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Date: Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Family Support Amid Continuing Courtroom Drama
Author: Team MJJsource
Michael Jackson, dressed in a symbolic white three-piece suit, made a court appearance on Monday to watch a showdown over key evidence with District Attorney Tom Sneddon. Mr. Jackson was accompanied by his parents, Katherine and Joseph, as well as his siblings, Randy, Janet, Jackie, LaToya, and Jermaine – who also wore white as a symbol of unity and support.
Mr. Jackson’s attorney, Thomas Mesereau, Jr., questioned Mr. Sneddon for four hours concerning the November 2003 search of the office of private investigator Bradley Miller, who was employed by Mr. Jackson’s former attorney, Mark Geragos. Exchanges were tense at times. Mr. Sneddon, at one point, said he did not know how the defense wanted him to answer. Mr. Mesereau replied, “Truthfully, hopefully.” During his questioning, Mr. Sneddon was rebuked by Judge Melville several times, being warned to “not spar with the attorney.” The judge also reviewed the rules of testimony with Mr. Sneddon, instructing him to answer like a witness.
There were also a series of letters received by detectives from the accuser’s mother in July of 2003, which were reviewed by Mr. Sneddon before the November search. These concerned discussion between the family’s attorney and Mr. Geragos over the alleged victim’s belongings held in a storage locker by Mr. Miller. Mr. Mesereau stated that at the very least, this correspondence should have made Mr. Sneddon ask if the investigator was working for Mr. Geragos.
After the lunch break, the district attorney admitted telling defense attorneys in July that he knew Bradley Miller worked for Mr. Geragos, although he retracted the statement the next day claiming that “it was a mistake.”
Mr. Mesereau also questioned whether Mr. Sneddon crossed a line from prosecutor to investigator in going to Mr. Miller’s office in Los Angeles, taking photographs, and showing a lineup of photos to the accuser’s mother.
As Laurie Levenson, professor at Loyola University School of Law, stated, “The question is, did he know or should he have known that Bradley Miller was working with the defense. It’s a problem for Sneddon that he appeared evasive or clueless. I think Mesereau was quite good at chipping away at Sneddon to the point that he looked a little foolish.”
During Tuesday's hearing, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's investigator Jeff Klapakis testified that he did not know that Bradley Miller worked for Mark Geragos.
Defense attorney, Steve Cochran, asked "It dawned on no one ... that Mr. Miller was an investigator hired by an attorney, namely Mr. Geragos?" "That is correct," Klapakis replied. Mr. Klapakis said that search warrants were requested for Mr. Miller's office because the alleged victim's mother said that some items belonging to her may be there.
Mr. Klapakis continued by saying that the Beverly Hills authorities where Mr. Miller's office is located were not contacted because they were concerned that there might be a leak, and Mr. Miller might remove the items they were going to search for.
Today also saw Dr. Stan Katz take the witness stand. He was the psychologist who interviewed the alleged victim and concluded that molestation had taken place.
Attorney Larry Feldman referred the boy and his family to Dr. Katz. Under questioning by family attorney, Brian Oxman, Dr. Katz said that the first he had heard of Mr. Miller was in a meeting with Feldman in June 2003.
"He just mentioned that an investigator named Brad Miller had made a videotape of the minor children," Katz said.
He said that the next time he heard the name Bradley Miller was in the media about a break-in in Miller's office.
"Bradley Miller is a very special patient of yours, isn't he, Dr. Katz?" asked Mr. Oxman. Katz claimed doctor-patient privilege saying he couldn't discuss any of his patients. Then he admitted he knew Mr. Miller because he had worked on family law cases with him.
The hearing will continue for five days to allow Mr. Jackson’s attorneys to argue why they think evidence seized in search warrants should be thrown out of court.
Wednesday, August 18, should find the defense asking the prosecution questions about search warrants issued on Neverland Valley Ranch.
Family Support Amid Continuing Courtroom Drama
Author: Team MJJsource
Michael Jackson, dressed in a symbolic white three-piece suit, made a court appearance on Monday to watch a showdown over key evidence with District Attorney Tom Sneddon. Mr. Jackson was accompanied by his parents, Katherine and Joseph, as well as his siblings, Randy, Janet, Jackie, LaToya, and Jermaine – who also wore white as a symbol of unity and support.
Mr. Jackson’s attorney, Thomas Mesereau, Jr., questioned Mr. Sneddon for four hours concerning the November 2003 search of the office of private investigator Bradley Miller, who was employed by Mr. Jackson’s former attorney, Mark Geragos. Exchanges were tense at times. Mr. Sneddon, at one point, said he did not know how the defense wanted him to answer. Mr. Mesereau replied, “Truthfully, hopefully.” During his questioning, Mr. Sneddon was rebuked by Judge Melville several times, being warned to “not spar with the attorney.” The judge also reviewed the rules of testimony with Mr. Sneddon, instructing him to answer like a witness.
There were also a series of letters received by detectives from the accuser’s mother in July of 2003, which were reviewed by Mr. Sneddon before the November search. These concerned discussion between the family’s attorney and Mr. Geragos over the alleged victim’s belongings held in a storage locker by Mr. Miller. Mr. Mesereau stated that at the very least, this correspondence should have made Mr. Sneddon ask if the investigator was working for Mr. Geragos.
After the lunch break, the district attorney admitted telling defense attorneys in July that he knew Bradley Miller worked for Mr. Geragos, although he retracted the statement the next day claiming that “it was a mistake.”
Mr. Mesereau also questioned whether Mr. Sneddon crossed a line from prosecutor to investigator in going to Mr. Miller’s office in Los Angeles, taking photographs, and showing a lineup of photos to the accuser’s mother.
As Laurie Levenson, professor at Loyola University School of Law, stated, “The question is, did he know or should he have known that Bradley Miller was working with the defense. It’s a problem for Sneddon that he appeared evasive or clueless. I think Mesereau was quite good at chipping away at Sneddon to the point that he looked a little foolish.”
During Tuesday's hearing, Santa Barbara County Sheriff's investigator Jeff Klapakis testified that he did not know that Bradley Miller worked for Mark Geragos.
Defense attorney, Steve Cochran, asked "It dawned on no one ... that Mr. Miller was an investigator hired by an attorney, namely Mr. Geragos?" "That is correct," Klapakis replied. Mr. Klapakis said that search warrants were requested for Mr. Miller's office because the alleged victim's mother said that some items belonging to her may be there.
Mr. Klapakis continued by saying that the Beverly Hills authorities where Mr. Miller's office is located were not contacted because they were concerned that there might be a leak, and Mr. Miller might remove the items they were going to search for.
Today also saw Dr. Stan Katz take the witness stand. He was the psychologist who interviewed the alleged victim and concluded that molestation had taken place.
Attorney Larry Feldman referred the boy and his family to Dr. Katz. Under questioning by family attorney, Brian Oxman, Dr. Katz said that the first he had heard of Mr. Miller was in a meeting with Feldman in June 2003.
"He just mentioned that an investigator named Brad Miller had made a videotape of the minor children," Katz said.
He said that the next time he heard the name Bradley Miller was in the media about a break-in in Miller's office.
"Bradley Miller is a very special patient of yours, isn't he, Dr. Katz?" asked Mr. Oxman. Katz claimed doctor-patient privilege saying he couldn't discuss any of his patients. Then he admitted he knew Mr. Miller because he had worked on family law cases with him.
The hearing will continue for five days to allow Mr. Jackson’s attorneys to argue why they think evidence seized in search warrants should be thrown out of court.
Wednesday, August 18, should find the defense asking the prosecution questions about search warrants issued on Neverland Valley Ranch.
