Jackson jury starts fifth day of deliberations
The jury in Michael Jackson’s child sex abuse trial returned to court today for a fifth full day of deliberations.
The eight women and four men have so far spent more than 22 hours weighing up the evidence behind closed doors.
As they emerged from the two white vans which shuttle them to and from court, they all appeared to be more smartly dressed than on previous days of deliberation.
Jackson, 46, faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted of all 10 counts against him. He denies molesting a 13-year-old boy, plying him with alcohol and conspiring to hold him and his family captive.
The singer has made three hospital visits since the jury began its deliberations and is said to be suffering from back pain exacerbated by stress.
He is awaiting his fate at his Neverland ranch, 40 miles from the Santa Maria court in California, surrounded by his family.
His spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, and spiritual adviser, the Rev Jesse Jackson, both claim he is optimistic and confident of acquittal.
Ms Bain has described the mood at Neverland as “upbeat”.
Journalists from 34 countries are congregated at the court waiting for news while hundreds of fans continue to show their support outside the gates.
The media has been the target of much of the pent-up aggression and one journalist singled out by fans has been granted a court restraining order against one of the ringleaders of the rowdy contingency.
Diane Dimond, Court TV’s chief investigative editor, who has been reporting on Jackson since he was first accused of child abuse in 1993, frequently had abuse hurled at her as she reported from outside the court.
BJ Hickman, 20, from Knoxville, Tennessee, has now been barred from coming within 20 yards of the journalist.
Judge Rodney Melville yesterday rejected a media bid to open the court when the jury asks questions or request testimony to be read back.
Jurors have asked just one question since they began their deliberations, which was answered by lawyers and not divulged to the public.
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