Michael Jackson sex case enters second act

LOS ANGELES – Superstar Michael Jackson, with a brand new lawyer at his side, will answer fresh charges of child molestation in a California court today, ahead of a trial on which, the singer says, his very life depends.

Jackson, 45, will “declare his innocence,” publicist Raymone Bain said, during his arraignment on as yet unspecified charges contained in a grand jury indictment handed down last week. “He is concerned of course, but he is in good spirits.He is confident that in the end the jury will exonerate him,” Bain told AFP.Friday morning’s hearing will take place in the same Santa Maria courtroom, in Santa Barbara county, where Jackson pleaded not guilty in January to seven counts of lewd or lascivious conduct with a minor and two counts of plying a minor with alcohol.Jackson, who is currently free on bail of three million dollars, will be accompanied this time around by the well-known attorney Thomas Mesereau.The star hired Mesereau after taking the drastic decision, barely one week ago, to fire the high-profile celebrity lawyers Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman, who had fronted his legal defence until then.- Nampa-AFP”He is concerned of course, but he is in good spirits.He is confident that in the end the jury will exonerate him,” Bain told AFP.Friday morning’s hearing will take place in the same Santa Maria courtroom, in Santa Barbara county, where Jackson pleaded not guilty in January to seven counts of lewd or lascivious conduct with a minor and two counts of plying a minor with alcohol.Jackson, who is currently free on bail of three million dollars, will be accompanied this time around by the well-known attorney Thomas Mesereau.The star hired Mesereau after taking the drastic decision, barely one week ago, to fire the high-profile celebrity lawyers Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman, who had fronted his legal defence until then.- Nampa-AFP