Jackson accuser 'into porn'

2005-05-18 22:16

Santa Maria - Michael Jackson's teenage sex accuser watched pornographic movies and masturbated at the star's Neverland Ranch when Jackson was not around, the singer's cousin testified on Wednesday.

The testimony from Jackson's 12-year-old cousin, Rijo Valdez Jackson, came as the embattled superstar's lawyers moved to show his alleged victim ran amok and got into trouble at Neverland with no help from the superstar.

Rijo said he was alone in a guest room of the fantasy-style estate in 2003 with the accuser, then 13 years old, and his 11-year-old brother when their minds turned to sex.

"I saw them go to the TV and turn to a channel with naked girls," the defence witness told jurors. "And they did stuff... nasty stuff... jacking off (masturbating).

"They said 'why don't you do that with us?'

"I said, I didn't want to because it was nasty," said Rijo.

Claimed he was 'grooming them'

Jackson has denied 10 charges, including fondling the boy at Neverland in February and March 2003, plying him with alcohol to seduce him and holding him and his family prisoner.

Prosecutors allege that Jackson showed the boy and his brother pornography and served them alcohol in order to "groom" his young victim for abuse.

The accuser told jurors earlier that it was Jackson who taught him to masturbate.

But Jackson's lawyers say the accuser and his brother were wild and helped themselves to alcohol and pornography from the star's private collection without his consent or knowledge.

When asked by prosecutor Ron Zonen whether he had told Jackson about the boys watching pornography, Rijo said his cousin had been incredulous.

Sister saw them stealing wine

"He didn't believe it. He thought they were cool, they wouldn't do that."

But the boy said he did not tell Jackson he had seen the accuser and his brother masturbating.

The testimony came a day after Rijo's 16-year-old sister Simone told jurors she once caught the accuser and his brother stealing wine from the kitchen at Neverland.

"They each had a bottle," she said.

"I told them they were not supposed to do that and they told me to be quiet, not to say anything".

- AFP