Jackson abuse trial due to begin
Michael Jackson will be in the courtroom on Monday
Crowds of fans have joined the world's media outside the US courthouse where the trial of pop icon Michael Jackson is about to get under way.
The singer is expected to arrive at the Santa Barbara Superior Court, in California, shortly before jury selection begins on Monday morning.
Some 750 prospective jurors will be screened in the first stage of the trial that could last up to six months.
Mr Jackson, 46, denies 10 counts of child molestation and conspiracy.
[ Jury panel ]
If convicted, he could face a maximum 21 years in prison.
Hours before his trial was due to begin, Michael Jackson's parents went on television to defend their son.
His mother, Katherine, told CBS television:
"I know my son, and this is ridiculous."
Joe Jackson, Michael's father, said his son's accuser was motivated by greed.
During proceedings, would-be jurors will come face-to-face with the singer in groups of 150, in a selection process which could last up to a month.
I have great faith in our justice system and deserve a fair trial like every other American citizen
They will be given seven-page questionnaires about the case and told to return next week.
Judge Rodney Melville will then question them individually as prosecution and defence teams work to agree on a final panel of 12, with eight reserves.
More than 1,000 journalists have applied for accreditation in the California town of Santa Maria, where the trial is being held.
The court sessions will not be televised but media organisations are gearing up for blanket coverage in what has been coined the "celebrity trial of the century".
Fans are gathering at the court to protest their hero's innocence.
On Sunday evening, Mr Jackson made an impassioned video plea on his website for a fair hearing on the eve of his trial.
The pop icon said he would be "acquitted and vindicated when the truth is told", and condemned recent media leaks in his case as "disgusting and false".
Mr Jackson said he allowed the alleged victim into his Neverland Ranch only after the boy's family said he was battling cancer and needed help.
The events have caused "a nightmare", he said.
Police raid
"I have great faith in our justice system... [and] deserve a fair trial like every other American citizen," he added.
The indictment stems from accusations made by a now 15-year-old boy.
Charges were brought in December 2003 after police raided Mr Jackson's ranch.
Prosecutors accuse Mr Jackson of plying the boy with alcohol to seduce him.
Mr Jackson's team has dismissed the allegations as a "big lie" concocted by the accuser's family, which they claim is driven by greed.
Lawyers on both sides have since clashed during a series of pre-trial hearings.
Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4221677.stm
