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Jackson jury gets instructions

BY TINA SUSMAN | STAFF CORRESPONDENT

June 2, 2005

Michael Jackson is scanned by a metal detector upon his arrival Friday at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif., for proceedings in his child molestation trial. (Getty Images Photo)

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - After three months of watching videos about Michael Jackson and hearing testimony about the pop star, jurors were told yesterday how they may use that information to determine Jackson's guilt or innocence as the judge in his child molestation trial delivered instructions designed to guide their deliberations.

Nobody, least of all Judge Rodney S. Melville, pretended listening to two hours of jury instructions was compelling. "You know, I read to my wife at night so she'll sleep. Am I having that effect?" Melville asked midway through.

The 98 pages of instructions, though, should have a major impact on which charges, if any, Jackson is convicted of and whether jurors undecided about certain charges opt to find him guilty of lesser ones. In all, the eight women and four men must decide on 10 separate counts when they start deliberations after final arguments, which were scheduled today.

The instructions were hammered out in a day and a half of negotiations between attorneys that produced one notable dispute. That focused on counts charging that Jackson, 46, gave alcohol to his alleged victim with the aim of committing felony child molestation. Melville told jurors they could find Jackson guilty of simply providing alcohol to a minor - a misdemeanor - without felonious intent.

Defense lawyers had opposed that instruction, hoping to win felony acquittals on the charges.

Jurors were also warned that the four videos they saw must not all be used to determine the truth of what was said in them. Some, such as the one showing Jackson's accuser being interviewed by police, must be viewed only to judge the demeanor of the boy, not the truth of his statements, Melville said.

Jackson is charged with four counts of molesting the boy between Feb. 20 and March 12, 2003, at his Neverland Valley Ranch; one count of attempted molestation; four counts of giving alcohol to a minor with the intent of molesting him; and one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment.