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Jackson: Media circus expected
22/05/2005 14:14 - (SA)
Santa Maria - As Michael Jackson's child-sex trial nears the end, officials are bracing for a new media onslaught on the Santa Maria, California courtroom, already besieged by hordes of journalists and TV crews.
Those camped out at the courthouse since jury selection started on January 31 heaved a sigh of relief as indications mounted that the end of the marathon trial could be just weeks away.
And officials in the town of 88 000 that claims to be the "barbecue capital of the world" are getting ready for the media circus to roll out a cast of more than 1 000 for the grand finale.
About that many media types had descended on the usually quiet town when the trial opened, but only a few hardy hundred remained as pictures of Jackson walking in and out of the courtroom got a little bit stale.
No-nonsense trial judge Rodney Melville has banned all cameras from his courtroom, save for one that sends images to a monitor in the press room.
Only a lucky 45 journalists get to sit inside the courtroom itself, wedged between Jackson's parents and his fans.
And only the chosen few get to wear what has become known as "the red Melville" - a laminated card showing a ringing cell phone with a likeness of the judge on its screen.
Bailiff Leslie Avila sternly hands out the red card to any journalist whose phone rings during proceedings. The offender is promptly escorted from the courtroom and banned from returning for several days.
'Devil's wife'
Outside, photographers and cameramen are penned into a small area facing the courthouse, just a few metres from the parking lot where most spaces are taken up by television trucks.
A double fence keeps the fans at a safe distance, but their jeers and insults leave little doubt they blame the media for the woes of the 46-year-old entertainer they idolise.
Their favourite target is Diane Dimond, star of Court TV, a 24-hour US cable network, who has broken a number of stories about Jackson's alleged molestation of young boys.
Every day as she walks into the courtroom fans yell out "Stop the lies Diane", and hold up a banner proclaiming that she is the devil's wife.
But not everyone hates the media in this conservative city set amid the rolling hills of California's central coast region.
Restaurants are laughing their way to the bank, particularly after a helpful photographer posted a list of local eateries on a website he called "Eat MJ".
The small "Coffee Diem" cafe has been doing booming business serving journalists a strong caffeine fix after a weekend on the wine-tasting trail blazed in the nearby Santa Ynez Valley by the stars of the Sideways movie.
- AFP
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