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loudMon Aug 23, 5:24 PM ET
By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The prosecution in the Michael Jackson (news) child molestation case wound up its presentation in a crucial evidence hearing Monday by calling two law enforcement officers to contradict testimony by Jackson employees about a search of his Neverland ranch.
The defense has sought to show at the hearing that Santa Barbara County officials exceeded the scope of the warrant. Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville isn't expected to rule until next month.
Jalaine Hogue, a district attorney's investigator, testified that she interviewed Jackson's property manager, Joseph Marcus, during the search. She said he never expressed unwillingness to be interviewed and never complained about the scope of the search.
Hogue also testified that Marcus never mentioned that Jackson attorney Steve Cochran was at the gate of the estate demanding admittance during the search.
Under cross-examination, Hogue said there were four teams of inquisitors assigned to do interviews at the property and she was given the task of interviewing Marcus and a maid.
Before the search, Hogue said she and others were gathered together by sheriff's detectives and given a packet of information relating the allegations of Jackson's accuser and a list of questions to ask his employees. Defense attorneys indicated that material has not been turned over to them.
A second witness, sheriff's Lt. Russell Birchim, who is in charge of court security, said he was involved in a previous search of Neverland in 1993 and was consulted by District Attorney Tom Sneddon before the 2003 search in order to figure out where certain buildings were located.
Birchim said he helped Sneddon locate what he thought was the security office but acknowledged that his memory was vague after 10 years. He said he wrote a report 10 years ago on the 1993 search but did not know where the report was.
The prosecution is trying to overcome defense testimony that indicates authorities took items from areas of Jackson's property which were not specified in the search warrant. The items in dispute are not publicly known because the judge has sealed most of the search warrant affidavits.
In another development, Melville ruled that Sneddon did not violate a gag order when he spoke at a district attorneys conference in Canada.
Sneddon made statements there about having sent letters to people telling them they were potential witnesses in the Jackson case so that they would not talk to the media. He said later he did not send letters to anyone who will not be called as a witness.
The judge cautioned all lawyers to turn down public appearances.
Jackson, 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges of committing a lewd act upon a child, administering an intoxicating agent and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
Jackson, free on $3 million bail, is scheduled to go on trial Jan. 31.