ALL IN WHITE, JACKO ARRIVES AT COURT
Jan 31 2005
From Anthony Harwood US Editor In New York
MICHAEL Jackson arrived at court today to face trial for alleged child sex abuse wearing an all-white suit and shielded by a black umbrella.
He waved to hundreds of cheering fans before disappearing into the court in Santa Maria, California, where the lengthy process of selecting jurors from a potential 750 soon began.
Yesterday Jackson pleaded for a fair hearing in a video on his website. The pop icon, 46, attacked information released recently as "disgusting and false" and vowed he would walk free.
His statement, approved by the court in Santa Maria, California, said: "Keep an open mind and let me have my day in court.
"I deserve a fair trial like every other American citizen. I will be acquitted and vindicated when the truth is told."
Graphic details of grand jury testimony were leaked earlier this month to news organisations despite efforts by the judge, Rodney Melville, to keep the transcript secret.
Jackson faces up to 21 years in jail if convicted. But it will be some time before a verdict is reached.
Jury selection could last a month and the trial itself a further five.
Here's what you need to know about The People of California vs Michael Jackson.
1 THE DEFENDANT FATHER of three Michael Jackson - arguably the most famous celebrity on the planet.
2 THE ACCUSER GAVIN Arvizo, now 15. As a 10-year-old he was gravely ill with cancer and put Jackson on a wish-list of people he'd like to meet. The two became pals and after the boy's discharge from hospital, Jackson invited him and his family to his Neverland ranch where he claims the abuse took place.
THE CHARGES JACKSON faces a 10-count indictment alleging he gave Arvizo alcohol, touched him and plotted with his minders to force the boy and his family into taping a video saying the star had done nothing wrong. The singer denies all charges.
3 THE JURY TWELVE men and women will be selected from a pool of more than 4,000. Anyone with a personal experience of sexual abuse will be exempt. The jury will be selected from northern Santa Barbara County which, being small-town, agricultural and conservative, is not thought to favour Jackson.
4 THE JUDGE NO-NONSENSE Rodney Melville. He has been a judge since 1987. Before that he was a private lawyer and a prosecutor.
5 THE PROSECUTION District Attorney Tom Sneddon says Jackson is a a textbook paedophile who used alcohol to seduce and abuse his victim. He will claim he used a combination of porn, explicit sex talk and alcohol to put his victim in the mood, and will present to the jury a stash of "erotic material" including 32 magazines, 17 books, two DVDs as well as images found on a computer.
6 THE DEFENCE LAWYER Thomas Mesereau says the alleged victim is a liar, his parents are greedy and the prosecution is out to get the singer. He will refer to an £80,000 claim against the shop J.C. Penney in 2001 in which Gavin's mother Janet claimed guards beat her kids and sexually assaulted her. He claims this shows a record of claiming abuse and seeking money.
7 THE WITNESSES FOR the prosecution: Gavin, his younger brother and Janet. Gavin and his brother will testify Jackson plied Gavin with alcohol in coke cans before molesting him. Psychotherapist Dr Stan Katz, British businessman Terry George, former BBC documentary maker Martin Bashir, whose film on Jackson triggered the probe, and Stand By Me star Cory Feldman
For the defence: Neverland guests Wade Robson and Macaulay Culkin, Mark Lester a close friend of Jackson's, and Chris Tucker, a character witness for the star. No one knows if Jackson himself will take the stand.
[More from Me & Michael Jackson]
