Jackson Shows Up For Court In Pajamas

gldstwmn · #1 03-10-2005, 02:36 PM

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/10/ja...ial/index.html

Jackson trial under way
Accuser returns to stand after judge threatened to jail singer
Thursday, March 10, 2005 Posted: 2:04 PM EST (1904 GMT)

SANTA MARIA, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's child molestation trial began more than 90 minutes late Thursday after the pop star flirted with possible jail by failing to show up on time.

When court resumed, the teenage boy who says Jackson molested him two years ago retook the stand for a second day of testimony.

After Jackson failed to arrive at the Santa Maria, California, courthouse for the scheduled 8:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET) start, defense lawyer Thomas Mesereau Jr. explained to Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville that his client was at a hospital for treatment of a "serious back problem."

But Melville, who last month had to delay jury selection by a week after Jackson was briefly hospitalized with the flu, refused to accept the excuse. He threatened to revoke Jackson's $3 million and jail him for the remainder of the trial if he didn't show up within an hour.

Jackson eventually made it to the courthouse, although he missed Melville's deadline by three minutes. Looking somewhat disheveled, with uncombed hair, Jackson was wearing pajama bottoms and sandals. He walked slowly, with a bodyguard and his father, Joseph, holding him at the elbows.

Once the trial resumed, Melville apologized to jurors for the delay and informed them that he had to order Jackson to court. But he admonished them not to "make inferences" about Jackson's innocence or guilt based on that fact.

"I'm not expressing an opinion about the case," the judge said.

Jackson's delayed appearance came on a possible pivotal day of testimony, with the boy accusing him of child molestation expected to detail what he says happened between the two of them two years ago at Jackson's Neverland Ranch.

The boy, now 15, was on the stand for an hour Wednesday afternoon, but court adjourned for the day before he provided any testimony about the molestation he says happened at Jackson's hands.

On Wednesday, Jackson's accuser had testified that he was "kind of hypnotized" by Jackson after meeting him while undergoing chemotherapy treatment for cancer and thought "he was the coolest guy in the world."

Jackson, 46, was indicted in April by a state grand jury on 10 felony counts for incidents that allegedly occurred in February and March 2003.

The charges include four counts of committing a lewd act on a child; one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion; one count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child; and four counts of administering an intoxicating agent to assist in the commission of a felony.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges.

skcin · #2 03-10-2005, 02:46 PM

Wackjob.

dissention · #3 03-10-2005, 02:48 PM

This guy gets away with murder.

SuzeQuze · #4 03-10-2005, 02:52 PM

I was just reading about this.

I'd be in the slammer if it were me. Jackson gets an hour grace period, which he was a few minutes late for! I mean, this is serious, even with back trouble he could have been drugged up and wheeled in.

You don't just not show up for court.

Ugh!

gldstwmn · #5 03-10-2005, 03:06 PM

The photo of him shuffling into court on CNN's home page is priceless.

belladonna. · #6 03-10-2005, 03:16 PM

he is so damn creepy

seriously, is there anyone out there that really believes he didn't do this?
because i don't know anyone that thinks he is innocent...

SuzeQuze · #7 03-10-2005, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by belladonna.

he is so damn creepy

seriously, is there anyone out there that really believes he didn't do this?
because i don't know anyone that thinks he is innocent...

Just the guy wearing the t-shirt "Michael Jackson is Innocent".

belladonna. · #8 03-10-2005, 03:29 PM

that guy is clearly misguided

GateandGarden · #9 03-10-2005, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuzeQuze

Just the guy wearing the t-shirt "Michael Jackson is Innocent".

Maybe that guy is just in denial because he loves the music so much.

David · #10 03-10-2005, 03:42 PM

Quote:

After Jackson failed to arrive at the Santa Maria, California, courthouse for the scheduled 8:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. ET) start, defense lawyer Thomas Mesereau Jr. explained to Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville that his client was at a hospital for treatment of a "serious back problem." But Melville, who last month had to delay jury selection by a week after Jackson was briefly hospitalized with the flu, refused to accept the excuse. He threatened to revoke Jackson's $3 million and jail him for the remainder of the trial if he didn't show up within an hour.

Senor Jackson is learning, very slowly, perhaps the most difficult lesson of his egregiously insulated life: even megastars aren't above the law of the land in which they live. His lawyer must be pulling his own hair out. Jackson is so deluded & so unaware of the idea of normal, responsible adulthood that it's pathetic to see this . . . alien (for want of a better term) . . . recoil feebly from every jab thrown his way, confused & uncomprehending.

Obviously, he can't be allowed to withdraw back into his high-security shell in order to avoid his responsibilities, & this judge seems to agree. But I wouldn't be surprised if the horrendous strain of justice kills Jackson. He's as unfit to survive it as a naked baby in a blizzard.

At the very least, it will drive him completely insane. Even the most neurotic, self-preserving minds ultimately crumble under enough force (as we've learned here on the ledge).

greatdarkwing · #11 03-10-2005, 03:52 PM

The good thing about being home with a bum leg.....breaking news....I was watching every minute. As a pre-law student this trial has me mesmerized. The average person would have been jailed on the spot. What a bunch of bull. Its ok....the kid will hopefully get up there and say enough to put him behind bars for a while.

~Alex

dissention · #12 03-10-2005, 03:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatdarkwing

The good thing about being home with a bum leg.....breaking news....I was watching every minute. As a pre-law student this trial has me mesmerized. The average person would have been jailed on the spot. What a bunch of bull. Its ok....the kid will hopefully get up there and say enough to put him behind bars for a while.

~Alex

Hope you're feeling better, Alex.

Let's face it, if it were you or me or Suze or Goldie, we would have been thrown into the slammer and had our bail revoked in an instant. He's getting preferential treatment and it couldn't be any more obvious. I can't wait for this bastard to be convicted.

greatdarkwing · #13 03-10-2005, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dissention

Hope you're feeling better, Alex.

Let's face it, if it were you or me or Suze or Goldie, we would have been thrown into the slammer and had our bail revoked in an instant. He's getting preferential treatment and it couldn't be any more obvious. I can't wait for this bastard to be convicted.

Thanks Dissention! I appreciate the nice words..

Now now...we all know i'd be freed because of my Republican ties to the judges

dissention · #14 03-10-2005, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatdarkwing

Thanks Dissention! I appreciate the nice words..

Now now...we all know i'd be freed because of my Republican ties to the judges

Eh, but of course.

Hopefully those ties won't get you shanked in the john before your release, though.

SuzeQuze · #15 03-10-2005, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skcin

Wackjob.

I somehow missed your perfectly succinct post, Paula! Sesly, he really does look like an alien and he certainly doesn't act of this world. I hope the jury believes every word of the accuser.

Did you guys see the documentary that this boy was in with Michael? It was so disturbing. I am glad he and his family had the courage to move forward.