The defense wrapped up its testimony yesterday in the Michael Jackson child molestation and conspriacy case with Chris Tucker, and the rebuttal phase of the trial began. Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville ruled this morning that jurors could view a police interview videotape with Jackson’s teenage accuser during which the …
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Michael Jackson Trial: Defense Rests After Tucker Testimony
Comedian-actor Chris Tucker wrapped up his testimony for the defense in the Michael Jackson trial today and the defense then rested its case shortly after 11 am PT after calling 50 witnesses over a surprisingly short 15-day period. Tucker ran through his experiences with Jackson’s accuser and his family, whom …
Read More »Michael Jackson Trial: Leno Denies Family Asked Him For Money
On the stand in the Michael Jackson trial yesterday, Jay Leno — the penultimate defense witness, preceding actor Chris Tucker — contradicted previous defense assertions that Jackson’s accuser and his family had asked him for money when the boy was suffering from cancer and receiving chemotherapy treatment in 2000. “I …
Read More »Phil Spector Murder Trial: “A history of threatening women”
Yesterday in Los Angeles, Superior Court Judge Larry P. Fidler ruled that prosecutors can introduce evidence in Phil Spector’s upcoming murder trial suggesting a long “history of threatening women” before he was charged with killing actress Lana Clarkson in his Alhambra home over two years ago. Deputy District Attorney Doug …
Read More »Rapper Gucci Mane Charged Wtih Murder
I am digging pretty hard on an edited version of rising Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane’s “I’m Icy” on the Big Cat website: a slow, Southern-electro rap with a slight reggae vibe and a killer melodic chorus about being all “icy” and whatnot. Ironically, Mane is joined by rapper Young Jeezy …
Read More »Nine Inch Nails Lawsuit: Duped again?
If an artist claiming he was duped out of a fortune by one or more trusted advisors isn’t the oldest story in the world, it is one of them. And it is so common as to be a cliche: the “creative” personality focused on translating impulse into reality, the attentive …
Read More »Penile humor and the First Amendment
Well, at least Michigan is safe from televised jokes told by a human penis. The First Amendment doesn’t protect that penis according to a decision (PDF file) by the Michigan Court of Appeals. Seems Timothy Huffman produced a program called “Tim’s Area of Control” on a public access cable channel …
Read More »Michael Jackson Trial: Prosecution Motion Dangles
In an interesting legal maneuver in the Michael Jackson trial, Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville has not yet ruled on a motion by Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen for permission to ask witnesses for the defense about alleged character evidence against Jackson. Released Wednesday, the motion …
Read More »Michael Jackson Trial: Media Perceptions
In the course of ongoing reporting on the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, I have received a steady stream of comments from well-intentioned Jackson supporters who have stated as a matter of fact that the media is highlighting the salacious allegations against the performer as opposed to his defense rebuttals, …
Read More »Michael Jackson Trial: Culkin Says He and MJ “part of a unique group of people”
Former child star Macaulay Culkin, 24, is on the witness stand in the Michael Jackson trial today and has denied that the singer ever did anything improper to him, calling the accusation “absolutely ridiculous.” He added, “I’ve never seen him do anything improper with anyone.” Culkin was called by the …
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