Details from the Michael Jackson child molestation trial will be harder to come by since a judge on Thursday sealed more documents in the case.
In a written opinion, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Rodney
Melville said that until he had ruled on what evidence was admissible
at trial, he didn't want potential jurors hearing about it through
the media, the Associated Press reports. He said that release of pre-trial information would make it difficult to find an unbiased jury pool.
"The intensity of the media coverage in this case is high," said
Melville. "Each court hearing is thoroughly reported and exhaustively
analyzed by the media. It is substantially probable that if the
evidence and testimony expected to be given at trial were to be
released pretrial, it would be similarly reported and analyzed."
Pop legend Jackson, 45, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges,
including committing a lewd act upon a child, administering alcohol
and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and
extortion.
Melville released warrant request forms showing
extensive prosecutorial searches of banks, retailers and telecom and
Internet providers, the AP notes – but the documents did not reveal
any names or what information was being sought.
Last week the judge upheld a gag order challenged by media lawyer Theodore Boutrous Jr., who had asked the court to unseal 47 search warrants and the entire grand jury transcript.
The next hearing in the case is set for Aug. 16, at which Jackson may have to appear.
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