Flurry of calls 'cannot be traced to Jackson'
Michael Jackson cannot be linked directly to a flurry of telephone activity in the aftermath of Martin Bashir’s damaging documentary, it emerged today.
Telephone records detailed many calls between his associates in February 2003, but they were not traceable to the star, Santa Maria Court, California, heard.
Jackson's young accuser and his family claim they were held captive by the singer as they were forced to make a video rebuttal, defending him against a potential backlash.
In the days and weeks after Bashir’s Living With Michael Jackson broadcast in the US, the singer’s aides made numerous daily calls to each other, records showed.
But Sergeant Craig Bonner told the court there was no way to prove that Jackson, 46, participated in them.
The boy’s mother has claimed the singer called her personally, claiming the family was in danger and urging her to take them to Florida to take part in a press conference.
She has also alleged that after she left Neverland she was besieged by calls from one of Jackson’s aides, begging her to return and participate in the rebuttal.
Records showed that scores of calls were made to her phone, apparently corroborating her evidence. But they also showed she made several calls herself, despite never calling the police or making any bid to escape.
The records also showed that during the trip to Miami several calls were made to and from Jackson's presidential suite.
Others were made to the singer’s assistant, his ex-wife Debbie Rowe and the office of his former lawyer Mark Geragos.
Earlier, the court heard from a bank manager who said one of Jackson’s top associates Marc Schaffel cashed two cheques worth $1.5m in the space of a week.
The account was controlled only by Schaffel and Jackson but the relevance of the evidence was not made clear.
The bank manager, Beverly Wagner, said she authorised the transactions in the first week of April 2003 but had no idea how the money was used.
Jackson denies all 10 counts against him. The prosecution is expected to wrap up its case later this week.
The trial will adjourn until tomorrow.
