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Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance

By Jeralyn, Section Crime in the News
Posted on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 12:03:10 AM EST
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Jackson Trial Update
Monday March 14, PM

Courtwatch commentator Andrew Cohen, writing about the accuser's cross-examination Monday by Thomas Mesereau:

"If prosecutors were hoping that Michael Jackson's accuser would come to the witness stand Monday and cement into place their case, they surely are disappointed, and perhaps even mortified, by the young man's courtroom demeanor and testimony. The alleged molestation victim did not talk or act like one in court. And on Monday, during the heart of the prosecution's case, no part of his story was immune from serious and substantial questions about its accuracy or reliability."

"At times sullen and combative, cheeky and evasive, acting more like a punk than a crime victim, and often mumbling so badly that the court reporter had to ask him to repeat his answers, the young man did little to persuade jurors that he is telling the truth and Jackson is lying about their alleged encounters together. And it wasn't because Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, went after the complaining witness like the pit bull attorney we all know he can be. Indeed, part of the reason why Monday was such a devastating day for prosecutors is because the accuser so often during the course of the cross-examination did himself in through word and deed. Calling the young man "Mister," Mesereau was subtle and soft because he didn't have to be blunt and firm. The witness was doing his dirty work for him."

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    Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance | 17 comments (17 topical)
    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#1)
    by scarshapedstar on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 02:46:54 AM EST
    Hey, TL: That icon looks like the output of a fun flash applet I found a while back that makes random pictures with google images and text. If so, could you post the link? I've lost it.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 03:28:36 AM EST
    This case is appearing to be just another child molestation case where the emotion of the accusation was thought to be enough to carry the case.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#3)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 06:45:23 AM EST
    Is MJ a freak? Oh, most certainly. Could he have been m0lesting children? Quite possibly. Will he be vindicated by this jury? Almost definitely. And anyone who STILL leaves their child with him voluntarily needs to be arrested for child endangerment pronto.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 06:58:01 AM EST
    > Is MJ a freak? Oh, most certainly. > Could he have been m0lesting children? > Quite possibly. Is some group of people, including various California DAs, attempting to execute a Bill of Attainder on Jackson for reasons unstated but not excluding personal glory/vengence? You be the judge. Cranky

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#5)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 07:14:38 AM EST
    looks like the kid is seting jackson up: if he was such a tough guy in the classroom , I don't see him being a "victim" of a "girly man" like MJ. As for Elle Wiz's comment -- well with this logic every homosexual man is a pedophile too. I am not sure what to do with parents who allow thier children sleep with Michael Jackson, but people like you Ellie would be greatly appriciated by the Nazi regime - they did like "freaks" either.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#6)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 07:16:02 AM EST
    it was suposed to say " Ellie would be greatly appriciated by the Nazi regime - they did NOT like "freaks" either."

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#7)
    by Dadler on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 09:57:24 AM EST
    roscoe, no it's a child molestation case up against big money. jacko deserves a fair trial, but why on earth he needs a hallway full of alarms leading to the bedroom he shared with children, well, that is circumstantial evidence of an undeniable sort. sure, the defense will say, the alarms were for personal protection not to keep jacko from getting caught in the act with kids. but your average juror, you have to know, isn't going to buy that. all the greed and extortion talk in the world about the plaintiff does not approach the circumstantial oddities of jacko's life with these kids. sometimes evidence is more than just evidence. it's emotion, and you cannot do anything about that, unless you don't want those faulty humans on juries. i don't think this is a strong case generally, but all that will matter is how the jury responds. and i don't see jacko getting the benefit of the doubt here. too many very worrisom doubts. doubts that seem to be outweighing the doubts about the plaintiff's credibility. i could be wrong, he could walk, tha case could get tossed out, i don't know.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 10:20:47 AM EST
    ANY PARENT THAT ALLOWS THEIR CHILD OR CHILDREN TO SLEEP WITH ANY STRAGER (EVEN THE PRESIDENT)IS SICK THEMSELVES. IT SHOWS THE THE POWER OF MONEY, WHO HAS IT AND WHAT IT CAN BUY. I THINK THE JUDGE SHOULD ARREST THEM ALL FOR CHILD ABUSE.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#9)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 10:34:19 AM EST
    I THINK THE JUDGE SHOULD ARREST THEM ALL FOR CHILD ABUSE.
    shout it to the mountaintops. with all the other laws holding parents responsible for their children's actions, why have no charges been brought against the parents? i guess no glory or opportunity in that? mj needs some serious help!

