Microphone Mystery Arises in Jackson Case

On top of everything else that’s strange about the Michael Jackson case, the possibility has now been raised by law enforcement officials that the media may be bugging the bushes outside the sheriff’s headquarters here.

That prospect was raised by Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Sgt. Chris Pappas, chief spokesman for the department, after the discovery of several microphones in some brush outside the headquarters area.

Pappas said the microphones may have been left behind accidentally or lost in the general mass confusion when Jackson was arrested on child molestation charges, then released on $3-million bond. But he conceded that is highly unlikely.

“It is being interpreted by the department as an attempt by somebody within the media to garner information that otherwise would not be available,” he said, adding that the wireless microphones were found in an area where Sheriff’s Department employees routinely take breaks, but where reporters are not normally allowed.

On Nov. 20, as officials held a series of brief news conferences in front of the sheriff’s headquarters, a crowd of more than 100 reporters and camera crews from around the world pushed and shoved their way to record every word.

Then, when Jackson was taken to the county jail just across a grassy compound from the sheriff’s headquarters, dozens of news personnel began scattering in all directions, hoping to get a glimpse of the pop superstar.

Although the media dispersed quickly after Jackson was released and sped away in a motorcade, the discovery of the microphones was not reported until Saturday. As of Monday, officials had learned nothing more about how they got there.

Fueling law enforcement suspicions of a possible attempt at electronic eavesdropping, Pappas noted that a man claiming to be a news and photo agency reporter was arrested in a hangar at the Santa Barbara County Airport after sneaking aboard Jackson’s plane in search of an exclusive.

Jackson and his attorney, Mark Geragos, have alleged that they also were secretly videotaped during the trip from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara by cameras hidden inside the plane.

Jackson’s lawyer filed a lawsuit Tuesday against XtraJet to prevent distribution of the videotape. An FBI investigation into possible violations of electronic eavesdropping laws has been launched.

For the last two weeks, sheriff’s deputies in Santa Barbara have been commenting privately that the Jackson case is the most circus-like experience they have ever encountered.

The possibility that even the bushes around them may be bugged with the discovery of the microphones will only serve to make all deputies more cautious, they said.

“It certainly does heighten our awareness,” Pappas said. “I’ve never heard anything quite like this in the past.”