Security to Be Tight for Jackson’s Arraignment

More than 100 law enforcement officers will be surrounding the Santa Maria courthouse today when Michael Jackson is arraigned on child molestation charges.

Though police officials say they expect the day to be peaceful, they say the one unknown will be the size of the crowd. Estimates vary widely, from as low as 600 to as high as 10,000.

Because of the global interest in the case, television networks from around the world plan to cover the arraignment. In all, more than 105 news and entertainment organizations had applied for seats.

The FBI has become involved because of the remote possibility of a terrorist threat. Bomb-sniffing dogs searched the courthouse Thursday and will be used again prior to the arraignment. The California Highway Patrol will help control the expected heavy traffic congestion in and around the city.

Santa Maria Police Chief Danny R. Macagni said he believes it will be a peaceful day.

“I don’t see this as any kind of negative for this town,” he said. “We are taking every precaution. We’re hoping things will go well.”

Sgt. Chris Pappas, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department, shared the police chief’s feeling of confidence, but said: “The unknown is how many people will be here.”

Jackson, 45, is charged with nine felony counts -- seven of child molestation and two of providing an intoxicant to a minor during a seduction attempt.

Free on $3-million bail since his Nov. 20 arrest, Jackson is living in a $100,000-a-month rented mansion in Beverly Hills.

In addition to Jackson’s arraignment, Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville will hear arguments on three 1st Amendment issues. One is a proposed gag order on the case, presented by Dist. Atty. Tom Sneddon.

Another is a request by media organizations to unseal search and arrest affidavits that have been kept secret since Jackson’s arrest. The third is another media request that the judge reconsider a ruling Monday in which he banned all cameras from the courtroom during the arraignment.