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Много набързо прочетох статията, но мисля, че е определена дата за започване на делото за 13.09. Ако греша, ме поправете...
Tentative Trial Date Set for Jackson Case
Fri, May 28, 2004
By TIM MOLLOY, Associated Press Writer
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) The judge in the Michael Jackson molestation case set a tentative trial date for Sept. 13 and heard arguments on whether to reduce Jackson's bail but didn't issue an immediate ruling.
Jackson wasn't in court and few fans turned out for the hearing.
Jackson's defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. objected to setting the trial date, saying the prosecution had not presented the defense all the evidence in the case.
Mesereau said prosecutors have discussed forensic testing but did not disclose what was being tested or the manner of testing so the defense could decide whether it considers the tests valid.
Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville said he understood the trial date might be changed but wanted to set "a bull's-eye that we're shooting at here."
"Somebody has to say, 'This is the goal, this is where we're going,"' he said.
In arguing for the lowering of Jackson's $3 million bail, Mesereau noted his client's charitable contributions, lack of criminal record and substantial non-moveable assets in Santa Barbara County, including his Neverland Ranch.
He said the severity of the alleged crime coupled with bail precedents for other crimes suggest Jackson's bail should be $435,000 at most.
Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen noted that bail for a criminal defendant usually is many times greater than his total assets. He noted that Jackson is a self-declared billionaire and his bail amounted to only three one-thousandths of his assets.
Zonen said the bail amount was "roughly comparable to what he would spend in a weekend in Las Vegas."
The prosecution has said in court documents that a large bail amount was necessary to be sure Jackson does not flee the country.
"Mr. Jackson is known and adored -- 'adored' is not too strong a word -- in many of the countries of Europe, the Near East and Africa," the prosecution said in a motion made available Sunday. "Several of those countries do not have extradition treaties with the United States."
Jackson, 45, has pleaded not guilty to committing a lewd act upon a child, administering an intoxicating agent, alcohol, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
The judge turned down a defense request to order prosecutors to turn over evidence. Melville said the requirements were already spelled out in state statutes.
In a motion made public Thursday, the defense demanded access to hundreds of items seized by prosecutors and interview transcripts with dozens of witnesses.
Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auckenglos said Friday the prosecution has already turned over almost all of its evidence, including 2,202 pages of reports, 69 audio tapes, two video tapes and one CD-ROM of photographs.
He said the defense would receive nearly all of the rest of the evidence in the next few days.
"Next week, the pipeline will be essentially empty," Auckenglos said. He disclosed there are nine pieces of physical evidence that still need to undergo forensic testing but did not describe the items.
Jackson attorney Steve Cochran complained that the prosecution had not responded fast enough to a request for evidence. More evidence came into play when the grand jury indictment unsealed April 30 added a conspiracy charge, he said.
"The indictment substantially broadens the case," Cochran said, adding there could now be as many as 100 witnesses.
The judge suggested that the defense would have the opportunity to view the items that need to undergo forensic testing in the presence of a law enforcement officer. He said the defense could be given enough space to talk about the evidence without being overheard by the officer, and that the officer would be barred from talking to prosecutors about anything that may be overheard.
On another matter, the judge scolded prosecutors for submitting a motion Thursday that included the names of potential witnesses without requesting the document be filed under seal.
"I do not think you are taking my order for sealing as seriously as I am making it," Melville said.
In other matters, the judge decided not to publicly release the transcript of grand jury testimony or the full indictment. Before the indictment was released last month, Melville excised the names of five alleged unindicted coconspirators as well as 28 overt acts that prosecutors contend are incriminating. The judge set a June 25 hearing on the transcripts issue.
Jackson attorney Robert Sanger said the defense does not want the indictment to remain sealed until trial but wants the opportunity to manage the way it is released to avoid "a firestorm of press attention." He said it should be done in "a measured way" but did specify how that might take place.
Also, the judge said he would not unseal a prosecution motion asking that a person be held in contempt of court. A redacted version has been released without identifying anyone. The ruling came even though media attorney Theodore Boutrous noted the person has been on television and that many people know who the person is.
Attorney Joseph Tacopina, who represents two former Jackson employees, said he believes from news reports and conversations with law enforcement officials that the grand jury will indict his clients, Vincent Amen and Frank Tyson. He refused to let them appear before the grand jury because he thought the proceedings would be unfair, he said.
Tyson, 23, was Jackson's personal assistant. Tacopina said he believes prosecutors might accuse him of threatening to kill the younger brother of Jackson's alleged victim if he told authorities Jackson had given the boy alcohol.
He said prosecutors may accuse Amen, 24, who worked for Jackson's production company, of holding the family at Jackson's Neverland estate against their will.
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