Jackson Defense May Challenge Indictment

[b]Jackson Defense May Challenge Indictment [/b] By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson (news)’s secret indictment on child molestation charges sets the stage for a unique defense challenge on grounds that extraordinary security measures may have intimidated witnesses and grand jurors. Authorities blocked sidewalks, hid witnesses and delivered grand jurors to secret locations in buses with blacked-out windows to keep the proceedings secret. In one case, a photographer outside the building where grand jurors were meeting was ordered to delete photos from his digital camera because they revealed too much of the people entering the building. ….. [b]”If you believe what is reported, we’ve got people covered up, wrapped in blankets, put into vans driven around like they’re Osama bin Laden (news – web sites)’s lieutenants and put into a training facility, then admonished in the procedure and then spirited out into the afternoon sun,” Geragos told Superior Court Judge Clifford Anderson. [/b] “That has had an enormously chilling effect on the defense in terms of all of the witnesses,” said Geragos, who was seeking approval to interview witnesses. He won that approval but little else. …. Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson said a challenge because of secrecy would be “novel” but she said unusual motions seem to go hand-in-hand with high-profile cases. [b]”It’s not a standard motion. And Geragos is going to be pushing the envelope here,” she said. “But I’ve never before heard of a hide-and-seek grand jury.” “We’ve had grand jury hearings for a United States president in the Monica Lewinsky case,” she said, “hearings in the Rodney King cases, but I’ve never seen anything go off the charts like this. And even with such secrecy you have a leaked indictment.” [/b] …… :nav [url=]Read FULL article[/url] :3pinned [url=]Your Comments?[/url]