It seems that finding 12 people to serve on the jury of Michael Jackson's trial will not be that easy.
According to reports, many of the prospective jurors lined up to try Michael Jackson have links to the singer; some even knowing people who have visited his Neverland ranch.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Bet on The Trial
It is reported that BetUS.com are offering odds on Michael Jackson's trial. Much like a title weight fight, people are picking sides and choosing to put their money where their mouth is.
Seemingly over 200 "punts" have already been made. Many more are expected when the jury selection resumes on Monday.
Seemingly over 200 "punts" have already been made. Many more are expected when the jury selection resumes on Monday.
Friday, February 11, 2005
Corey Feldman Interview
The actor Corey Feldman, who starred in Lost Boys and The Goonies, has been ordered to testify at the trial of Michael Jackson; after describing in a TV interview his visits to the singer's home as a teenager.
Feldman told journalist, Martin Bashir, how Mr Jackson showed him a book with pictures of naked men and women.
Feldman is now questioning how appropriate his relationship with the singer was.
Mr Feldman's television interview with Bashir will be shown tonight in the US on ABC's 20/20 show.
In the interview he talked about a book that was on display at Neverland, when he visited at the age of 13; quote:
"The book was focused on venereal diseases and the genitalia...(Jackson) sat down with me and he explained it to me, showed me some different pictures and discussed what those meant...".
Mr Feldman said at the time that he did not see the event as "a big deal" but had started to question it, in the light of child abuse allegations facing Mr Jackson.
He noted that Jackson had never touched him inappropriately during their friendship, and defended him to police during the 1993 investigation into abuse allegations.
Feldman told journalist, Martin Bashir, how Mr Jackson showed him a book with pictures of naked men and women.
Feldman is now questioning how appropriate his relationship with the singer was.
Mr Feldman's television interview with Bashir will be shown tonight in the US on ABC's 20/20 show.
In the interview he talked about a book that was on display at Neverland, when he visited at the age of 13; quote:
"The book was focused on venereal diseases and the genitalia...(Jackson) sat down with me and he explained it to me, showed me some different pictures and discussed what those meant...".
Mr Feldman said at the time that he did not see the event as "a big deal" but had started to question it, in the light of child abuse allegations facing Mr Jackson.
He noted that Jackson had never touched him inappropriately during their friendship, and defended him to police during the 1993 investigation into abuse allegations.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Coalition of The Willing
The media are thoroughly fed up with the veil of secrecy, that has been drawn over the Michael Jackson trial.
To this end a coalition of media companies, a rare event I would warrant, is asking a California appeals court to overturn an earlier decision to keep key documents out of the public arena; these documents include the indictment of charges against Michael Jackson.
The coalition of the "wiling" include; CNN, ABC, The New York Times, The Associated Press and others. Their lawyers want to lift the gag order that restricts attorneys from revealing details of the Jackson case.
Theodore Boutrous, the media firms' lawyer, wrote:
"We think these are very important issues for the public and its right of access to the criminal justice system....The trial court has taken a uniform, and consistently unconstitutional, approach to sealing judicial records and hearings in this case..".
The appeals court has yet to rule.
To this end a coalition of media companies, a rare event I would warrant, is asking a California appeals court to overturn an earlier decision to keep key documents out of the public arena; these documents include the indictment of charges against Michael Jackson.
The coalition of the "wiling" include; CNN, ABC, The New York Times, The Associated Press and others. Their lawyers want to lift the gag order that restricts attorneys from revealing details of the Jackson case.
Theodore Boutrous, the media firms' lawyer, wrote:
"We think these are very important issues for the public and its right of access to the criminal justice system....The trial court has taken a uniform, and consistently unconstitutional, approach to sealing judicial records and hearings in this case..".
The appeals court has yet to rule.
Comforting The Masses
California evangelist Ray Comfort is going to preach the Gospel about about God's love, on Valentine's Day, at the site of Michael Jackson's court case.
More than 1,000 journalists, from countries as far away as Australia and Switzerland, are expected to report on Jackson's trial on child sex-abuse charges in Santa Maria.
Next Monday Comfort, and a team of volunteers, plan to distribute 1,000 hardback copies of his book "What Hollywood Believes: an Intimate Look at the Faith of the Famous" to the media.
The book mentions Jackson by name on the cover, along with a news release about the pop star's spirituality.
Doubtless that will cheer them up!
More than 1,000 journalists, from countries as far away as Australia and Switzerland, are expected to report on Jackson's trial on child sex-abuse charges in Santa Maria.
Next Monday Comfort, and a team of volunteers, plan to distribute 1,000 hardback copies of his book "What Hollywood Believes: an Intimate Look at the Faith of the Famous" to the media.
