Culkin says molestation claims ?absolutely ridiculous?
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Main News


Child star testifies that prosecutors never spoke to him about allegations

The Associated Press
Updated: 12:04 p.m. ET May 11, 2005


SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Actor Macaulay Culkin took the stand at Michael Jackson?s child molestation trial Wednesday and denied he was molested, saying the accusations against the pop star were ?absolutely ridiculous.?

Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. asked Culkin what he thought of the charges against Jackson.

?I think they?re absolutely ridiculous,? Culkin said.

He said prosecutors never approached him about whether he had been molested and he only learned of the allegations that he had been molested by watching news coverage of the trial.

?Somebody told me you should probably check out CNN because they?re saying something about you,? Culkin said. ?I just couldn?t believe it. ... It was amazing to me that nobody even approached me and asked if these allegations were true.?

Prosecution witnesses testified earlier that Jackson inappropriately touched Culkin, who was a frequent childhood guest of Jackson. That testimony was used to allege that Jackson has a pattern of inappropriate behavior with boys.

During testimony Tuesday, the manager of Jackson?s Neverland ranch acknowledged he lied to law enforcement officials in 2003 when he said he had no knowledge of Jackson sharing his bed with children.

The testimony by Joe Marcus came during cross-examination by prosecutors, who sought to show he had lied to protect Jackson. At one point, prosecutor Gordon Auchincloss said, ?You keep looking at Mr. Jackson. Why is that??

Marcus appeared startled and didn?t answer, and a defense objection was sustained.

Auchincloss then asked Marcus if he was loyal to Jackson. He answered, ?Yes.?

Marcus acknowledged he lied when he told authorities during a November 2003 search of Neverland that he did not know about children sleeping in the singer?s bedroom.

He later added the events of that day were chaotic and ?I was overwhelmed.?

The defense called Marcus to the stand Monday to testify that he never instructed anyone to hold Jackson?s accuser and the boy?s family against their will. He suggested Tuesday no such captivity happened.

The captivity claim is part of the conspiracy portion of the case against the pop star, who is alleged to have molested a 13-year-old boy in 2003.

Prosecutors claim the singer conspired to hold the family to get them to rebut a damaging TV documentary in which the boy appeared with Jackson. They also claim Jackson associates planned to send the family on a one-way trip to Brazil.

Marcus, an 18-year employee, testified Tuesday that the family of Jackson?s accuser never objected when there were discussions about them going to Brazil. He said the only thing the boy?s family wanted to know was where to go to have passport pictures taken.

?Did you ever receive any instructions from anyone to hold the (family) against their will?? Jackson attorney Robert Sanger asked.

?No,? Marcus said.

Also Tuesday, the prosecution tried to show Jackson has more ?special friends? who are boys than girls or women.

Marcus said there were also females who were close to the star, but when asked to name them off the top of his head he could only come up with Elizabeth Taylor, Liza Minnelli, a granddaughter of Marlon Brando and Karlee Barnes, the sister of a boy who spent time at Neverland.

Auchincloss also asked whether Marcus knew Jackson had adult materials at the ranch. Marcus said no, but acknowledged that dolls in bondage attire were kept on Jackson?s desk. He called them ?artwork.?

?Do you think it?s appropriate for children to be exposed to these?? Auchincloss asked.

Marcus paused and quietly said no.

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? 2005 MSNBC.com

URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7816771/