Posted by MARCH 20 2005 (3:00 PM ET) — Attorney William Dickerman has now taken the stand. His direct testimony is over and cross-examination has started by the defense. But before him, the prosecution called psychologist Stan Katz to the stand and only questioned him for about 20 minutes, according to Savannah Guthrie (Court TV). She reports that it was surprising that the prosecution didn’t want to get into what the accuser told Katz; something that should be crucial to this trial. Katz was simply asked what was reported to be “chronology” type questions to establish when he talked to the accuser and discussed his background. But under cross-examination, according Jennifer London (MSNBC), defense attorney Tom Mesereau got Katz to admit that when he talked to the accuser and family, he was under the impression that it was in preparation for a lawsuit attorney Larry Feldman was going to file against Jackson. How Katz got that impression remains to be reported. But some say that the initial plan by the two may have been to file a lawsuit against Jackson once they (Feldman and Katz) got the Los Angeles Dept of Children & Family Services (DCFS) to change their “unfounded” ruling in a previous molestation investigation done into this very same family. If you remember, it was reported that the two of them actually went down to the office to get the DCFS to change that conclusion. When they were unsuccessful, they ran to DA Tom Sneddon. And here we are. The defense also got Katz to state for the record that during his own research, 40% or more of child molestation allegations turn out to be false. This directly contradicts another prosecution witness, an “expert” who claimed that only 2% or less turn out to be false. And given the choice between believing the psychologist who talked to this accuser and a so-called expert who have talked the accuser, the jury may side with Katz’s figure which could further cast doubt on the allegations against Jackson. The defense is attempting to show the close relationship between Katz and Feldman. Mesereau is also tying Katz to Feldman by illustrating that there is are a number of clients a relative of Feldman’s has referred to Katz; not just the current accuser and the 1993 accuser. More info as we get it. The cable channels are all back on breaking Terri Schiavo news, so it may be a while until they get back to news about this “case”.
MARCH 30 2005 (12:50 PM ET) — Michael Jackson arrived today for court again with another huge smile on his face. Yesterday in court, the jury heard from Cynthia Bell, one of the flight attendants on that now famous plane ride where the accuser claimed he was given alcohol by Jackson in a diet coke can. Bell completely shot the previous alcohol testimony by the accusing family concerning that plane ride to shreds. She says since it wasn’t a large plane, she could see what was going on. She testified that she never saw Jackson and the accuser sharing a can, which she says had white wine in it. She never saw Jackson licking anybody’s head either. Bell says that he was always had his children beside him and/or sitting on his lap. She confirmed that he is sometimes a nervous flyer. Just as important, she revealed that it was HER idea to put white wine in a coke can for Jackson since apparently he doesn’t like either his children or other children to see him drink. Bell testified that Jackson has never asked her to put wine in a coke can. And that she has served other clients in the same manner as well. She blasted the accuser’s behavior on that plane ride as well. She called him obnoxious, demanding and said it was embarrassing to have him on the flight. Bell even blew the whistle on the accuser’s sister. She says the sister ordered alcohol on that flight. Apparently, at the time, she had no idea how old the sister was. Bell carded her and was shown an ID saying she was of legal age. Well, the public now knows the sister was only about 16. Thus, the ID was fake. The sister had previously testified that the only time she’d drank alcohol was when it was given to her by Jackson so she obviously lied on the stand. Stay tuned to up-to-the-minute updates at this topic: http://forums.mjeol.com/showthread.php?t=5316