Tape called evidence of Jackson conspiracy
Sources say video shows interview with accuser, mom
8/11/04
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The video that prosecutors in the Michael Jackson child molestation case say is the driving force behind an elaborate conspiracy scheme shows an interview with the entertainer's accuser and the boy's mother, the News-Press learned Tuesday.
Santa Barbara County law enforcement officers seized the videotape of the interview on Nov. 18 from the West Hills home of Mr. Jackson's personal videographer, Hamid Moslehi, sources close to the case said. That was the same day the singer's Neverland Valley Ranch was raided.
The interview has not aired on television but was shown to the grand jury to support the conspiracy charge and is being held with hundreds of other items seized as evidence in the case. Associates of Mr. Jackson say the video was made to improve Mr. Jackson's image and had nothing to do with a conspiracy against the boy and his mother.
The interview is the third video to surface in connection with the Jackson case, in which most of the evidence has been kept secret by court order.
The first, a British documentary broadcast worldwide, showed Mr. Jackson holding hands with the boy who is now accusing him of molestation and saying that he shares his bed with children. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Jackson lured the boy and his family to Neverland in February 2003 and kept them there against their will until they made a video to counter the bad publicity the documentary generated.
It has been widely reported that this "rebuttal video'' was one called "Take Two: The Interview They Wouldn't Show You,'' which was made by Mr. Jackson's musical and business associates at Neverland. But the boy and his mother did not appear in that video, which aired on Fox television on Feb. 20, 2003.
Sources told the News-Press on Tuesday that it is the third videotaped interview, which was made at the direction of Mr. Jackson's previous attorney, Mark Geragos, and his private investigator, Bradley Miller, that prosecutors are using to make their conspiracy case. During the interview, which was taped in part at the ranch and at about the same time as "Take Two,'' the boy and his mother make positive comments about the entertainer, sources said.
At a court hearing two weeks ago, the prosecution described a conspiracy to keep the boy and his family at Mr. Jackson's ranch, hiding them out at hotels and arranging for a trip out of the country, so that they would appear in a video and say nice things about the entertainer.
Mr. Geragos, Mr. Miller and Mr. Moslehi could not be reached for comment Monday. But Ronald Konitzer, a former business associate of Mr. Jackson who hired Mr. Geragos, denied on Tuesday that there was any conspiracy behind the videotaped interview. Mr. Konitzer -- one of five people prosecutors named in their indictment but did not charge -- said the interview was videotaped in case bad publicity about Mr. Jackson surfaced later.
"In all fairness, (Mr. Geragos) was just running through the what-if scenarios," Mr. Konitzer said. "This was one measure he wanted to take so that at least if he (Mr. Jackson) were ridiculed in the media, then they could counter it. . . . As far as I know, this was not to defend him against molestation charges. It was all about media and public relations."
Allegations of molestation did not surface until June 2003, when the boy was in a therapy session with his counselor. Prosecutors allege the first molestation occurred the same day the "Take Two" rebuttal aired and then three more times through March 2003.
Mr. Jackson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Trial has been set for Jan. 31. The next court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
A gag order prohibits defense lawyers and prosecutors from commenting on the case.
During the months journalist Martin Bashir spent following Mr. Jackson for the British documentary, Mr. Moslehi was also compiling footage, which was then used for the "Take Two" video.
"Take Two" and the videotaped interview with the boy and his mother were created as damage control measures to protect the entertainer's business investments, Mr. Konitzer said. The British documentary, he said, had unleashed a firestorm that threatened the entertainer's livelihood. In response, Mr. Konitzer said he hired a crisis-management team, a public relations firm, more than a dozen music and business lawyers, and Mr. Geragos.
But the prosecution alleges Mr. Konitzer and four others took this action to abduct, falsely imprison and coerce the boy and his family into making the video. The four include Deter Wismar, a former business associate; Vincent Amen, who had worked for Mr. Jackson's production company; Frank Tyson, Mr. Jackson's former personal assistant; and F. Marc Scafell, who assisted in the production of the Fox rebuttal video.
"The Fox rebuttal is totally independent and separate from the other video," Mr. Konitzer said. "It would be ridiculous to say that any of these activities had to do with a conspiracy."
Lawyers for the four other men say their clients never saw the boy and his family being held against their will at Neverland. Mr. Jackson's defense lawyers have said the accusations stem from an unsuccessful attempt to get money from the entertainer for the boy's part in the British documentary.
:nav Source: http://news.newspress.com/topsports/081104jackson.htm
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These prosecution bastards are running scared about Aug 16th, so they have to spin!
