Jacko arrives for abuse trial
2005-02-28 19:12
Santa Maria - Pop icon Michael Jackson arrived at a California court on Monday to hear prosecutors finally set out the child sex allegations against him that could see him jailed for up to 20 years.
A sombre "King of Pop," wearing a black suit and red armband, did not wave to the small knot of fans as he strode into court.
He was accompanied by his mother Katherine and brother Jermaine.
Jackson is accused on 10 counts, including child molestation and alleged conspiracies to kidnap and hold the family of his then 13-year-old accuser prisoner at his Neverland Ranch.
Jackson arrived at the courtroom in one of two black sports utility vehicles led by a police motorcycle escort to attend the true start of the trial that is due to last about five months.
But while the police presence around the small courtroom in the town of Santa Maria, near Neverland, had been ramped up, the scene outside was a far cry from the circus atmosphere when the trial officially opened four weeks ago with the start of jury selection.
Details of case
Jurors were led across a rain swept parking lot into the courtroom where prosecutors were due to kick off the proceedings by publicly unveiling the details of their case against him for the first time.
A thick veil of secrecy has been drawn across details in the case since Jackson's dramatic arrest in November 2003 with most documents in the case - including his indictment and the transcripts of the grand jury proceedings that led to the indictment - sealed.
No-nonsense trial Judge Rodney Melville is presiding over the case with an iron hand, keeping prosecutors, defence lawyers, the media and the superstar defendant in check.
The 12-strong jury will decide if Jackson is an eternally youthful Peter Pan character who keeps young by spending innocent time with children, or a child molester who spent long periods of time "grooming" his abuse victim, as the prosecution maintains.
But the singer's crack team of lawyers have painted the family of the now 15-year-old boy who has accused Jackson of molesting him of being rapacious financial predators with a history of lying in court in order to win cash settlements.
The panel comprises four men and eight women, ranging in age from a 20-year-old man to a 79-year-old widow.
The jury was described as being formed by eight non-Hispanic whites, three Hispanics and one Asian.
Fairness of trial
But there are no African Americans on the panel in the largely white provincial area sparking accusations of inequity.
Black US politician and civil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson on Sunday suggested that the make-up of the jury meant that Jackson may not get a fair trial.
He said the "flawed jury selection process" and a barrage of leaks of still-secret information in the case raised "questions about whether this case is being conducted in a fair and unbiased manner".