Posted on 01/16/2004 8:15:59 AM PST by Hillary's Lovely Legs
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Two months after Michael Jackson (news) learned he would be charged with molesting a child, supporters of the multimillionaire pop star were coming by the busload to join the media phalanx anticipating his first court appearance.
AP Photo
AP Photo Slideshow: Michael Jackson
Jackson, a longtime resident of this idyllic Central California Valley, abandoned his fabled Neverland Ranch after the case broke and was planning to come to court Friday from Beverly Hills where he has been holed up in a spectacular leased mansion.
Busloads of Jackson fans also were en route from Los Angeles and Las Vegas to the rural Santa Maria Valley on a "Caravan of Love" to show their support for Jackson. Several members of Jackson's famous family planned to be at his side when he is arraigned.
With news crews arriving from around the globe,setting up mini TV studios and satellite dishes, the scene was reminiscent of the O.J. Simpson (news) murder trial which became a blueprint for the celebrity trial.
Call this one O.J. deja vu.
Although small compared to Simpson's "dream team," Jackson's defense expanded Thursday with the addition of New York attorney Benjamin Brafman, a principal of the firm that won acquittal for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs on bribery and weapons charges in 2001.
Jackson's attorney, Mark Geragos, announced that Brafman would act as "co-lead counsel" and would appear with him at Friday's arraignment.
Jackson is charged with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent, reportedly wine. Jackson, who has maintained his innocence, has been free on $3 million bail pending arraignment.
Nearly 10 years after the Simpson trial brought a media horde to the Los Angeles courts, many of the same players trekked 150 miles northwest to an area better known for its vineyards and strawberry fields than its criminal cases.
The feeling of a time warp was intensified by the presence of Simpson prosecutor Marcia Clark, standing outside the courthouse doing reports for "Entertainment Tonight." Clark, who never prosecuted another case after losing the nation's most famous murder trial, admitted it was strange to be on the other side of the media attention.
"It's a bizarre world," she said. "It's like everything is turned upside down. I now get to see what the press went through in Simpson. I feel your pain."
Another former law enforcement figure will be working on TV. Jim Thomas, the former Santa Barbara County sheriff who attempted to bring molestation charges against Jackson 10 years ago, has signed on as a commentator for NBC.
Thomas, a close friend of Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon, makes no pretense of impartiality.
"I can argue both sides but I have a personal opinion based on my knowledge of the 1993 case," he said. "I think he's going to be convicted."
A reporter for German television, Gundula Koch, said the Jackson case is bigger than the Simpson trial for European audiences because of the star's worldwide popularity.
"It's the combination of his fame and the subject of child molestation. It's a very big story in Germany," she said.
Residents drove by the courthouse Thursday to gape at the broadcast gear 18 microwave trucks by midday and TV reporters doing stand-ups on the sunny front lawn.
An enterprising local businesswoman, Lynelle Lowe, bought one of the prime parking spaces, which are going for $250 a day, and set up her "Cool Treats" business, selling yogurt, coffee, hot dogs and muffins out of a truck.
"It's fun to be part of the hype," she said. "I get to meet a lot of interesting people. Let's face it. This is a small town. There's nothing else going on."
Geragos wanted to ask Brafman what it's like to actually win a case.
Well, some of them are French.
Samya Ghedhab from Lyon, France, holds the French flag in Santa Barbara, California, as she joins other supporters of pop star Michael Jackson as they sing, dance and chant shout slogans during a demonstration outside the offices of Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon, who brought child molestation charges against Jackson
Just damn.
If you want on the list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.