Sources say video shows interview with accuser, mom
8/11/04
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
The video that prosecutors in the Michael Jackson child molestation case say is the driving force behind an elaborate conspiracy scheme shows an interview with the entertainer's accuser and the boy's mother, the News-Press learned Tuesday.
Santa Barbara County law enforcement officers seized the videotape of the interview on Nov. 18 from the West Hills home of Mr. Jackson's personal videographer, Hamid Moslehi, sources close to the case said. That was the same day the singer's Neverland Valley Ranch was raided.
The interview has not aired on television but was shown to the grand jury to support the conspiracy charge and is being held with hundreds of other items seized as evidence in the case. Associates of Mr. Jackson say the video was made to improve Mr. Jackson's image and had nothing to do with a conspiracy against the boy and his mother.
The interview is the third video to surface in connection with the Jackson case, in which most of the evidence has been kept secret by court order.
The first, a British documentary broadcast worldwide, showed Mr. Jackson holding hands with the boy who is now accusing him of molestation and saying that he shares his bed with children. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Jackson lured the boy and his family to Neverland in February 2003 and kept them there against their will until they made a video to counter the bad publicity the documentary generated.
It has been widely reported that this "rebuttal video'' was one called "Take Two: The Interview They Wouldn't Show You,'' which was made by Mr. Jackson's musical and business associates at Neverland. But the boy and his mother did not appear in that video, which aired on Fox television on Feb. 20, 2003.
Sources told the News-Press on Tuesday that it is the third videotaped interview, which was made at the direction of Mr. Jackson's previous attorney, Mark Geragos, and his private investigator, Bradley Miller, that prosecutors are using to make their conspiracy case. During the interview, which was taped in part at the ranch and at about the same time as "Take Two,'' the boy and his mother make positive comments about the entertainer, sources said.
At a court hearing two weeks ago, the prosecution described a conspiracy to keep the boy and his family at Mr. Jackson's ranch, hiding them out at hotels and arranging for a trip out of the country, so that they would appear in a video and say nice things about the entertainer.
Mr. Geragos, Mr. Miller and Mr. Moslehi could not be reached for comment Monday. But Ronald Konitzer, a former business associate of Mr. Jackson who hired Mr. Geragos, denied on Tuesday that there was any conspiracy behind the videotaped interview. Mr. Konitzer -- one of five people prosecutors named in their indictment but did not charge -- said the interview was videotaped in case bad publicity about Mr. Jackson surfaced later.
"In all fairness, (Mr. Geragos) was just running through the what-if scenarios," Mr. Konitzer said. "This was one measure he wanted to take so that at least if he (Mr. Jackson) were ridiculed in the media, then they could counter it. . . . As far as I know, this was not to defend him against molestation charges. It was all about media and public relations."
Allegations of molestation did not surface until June 2003, when the boy was in a therapy session with his counselor. Prosecutors allege the first molestation occurred the same day the "Take Two" rebuttal aired and then three more times through March 2003.
Mr. Jackson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Trial has been set for Jan. 31. The next court hearing is scheduled for Monday.
A gag order prohibits defense lawyers and prosecutors from commenting on the case.
During the months journalist Martin Bashir spent following Mr. Jackson for the British documentary, Mr. Moslehi was also compiling footage, which was then used for the "Take Two" video.
"Take Two" and the videotaped interview with the boy and his mother were created as damage control measures to protect the entertainer's business investments, Mr. Konitzer said. The British documentary, he said, had unleashed a firestorm that threatened the entertainer's livelihood. In response, Mr. Konitzer said he hired a crisis-management team, a public relations firm, more than a dozen music and business lawyers, and Mr. Geragos.
But the prosecution alleges Mr. Konitzer and four others took this action to abduct, falsely imprison and coerce the boy and his family into making the video. The four include Deter Wismar, a former business associate; Vincent Amen, who had worked for Mr. Jackson's production company; Frank Tyson, Mr. Jackson's former personal assistant; and F. Marc Scafell, who assisted in the production of the Fox rebuttal video.
"The Fox rebuttal is totally independent and separate from the other video," Mr. Konitzer said. "It would be ridiculous to say that any of these activities had to do with a conspiracy."
Lawyers for the four other men say their clients never saw the boy and his family being held against their will at Neverland. Mr. Jackson's defense lawyers have said the accusations stem from an unsuccessful attempt to get money from the entertainer for the boy's part in the British documentary.
:nav Source: http://news.newspress.com/topsports/081104jackson.htm
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These prosecution bastards are running scared about Aug 16th, so they have to spin!
laugh) doesn't Sneddon need something to "prove" they were "forced" beside the vid? The fact they made the vid doesn't prove they were forced or told what to say.