Hoosiers Ate My Brain

MJ: Opening Arguments Monday

We'll cut through all the defense driven sensationalism and get right to what was accomplished by the court on the case this week. The defense is doing what it's paid to do, get the press really interested in all of their mystery witnesses, possible defense strategies and more. While public opinion technically makes no difference, if Jackson has any smart PR people, they're telling him that public opinion will make a huge difference in whether or not he ever makes an album again that will sell more than 1000 copies.

The jury was selected in record time when court came back on Tuesday. By Weds afternoon they had a full panel and alternates were in place by Thursday afternoon. The jury is not currently sequestered.

Friday, Judge Melville heard arguments on several motions including two for the defense: to allow discussion of previous legal history of the mother and family; and another request to disallow Tom Sneddon to try the case for the prosecution.

Melville ruled in favor of the defense regarding the use of prior legal history and testimony of "Jane Doe", the mother of the boy Jackson is accused of molesting. The defense laid out a good deal of their strategy in order to explain their request. A strategy that revolves discrediting the mother and family will be critical in Jackson's defense of the imprisonment charges. (This strategy is probably the best they have in light of the potentially damaging hard evidence seen by the grand jury on these charges. The imprisonment is the one that may sink Jackson's ship.)

The judge also denied a second defense request to have the district attorney's office recuse themselves from prosecuting the case.

Opening arguments are scheduled to being on Monday morning.

posted by braingirl @ 9:10 AM