Day two of jury selection in Jackson trial

Michael Jackson returned to a California court today for a second day of jury selection in his child molestation trial and was greeted by a small group of fans.

Jackson, wearing a black suit with a gold and red stripe down the pants and an insignia on the left side of the jacket, made his way into the Santa Maria courtroom where a judge was to continue questioning prospective jurors about their willingness to serve.

The superstar had been cheered by hundreds of fans yesterday, but by today there were fewer than 100 people.

Jackson stood and smiled yesterday as he faced the first prospective jurors in his criminal trial – a group roughly split between those willing to decide his fate and those hoping to avoid a role in the latest trial of the century.

The singer, his lawyers, and prosecutors remained silent as Judge Rodney S. Melville questioned the prospects about their willingness to serve.

By the end of yesterday, the judge had listened to 138 people asking to be excused, but the only person he dismissed immediately was a woman who was eight months pregnant.

“That’s OK, first one that got deferred,” the judge said to applause.

Another 300 prospects were to be processed today, followed by 150 tomorrow. Those not immediately excused were to fill out questionnaires to be studied by lawyers before individual questioning later. Besides 12 jurors, the judge wants eight alternates.

Outside yesterday, hundreds of fans shouted their support, some dressed like the superstar. There was also a contingent of people who turned up to support the alleged victim.

Security fences kept order, unlike a year ago at Jackson’s arraignment when 1,500 or more watched the pop star dance on a car and surged after his vehicle as he was driven away.

Holding signs that read “Dear God, Please Give Michael Justice” and “Smooth But Not a Smooth Criminal”, fans yesterday sang along with a Jackson song that derides the prosecutor in the case as a “cold man”.

The target of their ire, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon, did not go to court. A deputy represented the prosecution.

Jackson, 46, is charged with molesting a teenage boy and plying him with alcohol at his Neverland Ranch. He is also accused of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive.

Early on Sunday, Jackson issued a court-approved video statement on his website, proclaiming his innocence and predicting he would be acquitted.

Judge Melville told both groups of prospective jurors that they might have to serve for about six months, and that it was an important duty.

“Most of us have relatives who have fought and died to protect this system,” the judge said.

“Freedom is not free. Jury duty is part of the cost of freedom.”

The jury pool was predominantly white. About a quarter appeared to be Hispanic, and only a few were black.

One of the men in the pool told the judge he was unemployed and “six months will affect my future. I think I should worry about myself and not the defendant”.

Another man, who had been convicted of an undisclosed crime, said he was on an electronic monitor and confined to his home. Judge Melville ordered the man to remain in the jury pool and said he would inform those monitoring him.

Many of the prospective panellists reflected the small-town feel of northern Santa Barbara County, a Central California region known for wine, agriculture, and Jackson’s Neverland Ranch.

One woman said she could get a medical excuse from her doctor across the street. A few said they have friends who worked at Neverland.

One woman said that at 75 she was “just too old”.

“You don’t look a day over 60,” the judge replied.

The woman said she was willing to serve if she had to, but noted she had “a multitude of illnesses”.