Jackson Supporters Plan Action
When Michael Jackson is arraigned later this week on child molestation charges, the pop star won't be alone if his fans have anything to say about it. He and his advisors also were meeting Monday to plan their strategy to repair his public image.
Fans and family of Jackson, including his brother Jermaine, planned a news conference Monday at the Jackson family complex to announce plans for a massive show of support Friday at the singer's scheduled arraignment.
CBS News has learned that the Jackson summit will include the pop singer, his father Joe Jackson, attorney Mark Geragos, several entertainment lawyers and a representative of the Nation Of Islam.
Jackson's fan clubs plan to have groups of cars and buses travel to the courthouse in northern Santa Barbara County from areas including Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Orange County, Long Beach, Santa Monica, San Diego, Pasadena, Carson, Costa Mesa and Riverside, said Angel Howansky, a freelance publicist who is helping coordinate the event.
"We've had fans calling from out of state who are flying in just for the arraignment. So the fan clubs decided that they would have caravans," said Howansky. She added that she was helping without pay.
Monday's meeting is expected to include also more than two dozen Jackson lawyers, accountants, bankers, and managers, according to family friend Brian Oxman.
"There is to be a meeting of the brain trusts for Michael's management," Oxman said. "Rumors will be set to rest, and it's to explain how Michael is to handle further actions in connection with his business. They have not specified what it is or who is to be doing the speaking."
"I'd advise Michael to shut up," crisis management consultant Jonathan Bernstein told CBS News Early Show National Correspondent Hattie Kauffman. "He should stop talking.
"Michael has gone one step too far in communication when he gave the 60 Minutes interview, Bernstein said.
In the interview, Jackson said he still thinks it acceptable to share his bed with children.
"Michael Jackson is trying to defend an indefensible position when he takes that stance," said Bernstein.
Jackson, 45, is charged with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. He's free on $3 million bail pending his arraignment.
In another development, reports Kauffman, the Los Angeles district attorney has been asked to investigate the leak of a child protective service memo that showed an earlier probe of the same molestation charge determined it to be "unfounded."
One legal expert questions Jackson's new allies, who some say are now running the show.
"To affiliate themselves with the radical Nation Of Islam, a group that's dedicated to black power, when they're going to be trying this case in Santa Maria (Calif.) in front of a white conservative jury, you wonder, how does that make any sense?" law professor Laurie Levenson told CBS News.
The Friday court date also was to include a hearing for news organizations who are asking a judge to unseal documents related to the Nov. 18 search of Jackson's Neverland Ranch.
The news organizations contend that the public was not adequately notified of a request by Jackson's attorney and Santa Barbara prosecutors to keep the search documents sealed, at least until the arraignment.
The documents include the search warrant, an affidavit in which authorities explained their reasons for seeking the warrant, and a list of items seized.