Jackson Jury Got Review of Accuser’s Testimony

Three days before they acquitted Michael Jackson, jurors asked to hear all testimony from the boy who had accused the pop star of molestation, newly released documents showed Thursday.

A note from the jury foreman, along with Santa Barbara County Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville’s response that the request would be granted, was one of six notes released at the request of the news media.

On the day they returned their verdicts, jurors were briefly deadlocked on two lesser charges that accused Jackson of furnishing alcohol to a minor, the documents showed.

“We cannot agree on the lesser counts of seven and eight,” said the note, which was quickly superseded by another saying, “Please disregard our prior request with counts 7 and 8.”

A short time later, jurors unanimously acquitted Jackson of all 10 counts against him, as well as the lesser options offered to them if they acquitted him on more serious counts.

The jury notes were sealed by the judge during deliberations.

The earliest notes involved clerical matters. The day they received the case, jurors asked for a list to guide them through the evidence “so when we need to see an exhibit we can quickly look it up to determine where it might be in this vast amount of evidence.” The judge responded: “I am sorry we cannot provide you with an index.”

Another note sought a correction in wording of one count on the provided verdict forms. They then asked for a clarification on “what child is referred to in count 6,” alleging an attempted lewd act on a minor. Melville responded that all molestation allegations involved the same boy.

The judge, who placed a tight lid of secrecy on evidence in the trial, said at a hearing earlier Thursday that he intended to release virtually every sealed document and ordered that authorities return the pop star’s passport.

Melville was still considering a request to release videos shown during the trial. He delayed the release of many items to give attorneys time to object to unsealing specific documents. He told lawyers to submit requests to keep matters sealed by June 23.

On Monday, Jackson, 46, was acquitted on all charges in a 10-count indictment that alleged he molested a 13-year-old cancer survivor in 2003, plied the boy with wine, and conspired to hold him and his family captive to get them to make a video rebutting a damaging TV documentary.

Sealed material included search warrants, sections of motions that were blacked out and transcripts of hearings in the judge’s chambers.

Melville said the material was so voluminous it probably could not be released for about a month.