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本楼给有编辑经验的人综合编译Jackson has courtroom flair Scott stresses that though "nothing's written in stone," he expects that the costume collaboration will continue for the duration of Jackson's child-molestation case. "At this point, it's a great relationship," Scott says.For his SUV dance-cum-court date in January, Jackson wore a midnight-blue suit in superfine Italian wool atop a pearl silk vest. "Mike was very pleased," says Scott, 43, whose creations run from $1,500 to $6,000. The custom clothier is coy on what Jackson might don for Friday's scheduled court appearance."He loves the 18th-century look." Tuxedo shirts with bowties, tails. As the court dates continue, "I would think he's going to look more elegant, more businesslike with a little Michael Jackson flair."+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Santa Maria TimesSchools brace for coptersBy Janene Scully/Staff Writer Schools near the Santa Maria Courts Complex are bracing for another noisy armada of helicopters Friday when entertainer Michael Jackson returns to court for arraignment on an expected grand jury indictment.Students trying to learn will have to cope with the disruption of media and law enforcement aircraft, just as they did on Jan. 16 for the pop star's last Santa Maria appearance. Beyond the disruption, the helicopters will operate safely and within the rules, according to aviation and news station officials.Four media helicopters could be positioned above the intersection of Cook and Miller streets Friday, authorities said. Law enforcement agencies also will have at least one chopper in the sky.Supt. Jeff Hearn of the Santa Maria Joint Union High School District called the Santa Maria Public Airport District Office seeking relief from hovering copters. Parents involved in a private school a block from the court site called city officials to see if the helicopters could be grounded.But there's nothing airport authorities can do, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.As people from Southern California know all to well, the helicopters are common at major news events. While they might be a nuisance, they have a right to operate, authorities said."It's OK for them to fly. We really can't restrict that," said Todd Smith, deputy air traffic control manager for the FAA's Central California operations.In the past, media aircraft pilots and the air traffic control tower staff kept in close contact, according to Chick Foley, air traffic manager for Central California. The main requirement is that the aircraft have the ability to auto-rotate to a safe landing, he said.Smith noted that temporary flight restrictions are rarely granted. There was talk of trying to close the airspace above the planned wedding site of singer Jennifer Lopez and actor Ben Affleck last year in Santa Barbara."They're really hard to get," Smith said.Afrikka Madix, operations supervisor for the Santa Maria Public Airport, said that while a temporary flight restriction might be difficult to obtain for a one-day event, it possibly could be obtained for a long-term situation, such as an ongoing trial. In that case, she said, the Santa Maria City Council could petition the FAA to issue airspace restrictions.Typically, pilots of news station helicopters are used to sharing the space because they operate together on a regular basis. Because of that, those pilots adhere to the rules because they don't want to put their own licenses in jeopardy, according to authorities.To someone standing on the ground, it may appear as a free-for-fall in the skies, but the helicopters are under control and at a higher altitude than it appears, news officials said."These helicopters are all talking to each other," said Hans Laetz, news operations manager for Los Angeles-based KABC. "They're all talking to the control tower. They're all in communication ... We're being very, very careful."Foley said that if the noise becomes especially burdensome, people should report it to airport authorities. While airport officials' hands are tied, complaints can be logged, he added."At least then we know they are causing problems," Foley said.St. Mary of the Assumption School is near ground zero for the Jackson's legal proceedings and tried to find relief from the helicopters but found there's no solution."It's really an annoyance and I think it's a safety issue," said Principal Carmen Vadillo. "We're concerned. It's a noise issue, it really is ... We're not looking forward to Friday."She wondered why the media affiliates don't employ just one helicopter and share the photos.Santa Maria High School also experienced helicopter headaches."We had helicopters sitting right over the top of campus or right near," said Hearn. "The sound of those helicopters is very, very loud."Friday brings new worries because Santa Maria High is in the midst of testing, with dates set by the state and conditions mandated to be normal.The multiple portable classrooms on campus don't offer much in the way of sound protection."We're asking to get some relief," Hearn said.* Staff writer Janene Scully can be reached at 739-2214 or by e-mail at janscully@pulitzer.net.April 29, 2004http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/20...ocal/news02.txt ____________________Santa Maria TimesHearing carries big bill for S.B. County By Quintin Cushner/Staff WriterFriday's Michael Jackson court hearing is expected to cost Santa Barbara County about $150,000, according to Jason Stilwell, projects manager with the county administrator's office. Most of that will be used to pay employees of the county Sheriff's Department and General Services offices to staff the event, Stilwell said. The remainder will be spent on maintenance and the fencing that was set up at the Santa Maria Courts Complex on Wednesday to separate Jackson from his fans. Including the estimated costs for Friday, the county will have spent about $423,000 on the four Jackson hearings in Santa Maria, Stilwell said, adding that he didn't have cost estimates for the investigation and grand jury proceedings against the singer. Media outlets are contributing about $7,500 to the county for expenses on Friday's hearing, he said, but the county is paying the rest. The costs are manageable at the hearing stage of the case, but Stilwell said the county is searching for ways to supplement its budget if there's a trial. Jackson is expected to be arraigned at the courthouse on a grand jury indictment. Though the indictment is currently sealed, the charges are likely to be similar to a complaint prosecutors filed against the