Defense Argues to Present Questionable Past of the Accuser's Mother

 

On the last day before the trial officially gets underway, Friday's court proceedings focused on pretrial motions that Judge Melville must rule on prior to opening statements before the jury on Monday morning. "The stakes are so high in this case. Michael Jackson's life is on the line," lead attorney Thomas Mesereau reminded the court.

 

In attempting to present to the court the checkered litigation history of the accuser's mother, defence lawyers portayed her as an opportunistic con-artist who taught her son to steal. Mr. Mesereau's arguments focused on representing the accuser's family as "professional plaintiffs" who sought to make a living from making sensational charges in fraudulent lawsuits.

 

Judge Melville said that he would allow jurors to hear evidence that the accuser's mother had made allegations of improper touching against store security guards, a judge ruled Friday.

 

Attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. presented the allegations during motions on whether evidence could be admitted about the family's lawsuit against J.C. Penney.

 

The family claimed in a lawsuit that they were beaten by guards and held against their will and that the mother was groped, after Jackson's young accuser left the store with clothes that had not been paid for.

 

Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville said he will allow testimony about the case, especially as it pertains to the mother's credibility. But, even though the 'complaining witness' did leave the store with unpaid merchandise, the judge said the defense would not be allowed to refer to the boy as a 'shoplifter' and he turned down a motion for the defense to introduce witness testimony that the mother taught her son how to shoplift.

 

Mr. Mesereau noted that after the mother received a $150,000 settlement from J.C. Penney and Tower Records, another defendant in the case, she immediately accused her husband of abusing her and filed for divorce in order to prevent him taking a slice of the department store settlement.

 

The woman then accused her ex-husband of inappropriately touching her daughter, Mr. Mesereau informed the court.

 

Mr. Mesereau also said the woman testified in the J.C. Penney case that her husband had never hit her, but alleged in her divorce that he had beaten his family for years. That was perjury, Mr. Mesereau said.

 

The child's mother "has a habit, pattern, practise and MO of starting friendly relationships and looking for ways of making money," Mesereau told Judge Rodney Melville.

 

"She has made allegations like that throughout her adult life to get money," Mesereau said, adding that the mother also got her son to ask celebrities for money and spent some of her settlement payout on cosmetic surgery.

 

Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen argued that the issue was how the mother acquired the money, not what she spent it on and that the issue was largely irrelevant.

 

?The question is whether a man who admits to sleeping with children was sleeping with this child, and what he did with this child. That's what this case is about,'"? Zonen said.

 

Also Friday, prosecutors said they would show the documentary called ?Living with Michael Jackson.'' It has yet to be decided whether the judge will allow the defense to also show jurors Michael Jackson's 'response' program that aired shortly after Bashir's documentary. Mr. Jackson's own camera had followed Bashir and himself when the ?Living with Michael Jackson"? documentary was being made. Stating that Martin Bashir had completely betrayed him with the sensationalistic and highly edited version of the documentary, Mr. Jackson felt compelled to respond.

 

Both sides also agreed to meet Saturday for a joint interview with a former attorney who represented the alleged victim's mother. What the attorney might talk about was not disclosed.

 

Opening statements in the case are scheduled to begin Monday.

 

http://mjjsource.com/main/index.php?option...d=421&Itemid=32

Edited February 26, 200521 yr by mjzangel

wow this is the best news ive heard in ages!! GO Mr. Mesereau & defence team!!!!!!!

that silly family! they're going down!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow...thats really enlightening! i didnt know what she used that money for, i just new that she was milking money from...well, everyone. but saying she needs money for her ill child and spending it on plastic surgery?! wtf?! how sick is that...

wow...thats really enlightening! i didnt know what she used that money for, i just new that she was milking money from...well, everyone. but saying she needs money for her ill child and spending it on plastic surgery?! wtf?! how sick is that...

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with the past of the mother allowed michael is gonna be VINDICATED!!! WOHOOW1