Details of Friday’s Court Hearing

While Michael Jackson’s next court hearing was scheduled for January 31, 2005, Judge Melville ordered that pre-trial listening sessions be held so that all issues raised during this period by both sides involved in the case could be examined and analyzed.

Among the matters reviewed in these sessions are the evidence seized from the personal home of his assistant, Oi Tavasaki. The prosecution team claims that phone call recordings, emails, and documents obtained from Tavasaki’s home show that Michael’s defense lawyers’ team arranged for demonstrations by fans outside the court during the previous sessions.

Regarding the seizure of evidence related to the fans’ demonstrations, Judge Melville asked the case investigators for an explanation. He said: “Were you not only authorized to take evidence related to criminal charges?”

Ron Zanon, representing Tom Esdon, responded that he felt this information would be useful in preventing the defense lawyers’ proposal to change the location of the court sessions dealing with Jackson’s crimes. He also said that Miko Brando, the son of Marlon Brando, had been a Jackson employee and that he received $20,000 in cash from him. Zanon said it’s possible Brando may appear as a witness in court.

Robert Sanger, Jackson’s defense attorney, replied: “In relation to someone like Michael Jackson, who has an organization like Neverland, it’s not strange that he would give $20,000 in cash to his staff to take care of his affairs.”

Sanger also said that many of the documents stolen from Oi Tavasaki’s home relate to a time long before Michael’s charges were brought up.

Source: AP / MJFC