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Prosecution wants ex-wife to testify
By DAWN HOBBS
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
As the prosecution enters the home stretch of its case, Michael Jackson's former defense lawyer, Mark Geragos, and the entertainer's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, have been subpoenaed to testify in the high-profile child molestation trial.
They are among a half-dozen witnesses whom the prosecution has subpoenaed and may put on the stand in an attempt to shore up the conspiracy charge against Mr. Jackson, sources told the News-Press.
The ex-wife is expected to testify that her part in a video praising the entertainer was scripted. That testimony would corroborate the testimony of the accuser's mother who insisted that Mr. Jackson's associates also told her what to say for the filming of a rebuttal video designed to combat a controversial British documentary.
Ms. Rowe, the mother of Mr. Jackson's children Prince Michael and Paris, was seen in "Take Two: The Footage They Wouldn't Show You" saying that she gave the children to the entertainer as a gift and that he's a wonderful and loving father.
The prosecution may also question her about Mr. Jackson's sexuality.
Judge Rodney Melville is expected to decide today if Ms. Rowe will be allowed to testify.
Mr. Geragos has also been subpoenaed, but it is unclear if the prosecution will call him to the stand. The noted defense lawyer worked for the entertainer during the time of the alleged conspiracy in early 2003 until right after the grand jury indicted Mr. Jackson in April 2004.
Prosecutors accuse Mr. Jackson of conspiring to abduct, falsely imprison and extort the boy and his family. They've laid out the sequence of alleged events through the testimony of the accuser's mother. Now, as the trial enters its ninth week, prosecutors will be attempting to connect Mr. Jackson to the alleged crime.
Mr. Jackson, who is free on $3 million bail, has pleaded not guilty to the conspiracy charges and to child molestation and to giving alcohol to a minor to commit a felony.
Mr. Geragos may take the stand on behalf of the defense. The noted defense lawyer is expected to testify that he hired private investigator Bradley Miller to check out the accuser's family and that Mr. Jackson did not know the people working for Mr. Miller.
It's not clear if Mr. Geragos will end up testifying for either side. He could invoke attorney-client privilege.
The prosecution has subpoenaed Mr. Miller, who is also on the list of potential defense witnesses.
Prosecutors also subpoenaed Hamid Moslehi, Mr. Jackson's private videographer. Mr. Moslehi testified during grand jury proceedings that he filmed the accuser and his family for the rebuttal video.
Sheriff's detectives found the rebuttal tape of the family during a search of Mr. Moslehi's West Hills home Nov. 18, 2003, the same day Mr. Jackson's ranch and Mr. Miller's office were raided.
Others subpoenaed by the prosecution include Christian Robinson, who conducted the interviews for the rebuttal video, and Rudy Provencio, who temporarily worked as a confidential informant for sheriff's investigators.
Chris Carter, a former bodyguard for Mr. Jackson, is expected to testify that he drove the accuser's mother from Neverland Valley Ranch to Los Angeles during the time that she said she escaped from the ranch.
Mr. Carter, recently arrested in Nevada on armed robbery charges, testified during grand jury proceedings that he saw the accuser intoxicated one night at the ranch and that the boy told him it was OK to drink.
Azja Pryor, the girlfriend of actor Chris Tucker, has also been subpoenaed to testify about the time she spent with the accuser's mother.
Several law enforcement officers are also expected to take the stand to detail the items seized from Mr. Miller's office, the residences of Mr. Moslehi and F. Marc Schaffel, and the home office of Mr. Jackson's personal assistant Evvy Tavasci. Prosecutors allege that Mr. Schaffel is linked to the conspiracy but have not charged him with any crime.
Detectives will testify about phone and bank records seized from various accounts. Prosecutors will also bring in testimony about the contents of computers seized from Mr. Miller, the private investigator, and Ms. Tavasci, the personal assistant.
Charli Michaels, a former Jackson employee, may take the stand to testify about alleged suspicious behavior she witnessed more than a decade ago. Ms. Michaels was apparently unavailable earlier in the trial when prosecutors put on witnesses to detail alleged molestation incidents between Mr. Jackson and several adolescent boys during the early 1990s.
Another former Jackson employee, Kassim Abdool, is also expected to testify about activities at Neverland in the early 1990s.
e-mail: dhobbs@newspress.com
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