Jacko comforted by troubled baseball star

Pop singer Michael Jackson has found a friend in another celebrity who has had his own brushes with the law – former baseball star Darryl Strawberry.

Strawberry, a member of the Without Walls International Church in Tampa, ministered to Jackson during a trip to the singer’s Neverland Ranch this weekend, said Randy White, the church’s head pastor in Tampa, Florida.

Strawberry, televangelist Paula White and Associate Pastor Rob Mallan had been invited by Jackson after meeting members of the church at a birthday party earlier this year for his father, Joe Jackson, White said.

The trio attended a gathering titled You Are Not Alone, after a Jackson song. The event drew about 600 people, including tennis star Serena Williams, rapper MC Hammer and comedian Eddie Griffin.

Strawberry, 41, has been making a new career for himself, sharing his experiences and talking about how his faith helped him turn his life around since his release from prison earlier this year.

The eight-time All-Star and member of two World Series winners was released from a Florida prison in April after serving 11 months of an 18-month prison sentence for violating probation on cocaine possession charges.

Jackson, 45, was charged on Thursday with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. He maintains his innocence.

Jackson has been free on €2.8m bail since he turned himself in on Noember 20.

Randy White said Strawberry also talked to Jackson about dealing with media attention. Whether Jackson is guilty of molestation was not an issue in the meeting, White said.

“If he is guilty, he needs some type of ministry and counselling,” White said. “And if he’s not guilty, he needs some kind of ministry and counselling with all he’s been through. We are not the judge. We are waiting to see the outcome.”

Jackson spokesman Stuart Backerman said Strawberry was at the event, but could not confirm he ministered to Jackson when the two met privately.

In Los Angeles, it was disclosed that Jackson has been told to surrender his passport unless he supplies “documented confirmation” that he plans to visit Britain to promote his new CD.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon made the demand to Jackson’s attorney, Mark Geragos, in a faxed letter.

Sneddon said in a statement that he sought confirmation of the planned trip after hearing reports that the singer had cancelled it.

Sneddon agreed to return Jackson’s passport last week after Geragos said the entertainer needed to fulfil contractual obligations related to his new CD, Number Ones.

Jackson’s spokesman, Stuart Backerman, said he believed the trip was still on. Jackson was originally scheduled to travel to Britain on December 20 and stay until January 6.

“I’m not aware of any cancellation,” Backerman said. “He still is planning to go as far as I know.”