Jackson arrives to face accuser at ongoing trial

Описание: (15 Mar 2005) SHOTLIST
1. Various of Michael Jackson arriving at courthouse

JACKSON ACCUSER EXPLAINS EARLIER DENIAL

Michael Jackson's accuser testified Tuesday that he told a school administrator the singer didn't molest him because schoolmates were "making fun of me" and he wanted them to stop.

The 15-year-old boy offered the testimony under questioning by District Attorney Tom Sneddon after Jackson attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. concluded his lengthy cross-examination of the witness.

It was revealed during the cross-examination Monday that the boy had told Jeffrey Alpert, a dean at John Burroughs Middle School in Los Angeles, that nothing had happened to him during stays at Jackson's Neverland ranch.

The conversation was prompted by a TV documentary that showed Jackson with the boy and in which Jackson acknowledged sharing his bed with children, although he characterized the encounters as innocent and non-sexual.

The boy testified that when he returned from his last stay at Neverland in March 2003, schoolmates made fun of him, saying he had been "raped" by Jackson.
He said he got in several fights as a result and had to talk to Alpert, who asked him if he had been molested.

"I told him that it didn't happen," the boy said. "All the kids were already making fun of me at the school and I didn't want anyone to think it had really happened."

He also said he once got in a fight for refusing to join a gang.

On Monday, Mesereau questioned the boy about a history of disciplinary problems as he sought to show that the boy talked back to teachers, disrupted classes and fought with other students.

Before the boy left the stand, Sneddon asked him what he thinks of Jackson now.
"I don't really like him anymore," the boy said. "I don't really think he's deserving of the respect I was giving him as the coolest guy in the world."

Mesereau completed his cross-examination by quizzing the boy about times when he and his family left Neverland during a period that prosecutors claim they were captives.

The boy said he didn't take advantage of several opportunities to escape because he didn't want to leave.

Prosecutors contend the boy's family was held captive for more than a month because Jackson wanted to get them to make a video rebutting the damaging TV documentary about Jackson that aired on Feb. 6, 2003.

Mesereau asked him about several trips he took from Neverland to surrounding communities and asked him why he didn't try to get help on the trips.
"Those first few escapes you talked about - I liked being at Neverland. It was like Disneyland," the boy said.

The boy said his mother was the one who wanted to escape.

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