfortunate that these tapes are being disseminated throughout the airways without any "due deligence" with regards to the authenticity. However, Mr. Mesereau is representing Mr. Jackson in this matter and the truth will be revealed. Because this is an on-going legal matter, we are not issuing any statements at this time. Source: Raymone K. Bain/MJJForum/eMJey

  • Attorney says: No plans of civil lawsuit

    Larry Feldman, the attorney who first interviewed Michael Jackson's accuser testified Friday, that he was never asked, to file a lawsuit against the singer. However, he did acknowledge under cross examination, that the boy and his younger brother could file civil lawsuits until they turn 20 years old, the accuser being 15 years old now. Larry Feldman.JPG The prosecution had called Feldman to explain how the alleged molestation came to the attention of the authorities, but the defense used his appearance to try to show its belief, that the accuser and his family were out to get money from Jackson. Jackson's defense lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr., grilled Feldman about the the impact of a criminal conviction, whether or not it would make a financial judgment against easier. "If Mr. Jackson was convicted of felony child molestation in this case, (the boy or his brother) could use that case to win a civil case alleging similar of same facts against Mr. Jackson, is that correct?" asked Mesereau. "That is correct" said Feldman. The two lawyers sparred over the exact requirements of a civil suit, and Feldman denied accusations of encouraging the criminal action, in an attempt to avoid incurring costs involved in preparing a civil lawsuit. However, Feldman insisted that there would still be litigation expenses. District Attorney Tom Sneddon asked Feldman whether he was planning a lawsuit at the time, that he referred the accusing family to Santa Barbara prosecutors, to which Feldman replied "There was no lawsuit and there were no plans to file a lawsuit. It was up to you to investigate" Feldman was permitted to tell jurors of a previous accusation against Jackson in 1993, where Feldman represented another boy, who won a monetary settlement. Jurors were not told how much the boy was paid, but Feldman said there were no trouble collecting it. An amount which has been reported to be millions of dollars. Sneddon projected a photograph of the boy from the previous allegations on a courtroom screen, and asked Feldman to identify him. "He was much better looking at that age. He was adorable," Feldman said, a remark which the judge ordered stricken from the record. The picture showed a boy who many believe bears a striking resemblance to the current accuser. Feldman said that while he met with the current accuser's mother many times after he ceased to represent her officially, he has "never been asked to file any lawsuit against Michael Jackson" When Feldman walked outside the courthouse in an afternoon break in testimony, fans yelled "liar", "tell the truth" and "you're making money off the backs of these people". Feldman said, he was first contacted by the family because of a dispute over the boy's appearance in the documentary, Living With Michael Jackson" where he appeared holding hands with Jackson. Feldman then referred the family to psychologist Stan J. Katz "to make out some heads and tails of what was being told to me by the family" Katz reported suspicions of molestation to authorities after interviewing the family. Also on the stand Friday, was an an investigator who testified that linens seized by police from Jackson's bed, had failed to yield any DNA linked to the teenage accuser or his brother. In other testimony, sheriff's Lt. Jeff Klapackis defense the scale of the effort, when 69 investigators serves a search warrant at Neverland on Nov. 18, 2003. The large number of investigators were needed, he said, because they had only been allowed one day to carry out the search, because the district attorney didn't want to "burden the ranch and its employees with our presence longer than that," Klapackis said. He also said that there were large buildings to search at the 2,800-acre ranch. Klapackis also said, that they took all bedding during the search, because that is where the accuser and his brother claim to have frequently slept, and where they allege the molestation took place. During cross-examination, Klapackis said authorities did not test bottle and glasses containing alcohol for fingerprints - found in Jackson's bedroom as well as the home's wine cellar and kitchen. Nor did investigators test furniture, boxes, mannequin toys and rails along Jackson's stairwell, or his bedroom doors for fingerprints. When asked on redirect why, Klapackis said, "It didn't enter in the investigation at the time." However, they did test pornographic magazines. The boy's brother testified how Jackson showed them magazines. A fingerprint analyst has testified earlier, that the prints of Jackson and his accuser were recovered from the same magazine. Jack Green, president of a Ventura telephone systems company, testified that he had inspected Neverland's phone systems. He explained that it had a function to allow someone to listen in on other's calls, but there was nothing to prevent anyone from calling 911. Prosecutors allege the family's calls were monitored by Jackson, whereas the defense say the family could have called for help, if they truly were captives. Source: AP/CNN/MJJForum/eMJey

