Comedian testifies in Jackson trial
The comedy camp owner who first introduced Michael Jackson to his young accuser described today how he visited the boy in hospital.
Jamie Masada told Santa Maria Court, California, that he took comedians to visit the then 13-year-old cancer sufferer to try to cheer him up.
He told jurors how sick the boy looked. “His stomach was big. It was yellow,” he said. “Oh God, don’t bring that memory back.”
Masada said he also gave the boy gifts to encourage him. “I would say, if you eat I’ll give you 50 bucks. I would give him every week, maybe some money,” he said.
Masada owned the Laugh Factory in Hollywood, a comedy camp for underprivileged children.
Jackson’s accuser was taken there by his family and introduced to comedians who organised benefit gigs to help his family fund his treatment.
The boy later met Jackson after Masada promised to introduce him to celebrities as he struggled through chemotherapy. The accuser said it was Jackson he most wanted to meet and the pop star responded to Masada’s pleas, he said.
Jackson arrived at court today looking relaxed and upbeat, despite yesterday’s ruling that previous sex abuse allegations could be admitted as evidence in his trial.
Five alleged victims, including child actor Macaulay Culkin, were named in court and will be called to give evidence, a bitter blow for the defence team.
A criminal defence lawyer in court for the hearing said Jackson “looked like the life had gone out of him” as he heard of the decision.
Masada said he made several phone calls to people, including music producer Quincy Jones, to fulfil the cancer sufferer’s wish to meet Jackson.
“I don’t know if the message got to him or the fact that he called the next day was by the will of God,” he said.
During a subsequent hospital visit, Jackson’s accuser told him that Jackson had called and was “very cheered up by it,” he said.
Masada claimed the boy’s mother had once turned down the offer of a large sum of money.
“I told (her) a particular person offered to give her a cheque for as much as you and the children want, whatever amount of money you need,” he said.
“She said: ’No. Tell him all I need are friends. I don’t need money. I need prayer.”’
The evidence contradicts prosecution claims that the mother was after money. But Masada alleged it was the child’s father who had solicited funds.
He accused him of trying to con comedian George Lopez by leaving his son’s wallet at his house and then claiming US$300 (€231.92) had vanished.
Masada said he wrote the father a cheque but later learned only US$50 (€38.65) had been in the wallet when Lopez found it.
When he challenged the family about the incident, the accuser refused to corroborate his father’s story, he claimed.
Jackson denies molesting his accuser, plying him with alcohol and conspiring to hold him and his family captive. The trial continues.
| Related Stories: |
|
