Mesereau Slams Accusing Family
Mood:  incredulous
Topic: Main News
MJJF eNews #472 - Friday Jan 21, 2005

Michael Jackson's defense attorney, Tom Mesereau, came out swinging today in court to object to motions filed by the prosecution to allow an expert witness to testify regarding how children behave after child abuse.

Judge Rodney S. Melville granted the motion this morning, however Melville said there will be strict limits that will be discussed before the expert testifies.

Tom Mesereau argued that the prosecution is making a desperate attempt to bolster what he described as a "horrific problem" with their case.

Here are some of the more colorful quotes that came from Tom A. Mesereau today regarding the accusing family:

"What if they are flat out liars?" Mesereau said of the witnesses. "What if they have a history of lying? What if the boy lied in the past to help his mother obtain money through the legal process?"

Tom Mesereau on cross examining the accusing family: "We're quite confident of what they're going to look like after they're subjected finally to cross-examination," Mesereau said.

Mesereau also said the defense would show the family had lied "in their community, in their school, in their acting school" and "aren't victims at all." Mesereau repeatedly referred to the accusing family as "flat-out liars."

In more MJ case news, Melville used his judicial discretion today and decided to keep the jury questionnaires out of public view. The judge also conveyed his dissatisfaction with the lengthy questionnaire that both the prosecution and defense submitted.

"Quite frankly I've gutted it," Melville told attorneys. "I don't know how many pages you gave me. But there is about seven pages left."

Stay tuned to MJJForum for more details about the MJ Case, and other Michael Jackson news and information!

Source: MJJForum/La Times/ Monterey Herald