Accuser says he feared kids would tease him
By Stuart Pfiefer Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
Seeking to explain a key discrepancy in his testimony, Michael Jackson's 15-year-old accuser on Tuesday said he told a school official that the entertainer never molested him because he feared the teasing of classmates.
The explanation came under questioning from Santa Barbara County District Atty. Tom Sneddon one day after the boy disclosed that he had denied Jackson had molested him when questioned by the dean of his Los Angeles middle school.
"I told him that it didn't happen," the boy said Tuesday. "All the kids were already making fun of me at school. I didn't want anybody to think it really happened."
The boy's statements came near the end of his 14-hour testimony. The boy told Sneddon that although he once considered Jackson a loving man and a father figure, those opinions changed when the entertainer molested him in 2003.
"I don't really like him anymore. I don't think he's deserving of the respect I was giving him as the coolest guy in the world," the boy said.
Under cross-examination from defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, the boy said he has not discussed filing a civil lawsuit against Jackson with his family and is unaware what impact a criminal conviction could have on a lawsuit.
"We don't want his money," the boy, now in 9th grade, said.
Jackson sat upright in his chair, watching the boy's testimony without any visible reaction. The 46-year-old singer, dressed in a dark sport coat, colorful vest and brown slacks, told reporters as he left court that he continues to be bothered by a back injury that he said caused him to be late to court Thursday and to sit through proceedings in his pajamas.
The boy testified that after his family moved out of Jackson's Neverland Ranch in March 2003, he returned to school in Los Angeles and became a frequent target of schoolyard taunts. Earlier that year, a documentary had been broadcast showing the boy and Jackson holding hands while the entertainer said he liked to sleep with children in a non-sexual manner.
Schoolmates would say things like, "That's the kid that got raped by Michael Jackson," the boy said. Those taunts would often lead to fistfights, but only if "they hit me first," he said.
Mesereau's cross-examination exposed several weaknesses in the boy's testimony, including the concession Monday that he's no longer certain of the dates that Jackson molested him. The boy also said under cross-examination that his grandmother told him that men who do not masturbate enough can eventually rape women. He testified earlier that Jackson made the same statement to him.
With the boy's key testimony concluded, Sneddon's next witnesses were three Santa Barbara County sheriff's officials who talked about the events that led to the investigation and prosecution of Jackson.
The testimony was tedious at times, particularly when another of Jackson's defense lawyers, Robert Sanger, asked Sgt. Steve Robel to retrace the steps in the case. Some jurors appeared to be sleeping or struggling to stay awake during the testimony.
Before the court recessed for the day, Sanger accused Robel of failing to investigate the case with an open mind. He pointed to one statement Robel made during an interview with the sister of Jackson's accuser.
"We're going to try our best to make our case work. . . . I don't care how much money he has. He has done wrong," Robel said, according to a transcript of the interview.
The detective explained Tuesday that it was important for him to reassure the sister because the family was reluctant to come forward with accusations against Jackson--in contrast to the defense's portrayal of the family as liars out to win a civil judgment against the star.
"They were terrified. It took us about two weeks to get them up here," Robel said.
Developments in the molestation case against Michael Jackson
TUESDAY'S ACTION The accuser said he falsely told a school dean that Jackson hadn't molested him because he feared classmates' taunting.
JESSE ON THE LINE: A spokeswoman for Michael Jackson said the pop star talks and prays on the telephone with Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites) each morning before court.
PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Judge Rodney Melville allows three snack breaks--but no lunch hour--during a six-hour session. He calls it "the Melville diet." Jurors returned late from a break Tuesday because they got free food. "The Olive Garden heard a CNN report that the jurors were starving to death," Melville said. "So they sent over a bunch of pizzas."
By Stuart Pfiefer Tribune Newspapers: Los Angeles Times
Seeking to explain a key discrepancy in his testimony, Michael Jackson's 15-year-old accuser on Tuesday said he told a school official that the entertainer never molested him because he feared the teasing of classmates.
The explanation came under questioning from Santa Barbara County District Atty. Tom Sneddon one day after the boy disclosed that he had denied Jackson had molested him when questioned by the dean of his Los Angeles middle school.
"I told him that it didn't happen," the boy said Tuesday. "All the kids were already making fun of me at school. I didn't want anybody to think it really happened."
The boy's statements came near the end of his 14-hour testimony. The boy told Sneddon that although he once considered Jackson a loving man and a father figure, those opinions changed when the entertainer molested him in 2003.
"I don't really like him anymore. I don't think he's deserving of the respect I was giving him as the coolest guy in the world," the boy said.
Under cross-examination from defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, the boy said he has not discussed filing a civil lawsuit against Jackson with his family and is unaware what impact a criminal conviction could have on a lawsuit.
"We don't want his money," the boy, now in 9th grade, said.
Jackson sat upright in his chair, watching the boy's testimony without any visible reaction. The 46-year-old singer, dressed in a dark sport coat, colorful vest and brown slacks, told reporters as he left court that he continues to be bothered by a back injury that he said caused him to be late to court Thursday and to sit through proceedings in his pajamas.
The boy testified that after his family moved out of Jackson's Neverland Ranch in March 2003, he returned to school in Los Angeles and became a frequent target of schoolyard taunts. Earlier that year, a documentary had been broadcast showing the boy and Jackson holding hands while the entertainer said he liked to sleep with children in a non-sexual manner.
Schoolmates would say things like, "That's the kid that got raped by Michael Jackson," the boy said. Those taunts would often lead to fistfights, but only if "they hit me first," he said.
Mesereau's cross-examination exposed several weaknesses in the boy's testimony, including the concession Monday that he's no longer certain of the dates that Jackson molested him. The boy also said under cross-examination that his grandmother told him that men who do not masturbate enough can eventually rape women. He testified earlier that Jackson made the same statement to him.
With the boy's key testimony concluded, Sneddon's next witnesses were three Santa Barbara County sheriff's officials who talked about the events that led to the investigation and prosecution of Jackson.
The testimony was tedious at times, particularly when another of Jackson's defense lawyers, Robert Sanger, asked Sgt. Steve Robel to retrace the steps in the case. Some jurors appeared to be sleeping or struggling to stay awake during the testimony.
Before the court recessed for the day, Sanger accused Robel of failing to investigate the case with an open mind. He pointed to one statement Robel made during an interview with the sister of Jackson's accuser.
"We're going to try our best to make our case work. . . . I don't care how much money he has. He has done wrong," Robel said, according to a transcript of the interview.
The detective explained Tuesday that it was important for him to reassure the sister because the family was reluctant to come forward with accusations against Jackson--in contrast to the defense's portrayal of the family as liars out to win a civil judgment against the star.
"They were terrified. It took us about two weeks to get them up here," Robel said.
Developments in the molestation case against Michael Jackson
TUESDAY'S ACTION The accuser said he falsely told a school dean that Jackson hadn't molested him because he feared classmates' taunting.
JESSE ON THE LINE: A spokeswoman for Michael Jackson said the pop star talks and prays on the telephone with Rev. Jesse Jackson (news - web sites) each morning before court.
PRODUCT PLACEMENT: Judge Rodney Melville allows three snack breaks--but no lunch hour--during a six-hour session. He calls it "the Melville diet." Jurors returned late from a break Tuesday because they got free food. "The Olive Garden heard a CNN report that the jurors were starving to death," Melville said. "So they sent over a bunch of pizzas."
