What Is the Jury’s Role? Who Should They Believe?

Among the witnesses who have so far been called to the stand by the prosecution, many have admitted that they previously lied.

While the prosecution is on the verge of wrapping up its case of allegations against Michael Jackson, the jury members find themselves in a state of uncertainty: to what extent should they believe testimony from witnesses who have confessed to their past lies?

The prosecution insists that the complainant’s family was forced to tell lies only under the pressure that had been applied to them—first by a violent father, and then by Jackson and his employees.

But the defense team, whose work begins this week, will ask the jury to consider all the witnesses’ statements as lacking credibility based on these same past false claims.

For example, the complainant testified that when her schoolteacher asked her questions, she had lied and told him that Jackson had not sexually abused her because she was afraid her classmates would mock her.

Whether the jury believes such claims depends on how strongly the prosecution has built its case against Jackson over the past eight months since the first day of the trial.

Ann Bremner, a former prosecutor and court analyst, believes: “Some of the complainant’s mother’s claims—such as her fear that her family would disappear from Neverland inside a balloon—may seem unacceptable.”

The complainant’s mother also said that during the recording of an interview in February 2003—where she and her family praise Jackson—she lied. She claimed that her words, word for word, had been dictated to her by Jackson’s employees.

All three of her children, including Jackson’s complainant, also said they had lied in that interview.

The interview was supposed to be included in the second part of the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson.” However, the interview was never aired by the media.

She also admitted that her statements about the case involving J.C. Penney, a security guard at Toys R Us, in 1999 were false. She accused Penny of assaulting her and her family, who had been arrested along with stolen clothing, and she also accused him of sexually abusing her.

Some time later, she withdrew the sexual abuse allegations and, after receiving $152,000, dropped the lawsuit against the store.

She now admits that at the time she had lied by saying her husband was an honest, upstanding man and that he had never mistreated her.

Prosecutor Tom Sneddon claims that at the time, she revealed the truth out of fear of her husband.

In contrast, the defense team believes the complainant’s family is using statements like these to secure their financial interests.

The defense attorneys have provided a long list of celebrities such as Jay Leno and Kobe Bryant, who could testify that the complainant’s former family has a history of exploiting the wealth and fame of well-known people.

Source: Associated Press