Court Session 5: Statements by the Accuser’s Sister and Screening of a Documentary Film

Michael Jackson’s entourage at his fifth court session included the mother, his brother, and his sister, Latoya.

The court in this session continued with the accuser’s sister’s remarks, followed by questions and answers with her, and the screening of a film related to the period when the accuser’s family lived in Neverland and, after the controversial TV documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” was aired, the proceedings were followed up. The accuser, who claims that Michael Jackson sexually abused her and gave her alcohol and showed her obscene photos, in this film—recorded just before the charges were brought—describes Michael Jackson as a role model, a friend, and a father.

The 15-year-old accuser, who was 13 at the time the charges were filed in 2003, says in the film:

“He treated me as if I were really his son.”

The film was recorded by “Hamid Mosahehi,” Michael Jackson’s personal cameraman, at Michael’s own home, but it was not shown in the second part of the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” The second part of the documentary was prepared in response to the first part, which was shown on television on February 9, 2003. Michael Jackson believes that the maker of that documentary presented the facts in a distorted way.

In a section of the first part of the documentary, Michael Jackson appears hand in hand with his current accuser, and the accuser says that he spent a night in Michael’s bedroom, but that they did not sleep on the same bed; instead, Michael fell asleep on the floor inside a sleeping bag. This documentary provided the backdrop for the allegations against Michael Jackson.

All members of the accuser’s family collaborated in producing the second part of the documentary on February 19, 2003, with Jackson. In this part, they praise Michael Jackson for his kindness, his humanity, his positive attitude toward life, and his ability and capability as a father. They describe him with the traits “good, humble, funny, and fatherly.” The accuser’s mother says in the film:

“He opened his wings. He made sure my children were at peace and happy—the happiness they had never had. He is truly a family man. He is an ideal man for a family. And I am truly grateful to him with all my heart.”

She praises Michael for his humility and generosity. She considers Jackson an important factor in improving the health of her child who was suffering from cancer, and says that when no one was helping them, he came to their aid.

“All the doors were closed to us, and Michael said that all my doors are open to you.”

She added that Michael’s entry into their lives was “a dream coming true.”

In the film, the accuser’s mother, in response to a question about the documentary by Martin Bashir—where Michael Jackson and his son (the current accuser) are seen hand in hand—said: “That’s what a father does with his son. They are trying to make it look wrong and dirty.”

The accuser’s mother also says in the film that her son wanted to call Michael “Dad.”

“My son asked him if he could call him ‘Dad,’ and he said, of course.”

The accuser also speaks enthusiastically about Jackson in the film. “He treated me as if he were my father.” He says that Michael gave him the power to cope with his illness. “If you hear anything bad about Michael Jackson, it’s not true. Because Michael is a very kind man.”

He adds in the film: “We were driving toward the top of the hill, and he told me, ‘You have to get better. You have to destroy all those cancer cells.’ I never forgot that.”

The accuser’s brother says in the film that Michael’s behavior toward them was even more fatherly than their real father’s.

When describing the changes in her sick brother after spending time with Michael Jackson, the accuser’s sister breaks down in tears.

During the airing of parts related to the accuser’s family’s statements, Michael Jackson slowly wiped his eyes with a tissue. His mother, Katherine Jackson, also wiped away her tears when she saw them praising her son’s goodness.

The prosecutor claims that the accuser’s family had been pressured and threatened by Jackson’s staff into saying these things. Meanwhile, all family members in the film appear very lively and cheerful, and even add laughter to their remarks. The prosecutor believes that Michael Jackson sexually abused the boy some time after this film was recorded, even though earlier they claimed that this act happened weeks before.

Today, the accuser’s sister said that at one time she believed everything that was said about Michael Jackson in this film. She said:

“He didn’t want anyone to hug him. He didn’t want anyone to kiss him. It’s disturbing because I’m his older sister.”

She said she had repeatedly seen Michael holding her and kissing her brother’s forehead and cheeks.

The accuser’s sister claimed that Jackson’s staff, behind the scenes, instructed them what to say so that Michael would be portrayed in the best possible way.

In the film, the accuser’s mother—who, contrary to the sister’s claims, appears to have control of the interview—sometimes laughs and sometimes cries because people “assume her son’s innocent relationship with Michael Jackson is dirty.”

What is evident in this documentary is that the accuser’s family was working hard to present Michael Jackson as a father. The word “father” is used again and again throughout the documentary to describe Michael, and the accuser’s family talks about many gifts Michael Jackson gave them and the time he spent with the accuser and his younger brother.

The factor that prompted the accuser’s family to bring the allegations remains shrouded in ambiguity.

The prosecutor believes that this family, while being reluctant to say these things about Jackson, ended up saying them anyway. The prosecutor claims that Jackson’s staff rejected their request to return home and forced them, in the late hours of the night, to say what the staff wanted. The defense attorney believes that what the accuser’s family says in this documentary is nothing other than what they truly felt. He said that when the accuser’s family became sure they would not be paid for their statements in this film, they decided to get money through another way. And therefore they brought sexual abuse allegations against Jackson. When Thomas Mesereau asked Judy Doe:

“You said those things because you believed them, right?”

She answered: “Almost.”

“Didn’t you tell the jury in Santa Barbara County that you believed what you were saying?”

“Yes.”

Thomas Mesereau bombarded the accuser’s sister with questions to show that she had said different things and was prepared in advance to testify for the prosecution. He also said she forgot some things and therefore did not seem sufficiently truthful. In response to Mesereau’s questions, Judy Doe repeatedly said:

“I don’t remember. It was a long time ago. And I was very young.”

Mesereau continued: “Did someone tell you to say this when you had trouble with the defense attorney? When the prosecutor asked you questions, did you use this simple, painless phrase?”

The defense attorney believes that after this case was closed, the accuser’s family intended to file an internal case against Jackson and get money, and for that reason they do not want to risk their chances by answering questions like these.

For example, when the accuser’s sister claimed that Michael Jackson poured alcohol for her and her two brothers, Mesereau reminded her that in her interview with the police investigator in July 2003, she had not made such a claim. In July 2003, she said she thought the liquid Jackson offered her was alcohol because they were in a room where alcohol was kept. But now, in front of the jury and in the witness stand, she testified that she was sure the liquid was alcohol because Michael had poured it out of a liquor bottle.

Judy Doe told the jury, “They didn’t ask me that question. I saw it.”

Mesereau immediately said, “That’s not what you told the investigator that day.”

Mesereau also tried to create doubt in the conspiracy charge and the attempt to imprison the accuser’s family, which was brought against Jackson. He pointed out that Jackson’s staff usually took the family to public places.

“Have you ever heard someone shout, ‘Help! We were kept against our will’?”

Judy confirmed that no one asked for help like that. But she again said that the family had requested several times to be returned to their home, but their request was denied.

“I know that’s your opinion. But the truth is that when you wanted to leave, they brought you back home.”

The accuser’s sister said with difficulty, “Yes, we had to keep asking.”

The accuser’s sister also claimed that as a child she was sexually abused by her father, locked in a room, and threatened by him. Mesereau told her:

“When you were interviewed by the police, you didn’t say anything about your father’s sexual abuse of you.”

“They didn’t ask me about it, and I was very young.”

Thomas Mesereau resumed his question-and-answer session with the accuser’s sister on Monday, March 7. The accuser’s brother, also called by the alias James Doe, will be called to the witness stand in the Monday session.

Source: eMJey.com / Yahoo News, MJJ Forum