Jackson defence to target credibility of accuser’s mother
In addition to videos in which the mother and son say they love Jackson and have never seen any inappropriate behaviour, sources said there are written statements echoing those sentiments, which were signed late in February by the boy and his mother in front of Jackson's attorney, Mark Geragos.
Jackson was booked on Thursday on suspicion of child molestation and released from the Santa Barbara sheriff's office after posting $3 million bail.
According to Fox News, the Jackson team has been flooded in recent days with calls from witnesses who were at Neverland Ranch while the boy was there, saying he always acted happy and did not seem troubled.
Some of Jackson's employees are also claiming they saw the mother of the boy often arguing with the singer sometimes, they said, high on crack and that she made demands.
The mother was becoming such a concern to the Jackson team, sources told Fox News, they had two employees from late January to March to specifically keep an eye on her at Neverland, so she "would not freak out".
Some members of the Jackson team said they believed the case was all about the greed of the accuser's mother. They said she was making threats as early as late January, saying "she could go to the tabloids and tell some stories if they didn't take care of her".
The defence team also plan to launch a massive assault on the district attorney, who they've said from the beginning was out to get Jackson.
A website, www.mjnews.us, has been launched to update fans on the case. On the site, Jackson says the charges are "predicated on a big lie" and he will be exonerated in court.
Meanwhile, police seized a dozen explicit love letters and poems allegedly written by the pop icon to his accuser during last Tuesday's raid on Neverland, according to several international newspaper reports and confirmed by Court TV's Diane Dimond, who broke news of the raid.
Elizabeth Taylor, actress and longtime friend of Jackson's has given him her unqualified support.
"I thought the law was 'innocent until proven guilty. I know he is innocent, and I hope they [the media] all eat crow," she said.
The Sunday Mirror reported that Jackson was an emotional wreck during Thursday's flight on his private jet from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara, where he ultimately turned himself in to authorities peacefully.
The Mirror reported that Jackson's handlers had to practically drag him aboard the airplane and, once in flight, he was in a state of panic, shaking and rocking back and forth so much that he had to be sedated. He was heard repeatedly saying, "why, why, why are they doing this to me?" and, at one point, demanded to be flown to South America to avoid arrest.
Jackson surrendered to Santa Barbara County authorities without incident on Thursday on foot of a warrant issued alleging he committed lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14.
The authorities expect to file formal charges sometime after Thanksgiving (27 November), and his arraignment is scheduled for 9 January.
Media reports have said Jackson's alleged victim is a 12 or 13-year-old cancer survivor who visited him at Neverland where the singer was known to hold sleep-overs for children and share his bed with youngsters.
