Michael Jackson jurors deliberate

SANTA MARIA – Michael Jackson’s jurors yesterday resumed their deliberations over child sex charges against the superstar, after a first day of commotion and confusion.

The eight men and four women of the jury left the Santa Maria, California courthouse on Monday afternoon after six hours locked down in a windowless room to which neither the judge nor the rival lawyers have access. Jackson, who had sat through his four-month trial, was not at the courthouse on Monday as Judge Rodney Melville told him he could await a verdict at home.But his father did put in a dramatic appearance, rushing to the court building demanding to see his son, in the mistaken belief that the jury had already thrashed out a decision.The ‘King of Pop’, said to be in excruciating pain over a back ailment that sent him to hospital on Sunday, was believed to be recovering at his Neverland Ranch, a 30-minute drive from the courthouse where jurors weighed his fate.”He has faith in the jury and that if reasonable doubt is the standard he will be acquitted,” said Reverend Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist who has been the superstar’s spiritual advisor during the trial.The 12 jurors were to continue considering the charges that Jackson fondled a 13-year-old cancer survivor, served him alcohol and conspired to kidnap him and his family in 2003.On Monday, Judge Melville notified the defence team that the jurors had asked a question, which he would typically need to answer in the presence of the rival lawyers, court sources said.Outside the courthouse, a commotion involving dozens of fans, journalists and police broke out when the star’s panicked father, Joe Jackson, worked himself into a lather, thinking his son had rushed to court to hear a verdict.The entertainer’s father saw several of his sons’ vehicles leaving Neverland, though it later turned out they were heading to the carwash, according to family sources.- Nampa-AFPJackson, who had sat through his four-month trial, was not at the courthouse on Monday as Judge Rodney Melville told him he could await a verdict at home.But his father did put in a dramatic appearance, rushing to the court building demanding to see his son, in the mistaken belief that the jury had already thrashed out a decision.The ‘King of Pop’, said to be in excruciating pain over a back ailment that sent him to hospital on Sunday, was believed to be recovering at his Neverland Ranch, a 30-minute drive from the courthouse where jurors weighed his fate.”He has faith in the jury and that if reasonable doubt is the standard he will be acquitted,” said Reverend Jesse Jackson, a civil rights activist who has been the superstar’s spiritual advisor during the trial.The 12 jurors were to continue considering the charges that Jackson fondled a 13-year-old cancer survivor, served him alcohol and conspired to kidnap him and his family in 2003.On Monday, Judge Melville notified the defence team that the jurors had asked a question, which he would typically need to answer in the presence of the rival lawyers, court sources said.Outside the courthouse, a commotion involving dozens of fans, journalists and police broke out when the star’s panicked father, Joe Jackson, worked himself into a lather, thinking his son had rushed to court to hear a verdict.The entertainer’s father saw several of his sons’ vehicles leaving Neverland, though it later turned out they were heading to the carwash, according to family sources.- Nampa-AFP