SANTA MARIA, California : After 15 months of accusations and denial over Michael Jackson’s alleged molestation of a 13-year-old boy, lawyers will finally get their chance to lay out their cases before a jury.

For Jackson, 46, the stakes could hardly be higher.

With his career already in decline, the singer now faces the possibility of spending the next 20 years behind bars.

His fate will, in large part, depend on the performance and credibility of the testimony given by the boy, now 15, and his family.

Jackson has strenuously denied all the 10 charges against him, including those of plying the boy with alcohol and holding his family at his Neverland Ranch against their will.

In opening arguments on Monday, the prosecution is expected to portray Jackson as a scheming predator who used his celebrity to take advantage of a child he had taken into his home as a cancer victim.

The high-profile defence team, meanwhile, intends to paint the accuser’s family, particularly his mother, as money-grubbing opportunists with a history of making unfounded molestation allegations.

The final judgement on Jackson’s guilt or innocence lies with four men and eight women, ranging in age from 20 to 79, who were selected last week to serve on the jury — since dubbed the “Jackson 12.”

While technically a jury of Jackson’s peers, the panel, whose racial profile is white and Hispanic, is notable for the absence of a single African American juror.

While Jackson’s celebrity alone is enough to ensure blanket media coverage, further star-wattage will be added to the proceedings by a witness list that includes the likes of Smokey Robinson, Eddie Murphy, Elizabeth Taylor and Stevie Wonder.

Once the opening arguments have been completed, the lead witness for the prosecution will be Martin Bashir, the British journalist responsible for the documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” that was broadcast in February 2003.

The prosecution will almost certainly play the jury excerpts from the documentary, which showed Jackson holding hands with his now accuser and admitting that he often shared his bedroom with children.

Jackson has labelled all the allegations a “big lie” invented by the accuser’s greed-driven family in order to extort money.

The singer has also accused the prosecutor who brought the case, Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon, of waging a personal vendetta against him.

Sneddon unsuccessfully tried to prosecute Jackson over allegations he molested another boy in 1993.

The case collapsed when Jackson struck an out-of-court deal under which the youngster dropped the charges in return for a settlement worth more than 23 million dollars.

Judge Rodney Melville, who is presiding over the current trial, has so far deferred his ruling on the crucial question of whether he will allow the prosecution to enter details of the 1993 case as evidence.

“That could be crucial in the case,” said Loyola Marymount University law professor and former prosecutor Laurie Levinson. “If it shows a pattern as serial molester, that will be a major problem for the defence.”

Melville handed Jackson’s lawyers a significant victory last week, by allowing details of the accuser’s family’s litigation history to be presented to the jury.

The defence hopes that will bolster its contention that the mother has a record of making false accusations of sexual assault, and that she coached her children on how to back them up.

Originally helmed by the celebrity lawyer Mark Geragos, Jackson’s defence team is now led by Thomas Mesereau, an attorney more noted for pro bono cases involving poor clients facing capital charges.

With Mesereau primed to throw brick-bats at the alleged victim’s mother, prosecution attorney Ron Zonen is expected to repeat the message he laid out before the judge on Friday — that the accused in the case is Jackson, not the boy’s family.

“This is about whether the man who admits to sleeping with children was sleeping with this child and what he did while sleeping with this child. That is what this case is about,” Zonen said.

– AFP

Channel News Asia

Dutt seriously!

With the task of strengthening the youth, Sunil Dutt plays his role with aplomb

Photo: Sandeep Saxena

THOUGH IN Munnabhai MBBS, Sanjay Dutt, walked away with all the laurels, it was dad, Sunil Dutt’s cameo role that formed the fulcrum of the story, which eventually became the biggest blockbuster in 2003. But then, bogged down with his new avatar as the Union Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, the senior Dutt, claims he has little time even to talk to his “ek lautha beta” over phone; let alone donning the grease paint again.

