Its about to start at last.
Pop star Michael Jackson's child abuse trial will start in earnest when the opening statements are made on Monday. The main stage of the trial will reveal full details of the allegations. The singer is hoping to call star witnesses such as Liz Taylor and Stevie Wonder.
Mr Jackson, 46, denies molesting a boy, plying him with alcohol and conspiring to kidnap him and his family. The start of the California trial comes after jury selection took five days in court, with two weeks of delays.
The process of whittling 4,000 potential jurors in Santa Maria, about 170 miles (275km) north of Los Angeles, down to 12 jurors and eight alternates, who will ultimately decide Mr Jackson's fate, was completed on Thursday. Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville has set the start of the trial proper for 0830 local time (1630 GMT) on Monday. |