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 10:46:27 AM EST
    This case will be the "OJ" revenge. They couldn't get OJ so they are going to get MJ. I don't know what is going to happen with this but I doubt Michael is going to walk scott free.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#11)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 12:10:56 PM EST
    Why would any NORMAL person want to share a bed with a child? It makes no sense. The only reason would be so they could do something that the don't want any one else seeing.Which then begs why would any NORMAl parent allow their child to sleep with any one other than them and especially someone with his track record. I beleive in innocent until proven guilty but I also feel a parents first responsiblity is their childs saftey period.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#12)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 12:58:34 PM EST
    how does Andrew Cohen know what molestation victims talk and act like?

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#13)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 07:39:37 PM EST
    "Why would any NORMAL person want to share a bed with a child? " Why would any "normal" parent want to prostitute his or her child to an alleged perv? Another example of selfish "I'm-doing-the-most-important-job-in-the-world" paruhnts who are, at best, f***ing stupid, and more likely greedy welfare pigs.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#14)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Tue Mar 15, 2005 at 10:26:35 PM EST
    On A lighter note: “The accusers younger brother testified today, or as Michael likes to call him, plan “B”. – Drew Carey "Michael Jackson claims that his partners would sleep in the bed, while he slept on the floor. You know, it's the same arrangement the Clintons had." --Jay Leno "According to a Gallup poll, 17% of those asked still have a favorable opinion of Michael Jackson. That may not sound like much, but it's still more than any of the Democratic candidates running for president." —Jay Leno "Several celebrities have stepped forward to defend Michael Jackson - Woody Harrelson, Roman Polanski, Pete Townsend." -Craig Kilborn

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#15)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 16, 2005 at 03:18:22 AM EST
    I noticed something odd in the MJ case today. I've been watching the Sky News reconstructions, and today Mr. Mesereau was asking Jackson's accuser if he was aware of Jackson's vitiligo, and that Jackson uses makeup to cover up his blotchy skin. The boy replied that he knew about Jackson's vitiligo, but that he didn't know that Jackson was blotchy, he just thought he was all white. Ok, but didn't the accuser's brother testify that Jackson paraded naked in front of the both of them? If Jackson really is blotchy, wouldn't the boy have noticed that Jackson was blotchy, not all white, when Jackson was naked in front of him? Unless Jackson wears full body makeup all the time, or something... If Jackson really is blotchy, it seems like it would be possible to pin the boy on that detail. Am I being silly? Am I completely off base here? I used to think that Jackson was almost certainly guilty, but the more I follow the case, the shakier the evidence seems to get.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#16)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 16, 2005 at 11:24:15 AM EST
    At times sullen and combative, cheeky and evasive, acting more like a punk than a crime victim, and often mumbling so badly that the court reporter had to ask him to repeat his answers
    I've known people sexually abused as children. This description does not sound at all unlike a victim of child molestation, especially when being compelled to discuss the molestation or the events surrounding it.

    Re: Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance (none / 0) (#17)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Wed Mar 16, 2005 at 02:21:07 PM EST
    anon_n with all the other laws holding parents responsible for their children's actions, Ha.. that's a laugh. What laws? The reason there are so many gangs now is parents don't care & aren't responsible. ANybody out there have their kid picked up for cufew? Is there such a thing anymore?

    Michael Jackson: Accuser's Dismal Performance | 17 comments (17 topical)