nie za duzo informacji To moze ja cos dodam.... Tucker byl ostatnim swiatkiem obrony, ktora zakonczyla juz swoja dzialalnosc... Czekamy terz na ruch Zgredzia no i wyrok (na 90% bedzie w przyszlym tygodniu, no chyba ze Zgredzio cos wymysli...)MJPOWER pisze:
maly news z MSN.com
Defense rests without
putting Jackson on standComedian Tucker final witness, testifies
that accuser was 'cunning', 'very smart'
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - The defense rested in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial Wednesday without putting the pop star on the stand, wrapping up after a surprisingly short three weeks devoted mostly to portraying the accuser’s mother as a shakedown artist.
Actor and comedian Chris Tucker was the final defense witness, who testified Wednesday that he found Jackson’s accuser unusually sophisticated and cunning for a 12-year-old.
“He was really smart and he was cunning at times, and his brother ... was definitely cunning,” said Tucker, who was called by Jackson’s attorneys as their last witness.
Tucker was put on the stand to help make the defense case that the boy and his family have a history of targeting celebrities and trying to get money from them. The defense was expected to rest when Tucker was done, without calling Jackson.
After the defense rests, prosecutors will begin a rebuttal and Jackson’s attorneys will then be given an opportunity to respond. Closing arguments probably will not begin before next week.
Tucker also testified that he once took Jackson aside and warned him to “watch out” for the boy’s mother because he had grown suspicious of her.
Tucker said the boy repeatedly asked for gifts but that he forgave the boy’s behavior because he knew he had battled cancer and had family problems.
“He would always say, ‘‘Chris, let me have this ... I’m not feeling too good,”’ Tucker said.
Other comedians who have testified, including George Lopez and Jay Leno, cracked a few jokes on the stand. But Tucker’s demeanor was calm and serious in stark contrast to his outrageous demeanor in the “Rush Hour” films and such movies as “Friday” and “The Fifth Element.”
Jackson, 46, is charged with molesting the boy in 2003 when the youth was 13, giving him wine and conspiring to hold his family captive to get them to rebut a documentary in which the boy appeared with Jackson as the entertainer said he let children into his bed for innocent sleepovers.
‘He was just real sad looking’
Tucker, whose testimony began Tuesday and continued Wednesday, met Jackson’s accuser at a benefit while the boy was battling cancer in 2000.
Tucker provided details about a gift of at least $1,500 that he gave to the family after the fundraiser for the boy at a Hollywood comedy club. He said the boy came to his house after the fundraiser and told him it hadn’t netted any money.
“He was just real sad looking, saying they didn’t raise any money and they needed some money,” Tucker said.
Jackson defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. asked Tucker if he became suspicious since he had seen many people at the benefit.
“Yes, but I was always thinking I was helping him so I just did it,” Tucker said.
Tucker said he also took the boy’s family to an amusement park and on shopping trips to a mall.
On Tuesday, Leno testified that he grew suspicious when he began receiving overly effusive voice mail messages from the boy in 2000. He said he thought it strange that a 12-year-old would tell a comedian in his 50s that he was his hero.
“I’m not Batman,” Leno said, to laughter throughout the courtroom.
Leno said the boy left so many messages that he finally approached comedian Louise Palanker, a friend who was among several comedians helping the boy’s family.
“I said, ‘What’s the story here? This doesn’t sound like a 12-year-old. This seems a little scripted,”’ Leno testified. But Leno said the boy never asked for money and he never gave him any, though he did send “Tonight Show” memorabilia and a picture.
The defense has said Leno was so concerned about the boy’s calls that he called police, but Leno said Tuesday it was police who contacted him. He said he probably did tell police he believed the family was looking for money.
Hours after testifying, Leno was again mocking the pop star on the “Tonight Show.”
He showed the audience mock footage of his day in court, including a scene in which young male witnesses were sipping on drinks in martini glasses.
“OK, you know the worst part about testifying, I had to follow the chimp. The witness chair was a mess,” Leno told the audience during taping of his monologue.