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Geragos hat heute wieder ausgesagt. Es ging nochmal darum, dass er befürchtete, die Arvizos wollten zu einem Anwalt oder Klatschblättern gehen und dort Beschuldigungen loslassen. Die Sache im zweiten Teil mit diesem Privileg (vielleicht eine Schweigepflicht zwischen Anwalt und Mandant, von der er anscheinend nicht völlig entbunden wurde - so verstehe ich das, blicks aber nicht ganz) kann vielleicht noch jemand erklären. Jedenfalls hat Geragos im Kreuzverhör auf ein paar Fragen nicht geantwortet und Melville war deswegen angesäuert und hat "Sanktionen" gegen Mez erwogen.
SANTA MARIA, United States (AFP) -
Michael Jackson's former lawyer told jurors he suspected the family of the superstar's child sex accuser was planning to make false allegations against the singer.
Attorney Mark Geragos, returning to the witness stand for the second time in a week, said he put the family of the then 13-year-old boy under surveillance because he suspected they might try to extort the star.
"I had concerns about the ... family from early February" 2003, Geragos said at the star's trial in the California hamlet of Santa Maria.
He said he was concerned "they were going to go to a lawyer to make some kind of accusation or go to the tabloids," Geragos told jurors as Jackson's lawyers moved to discredit the family of his accuser.
Jackson's legal team has painted the mother of the accuser as a "professional plaintiff" who was using her children to try to extort the superstar, who has denied molesting the young cancer patient.
Geragos said he began doubting the family's motives soon after the February 6, 2003 broadcast of a television documentary in which Jackson held hands with his future accuser and admitted sharing his bed with children.
"My concern then was there were going to be some accusations made, some story concocted," Geragos said, explaining he hired a private investigator to find out who the family was meeting and what they were doing.
But prosecutor Ron Zonen pointedly asked Geragos if he put the family under surveillance because he was concerned the boy would "return to Michael's bed" following the broadcast of the documentary.
Geragos, who refused to answer several questions, citing attorney-client privilege, testified following legal arguments over to what extent he was protected by that privilege.
Before allowing Geragos to give evidence, Judge Rodney Melville said he was considering sanctions against Jackson's lead lawyer Thomas Mesereau, who replaced Geragos in the case, as he felt deceived by Mesereau.
When he first called Geragos to the stand a week ago, Mesereau told the judge that Jackson had agreed to waive his attorney-client privilege to allow Geragos to testify.
But Geragos refused to answer several questions under cross examination, saying that the privilege was in force up to the moment of Jackson's arrest on November 20, 2003.
Friday, Melville allowed Geragos to testify again, recognising he was covered by qualified client-attorney privilege, but reserved some harsh words for Mesereau.
"I feel deceived by Mr Mesreau and am considering ... sanctions against Mr Mesereau," the judge said.
Geragos' testimony came as the defense appeared set to wrap up its case, with some sources indicating that the jury could be handed the case by the first week in June.
Jackson could face up to 20 years behind bars if convicted on all 10 counts with which he is charged.
Jackson has denied the charges that he sexually molested teenage boy in February or March 2003, plied him with alcohol and conspired to hold him and his family captive to prevent them from speaking of the alleged abuse.
SANTA MARIA, United States (AFP) -
Michael Jackson's former lawyer told jurors he suspected the family of the superstar's child sex accuser was planning to make false allegations against the singer.
Attorney Mark Geragos, returning to the witness stand for the second time in a week, said he put the family of the then 13-year-old boy under surveillance because he suspected they might try to extort the star.
"I had concerns about the ... family from early February" 2003, Geragos said at the star's trial in the California hamlet of Santa Maria.
He said he was concerned "they were going to go to a lawyer to make some kind of accusation or go to the tabloids," Geragos told jurors as Jackson's lawyers moved to discredit the family of his accuser.
Jackson's legal team has painted the mother of the accuser as a "professional plaintiff" who was using her children to try to extort the superstar, who has denied molesting the young cancer patient.
Geragos said he began doubting the family's motives soon after the February 6, 2003 broadcast of a television documentary in which Jackson held hands with his future accuser and admitted sharing his bed with children.
"My concern then was there were going to be some accusations made, some story concocted," Geragos said, explaining he hired a private investigator to find out who the family was meeting and what they were doing.
But prosecutor Ron Zonen pointedly asked Geragos if he put the family under surveillance because he was concerned the boy would "return to Michael's bed" following the broadcast of the documentary.
Geragos, who refused to answer several questions, citing attorney-client privilege, testified following legal arguments over to what extent he was protected by that privilege.
Before allowing Geragos to give evidence, Judge Rodney Melville said he was considering sanctions against Jackson's lead lawyer Thomas Mesereau, who replaced Geragos in the case, as he felt deceived by Mesereau.
When he first called Geragos to the stand a week ago, Mesereau told the judge that Jackson had agreed to waive his attorney-client privilege to allow Geragos to testify.
But Geragos refused to answer several questions under cross examination, saying that the privilege was in force up to the moment of Jackson's arrest on November 20, 2003.
Friday, Melville allowed Geragos to testify again, recognising he was covered by qualified client-attorney privilege, but reserved some harsh words for Mesereau.
"I feel deceived by Mr Mesreau and am considering ... sanctions against Mr Mesereau," the judge said.
Geragos' testimony came as the defense appeared set to wrap up its case, with some sources indicating that the jury could be handed the case by the first week in June.
Jackson could face up to 20 years behind bars if convicted on all 10 counts with which he is charged.
Jackson has denied the charges that he sexually molested teenage boy in February or March 2003, plied him with alcohol and conspired to hold him and his family captive to prevent them from speaking of the alleged abuse.
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