Michael Jackson’s legal team braced for more damaging testimony on Thursday, after a former maid recounted seeing the pop star with young boys in the shower, the bathtub and in bed.
The so-called ”King of Pop” is on trial for allegedly fondling a 13-year-old cancer survivor two years ago.
In addition, prosecutors are also telling jurors about five other boys they claim were victims of molestation or inappropriate behaviour at the hands of Jackson.
Jackson’s lawyers are attacking the credibility of the witnesses while at the same time seeking to convince jurors the star simply liked playing innocent games with children as he is himself childlike.
But a 24-year-old man said in his testimony earlier this week that there was nothing innocent about ”tickling games,” which on three occasions ended with Jackson fondling his genitals.
The young man, who in 1994 won a settlement from Jackson reportedly worth $2-million, said he was seven when the entertainer first groped him, at the height of Jackson’s stardom in the late 1980s.
The boy’s mother, a former Jackson maid, corroborated part of his testimony and dealt a severe blow to the defence when she said young boys would share the entertainer’s bed.
She said that among those who would sleep in Jackson’s bedroom was ”the little kid from the movies” — child actor Macaulay Culkin.
Testifying on Tuesday, ahead of a one-day court recess, she also described seeing an Australian boy aged seven or eight showering with Jackson at the star’s Neverland Ranch in 1989.
”I walked in and they were in the shower,” the Salvadoran-born woman said of the steamy silhouettes she claimed she saw in the bathroom.
”When I saw it, I saw clothes on the floor by the shower,” the 51-year-old woman said, adding that she recognized the underwear of Jackson and the boy.
She also said she had seen young children in the bathtub with Jackson.
The prosecution hopes such testimony will help convince jurors that Jackson has a history of abusing young boys.
But the maid admitted she never actually saw Jackson molest any children or having any sexual contact with anyone.
Her son is the only one of the five alleged prior victims to testify for the prosecution, as parents and former employees will present the other claims to jurors.
The defence has pointed out that several of the boys, including ”Home Alone” star Culkin have denied Jackson ever fondled them and that two obtained multi-million-dollar settlements from Jackson.
Jackson’s 15-year-old current accuser and the son of the star’s former maid both testified they had initially denied they were ever molested.
They said they had lied because they were too ashamed to admit they had been groped by a man.
The investigation into Jackson’s conduct with his current accuser was sparked by a television interview in which he said he liked sharing his bed with children, but insisted he never did anything improper toward them.
The 46-year-old father of three has denied all 10 charges that he fondled the then 13-year-old boy, served him alcohol and conspired to hold him and his family against their will two years ago.
If convicted, he could face as long as 20 years behind bars. — Sapa-AFP