  • Attorney: "I Was Trying To Prevent a Crime Against My Client"

    Former counsel testifies in defense of Jackson Criminal defense attorney Mark Geragos testified on Friday that it was he who ordered surveillance of Michael Jackson's accuser and the teenager's family back in early 2003 because he was "gravely concerned" that they may have been plotting to extort the entertainer. May.13_Mark Geragos.JPG Geragos relayed to jurors that he was merely "trying to prevent a crime" against his client, believing that "they were going to shake [Jackson] down."The famed attorney represented Jackson during February and March 2003, when the accusing family contends they had been held against their will, falsely imprisoned, and extorted by Jackson. The accuser's mother, sister, and stepfather had additionally testified to being surveilled following the family's final departure from Neverland. No explanation as to why this was had ever been provided. Geragos explained that he had asked private investigator Bradley Miller to keep track of the accusing family to discern "where they were, what they were doing and who they were meeting with." He had also requested that Miller record a statement from the family so as to "lock" their version of events at the time, protecting Jackson should they later change their story. Under questioning by defense lead attorney Thomas Mesereau, Geragos said that he became concerned that the accuser's family would seek to take advantage of the allegations spawned by the Martin Bashir documentary "Living with Michael Jackson." At the time, old allegations of sexual abuse had resurfaced and the media was abuzz with talk of possibilities that Jackson had molested his current accuser, who was featured in the program. "People were making all kinds of allegations... and I was to look into that," Geragos said. The lawyer stated that his "first concern" had been whether the Department of Child and Family Services may attempt to remove three of Jackson's children from his custody. Not long after being hired, Geragos went to Jackson's sprawling Neverland Valley Ranch for a pre-planned interview with CBS journalist Ed Bradley. Geragos testified that while there, he was informed by a Jackson associate about things regarding the family "that were giving me great pause," in particular the fact that Jackson's now accuser was calling the singer "daddy." During a conversation with Jackson about the matter, Geragos said he objected to how the teenager was referring to him, and this eventually led to the cancellation of the interview. Geragos said his concerns grew further when he ordered an investigation of the family and discovered that they had a litigious history. The family had filed suit against J.C. Penney in 1999 alleging that during an altercation, which ensued after an alleged shoplifting incident, they had been battered and sexually assaulted. This discovery prompted Geragos to conclude that Jackson "should have nothing to do with [the family]," believing that a continued association with them would be a "pending train wreck." He added that the past lawsuit and eventual settlement raised concerns because Jackson is "frequently the target of litigation" and thought it best to sever ties between his client and the family. Contradicting the contention that Jackson and several others conspired against the family, Geragos denied any conspiracy and further distanced Jackson from the charge to which the prosecution has been unable to link the entertainer. He said that he was unaware of any crime committed against the family. Asked during cross-examination if he had ever questioned Jackson about the accuser sleeping in his bed, Geragos replied that he had and that Jackson told him that "nothing happened" and that "he didn't do anything untoward or sexual, and if anyone spent the night in his room it was unconditional love." Geragos also defended his former client when describing his first visit to Jackson's home. "When I was there, what I saw was a gentleman who was almost childlike in his love for kids. I didn't see anyone doing anything nefarious or criminal. I saw someone who was ripe as a target," he said. At one point, Geragos declined to answer a prosecution question on grounds that Jackson only waived attorney-client privilege concerning events up to before his arrest in November 2003, surprising both Judge Melville and prosecutors. Judge Melville had been under the impression that it was a total waiver of attorney-client privilege and sent the jury out of the room in order to address "the misrepresentation Mr. Mesereau has made to the court and counsel." Mesereau apologized, stating that he did not think the events after Jackson's arrest were relevant. Judge Melville also criticized Mesereau for his delay in questioning Geragos, who came to court as per the judge's orders and under threat of arrest should he not show at 8:30 a.m. Geragos arrived well in advance, but then waited for hours while attorneys questioned another witness. "I have this picture of a lawyer upstairs walking back and forth pulling his hair out of his head wondering why I called him here today under threat of a warrant while Mr. Mesereau goes on and on," the judge said. "What's wrong with that picture?" Mesereau replied, "It's pretty accurate, I think, your honor." Geragos did not complete his testimony before court recessed for the weekend and is scheduled to return on Friday, May 20, 2005. Source: AP/CNN/eMJey

