Both sides presented opening arguments today. I'll be doing a live chat for the Washington Post on the openings and case tomorrow at noon, ET. You can submit questions here.

The prosecution's side is in every news story. Very few that I've seen outline the defense. Here's one:

After the nearly three-hour opening by the prosecutor, defence lawyer Thomas Mesereau went on the attack, saying the mother of the accuser fraudulently claimed to many people that she was destitute and that her son needed money for chemotherapy. In truth, he said, the boy’s father was a member of a union that covered his medical bills.

Former World Com chief Bernie Ebbers took the witness stand today in his fraud trial. He said he didn't know about the fraud and would have put an end to it if he had known.

Either Ebbers or Scott Sullivan is a liar. Sullivan got a sweet deal for testifying against Ebbers. No other witness confirms Sullivan's account. But Ebbers is testifying for his life.

Who will the jury believe? Let's see how Mr. Ebbers holds up on cross-examination tomorrow.

Update: The prosecution began cross-examining Ebbers this afternoon.

Opening arguments are today in the Michael Jackson trial. Some articles with recaps of the issues and central participants:

• Ready for Court Showdown
• Credibuility Crux of Jackson Case

Update: Testimony will begin Tuesday. The first witness will be Martin Bashir, maker of the British documentary, which will be allowed in evidence.

Original Post
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Jackson Accuser: I Knew More Than He Did

Smoking gun has uncovered another interview between Michael Jackson's young accuser and detectives:

Aurora police officers tasered a man who stole a salad at a Chucky Cheese children's restaurant tonight. A witness said the man was stuck in between two tables and offered to pay for the salad. Another witness said police were just looking for trouble. Parents present at the restaurant are really angry.

This is the same police department that failed to respond to e-mail requests and voicemails from prosecutors to sign off on an arrest warrant for Denver's alleged Capitol Hill rapist last week, now charged with 80 felonies.

by TChris

The New York Times wonders whether Bernard Ebbers should testify.

There is no hard rule for lawyers in these cases. Martha Stewart, the entrepreneur, did not take the stand and was convicted. Frank P. Quattrone, the former Credit Suisse First Boston banker, did testify in his defense and was convicted, too. John Walker, an executive at Qwest Communications, took the stand last year and was acquitted.

The case against Ebbers rests largely upon the testimony of Scott Sullivan, WorldCom's former CFO. Sullivan is cooperating with the government's prosecution of Ebbers with the hope of avoiding a lengthy sentence of his own. Witnesses who point a finger at others to benefit themselves are notoriously unreliable, but juries often believe self-interested testimony. When the case comes down to "he said-he said," the jury will want to hear from the other "he."

Clara Harris is the Houston dentist who was convicted of running down her husband with her car. She is serving 20 years.

The Houston Chronicle has a long interview today, notable for the descriptions both of life inside a Texas women's prison and the pain of separation prisons impose upon children of the incarcerated.

[link fixed]

by TChris

Will Scott Peterson be given a second chance to convince a jury that he didn't murder his wife? His defense team, headed by Mark Geragos, may have uncovered new evidence of Peterson's innocence.

Michael Cardoza, a local lawyer who has been helping the defense, said ... a prison inmate had been caught on tape talking to his brother about a burglary at the Petersons' house in which Laci Peterson confronted the robbers. Geragos may argue that authorities withheld evidence that could have been helpful in proving that Scott Peterson was not the killer.

Peterson's sentencing has been postponed to give both parties more time to prepare.

Martha Stewart gets out of prison next weekend. She's ready for her comeback:

When Stewart, 63, leaves Alderson Prison Camp next weekend, she will become the star of two new TV shows on NBC produced by Mark Burnett, of "Survivor" and "Apprentice" fame. In one, she revives her daily homemaking show with guests and a live audience, and in the other she will test and ultimately select a new employee a la Donald Trump on "The Apprentice."

This week her company's stock reached its highest price in five years. It's a remarkable turnaround, according to crisis management specialists. And, one that was orchestrated a cross-section of experts, including Martha herself.

A new witness has emerged for the defense in the Michael Jackson trial. A paralegal for the attorney who represented the mother of Michael Jackson's accuser is going to be deposed Saturday...

....sources say the paralegal has claimed to the Jackson defense team that Jane Doe, as the accuser's mother is known in court papers to protect her son's anonymity, lied under oath and fabricated the charges against JC Penney security guards.

According to these sources, the paralegal has alleged to the defense team that the bruises Jane Doe said were inflicted by the guards were actually perpetrated by someone else. And, they say, the paralegal claimed to the defense team that Jane Doe told her she coached her son to lie during his deposition against JC Penney.

So far this week, Key West Prosecutor Albert "A.J." Tasker takes the prize for his naked streak across a parking lot and jump into a stranger's car.

A drunken Florida prosecutor who streaked across a motel parking lot and mistakenly jumped into a stranger's car landed in the slammer, a state attorney's office spokesman said.

After tossing back a few drinks with colleagues last weekend, Monroe County assistant prosecutor Albert "A.J." Tasker, 28, stripped off his clothes as a prank and headed toward what he thought was a friend's vehicle.

I don't understand the media's surpise as to the swiftness of the picking of the Michael Jackson jury.

The swift pace of the jury selection process has surprised court watchers, who had expected weeks of questioning and challenges by both sides. Instead, the process shot ahead to be completed in less than a week under the direction of Melville, who set Friday to hear last-minute legal motions by both sides.

After the Judge denied the defense's request (pdf)for individual sequestered questioning of the jurors, how long could it take? The defense recently renewed its request for both additional time to question the jurors and to question them individually in private. The Judge again denied both requests. (pdf)

Probation and Supervised Release are no walk in the park. Ask Tommy Chong:

The Marijuana-Logues" show starring Tommy Chong has gone up in smoke. Chong, best known as half of the comedy team, Cheech & Chong, was set to perform the show at the Royal Oak Music Theatre on March 5. But Chong said Tuesday he has canceled his part of the show.

"I had to pull out," Chong told The Macomb Daily. "I have to wait until July 6 to continue." Chong said as part of probation he is serving on an undisclosed matter, he is not allowed to be near people who smoke marijuana. He said attendees have frequently begun smoking pot during the show.