The book mentions Jackson by name on the cover, along with a news release about the pop star's spirituality.
Doubtless that will cheer them up!
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Utter Trivia
Dr. Len Horovitz, who has many celebrities among his patients, has been talking to Fox News about Michael Jackson and his stay at Lenox Hill Hospital in 1999.
It seems that Jackson really does suffer from vitiligo, the medical condition that has caused his skin to turn white over the years.
Horovitz is quoted as saying:
"He has not had chemical peels or used any drugs to do it...He is blotchy in places that you can't see, and he does wear makeup in public. But the vitiligo is real..."
Horovitz noted that Jackson's children, Paris and Prince, did not resemble Jackson; Paris, in fact, had reddish brown hair.
Whatever happened to the confidentiality of the "doctor/patient relationship"?
It seems that Jackson really does suffer from vitiligo, the medical condition that has caused his skin to turn white over the years.
Horovitz is quoted as saying:
"He has not had chemical peels or used any drugs to do it...He is blotchy in places that you can't see, and he does wear makeup in public. But the vitiligo is real..."
Horovitz noted that Jackson's children, Paris and Prince, did not resemble Jackson; Paris, in fact, had reddish brown hair.
Whatever happened to the confidentiality of the "doctor/patient relationship"?
Tuesday, February 08, 2005
A Bizarre Allegation
It seems that people are happy to allege all sorts of weird and wonderful things, if they think that it will further their particular agenda in the Michael Jackson's trial.
Seemingly Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, appeared with Rita Cosby on the Fox News Channel's "Big Story" and made her own rather bizarre allegation.
She was asked if she felt her son could get a fair trial, as an African-American man in heavily white Santa Maria. She said that the area was "probably" too conservative and added:
"I hear there's a lot of skinheads down in that area. And there's a lot of, what you say Arian Nation or something. And I hear that [District Attorney Tom] Sneddon's son is one...".
I think that it is somewhat unlikely that Sneddon's son is involved with that bunch of Neanderthals, were it to be the case, the media would have made it front page news months ago.
Seemingly Katherine Jackson, Michael's mother, appeared with Rita Cosby on the Fox News Channel's "Big Story" and made her own rather bizarre allegation.
She was asked if she felt her son could get a fair trial, as an African-American man in heavily white Santa Maria. She said that the area was "probably" too conservative and added:
"I hear there's a lot of skinheads down in that area. And there's a lot of, what you say Arian Nation or something. And I hear that [District Attorney Tom] Sneddon's son is one...".
I think that it is somewhat unlikely that Sneddon's son is involved with that bunch of Neanderthals, were it to be the case, the media would have made it front page news months ago.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Trial Delayed
The jury selection in the Michael Jackson child molestation case is being delayed for a week, because of a death of the sister of Tom Mesereau Jackson's attorney.
Jury selection will not resume until February 14th, because of the death.
Judge Rodney Melville has agreed to a request by attorneys, of the media, to allow reporters to view questionnaires answered last week by prospective jurors.
Prosecutors agreed to the release, but defence attorneys said jurors might be less candid if they knew their answers would be made public.
Melville said that he will redact the questionnaires, to remove sensitive information.
Jury selection will not resume until February 14th, because of the death.
Judge Rodney Melville has agreed to a request by attorneys, of the media, to allow reporters to view questionnaires answered last week by prospective jurors.
Prosecutors agreed to the release, but defence attorneys said jurors might be less candid if they knew their answers would be made public.
Melville said that he will redact the questionnaires, to remove sensitive information.
Untainted Juror Found
Given the amount of media attention that is being paid to the Michael Jackson's trial, there is great concern that it will be difficult to find a jury that contains 12 "media untainted" men and women.
Fortunately one person, totally untainted by the media, has been found.
Splash star Daryl Hannah hates TV shows so much, that she has only just learned about Michael Jackson's child molestation trial.
Eco-friendly Hannah, who lives in a solar-powered home, drives a car powered by vegetable oil and doesn't own a television set has admitted that Jackson's arrest is new news to her.
She said:
"I liked Michael Jackson's music from when I was a kid, but I don't really know what's going on with him. I didn't know there was a trial right now; I don't know what it's about....I really try to keep myself free from being consumed with trivial pop culture and things like that."
However, she added:
"I do read the newspaper... Occasionally I do (watch television) when I'm in a hotel or something but television, I think, really focuses much more on that sensational type of media..."
One down, eleven to go!
Fortunately one person, totally untainted by the media, has been found.
Splash star Daryl Hannah hates TV shows so much, that she has only just learned about Michael Jackson's child molestation trial.
