[b]Potential Surprise Witness in Jackson Trial[/b] Sources: Former Teacher of Alleged Victim Claims Boy Said ‘Nothing Happened’ By JIM AVILA, BETH TRIBOLET and EILEEN MURPHY March 14, 2005 Prosecutors and defense attorneys in the molestation trial of Michael Jackson have interviewed a former teacher of the alleged victim, and sources tell ABC News that the teacher claims that the accuser told him that “nothing happened” between himself and “The King of Pop.” The 15-year-old alleged victim is due to return for cross-examination as testimony resumes today in Jackson’s trial. The boy, who was 13 at the time he was allegedly molested by Jackson, spent time at the singer’s Neverland ranch in California and appeared with him on the 2003 British documentary “Living With Michael Jackson.” Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to 10 charges that include felony conspiracy with 28 overt acts involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. In a secret meeting on Saturday, Santa Barbara County, Calif., Prosecutor Tom Sneddon and Jackson’s defense attorneys interviewed the teacher from Burroughs Middle School in Los Angeles, where the alleged victim was a student while he and Jackson were friends. According to sources, the teacher said that the young accuser told him in the spring of 2003 after “Living With Michael Jackson” aired and after the alleged molestation occurred that “nothing had happened between Michael Jackson and him.” Thomas Forsyth, an attorney for the teacher, said the interview lasted approximately one hour and that he expects his client to be called as a witness. Sources close to the case told ABC News that they expect Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. to bring the teacher up in cross-examination of the alleged victim as early as today. … Source: http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/LegalCenter/story?id=578291&page=1
Potential Surprise Witness in Jackson Trial – Teacher says accuser denied abuse
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