Wearing a sparkling white armband and waving gently at fans, the defendant in case number 1133603 kept his date with justice on Friday, albeit arriving 20 minutes late and cavorting on top of his vehicle once the proceedings were done for the day.
In a barely audible voice, Michael Joe Jackson pleaded not guilty to seven charges of lewd behaviour with a minor and two charges of supplying a minor with an intoxicating agent, in the densely packed courtroom in Santa Maria.
Jackson was bailed until a hearing next month, but not before he had irritated the judge with his tardiness.
”You have started out on the wrong foot with me,” said Judge Rodney Melville. ”It is an insult to the court.” He issued Jackson with a ”polite warning” about future punctuality before accepting his soft-spoken plea.
After two hours, Jackson emerged from the courthouse and clambered on top of his limousine, blowing kisses and making peace signs to hundreds of his fans while clutching a large black umbrella.
His bodyguards then passed out invitations to a party ”in the spirit of love and forgiveness” at his Neverland Valley ranch near Santa Barbara.
The singer’s antics provided a fittingly bizarre end to a day that turned this normally sleepy community upside down. Hundreds of people gathered from Thursday evening to show support, from as far away as Britain and Japan.
A lucky few won a lottery to be inside the court.
”It was a lot of waiting and a lot of praying,” said a student, Casey Underwood, who had travelled 320km from Orange County to attend the brief hearing.
There was a polite ripple of applause as Jackson’s parents and siblings including Janet, Jermaine, Tito and Randy entered the court.
When Jackson himself entered, shielded behind trademark dark glasses and members of his legal team, there were loud sighs of what could only be described as adoration and sounds of stifled weeping from fans.
Signs proclaiming Jackson’s innocence were displayed around the court as television news helicopters hovered above.
”I care for children — handcuff me quick,” said one. ”Stop Filthy Press,” said another. Vendors dispensed ”Michael is 1 000% innocent” T-shirts.
The turnout of media from around the world was so great that some journalists were resorting to the old trick of interviewing each other. Parking outside the Santa Maria court is normally free, but nothing was normal in Santa Maria this week and the local council charged $250 for a space. Local driveways were offered at $50.
The hearing itself was over in less time than a typical Jackson pop tune.
Jackson’s next court date was fixed for Friday February 13, a date that drew fresh intakes of breath from fans in the courtroom at its joint significance of bad luck and the birthday of one of his children. That hearing will decide whether there is enough evidence for Jackson to face a full trial later this year.
Supporters were adamant that Jackson would be cleared. Esmeralda Kamerling, a 26-year-old management assistant from Amsterdam and a friend were camped outside the courthouse with a ”Love from Holland” banner beside them.
”I don’t think he is guilty,” said Kamerling. ”I think it’s all blown up and I think the press should focus on the facts and not the rumours. He is still a human being and he deserves respect.”
Fans Marie (33), Sabrina (23) and William (19) had come from France to show their support. They said they had seen Jackson perform often and had met him.
”We have spent some time with him, more than some journalists have,” said William. ”He is a very caring person.”
”We know he is innocent,” said Marie. ”People don’t see the real man, and the more a lie is repeated, the more people believe it.”
There was also some local sympathy for Jackson. Bonnie Daugherty and Dee McBride, from Santa Maria, carried a banner saying that Jackson was innocent until proven guilty.
Daugherty (37) said: ”This man’s reputation has been tarnished and he has not even stood trial yet.”
She thought that he was being judged because he looked and acted strangely.
”Being African-American,” said McBride, ”we like to stick together, and we don’t want one of our people to be a fallen hero.”
Local teenagers were hanging round the courthouse. Kyle Walker (13) said that he thought the trial was just what the city needed.
”It’s cool. I’ve never seen so many people here before,” he said.
Outside the courthouse, fast-food stalls were doing even faster business amid the throng of lookalikes in fedoras, members of the Nation of Islam, and locals offering internet access at $25 a go. Bobby Duran, of the California Hot Dog Company, said Jackson was a familiar figure in the city, either buying toys at Toys ‘R’ Us or shopping at the local mall.
”He is well thought-of in this area and he spends a lot of money here,” said Duran. ”Most people wish for the best for him.”
Over the next few months, Santa Maria will be the site for many more such days as the man who became famous partly for his nifty footwork sees whether he can get back on the right foot in the courts of both Santa Maria and public opinion. — Guardian Unlimited Â