Jackson Returns to Court After Two Weeks
After Two Weeks of Delays, Jury Selection Resumes in Michael Jackson Child Molestation Trial
By TIM MOLLOY
The Associated Press

Feb. 22, 2005 - Michael Jackson returned to court Tuesday after a week's delay and the judge assured prospective jurors that the singer really had been ill and there was no plot to put off his child molestation trial.

Jackson, dressed in black, chatted with his attorneys at the defense table before questioning of prospective jurors started.

Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville told prospective jurors that he understood their frustrations over "a couple of false starts." He referred to Jackson's illness, which closed down jury selection for a week, and an earlier delay caused by the death of defense attorney Thomas Mesereau's sister.

He told prospective jurors that the delays were not part of a calculated attempt by anyone to slow down the trial.

"Mr. Jackson really was sick. He really did have the flu," the judge said. "I talked to his doctor. ... I wouldn't let anyone take advantage of us that way."

The judge said several names had been added to the defense's celebrity-studded witness list, including Macaulay Culkin, Eddie Murphy and Smokey Robinson. More than 300 names submitted earlier included Kobe Bryant, Elizabeth Taylor, Diana Ross and Jay Leno.

Attorneys were scheduled to question prospective jurors about any biases that should keep them off the panel.

Jury selection was abruptly cut off last Tuesday when Melville announced that Jackson had been rushed to an emergency room with flu-like symptoms. Jackson was released from the hospital on Wednesday.

Before jury selection was canceled last week, Mesereau asked prospects about their interest in the arts, their feelings toward Jackson, and whether they believed child witnesses could be led to lie. The defense will argue that the mother of Jackson's 15-year-old accuser, a former cancer patient, has told him to lie.

Attorneys are trying to select 12 jurors and eight alternates from a pool of 242 potential jurors. Each side can ask to remove an unlimited number of jurors for bias, and eliminate 10 jurors without cause.

Jackson, 46, is accused of molesting the boy, plying him with wine, and conspiring to hold his family captive.

Last week, Mesereau asked prospective jurors about their interest in the arts, their feelings toward Jackson and whether they believed young witnesses could be encouraged to lie.

The defense was expected to argue that the mother of Jackson's 15-year-old accuser has told him to lie.

Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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