Post by MJSUNIFC on Apr 6, 2005 18:16:47 GMT -5
source: santa maria times
A 24-year-old Santa Maria man who said Michael Jackson molested him on three occasions as a child wrapped up his testimony this morning.
During cross examination, Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. quizzed the man on four interviews he had with law enforcement between 1993 and 2004. Mesereau was unable to reveal any inconsistencies in the story.
At times Mesereau was vague about which specific interview and incident of molestation he was referring to, prompting Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville to briefly interrupt questioning.
"You're being unfair to the witness, in my opinion," Melville said.
The man, whose mother was a housekeeper for the singer, also spoke of how his perception of Michael Jackson changed during his childhood.
"In fifth grade I told my friends that I knew Michael Jackson and they thought it was cool .... In junior high it's no longer cool to know someone who has issues with kids," the man said.
The man, who testified Monday about how tickling contests with Jackson escalated into fondling, said today that after two of the incidents Jackson put a $100 bill in his shorts.
Mesereau referred to previous interviews the man gave in which he said Jackson also offered him money to read books and get good grades. The man said he never received any money for either of those deeds.
"Throughout my whole life, grades were a problem," the man said, provoking some chuckling in the courtroom.
Mid-morning, the prosecution called a new witness, Santa Barbara attorney Kris Kallman, who testified that he got a financial settlement for the victim in 1995 or 1996 after threatening to file a civil complaint against the singer.
Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of molesting an unnamed 13-year-old boy and four counts of administering alcohol to help him with the alleged lewd acts. He also has pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy charge involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, and a count of attempted child molestation.
The Santa Maria Times, following its established policy, is not identifying those who allege they were abused by Jackson, even though they are being named in court.
www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/04/06/news/local/news02.txt
A 24-year-old Santa Maria man who said Michael Jackson molested him on three occasions as a child wrapped up his testimony this morning.
During cross examination, Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. quizzed the man on four interviews he had with law enforcement between 1993 and 2004. Mesereau was unable to reveal any inconsistencies in the story.
At times Mesereau was vague about which specific interview and incident of molestation he was referring to, prompting Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville to briefly interrupt questioning.
"You're being unfair to the witness, in my opinion," Melville said.
The man, whose mother was a housekeeper for the singer, also spoke of how his perception of Michael Jackson changed during his childhood.
"In fifth grade I told my friends that I knew Michael Jackson and they thought it was cool .... In junior high it's no longer cool to know someone who has issues with kids," the man said.
The man, who testified Monday about how tickling contests with Jackson escalated into fondling, said today that after two of the incidents Jackson put a $100 bill in his shorts.
Mesereau referred to previous interviews the man gave in which he said Jackson also offered him money to read books and get good grades. The man said he never received any money for either of those deeds.
"Throughout my whole life, grades were a problem," the man said, provoking some chuckling in the courtroom.
Mid-morning, the prosecution called a new witness, Santa Barbara attorney Kris Kallman, who testified that he got a financial settlement for the victim in 1995 or 1996 after threatening to file a civil complaint against the singer.
Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of molesting an unnamed 13-year-old boy and four counts of administering alcohol to help him with the alleged lewd acts. He also has pleaded not guilty to a conspiracy charge involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, and a count of attempted child molestation.
The Santa Maria Times, following its established policy, is not identifying those who allege they were abused by Jackson, even though they are being named in court.
www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/04/06/news/local/news02.txt