Court Session 2: Martin Bashir Had a Tough Day in Court

Martin Bashir’s strong reluctance to take part in this court and to be placed on the witness list had led him to submit a request to the court asking to be exempted from doing so. But Bashir’s efforts brought him no benefit, and in the end he found himself sitting in the court’s “hot seat.” Martin Bashir—the producer of the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” and a former BBC reporter who currently works for the American network ABC—entered the courtroom without the slightest attention to the line of reporters who had gathered in the Santa Maria courthouse grounds.

Michael Jackson accompanied Bashir’s arrival with his angry looks. Seeing a man he believed was responsible for his troubles, Michael—muttering under his breath “It’s Martin”—pointed his finger at him again and again.

Bashir, the first witness to be called to the stand, had been placed on the prosecution’s witness list to be present during the showing of his documentary about Michael Jackson in court.

Bashir didn’t even cast a glance at Jackson and went directly toward the seating area for the audience until he was called to the witness stand.

After the prosecutor asked him a few routine questions about his profession, he showed the jury members the 150-minute documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” Then it was time for Thomas Mesereau, Michael’s lead attorney, to ask questions of Martin Bashir—questions that were not unlike a game of cat and mouse.

Martin Bashir, who from the moment he took the witness stand felt extremely uncomfortable, repeatedly apologized for not being able to speak directly into the microphone. “Excuse me. I’m not very tall.”

As Mesereau’s questions began, Bashir’s discomfort intensified. Mesereau started by reminding the court about a complaint from a British television network official against Martin Bashir regarding his style of journalism, and that he had been accused of forging signatures.

Michael Jackson had accused Bashir of tricking him and, by complicating his statements in this documentary, creating the conditions for allegations of sexual abuse to be brought against him.

When Thomas Mesereau asked Bashir to explain how Jackson had encouraged him to make this documentary, his defense attorney repeatedly interrupted the process of questioning by invoking his client’s legal rights regarding the absence of compulsion to answer questions related to his unpublished films.

As the defense attorney’s objections continued to any question Mesereau raised, the attorney changed the title “Mr. Bashir”—which he used to address Martin Bashir—into “Sir,” in a sarcastic and mocking tone.

Throughout this session, Michael grew impatient with Bashir’s refusal to answer questions and clearly showed his frustration in his facial expression and behavior.

At the end, the defense attorney asked the judge to summon Martin Bashir again to the witness stand in the next court sessions, but this time as a witness for the defense attorneys.

Source: eMJey.com / Yahoo News