  • Audio Feed GRANTED For VERDICT READING

    BREAKING NEWS!!! When jurors reach a verdict in the Michael Jackson trial, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville has decided to allow an audio feed to broadcast the reading of the verdict in the courtroom. A jury of eight women and four men will resume deliberations on Mr. Jackson's case on Monday, and when they reach a verdict it will be broadcast. Jurors will meet everyday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm until a verdict is reached. Source: MJJsource "Michael Jackson's official website"

  • Blaze Menaces Neverland

    On Friday afternoon, black smoke billowed from Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch as a blaze charred more than 40 acres of the sprawling Los Olivos estate. The fire was fueled by light brush and grass and it came within 200 yards of buildings, but more than 100 firefighters from Santa Barbara County Fire Department, Vandenberg Air Force Base and the U.S. Forest Service managed to keep it at bay. It's not known how many animals were in the ranch zoo, which has been home to a menagerie including elephants, giraffes, llamas and a camel. Authorities confirmed that none was evacuated. "The animals are being taken care of and there are no problems with them," said county Fire Department Capt. Keith Cullom. The fire was fully contained by 7:30 p.m. Investigators remained on scene until nightfall, attempting to determine what sparked the blaze that had firefighters hiking in over steep hills to stop it from spreading farther across the 2,600-acre ranch. Mr. Jackson has not lived at Neverland since shortly after his acquittal on child molestation charges in June 2005 and has instead been residing in Bahrain. Raymone Bain, Mr. Jackson's publicist, could not be reached for comment Friday evening. The fire, which was reported at about 2:25 p.m., broke out just west of the entertainer's amusement park. A road that runs through the middle of the property split the fire into two flanks that burned on both sides of the 16 carnival rides, including a merry-go-round, Ferris wheel and octopus. From there, the blaze climbed up the steep terrain of the Neverland valley, where cattle had been grazing, but the herd safely escaped the flames. The authorities said that the employees working on the ranch Friday were not evacuated. Helicopters dipped their buckets into Mr. Jackson's pond, home to swans and pink flamingos, to scoop up water used to douse the flames from above, while hand crews and bulldozers battled the blaze from the ground. A private fire crew stationed at Neverland Valley Ranch attempted to keep the fire under control until the closest county fire crews could arrive. It took the crews about 15 minutes to reach the ranch on Figueroa Mountain Road about five miles north of Highway 154. Mr. Jackson hired the Neverland crew after a fire there in 1989, which destroyed a $300,000 barn where two giraffes lived. The giraffes and chimpanzees in an adjacent barn were safely evacuated. That fire started in a large, propane-fueled fan installed two weeks earlier as part of the heating system, county investigators determined. Mr. Jackson bought the ranch in 1988 for $14.6 million and created a fairy tale-like setting, complete with a train, movie theater and arcade, to offer fun times to disadvantaged and sick children year-round. It costs about $3 million per year to maintain. A former ranch employee said there is an extensive fire hydrant system in all areas of the property and that each building is equipped with sprinklers. Violet Silva worked as head of security and fire for the last seven years of her 15-year employment there. She said that ranch staff regularly took county firefighters around the property to familiarize them with the layout in case of such an event. "Our purpose was to be preventative," Ms. Silva said. "Neverland is in itself very well thought out, with the hydrants and sprinklers." Ranch employees received regular fire training when she worked there. Also, a preplan book had been given to county Fire Station 32, mapping out the ranch. "I'm confident the situation will be handled efficiently and correctly because of all of this preparation," Ms. Silva said. Source: Santa Barbara News Press/eMJey

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