Judge considers sanctions against Jackson’s top lawyer

THE judge in Michael Jackson’s child molestation trial yesterday said he may sanction lead defence lawyer Thomas Mesereau for misrepresenting the terms under which Jackson waived his privilege of confidentiality with former lawyer Mark Geragos.

“I feel deceived by Mr Mesereau and I am considering ... sanctions of some sort against Mr Mesereau,” Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville said in a hearing before Mr Geragos resumed testifying.

Jackson only waived lawyer-client privilege for the period until his arrest in November 2003 but that limit was not disclosed until Mr Geragos mentioned it while testifying last week.