The 44th Session — The Defense Lawyers Began Their Work

Today, the defense attorneys for Michael Jackson began their work by calling two people whom the prosecution claims were sexually abused by Michael.

These two individuals, named Wade Robson, a 22-year-old choreographer who has worked with Britney Spears, and Brett Barnes, a 23-year-old who remembers many things from his childhood at Neverland along with Michael Jackson, rejected the prosecution’s claim that Michael sexually abused them. They said they have continued to maintain friendly relationships with Michael.

Robson said he has known Michael since he was five years old and that, as a child, he stayed at Neverland more than 20 times and slept in Michael’s room.

He continued that they would play video games together, watch movies, talk, and sometimes hit each other on the head with pillows.

“Did Mr. Jackson ever sexually abuse you?”

In response to Thomas Mesereau’s question, Robson said, “Absolutely not.”

“Did Mr. Jackson ever touch you in a sexual way?”

Robson also answered, “No, never.”

Previously, one of Michael’s former servants at Neverland had testified that he saw Robson bathing with Michael.

But Robson denied bathing with Michael and said he had never done that.

He also said that while he slept in Michael’s bed, he had never seen any inappropriate behavior from him.

Prosecutor Ron Zonen addressed Robson and said, “What you’re telling us is that when you were awake, nothing happened.”

Robson replied, “I’m telling you that nothing ever happened. I think something like that could have woken me up.”

In reaction to Robson’s statements, Zonen said that maybe he was so exhausted from dance practice or playing that he fell into a deep sleep.

Zonen then showed Robson books that contained pictures of nude boys and asked whether sleeping next to the owner of those books made him worried.

Robson answered the prosecutor’s question negatively.

Another former Jackson employee had testified in court that he once saw Jackson sexually touching Barnes. Barnes, rejecting the claim, said:

“Of course not. And I’m telling you that if he had done that, I wouldn’t be here now.”

When asked whether he knew anything about the allegation raised in court, he answered: “I know it, and I’m very, very, very angry about it. They’re trying to ruin my name, and I’m really, really, really not happy about that.”

Barnes also said that he had left his job in Australia in order to attend this hearing and testify in court. He added that during his trip he stayed at Neverland.

Earlier in today’s session, Judge Melville also rejected the defense attorneys’ request to dismiss the charges against Michael Jackson.

Source: Associated Press