Post by Taxigirl on Oct 15, 2004 9:14:43 GMT
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3745274.stm
The judge in the Michael Jackson case has rejected the singer's attempt to have multiple child abuse charges thrown out of court.
Judge Rodney Melville ruled there was enough evidence to warrant the charges.
He also rejected a request from defence lawyers to exclude evidence seized from Mr Jackson's Neverland ranch and a private investigator's office.
Mr Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to 10 child abuse charges. He is due to stand trial in January.
The pop star did not attend the latest in a series of pre-trial hearings in Santa Maria, California, on Thursday.
Judge Melville said the alleged victim's evidence to a grand jury was enough for a trial to go ahead.
"His testimony alone, if believed by the grand jury, would supply all the evidence needed to support the indictment," he said in a written ruling.
Mr Jackson had argued the secret grand jury proceedings were flawed, prosecutor Thomas Sneddon "bullied" witnesses and there was insufficient reason to suspect a crime.
The judge has put off until the next hearing on 4 November a defence request to have the chief prosecutor, Santa Barbara County district attorney Tom Sneddon, removed from the case.
'In danger'
Mr Jackson's lawyers allege that Mr Sneddon has a vendetta against the star dating to a 1993 abuse inquiry that did not result in charges.
But the judge did shed some light on Mr Jackson's conspiracy charge, summing up the prosecution's version of events in his ruling.
The charge, one of the 10 the singer faces, covers allegations of child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, but few details had been released until now.
Mr Jackson is alleged to have urged the boy's family to take part in a video to deny abuse and "personally explained to the mother that her children were in danger".
Restricted movements
He then had the family flown to his Neverland ranch, where the boy and his brother "were invited to sleep in the Jackson bedroom".
Their movements were allegedly restricted, phone calls monitored and, after the mother left, she was only allowed to see them again by making up a story that their grandfather was ill.
Mr Jackson also allegedly had the family moved out of their Los Angeles apartment and put their goods into storage before a planned trip to Brazil, the judge revealed.
Judge Melville also insisted he would not delay the trial from its 31 January start date.
The judge in the Michael Jackson case has rejected the singer's attempt to have multiple child abuse charges thrown out of court.
Judge Rodney Melville ruled there was enough evidence to warrant the charges.
He also rejected a request from defence lawyers to exclude evidence seized from Mr Jackson's Neverland ranch and a private investigator's office.
Mr Jackson, 46, has pleaded not guilty to 10 child abuse charges. He is due to stand trial in January.
The pop star did not attend the latest in a series of pre-trial hearings in Santa Maria, California, on Thursday.
Judge Melville said the alleged victim's evidence to a grand jury was enough for a trial to go ahead.
"His testimony alone, if believed by the grand jury, would supply all the evidence needed to support the indictment," he said in a written ruling.
Mr Jackson had argued the secret grand jury proceedings were flawed, prosecutor Thomas Sneddon "bullied" witnesses and there was insufficient reason to suspect a crime.
The judge has put off until the next hearing on 4 November a defence request to have the chief prosecutor, Santa Barbara County district attorney Tom Sneddon, removed from the case.
'In danger'
Mr Jackson's lawyers allege that Mr Sneddon has a vendetta against the star dating to a 1993 abuse inquiry that did not result in charges.
But the judge did shed some light on Mr Jackson's conspiracy charge, summing up the prosecution's version of events in his ruling.
The charge, one of the 10 the singer faces, covers allegations of child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, but few details had been released until now.
Mr Jackson is alleged to have urged the boy's family to take part in a video to deny abuse and "personally explained to the mother that her children were in danger".
Restricted movements
He then had the family flown to his Neverland ranch, where the boy and his brother "were invited to sleep in the Jackson bedroom".
Their movements were allegedly restricted, phone calls monitored and, after the mother left, she was only allowed to see them again by making up a story that their grandfather was ill.
Mr Jackson also allegedly had the family moved out of their Los Angeles apartment and put their goods into storage before a planned trip to Brazil, the judge revealed.
Judge Melville also insisted he would not delay the trial from its 31 January start date.