news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4376959.stm
Printable version Debate over Jackson's 'porn pics' Michael Jackson arriving at court on Wednesday Jackson looked stronger and responded to fans' calls Prosecutors at Michael Jackson's child abuse trial have said jurors shoul d be told about more than 1,700 pornographic images stored on his comput ers. They offer "powerful corroboration" to allegations made against Mr Jackso n, prosecutors told Judge Rodney Melville. The images were stored between 1998 and 2003 and include many pictures of teenagers, they said. Mr Jackson denies 10 charges, including child abuse and false imprisonmen t Earlier, the singer arrived at court 20 minutes early, two days after pro ceedings were delayed when Mr Jackson entered late and complained of bac k pains. He waved to acknowledge a fan who called out "We love you Michael". Neverland Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch is at the centre of the case In court, prosecutor Gordon Auchincloss described the pictures on three c omputers as "the circumstantial link that provides powerful corroboratio n for our witness in this case". Gavin Arvizo, now 15, alleges that Mr Jackson abused him during a stay at the star's Neverland ranch in 2003. The singer is also alleged to have shown Gavin and his brother Star porno graphy and given them alcohol during their stay. But Mr Jackson's lawyers argued that the images were not directly downloa ded or saved onto the computers, merely "cached" during routine web brow sing. All the material was heterosexual and there was no evidence it was direct ly related to the case, they argued. Judge Melville declined to rule immediately, but said he had "serious res ervations" about the images, and was inclined to rule them out as eviden ce. Phone call On Tuesday, a comedian told how a "disturbing" call from the mother of Mi chael Jackson's child sex accuser led her to believe the family was bein g held captive. Louise Palanker testified that Gavin Arvizo's mother called her shortly a fter a damaging TV documentary about the singer was aired in February 20 03. "It's not a safe line, they're listening to every word I say. These peopl e are evil, they are keeping us," Ms Palanker quoted the mother of the b oy as telling her. His lawyers say Gavin's mother tried to exp loit relationships with Ms Palanker and other celebrities to extort mone y But Ms Palanker, who gave the Arvizo family $20,000 (10,608) in 2000, te stified that Janet Arvizo had never asked her for money.
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