Eco-friendly Hannah, who lives in a solar-powered home, drives a car powered by vegetable oil and doesn't own a television set has admitted that Jackson's arrest is new news to her.
She said:
"I liked Michael Jackson's music from when I was a kid, but I don't really know what's going on with him. I didn't know there was a trial right now; I don't know what it's about....I really try to keep myself free from being consumed with trivial pop culture and things like that."
However, she added:
"I do read the newspaper... Occasionally I do (watch television) when I'm in a hotel or something but television, I think, really focuses much more on that sensational type of media..."
One down, eleven to go!
The Price of Justice
It is reported that local officials may turn to the statehouse, for more financial support to run the Michael Jackson trial.
The costs of the trial are estimated to be around $40K a day.
Santa Barbara County estimate that the cost of managing Jackson's arraignment, on January 16 last year, was $158K. This figure includes; $35K staff costs and $24K for fences, toilets, trash and consulting.
Normally state aid is only available for murder trials. However, Michael Jackson's trial is viewed as being rather unique. State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, is reportedly going to introduce a bill to help the county cover the costs of providing security for Jackson's trial.
Estimates as to what the final cost of holding the trial vary widely from, $2M to $4M. Security seems to be the largest single factor in the cost of this trial, with the need for 35 deputies and 30 police officers to be on duty at any one time.
In order to track the time involved, police officers, deputies and county officials are being asked to use their time cards to specifically record the time that they spend on the trial.
The costs of the trial are estimated to be around $40K a day.
Santa Barbara County estimate that the cost of managing Jackson's arraignment, on January 16 last year, was $158K. This figure includes; $35K staff costs and $24K for fences, toilets, trash and consulting.
Normally state aid is only available for murder trials. However, Michael Jackson's trial is viewed as being rather unique. State Sen. Abel Maldonado, R-Santa Maria, is reportedly going to introduce a bill to help the county cover the costs of providing security for Jackson's trial.
Estimates as to what the final cost of holding the trial vary widely from, $2M to $4M. Security seems to be the largest single factor in the cost of this trial, with the need for 35 deputies and 30 police officers to be on duty at any one time.
In order to track the time involved, police officers, deputies and county officials are being asked to use their time cards to specifically record the time that they spend on the trial.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
Secret Phone Tapes
It is reported that the police are searching for secret tape recordings of confidential phone conversations between Michael Jackson and F. Marc Schaffel, the former producer of gay porn videos who was once one of Jackson's entourage.
Seemingly Schaffel, who is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator, made these recordings without Jackson's knowledge.
It is reported that Marc Schaffel claims that the tapes contain "bombshells", which would be devastating to Jackson. Allegedly Jackson "opens up" in these tapes, telling Schaffel his innermost thoughts and secrets.
It is probable that Schaffel may be trying to sell the tapes. That of course is of no issue to the prosecution team, in the Jackosn case, who have issued a subpoena for them. The only problem they have, is locating him so that they may serve the subpoena.
Schaffel's real problem is that if he made the tapes without Jackson's consent, then he is liable to prosecution and the tapes could be ruled as inadmissible.
The prosecution will doubtless waive prosecution, if Schaffel goes into the witness box and testifies as to what the tapes contain.
Seemingly Schaffel, who is listed as an unindicted co-conspirator, made these recordings without Jackson's knowledge.
It is reported that Marc Schaffel claims that the tapes contain "bombshells", which would be devastating to Jackson. Allegedly Jackson "opens up" in these tapes, telling Schaffel his innermost thoughts and secrets.
It is probable that Schaffel may be trying to sell the tapes. That of course is of no issue to the prosecution team, in the Jackosn case, who have issued a subpoena for them. The only problem they have, is locating him so that they may serve the subpoena.
Schaffel's real problem is that if he made the tapes without Jackson's consent, then he is liable to prosecution and the tapes could be ruled as inadmissible.
The prosecution will doubtless waive prosecution, if Schaffel goes into the witness box and testifies as to what the tapes contain.
The Debbie Rowe Case
It seems that Debbie Rowe may well have a very strong case in her battle to win custody of her two children, Paris and Prince Michael, back from Michael Jackson.
According to reports on CBS News, her original agreement to waive parental rights over them may be flawed.
The report notes that, as Jackson's former nurse, she has knowledge of his prescription drug usage; which, according to the report, could be very damaging to Jackson.
According to reports on CBS News, her original agreement to waive parental rights over them may be flawed.
The report notes that, as Jackson's former nurse, she has knowledge of his prescription drug usage; which, according to the report, could be very damaging to Jackson.
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