Santa Barbara - California 19 dicembre 2003 ore:11,35; fonte:CNN

Questo è invece del 19 dicembre,fonte sempre CNN:

SANTA BARBARA, California (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's attorney is vowing that the legal team will "take no quarter" in defending the pop superstar against child molestation allegations.

The case's tabloid-like aspects grew in number Thursday evening, with Jackson family accusations of police mistreatment and reports that the Nation of Islam had taken over Jackson's management. Both claims were denied.

California prosecutors on Thursday formally filed the molestation charges against Jackson in a case involving a cancer-stricken boy invited to the singer's Neverland Ranch.

Jackson was charged with nine counts -- seven of child molestation and two of administering an intoxicating agent for the purpose of a committing a felony. The charges involve incidents alleged to have occurred in February and March of this year, District Attorney Tom Sneddon said.

In addition, the complaint includes special allegations that could make Jackson ineligible for probation in the case, Sneddon said.

In a prepared statement released Thursday, Sneddon said the alleged victim would take the stand at a trial. "The family is committed to this process," the district attorney said.

Jackson attorney Mark Geragos again asserted Jackson's innocence and told reporters that the entertainer's legal team would "take no quarter" in their defense of the accused singer.

The charges against the 45-year-old singer were filed nearly a month after local authorities raided his Neverland Ranch home. He was booked November 20 on suspicion of multiple counts of child molestation and has been free on $3 million bond.

The singer and his lawyers maintain he is innocent, and contend that the boy in the current case and his family have brought the allegations for financial gain.

Geragos -- who acknowledged he was brought into the case soon after Jackson appeared with the cancer-stricken boy, the alleged victim, in a documentary in February -- said his client will "fight these charges with every fiber of his soul."

"Michael Jackson is unequivocally and absolutely innocent of these charges," he said.

"I'm telling you right now that there is absolutely no way that we will stand for this besmirching of this man with these horrible, horrible allegations, and I will tell you right now that there is no way that the prosecution will prevail in this case."

Geragos called the case "an intersection between a shakedown" -- the alleged victim's family looking for money -- and an investigator who's "got an ax to grind."

In a later appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live," Geragos said he's been on the case since February, "when someone wisely in retrospect felt that there was something wrong here with this particular family."

"I've seen this whole scam in action," he said.

Geragos also hinted that if he had a chance to question the alleged victim and his family members in court, there may not even be a trial.

"Who knows if there will be a trial in this case? I would invite them to go by way of preliminary hearing to have a chat with the witnesses because I believe once we have a chat, it will become readily apparent as to what this case is about."

"I don't see how it gets past the preliminary hearing," he added.

Jackson was accused of child molestation in 1993, but the case was settled, reportedly for millions of dollars, and no charges were filed. Sneddon was the district attorney who looked into that case. Later Jackson released a song widely considered to be an indictment of Sneddon for his efforts to prosecute Jackson in the 1993 case. Sneddon denies that the current case stems from a personal animus against Jackson.

Accusations of mistreatment denied
Thursday evening, Katherine Jackson, the singer's mother, released a statement proclaiming Michael's innocence.


"On behalf of the Jackson family we know these vicious lies are totally untrue, malicious and motivated by pure greed and revenge," the statement said. "We proudly stand next to Michael who we know could never commit any of the acts he is accused of. We will fight with every ounce of our energy to reveal the truth behind these false allegations and the motivations behind those who have falsely accused Michael."

Jermaine Jackson told CNN's King on Thursday night his brother was mistreated by the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department when he was arrested last month, a charge the police deny. Jackson said Michael suffered a dislocated shoulder and was locked inside a bathroom for a half-hour when he was arrested.

Geragos also said he's been threatened for representing the singer, included a pipe bomb that was placed inside a portable toilet for construction workers outside his home.

He said the incident took place within the past 10 days, and police blocked off the street and safely detonated the device.

Geragos went on to mock the "so-called investigators" on the case, saying they "do not know what we know."

He said the charges "are not only categorically untrue, but they're ... driven by two things: money and revenge. We will prove that."

Dates may be crucial to case
A complaint filed with Santa Barbara County Superior Court accused Jackson of having "substantial sexual conduct" with a boy under the age of 14 in incidents alleged to have occurred in February and March of this year.

Five of the child molestation counts accuse Jackson of a "lewd act upon a child," a felony, "on or between February 7, 2003, and March 10, 2003, in the county of Santa Barbara." The other two molestation counts allegedly happened on or between February 20 and March 10, according to the complaint.

The two counts of administering an intoxicating agent allegedly happened on or between February 20 and March 10 of this year, according to the complaint.

A source close to the investigation told CNN the "intoxicating agent" was wine.

The specific dates could be significant for both prosecutors and defense attorneys. In mid-February, Los Angeles County child welfare officials found there was no evidence Jackson had had inappropriate contact with the boy. (Full story)

Additionally, Jackson's attorneys played for a CNN legal analyst an audiotape from mid-February in which the boy and mother said there had been no inappropriate contact.

Sneddon said prosecutors were aware of the agency's report before seeking a search and arrest warrant for Jackson, but he contended the welfare officials did not conducted interviews, or any investigation.

On the audiotape, sources told CNN that a Jackson representative was present when it was recorded by a private investigator hired by Jackson.

Ecco Tom Sneddon


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[Modificato da ForeverMichael 19/12/2003 15.52]