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Culkin Denies Being Molested by Jackson
By TIM MOLLOY, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Actor Macaulay Culkin took the stand at Michael Jackson's child molestation trial Wednesday and denied he was molested, saying the accusations against the pop star were "absolutely ridiculous."
Culkin, who shot to fame as the wide-eyed kid in 1990's "Home Alone," is the third young man to appear for the defense to deny he was a victim of improper behavior by Jackson during childhood visits.
He said prosecutors never approached him about whether he had been molested and he only learned of the allegations that he had been molested by watching news coverage of the trial.
"Somebody told me you should probably check out CNN because they're saying something about you," Culkin said. "I just couldn't believe it. ... It was amazing to me that nobody even approached me and asked if these allegations were true."
Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. asked Culkin, now 24, what he thought of the charges against Jackson.
"I think they're absolutely ridiculous," he said.
Culkin told the jury he felt a special bond with Jackson because they were both child stars.
"We're a part of a unique group of people. ... He'd been through that before, so he understood what it was like to be put in that position I was in, to be thrust into it," Culkin said. He entered court through a back entrance and was not seen by photographers or about two-dozen Jackson fans outside
Prosecution witnesses testified earlier that Jackson inappropriately touched Culkin, who was a frequent childhood guest of Jackson.
Those witnesses included a chef who testified he saw Jackson with his hand up Culkin's shorts as the singer held the boy up to a video game at Jackson's Neverland ranch.
A former maid also testified previously that Culkin stayed in Jackson's bedroom during visits to Neverland. That woman, whose son received a $2.4 million settlement from Jackson in 1994, was attacked by the defense because she was paid $20,000 to appear on a TV show.
Jackson is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2003, giving him wine and conspiring to hold the boy's family captive to get them to rebut a TV documentary in which the boy appeared with Jackson, who said he let children sleep in his bed but that it was non-sexual.
Culkin testified he met Jackson when he was 9 or 10 years old and has remained friends since.
He said his family has been to Neverland several times and has been in the singer's bedroom. He said he never felt his family was excluded from the bedroom or any other part of the ranch.
Culkin was also asked about whether he had ever seen anything improper happen with Brett Barnes or Wade Robson, the two young men who also testified for the defense last week.
"I've never seen him do anything improper with anyone," Culkin said.
On cross-examination, Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen asked Culkin if prosecutors had tried repeatedly to contact him but had been rebuffed.
"Not that I know of, no," Culkin said.
Zonen asked whether prosecutors had attempted to contact him in 1993 – during an investigation involving another boy – and recently when his attorney said he wouldn't give statement to either side prior to his testimony.
Culkin said his lawyer had suggested he not talk to attorneys in advance and he agreed.
"I wasn't really planning on testifying," he said.
Culkin testified that he slept in Jackson's bed several times between the ages of 10 and 14, sometimes with other boys as well. He said the sleepovers weren't planned and that he and other guests would just fall asleep when they were tired.
Culkin said he learned of the 1993 allegations because Jackson called and told him. He said Jackson told him he needed him to be a friend and Culkin agreed.
Culkin has had his own legal problems recently. He was arrested Sept. 17 in Oklahoma after police stopped a car in which he was a passenger. Officers found some marijuana and several tablets of a medication used to treat depression and panic disorders, court records say.
Culkin has pleaded innocent to the charges and is free on $4,000 bail. Another hearing in that case was set for next month.
On Tuesday, Joe Marcus, the manager of Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch, acknowledged in cross-examination that he lied to law enforcement officials in 2003 when he said he had no knowledge of Jackson sharing his bed with children.
He later added the events of that day were chaotic and "I was overwhelmed."
The defense called Marcus to the stand Monday to testify that he never instructed anyone to hold Jackson's accuser and the boy's family against their will. He suggested Tuesday no such captivity happened.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050511/ap_on_...michael_jackson
By TIM MOLLOY, Associated Press Writer 16 minutes ago
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Actor Macaulay Culkin took the stand at Michael Jackson's child molestation trial Wednesday and denied he was molested, saying the accusations against the pop star were "absolutely ridiculous."
Culkin, who shot to fame as the wide-eyed kid in 1990's "Home Alone," is the third young man to appear for the defense to deny he was a victim of improper behavior by Jackson during childhood visits.
He said prosecutors never approached him about whether he had been molested and he only learned of the allegations that he had been molested by watching news coverage of the trial.
"Somebody told me you should probably check out CNN because they're saying something about you," Culkin said. "I just couldn't believe it. ... It was amazing to me that nobody even approached me and asked if these allegations were true."
Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. asked Culkin, now 24, what he thought of the charges against Jackson.
"I think they're absolutely ridiculous," he said.
Culkin told the jury he felt a special bond with Jackson because they were both child stars.
"We're a part of a unique group of people. ... He'd been through that before, so he understood what it was like to be put in that position I was in, to be thrust into it," Culkin said. He entered court through a back entrance and was not seen by photographers or about two-dozen Jackson fans outside
Prosecution witnesses testified earlier that Jackson inappropriately touched Culkin, who was a frequent childhood guest of Jackson.
Those witnesses included a chef who testified he saw Jackson with his hand up Culkin's shorts as the singer held the boy up to a video game at Jackson's Neverland ranch.
A former maid also testified previously that Culkin stayed in Jackson's bedroom during visits to Neverland. That woman, whose son received a $2.4 million settlement from Jackson in 1994, was attacked by the defense because she was paid $20,000 to appear on a TV show.
Jackson is accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy in 2003, giving him wine and conspiring to hold the boy's family captive to get them to rebut a TV documentary in which the boy appeared with Jackson, who said he let children sleep in his bed but that it was non-sexual.
Culkin testified he met Jackson when he was 9 or 10 years old and has remained friends since.
He said his family has been to Neverland several times and has been in the singer's bedroom. He said he never felt his family was excluded from the bedroom or any other part of the ranch.
Culkin was also asked about whether he had ever seen anything improper happen with Brett Barnes or Wade Robson, the two young men who also testified for the defense last week.
"I've never seen him do anything improper with anyone," Culkin said.
On cross-examination, Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen asked Culkin if prosecutors had tried repeatedly to contact him but had been rebuffed.
"Not that I know of, no," Culkin said.
Zonen asked whether prosecutors had attempted to contact him in 1993 – during an investigation involving another boy – and recently when his attorney said he wouldn't give statement to either side prior to his testimony.
Culkin said his lawyer had suggested he not talk to attorneys in advance and he agreed.
"I wasn't really planning on testifying," he said.
Culkin testified that he slept in Jackson's bed several times between the ages of 10 and 14, sometimes with other boys as well. He said the sleepovers weren't planned and that he and other guests would just fall asleep when they were tired.
Culkin said he learned of the 1993 allegations because Jackson called and told him. He said Jackson told him he needed him to be a friend and Culkin agreed.
Culkin has had his own legal problems recently. He was arrested Sept. 17 in Oklahoma after police stopped a car in which he was a passenger. Officers found some marijuana and several tablets of a medication used to treat depression and panic disorders, court records say.
Culkin has pleaded innocent to the charges and is free on $4,000 bail. Another hearing in that case was set for next month.
On Tuesday, Joe Marcus, the manager of Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch, acknowledged in cross-examination that he lied to law enforcement officials in 2003 when he said he had no knowledge of Jackson sharing his bed with children.
He later added the events of that day were chaotic and "I was overwhelmed."
The defense called Marcus to the stand Monday to testify that he never instructed anyone to hold Jackson's accuser and the boy's family against their will. He suggested Tuesday no such captivity happened.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050511/ap_on_...michael_jackson
