Jurors to get instructions in writing
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Main News
Judge allows alcohol charge to be considered lesser offense

SANTA MARIA, California (CNN) -- Written copies of instructions will be given to jurors in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, the judge in the case announced Tuesday.

Closing arguments could start as early as Wednesday after three months of testimony.

Lawyers on both sides spent Tuesday conferring with Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville over what would be included in those jury instructions.

Melville said jurors would not only be able to read along with his instructions to them, but they would be given "a packet they can use in deliberations."
Jackson, 46, did not attend Tuesday's hearing.

Spokeswoman Raymone Bain said the singer "is going through a lot of emotions right now -- relief that it's over, but very nervous. Because, of course you know, a very major decision is going to be made within the next several days."

The singer was indicted in April 2004 on 10 counts stemming from incidents prosecutors say occurred in February and March 2003.

The singer has pleaded not guilty to the charges and did not testify during the trial.

The charges against Jackson include:

 Four counts of committing a lewd act on a child;

 One count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion;

 One count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child;

 And four counts of administering an intoxicating agent to assist in the commission of a felony.
On Tuesday, Melville said he would instruct jurors that the charges of furnishing alcohol to a minor -- normally a felony -- could be considered a misdemeanor.

Melville told lawyers he would include instructions to jurors on evaluating contradictory testimony and testimony "showing a witness or witnesses has engaged in past criminal conduct."

The judge also said he would instruct jurors to consider testimony regarding prior allegations of sexual misconduct against Jackson "only for the limited purpose of showing a characteristic method, plan or scheme" similar to the allegations that brought the singer into court.

Testimony concluded last week, sooner than what some observers predicted. Prosecutors last week played a videotape in which Jackson's teenage accuser told investigators the singer gave him wine and masturbated him as many as five times. (Full story)

Jackson's lawyers have tried to paint the boy's family as grifters with a habit of wheedling money out of the rich and famous. The defense rested after testimony from comedian Chris Tucker, who contradicted a major element of the prosecution's case. (Tucker's testimony)

Prosecutors tried to show that Jackson and his associates whisked the accuser and his family off to Miami to keep them from seeing the U.S. broadcast of "Living With Michael Jackson," an unflattering television documentary in which Jackson held hands with the boy.

CNN's Dree De Clamecy contributed to this report.