brijesh
17-08-05, 01:58 PM
Jackson’s child abuse trial hearing revealed his “act of unconditional love”
Michael Jackson child abuse trial hearing revealed something new this time.
Celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, who represented Jackson for more than a year until his indictment in April of 2004, told jurors in his testimony at the pop star’s sex abuse trial that Jackson assured him that nothing improper happened with his teenaged accuser.
“What he has consistently said (is that) he didn’t do anything, there was nothing untoward, nothing sexual,” Geragos said, adding that he saw Jackson’s penchant for sharing his bed with children as “an act of unconditional love,”
Jackson explained his “pure love” for children by comparing himself to Britain’s Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn and Mother Teresa in filmed interviews conducted by British journalist Martin Bashir.
“Mother Teresa’s not here, Lady Di is not here, Audrey Hepburn is not here. There is no voice for the voiceless, and I’ve been doing it for many years. I’m not trying to say I’m Jesus Christ, I’m just saying we should give a little more attention to the power of love and caring,” he was quoted as saying.
Geragos testified under cross-examination that he had asked Jackson if the boy slept in his bed and the entertainer had answered yes.
“He said he didn’t do anything untoward or sexual and if anyone spent the night in his room it was unconditional love,” Geragos said.
Geragos said an initial visit to Jackson’s Neverland Ranch made him worry that his client would be a prey for possible allegations.
“When I was there what I saw was a gentleman who was almost childlike in his love for kids. I didn’t see anyone doing anything nefarious or criminal. I saw someone who was ripe as a target,” he said.
Geragos said he was hired about the time of the February 2003 airing of a documentary in which Jackson appeared with his now-accuser. In the documentary, Jackson said that he let children sleep in his bed but that it was non-sexual.
Under questioning by Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr., Geragos said he was concerned about allegations spawned by the documentary and was particularly concerned that the boy or his family might take advantage of them.
He said he conducted database searches to see if the family had a “litigious history” and was disturbed to find they had sued J.C. Penney over allegations they were beaten by security guards. The family received a $150,000 settlement.
“I was gravely concerned,” Geragos said.
Geragos said he hired a private investigator to look into the family, and the results led him to believe the family was bad news.
“Michael should have nothing to do with them,” he said. “It was a pending disaster.”
Mesereau asked Geragos if he was aware of any crime committed against the family. Geragos said no.
“I was trying to prevent a crime against my client,” he said. “I thought that they were going to shake him down.”
Geragos worked for Jackson until he was replaced in April 2004.
The judge sent the jury out of the room to address “the misrepresentation Mr. Mesereau has made to the court and counsel.” The judge said he believed it was a total waiver of the privilege.
Mesereau apologized, saying he did not think events after Jackson’s arrest were relevant.
Geragos did not complete his testimony before court recessed for the weekend. The judge scheduled him to return on May 20.
Jackson, 46, is accused of molesting a 13-year-old cancer patient in February or March 2003 and plying him with wine. He is also accused of conspiring to hold the boy’s family captive to get them to make a video rebutting the documentary.
Late Friday, both sides filed documents concerning potentially important testimony by a Neverland employee who claims the accuser’s sister confided to him that her mother and the mother’s boyfriend were planning “something big” regarding Jackson.
The witness, Angel Vivanco, whom prosecutors described as having a “quasi-sexual relationship” with the sister while she was at Neverland, would testify that the girl referred to her mother as “Psycho Mom” and said she was “not OK in the head.”
Among statements he attributed to the sister was that the mother was “making her do something” and that “something bad is going to happen.”
The prosecution seeks to bar the statements from the trial as hearsay. The defense says they support the theory that the family planned to allege molestation to get money from Jackson.
The mother and sister testified that the family was held against their will at Neverland.
Michael Jackson child abuse trial hearing revealed something new this time.
Celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, who represented Jackson for more than a year until his indictment in April of 2004, told jurors in his testimony at the pop star’s sex abuse trial that Jackson assured him that nothing improper happened with his teenaged accuser.
“What he has consistently said (is that) he didn’t do anything, there was nothing untoward, nothing sexual,” Geragos said, adding that he saw Jackson’s penchant for sharing his bed with children as “an act of unconditional love,”
Jackson explained his “pure love” for children by comparing himself to Britain’s Princess Diana, Audrey Hepburn and Mother Teresa in filmed interviews conducted by British journalist Martin Bashir.
“Mother Teresa’s not here, Lady Di is not here, Audrey Hepburn is not here. There is no voice for the voiceless, and I’ve been doing it for many years. I’m not trying to say I’m Jesus Christ, I’m just saying we should give a little more attention to the power of love and caring,” he was quoted as saying.
Geragos testified under cross-examination that he had asked Jackson if the boy slept in his bed and the entertainer had answered yes.
“He said he didn’t do anything untoward or sexual and if anyone spent the night in his room it was unconditional love,” Geragos said.
Geragos said an initial visit to Jackson’s Neverland Ranch made him worry that his client would be a prey for possible allegations.
“When I was there what I saw was a gentleman who was almost childlike in his love for kids. I didn’t see anyone doing anything nefarious or criminal. I saw someone who was ripe as a target,” he said.
Geragos said he was hired about the time of the February 2003 airing of a documentary in which Jackson appeared with his now-accuser. In the documentary, Jackson said that he let children sleep in his bed but that it was non-sexual.
Under questioning by Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr., Geragos said he was concerned about allegations spawned by the documentary and was particularly concerned that the boy or his family might take advantage of them.
He said he conducted database searches to see if the family had a “litigious history” and was disturbed to find they had sued J.C. Penney over allegations they were beaten by security guards. The family received a $150,000 settlement.
“I was gravely concerned,” Geragos said.
Geragos said he hired a private investigator to look into the family, and the results led him to believe the family was bad news.
“Michael should have nothing to do with them,” he said. “It was a pending disaster.”
Mesereau asked Geragos if he was aware of any crime committed against the family. Geragos said no.
“I was trying to prevent a crime against my client,” he said. “I thought that they were going to shake him down.”
Geragos worked for Jackson until he was replaced in April 2004.
The judge sent the jury out of the room to address “the misrepresentation Mr. Mesereau has made to the court and counsel.” The judge said he believed it was a total waiver of the privilege.
Mesereau apologized, saying he did not think events after Jackson’s arrest were relevant.
Geragos did not complete his testimony before court recessed for the weekend. The judge scheduled him to return on May 20.
Jackson, 46, is accused of molesting a 13-year-old cancer patient in February or March 2003 and plying him with wine. He is also accused of conspiring to hold the boy’s family captive to get them to make a video rebutting the documentary.
Late Friday, both sides filed documents concerning potentially important testimony by a Neverland employee who claims the accuser’s sister confided to him that her mother and the mother’s boyfriend were planning “something big” regarding Jackson.
The witness, Angel Vivanco, whom prosecutors described as having a “quasi-sexual relationship” with the sister while she was at Neverland, would testify that the girl referred to her mother as “Psycho Mom” and said she was “not OK in the head.”
Among statements he attributed to the sister was that the mother was “making her do something” and that “something bad is going to happen.”
The prosecution seeks to bar the statements from the trial as hearsay. The defense says they support the theory that the family planned to allege molestation to get money from Jackson.
The mother and sister testified that the family was held against their will at Neverland.