D.A. Wants to Revisit Michael's Past

Thu., Dec. 16, 2004 12:15 PM PST by Sarah Hall

Prosecutors in Michael Jackson's child-molestation case are making it clear that they're not going to stop till they get enough.

In a motion released Tuesday, the prosecution pushed for the go-ahead to introduce evidence that Jackson has committed other sex crimes over the years for which he was never charged.

The Santa Barbara District Attorney's Office argued in the court filing that the evidence should be admissible under a 1995 California law that allows pertinent previous acts, whether prosecuted or not, to be considered in a sex-crime case.

Prosecutors claimed that the additional evidence would demonstrate Jackson's "propensity" for sex crimes and how he "created the opportunities to achieve his goal."

Evidence of additional illegal sex acts would also go a long way to bolster the credibility of Jackson's accuser and his family.

Jackson's legal eagles have long claimed the family invented their allegations in an attempt to get money out of the entertainer; however, if the prosecution could establish a pattern of deviant behavior, such contentions by the defense would hold less weight.

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"The best way to prove that a man is a sex offender is to prove that he has sexually offended again and again," Senior Deputy District Attorney Gerald Franklin said in the motion.

The alleged previous sex acts purportedly took place at Neverland Ranch, which prosecutors dubbed a "veritable paradise" for children in their court filing.

Portions of that motion, as well as a defense motion to push back the start date of the trial by six weeks, were released by the court with sensitive information carefully blacked out. Hearings on the motions are scheduled to start Monday.

Jackson's attorneys argued in their motion that they need a six-week delay in order to go over 14,000 pages of evidence filed by the prosecution in the past two months.

"It is unfair and unnecessary to push this matter to trial before the defense has had the same type of time and access to relevant material as the prosecution," Jackson attorney Robert Sanger said in the request.

In a motion released Monday, the defense team had also asked that all charges against Jackson be dismissed, citing "vindictive prosecution and outrageous government conduct," and claiming that the raids were "designed to shock and intimidate the defendant, his family and staff."

Meanwhile, in a separate court filing made public Wednesday, it was revealed that Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe has been seeking visitation rights for her two children with the entertainer, 8-year-old Prince Michael and 6-year-old Paris.

The papers were filed by Jackson's family law attorney, Michael Abrams, and included the fact that Rowe has invoked the child-molestation proceedings against her ex as ammunition in the custody battle. The fight has been conducted out of the public eye, in deference to the children's privacy.

Jackson's attorney requested that court documents relating to the matter be sealed, a move that Rowe's attorney opposed.

In addition to her custody dispute with her infamous ex, Rowe has also subpoenaed by the prosecution to testify at Jackson's child-molestation trial, Entertainment Tonight reported.

For now, said trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 31. The Moonwalker has been charged with 10 felony counts, ranging from child molestation to conspiracy.

He has pleaded innocent to all charges and remains free on $3 million bail.

(Originally published Dec. 15, 2004 at 2 p.m. PT.)