Still remembered for his sterling performances in films like Sujatha, Waqt, Milan, Gumrah and Padason, the actor-turned-minister who was in the city for the National Youth Festival, appears to have taken his new job, rather seriously.

“I now have the responsibility of channelising the country’s youth into the most formidable force in the world. So where is the question of doing films?” he asks. “I agreed to do Munnabhai… as it was a very small role. Otherwise, politics is serious job and you need to give 100 per cent attention,” he insists. Sitting in New Delhi, does he get time to meet son Sanjay? “No way, yaar, I do not get time to speak to him even over the mobile. He is busy with his schedules and I have my own hectic work,” says the senior Dutt, adding he does not have time to watch movies even once in a while.

Unruffled by setbacks

Many acknowledge that the death of wife Nargis, was the biggest personal loss to him, so much so, that he never entertained the idea of marrying again. The prolonged incarceration of son, Sanjay under the infamous, but now repealed TADA, was also a serious blow to him. But Sunil Dutt, seemed to have taken the setbacks in his stride. As he put its philosophically, “Life has to be dynamic. There is nothing like personal loss, gain or sufferings. Everybody has got a role to play in life. One has to fulfil it to the maximum,” he says.

“The smiles on the face of the victims of the Tsunami tragedy when the relief material were being distributed in my presence, was the happiest moment in my life, ” he says. It is only when you ameliorate the sufferings of your fellow beings, your life’s mission get fulfilled, he insists.

About 40 per cent of the country’s population comprises the youth. “My mission is to ensure that this youth power which has got so much enormous talent is converted into a most potent force in the world. I also want to see India as a major force in the world’s sports arena,” he says, like an archetypical politician.

Still retaining his youthful exuberance, but refusing to divulge the age, he says with a wink,” I am just 25-years-old! do you have any doubts!”

And the yesteryear actor seemed to justify the arguments, as scores of people were seen jostling and trying to get closer for his autograph.

R. BALAJI

Hindu On Net

Indian Idol reaches its climax

THE REALITY show, “Indian Idol”, on Sony, which has taken the nation by storm, has reached its finals as Abhijeet Sawant, a Mumbai boy, and Amit Sana from Bhilai will compete for the top position.

The results will be out by March 5 after the SMS polls are counted. But the show on February 24 was memorable as the competition between the two was very close. Even the judges who have been involved (Farah Khan, Anu Malik, Sonu Nigam) in every stage of the selection process were baffled about the results. The special judge for the last episode was Kajol. Now, “Indian Idol” will be off the air for a few months and revived with a new talent hunt later this year.

Orma is memorable

DIRECTOR K. K. RAJEEV has become a household name in Kerala. All his serials had strong characters that were able to strike a chord with the viewer.

And the highlight is that they don’t drag on, as he tries to end the story in a limited number of episodes.

Remember that his last serial “Avicharitham” was just a 40-episode serial which not only won critical appreciation but was a TRP topper. His latest serial “Orma” (Asianet-7.30 Monday-Friday) is turning out to be another feather in his cap as it has an innovative and off-beat theme. The protagonist Girly, played brilliantly by Priya Raman, is a fighter who never gives up in life.

SREEDHAR PILLAI

Hindu On Net

SINGAPORE : Singapore Idol Taufik Batisah has been made the poster boy for the newly set up Bukit Batok Youth Task Force.

It is part of the move to attract younger Singaporeans to participate in grassroots activities, in line with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s call for youths to be more involved in community and national affairs.

Forty-seven-year-old Junaidah Tarjo had been active community work since her teenaged years before she started helping out at the Bukit Batok grassroots five years ago.

But there aren’t too many like her; she says it is not easy getting the young involved.

Therein lies the draw of borrowing star power to front community projects.

And Singapore Idol Taufik has made all the difference.

A youth recruitment drive garnered 420 registrations in one night, compared to just over 230 in the whole of last year.

