Jackson 'victim' gives evidence to grand jury
The 14-year-old boy accusing Michael Jackson of molestation testified before the grand jury hearing evidence in the case, a source close to the case said in Santa Barbara, California.
The meeting, held under extraordinary secrecy, also included testimony from Jamie Masada, the comedy club owner who first arranged for Jackson and the boy to meet, according to the source.
Masada declined to comment last night.
He has said previously he promised to introduce the boy to Jackson when the boy was undergoing chemotherapy in 2001.
A court order bars the media from contacting any minor called to testify before the grand jury.
Psychologist Stan Katz testified on Monday before the grand jury, according to the sources. Also testifying on Monday was lawyer Larry Feldman, who was first contacted by the boy’s mother, according to one of the sources.
Feldman, who represented a boy who accused Jackson of molestation in 1993, took the current accuser to Katz last year. The boy told Katz of the alleged molestation and the psychologist then went to authorities.
Feldman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
“I can’t comment on the case or the grand jury. I wish I could,” Katz said.
Michael Sands, a spokesman for Katz, said he could not “confirm or deny” Katz had testified.
Grand jury activities are confidential and court officials have not said that a grand jury is hearing testimony in the Jackson case.
Jackson was charged by the district attorney last year with seven counts of committing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under age 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent to the child. Jackson has pleaded innocent.
A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for Friday.
If prosecutors obtain a grand jury indictment they would not have to present evidence at a preliminary hearing to determine if the case should go to trial.
