King: Lawyer called mother a wacko

Larry King barred from testifying for Jackson defense By Quintin Cushner/Staff Writer Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville today barred talk show host Larry King from testifying for the defense in Michael Jackson’s child-molestation and conspiracy trial. Dressed in a dark suit, purple shirt and his trademark black eyeglasses, King briefly took the witness stand outside the jury’s presence to describe a conversation he had with civil attorney Larry Feldman. [b]King said Feldman, who at the time was representing the family of Jackson’s accuser, told him he doubted the credibility of the claims against Jackson. According to King, Feldman made disparaging remarks about the accuser’s mother. “He thought the woman in this case was a wacko…” King said. “He just thought she was in it for the money.” King could not identify the time period of this conversation, which occurred at a Beverly Hills deli, but said it was before the trial against Jackson began.[/b] Melville ruled that King’s conversation with Feldman was not sufficient to impeach earlier testimony given by the attorney in court. “I don’t find that Mr. King’s testimony would impeach Mr. Feldman,” Melville said. Feldman had earlier testified that he believed the family claims, and that money did not seem to be an issue for them. [b]Also today, book publisher Michael Viner, who also was present at the deli with King, gave a similar account of what Feldman had said. His testimony likewise was disallowed by the judge.[/b] Azja Pryor took the stand today to testify about her relationship with the accuser’s family. Pryor, who has a 6-year-old son with actor Chris Parker, said she met the family in 1999 and struck up a friendship with the children and their mother. Early in her testimony, Pryor began crying when describing the accuser and his siblings. “It’s hard for me, because I really do love these kids a lot,” Pryor said. Pryor said she visited Jackson’s Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos several times with the accuser and his family, but that she never met Jackson during those visits. She expressed particular affection for the accuser’s sister, and conceded that the accuser and his brother “were a little rough.” Pryor said she once gave the family $600 as a Christmas gift, but they had never solicited her for money. [b]Pryor also testified that she never heard about a $152,000 settlement the family received from J.C. Penney after they allegedly were assaulted in a store parking lot. She said she was told that a broken arm the accuser suffered – allegedly at the hands of the guards – actually occurred during a baseball game. [/b] … Source: http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/2005/05/19/news/local/news00.txt