Said Ms Junaidah, secretary at Bukit Batok Branch, “When we want to recruit them they will ask what are the benefits, what else, what they should do. But once we mention the celebrity’s name, for example Taufik will be around, everyone is so excited; just ask when and what time without asking any further.”

Said Taufik, the Bukit Batok Youth Ambassador, “A lot of parents told me that their kids look up to me and so hopefully with the position that I have currently, I can encourage the kids to do positive stuff, get out there and and go for their dreams. Hopefully, I can make it look hip and cool for them to take part in grassroots activities.”

Indeed, the cool move has drawn support among the young.

“He is a popular guy so he can attract young people,” one person said.

“We can gather all his fans and get involved in community work,” said another.

Just exactly how many of them will be actively involved is anyone’s guess; but one thing is certain — the star-gazing won’t stop here.

Said Dr Ong Chit Chung, MP for Jurong GRC, “We’re looking at some singers, some pop stars, models, even very young entrepreneurs who will be real good role models for them. What we want the youth to do is let them feel that there’s something for them to identify with and participate in.”

By the looks of this, the youth-driven event has got off to a good start; but it is not stopping here.

The Youth Task Force hopes to organise more events to appeal to the young. For a start, the Singapore Idol will be making a special appearance at a mini concert next month. – CNA

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Golden jubilee

V. GANGADHAR

WHEN marriages last, they go unnoticed. The tabloids blaze forth only about divorce and separation! I was getting irritated over the excessive publicity given to the separation of Hollywood stars, Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anniston and the domestic problems of soccer star, David Beckham because of his alleged extramarital affairs. Why should we bother with such trivia?

Then came the good news, the golden wedding anniversary of my elder sister, Gomathi, now in Mysore. How time flies! I could not believe they have been married for 50 years. Wryly, I remembered how I had accompanied them (unwanted) to their first film together, a horror film, “Them” in which the world was taken over by giant ants. Not the proper film for a newly married couple.

Holding together

In my best journalistic style, I asked Gomathi what was the most important factor that held the marriage together. “Courage,” she replied. “Courage to face any kind of difficult situation together with my husband. And, of course, total mutual trust.” When I asked my brother-in-law, he immediately replied, “My belief in the vows I took on the day of the marriage.”

Along with these, I should add, adapting oneself to new situations. My sister, the daughter of a senior government officer, was accustomed to living in government bungalows, travelling in cars and being served by cooks and servantsAfter her marriage, she left for distant Ahmedabad where, in cramped accommodation, she learnt to light the stove, cook, keep house and bring up children. All with a smile. The house bubbled with laughter in the company of friends who named the couple after the Guru Dutt film of that year, “Mr. and Mrs. 55″.

A good time

The cramped accommodation, the job frustrations, the perennial shortage of money did not affect them. I lived with them for sometime. We often went out, played badminton in the mill at night, socialised and had a jolly good time. Yet handling a lovable, though absent-minded, husband and the children could not have been easy. The husband was away at work and the wife had to manage the home and the children. Their family problems were never revealed to others, including relatives. “Why bother others with our problems?” she asked. “We went down South once in two years or so, smiled and laughed and people thought we had no problems at all. We let that impression prevail.”

The children, two daughters and a son, were a joy. They studied well, did not make any demands and realised their responsibilities from a young age. What more can one ask for? Today, they are well off and ready to take care of the parents. After the first flush of togetherness in a marriage, it was the role and attitude of the children, which counted in the happiness of the couple.

Happy memories

The 50 years of marriage was like a dream and its happy memories can never fade. Whenever we meet we talk about the Ahmedabad days. Life was not easy, there were no luxuries of any kind but who needed them?

There are 16 more years for the golden jubilee of my own wedding. Am I looking forward to it? I don’t think that far. Who knows, I may do yet another “Slice of Life” on that happy event when it finally arrives. Marriages are not made in Heaven but very much in this world.

Hindu On Net