Post by MJSUNIFC on Sept 16, 2004 19:03:07 GMT -5
Mother of Jackson's Alleged Molestation Victim Talks About Intimidation Tactics in Tape
The mother of Michael Jackson's alleged child molestation victim says the singer's associates told her that she and her family were in danger after her son appeared on the controversial British documentary Living With Michael Jackson, according to a newly surfaced tape.
In tapes obtained by the syndicated show The Insider, the alleged victim's mother — known only as Jane Doe in court documents — says people who had once worked for Jackson showed up at her apartment and told her she and her family had to leave their home because someone had threatened their lives. In the interview, which The Insider reports was given to a law enforcement officer, Jane Doe said Jackson's associates wanted her and her family to flee to Brazil.
"One of the reasons is because there was people that were going to kill the children and me, mostly my children," she says in the tape.
Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to molesting a now-14-year-old boy who spent time at his Neverland ranch and is believed to be a cancer survivor who appeared last year in Living With Michael Jackson. Jackson also has pleaded not guilty to felony conspiracy with 28 overt acts involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
The conspiracy charge against Jackson refers to his alleged attempts through associates to quiet the boy and his family. Sources have told ABC News that five Jackson associates have been named as unindicted co-conspirators by Tom Sneddon, the district attorney for Santa Barbara County, Calif. The prosecution, sources say, alleges the Jackson associates played various roles in surveilling the alleged victim's family, taking the boy and his siblings out of school and making them virtual prisoners after the documentary aired.
Anticipated Showdown Between Mother and Jackson
It is unclear whether the alleged victim's mother is specifically referring to the five unindicted Jackson associates in the tape obtained by The Insider. She says the associates wanted to take possession of the belongings in her home after they learned that Jackson had written notes to her son.
"My apartment was meaningless to them until I told them that there were letters there from Michael," she says.
However, sources told ABC News that the conspiracy allegations against Jackson are false. After the documentary aired, they said, the family received death threats and the alleged victim's mother sought Jackson's help in getting protection.
The tape surfaces as the alleged victim's mother is set to take the stand Friday in a pretrial hearing and testify about whether she knew that a private investigator whose office was searched by authorities worked for former Jackson attorney Mark Geragos. Defense attorneys say the materials gathered from the search should not be admitted at trial because the mother and prosecutors knew or should have known that investigator Bradley Miller worked for Geragos. Miller's office should not have been searched, they argue, because of the attorney-client privilege of confidentiality.
Michael Jackson does not have to appear in court for this hearing but authorities expect him to show up Friday to watch the woman testify. The child molestation trial is expected to begin in January.
Reported by ABC News' Jessica Yellin on Good Morning America.
abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Entertainment/Michael_Jackson_Tape_040916-1.html
The mother of Michael Jackson's alleged child molestation victim says the singer's associates told her that she and her family were in danger after her son appeared on the controversial British documentary Living With Michael Jackson, according to a newly surfaced tape.
In tapes obtained by the syndicated show The Insider, the alleged victim's mother — known only as Jane Doe in court documents — says people who had once worked for Jackson showed up at her apartment and told her she and her family had to leave their home because someone had threatened their lives. In the interview, which The Insider reports was given to a law enforcement officer, Jane Doe said Jackson's associates wanted her and her family to flee to Brazil.
"One of the reasons is because there was people that were going to kill the children and me, mostly my children," she says in the tape.
Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to molesting a now-14-year-old boy who spent time at his Neverland ranch and is believed to be a cancer survivor who appeared last year in Living With Michael Jackson. Jackson also has pleaded not guilty to felony conspiracy with 28 overt acts involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
The conspiracy charge against Jackson refers to his alleged attempts through associates to quiet the boy and his family. Sources have told ABC News that five Jackson associates have been named as unindicted co-conspirators by Tom Sneddon, the district attorney for Santa Barbara County, Calif. The prosecution, sources say, alleges the Jackson associates played various roles in surveilling the alleged victim's family, taking the boy and his siblings out of school and making them virtual prisoners after the documentary aired.
Anticipated Showdown Between Mother and Jackson
It is unclear whether the alleged victim's mother is specifically referring to the five unindicted Jackson associates in the tape obtained by The Insider. She says the associates wanted to take possession of the belongings in her home after they learned that Jackson had written notes to her son.
"My apartment was meaningless to them until I told them that there were letters there from Michael," she says.
However, sources told ABC News that the conspiracy allegations against Jackson are false. After the documentary aired, they said, the family received death threats and the alleged victim's mother sought Jackson's help in getting protection.
The tape surfaces as the alleged victim's mother is set to take the stand Friday in a pretrial hearing and testify about whether she knew that a private investigator whose office was searched by authorities worked for former Jackson attorney Mark Geragos. Defense attorneys say the materials gathered from the search should not be admitted at trial because the mother and prosecutors knew or should have known that investigator Bradley Miller worked for Geragos. Miller's office should not have been searched, they argue, because of the attorney-client privilege of confidentiality.
Michael Jackson does not have to appear in court for this hearing but authorities expect him to show up Friday to watch the woman testify. The child molestation trial is expected to begin in January.
Reported by ABC News' Jessica Yellin on Good Morning America.
abcnews.go.com/sections/GMA/Entertainment/Michael_Jackson_Tape_040916-1.html