Jurors To See Jackson's Porn
Dozens of adult-oriented books, magazines and DVDs seized at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch — including a magazine with the fingerprints of Jackson and his accuser — can be used as evidence in the singer's upcoming trial, the judge ruled Friday.
Prosecutors told the court some models involved appear under age, and they say that shows Jackson's interest in children, particularly boys, reports CBS News Correspondent Vince Gonzales.
The defense points out the materials are all legal, and calls some, which date from 1936, collectors' items.
The judge also ruled that Jackson's accuser should testify in open court instead of in a closed courtroom with an audio hookup for the media.
At a hearing just three days before the start of jury selection, Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville permitted most of the proposed evidence to be used at trial but said the prosecution could not refer to the material as pornography, obscenity or erotic. Instead, the words "adult" or "sexually explicit" can be used, he said.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen said the 50 print and video items that were seized in 2003 included graphic sexual material that was heterosexual and homosexual in nature. The material also included nude photos of models who may have been 18 but looked much younger, he said.
Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. countered that all the materials seized were legally available. In the case of the magazine with the prints, he said, evidence will show Jackson took it away from his accuser and locked it up.
Zonen said investigators found the fingerprints of Jackson and his accuser on one of the magazines but gave no further details.
Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to charges of molesting a 13-year-old boy and plying him with alcohol.
CBS Legal Analyst Andrew Cohen does not think the media presence in the courtroom will affect the trial, but sees the ruling over evidence as a defeat for Jackson.
"This obviously won't help Jackson because it will allow prosecutors to paint a seedy picture of life at Neverland and to talk about an atmosphere of sexuality that they will say brought about the molestation that Jackson is accused of," Cohen said.
Jury selection could last as long as a month, with the judge and attorneys for both sides expected to screen as many as 750 prospective jurors.
Melville ruled that several items could not be used as evidence, including three books seized in 1993 that allegedly show pictures of nude adolescents.
Prosecutors had wanted to close the courtroom to the media and public when the boy, now 15, and his 14-year-old brother testify, proposing that reporters be allowed to hear their voices through an audio feed. But the judge ruled Friday that the courtroom should be open, adding that he would consider closing it if there were any disruptions.
A coalition of media covering the high-profile case, including The Associated Press, had argued that the boys' testimony should not be closed.
On another matter, the judge ruled that jurors will be allowed to see a British documentary broadcast on ABC-TV in 2003 that contains footage of Jackson and his accuser holding hands and Jackson defending his practice of sleeping in the same bed with children.
Michael Jackson's father , in an interview airing on CBS's "48 Hours" Saturday, says his son is too trusting.
Joe Jackson says it might have been a good idea to have a father-son conversation in which he advised the pop star "not to trust nobody…because Michael trusted a whole lot of people. And the ones that he trusts -- hey, that's a problem."
Michael's mother, Katherine Jackson, tells Barak she's angry. She says the molestation allegations against Michael are "very painful. I know my son, and this is ridiculous."