singer last year. At Jackson's Jan. 16 arraignment on those charges, the singer pleaded not guilty to engaging in lewd acts with an unnamed boy under the age of 14 on seven occasions between Feb. 7 and March 20, 2003 and two counts of "administering an intoxicating agent" - reportedly wine - to help him with the alleged molestations. Sixty courtroom seats will be open to the public for the 8:30 a.m. arraignment, according to Darrel Parker, assistant executive officer of the Superior Court. The seats likely will be available through a lottery system, and those interested in seeing the proceedings in person should arrive at the courthouse - at Cook and Miller streets - about 6 a.m. on Friday, Parker said. Those who want to attend the hearing should remember not to bring bags, cell phones or cameras, Parker said. About 1,200 people are expected to turn up at the courthouse for Friday's hearing, along with about 150 members of the media, he said. Today, two groups with very different agendas are holding rallies in Santa Barbara County. At the Santa Maria courthouse, Sofia Hollum of Orcutt is hosting a candlelight vigil to call attention to victims of sexual abuse. Hollum, who calls her group Caravan to Justice, said she expects about 10 people at the vigil, which is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. on Miller Street near the courthouse. Supporters of the singer are planning their own candlelight vigil today at 7 p.m. at the front gates of Jackson's Neverland Ranch near Los Olivos, according to information on Jackson Web site, www.supportmichael jackson.net. Also, three "Keep the Faith Caravan" buses are being chartered from Los Angeles on Friday morning to transport Jackson supporters to Santa Maria at the singer's expense, according to his official Web site, www.mjjsource.com. * Staff writer Quintin Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or by e-mail at qcushner@pulitzer.net. April 29, 2004 http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/20...raffic/9230.txt____________________Chaos 2004: MJ Archive (Print Media) Posted: Apr 29 2004, 12:17 AM :Santa Barbara News-PressApril 28, 2004Court Of ConductExpert deliberations advise style makeover and behavior modification for Jackson court appearance By CHARLOTTE BOECHLERNEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITERNow that Michael Jackson has changed lawyers, just days before his return engagement in Santa Maria Superior Court, the question is, will he change his courtroom style? The News-Press polled some experts to find out what advice they would give the singer, whose demeanor and dress got bad reviews last time he appeared in court here. While most said he needed to polish his act, none argued for an extreme makeover, either. Steve Balash, a criminal defense attorney in Santa Barbara, suggested starting at the top. "I don't like his hair," said Mr. Balash. "Mainly because I'm bald."But also, he said, because it would be too distracting to a jury, if the case ever gets that far. He therefore recommends a subtle change."If he came in with a buzz cut, everybody would know he's done something really drastic for the trial," said Mr. Balash. "It would be like he's trying to do whatever he can to make the jury like him."A ponytail, he said, would be most appropriate.Richard Gabriel, a trial consultant at Los Angeles-based Decision Analysis, agreed. Jurors would want to clearly see a defendant's face."They're looking for direct eye contact," said Mr. Gabriel, who was hired by the defense in the O.J. Simpson and Heidi Fleiss cases. "If there isn't direct eye contact, jurors think that either (the defendant's) nervous or trying to cover up something."There are a few things Mr. Jackson might want to keep in mind about his wardrobe."Consistency is the most important trait. If (jurors) see fundamentally different behavior in a celebrity or, quite frankly, any defendant than what they've come to expect and know they can become very suspicious," said Mr. Gabriel. "If Martha Stewart were to come into court dressed in JC Penney clothes and try to dress down to make jurors think she's not a wealthy woman, jurors would see through that."That's why he thinks what Mr. Jackson wore last time around — a navy blue blazer and medallion around his neck — was, as celebrity convict Ms. Stewart might say, a good thing. A respectful ensemble accessorized by just the right amount of eccentricity."One of the worst things Michael Jackson could do," he said, "is show up in court with a Brooks Brothers suit and striped tie."Mr. Balash, however, doesn't necessarily agree."If you're charged with something such as sexual aberration, you certainly don't want to look like you're out of the mainstream," he said. "I'd want my client to look as mainstream as possible so that there's a better chance of the jurors being able to identify with the client."In other words, leave the white glove at home."If Michael Jackson was to have a jury of rock stars, he'd be fine. Everybody could have belly-button rings and it would be great. But there's not going to be rock stars on the jury. In Santa Maria, there might be some retired military, a few farmers, maybe a cowboy or two," said Mr. Balash. "I've sat next to many defendants charged with child molestation. It's tough. There's not too many things you can do right. Why would you want to push the envelope by looking somewhat bizarre?" He recommends Mr. Jackson go on a shopping spree with his Nation of Islam buddies. "They're in tailored coats and ties," explained Mr. Balash. "That's exactly the way I'd dress Michael Jackson."But he wouldn't specify what color to choose."I don't want to get into that — not with his complexion."Which brings up another point: makeup."I would downplay the cosmetics. In fact, I would not have a male client charged with child molestation coming in wearing cosmetics, period," said Mr. Balash. "You got a couple cowboys on his jury, they're not going to be turned on by a guy who comes in there, charged with child molestation, wearing lipstick."Or false eyelashes, for that matter."The problem with somebody who looks like a cross-dresser or whatever is he's trying to convince (the jury) he's a person of normal sexual appetite and not interested in children or boys," he said. "That's pretty difficult."Mr. Gabriel, on the other hand, said any radical changes — such as losing the cosmetics completely — could make the jury wonder what exactly Mr. Jackson is trying to do. If anything, he would suggest toning down the makeup. In other words, stay away from arresting red lips."Basic attractiveness has been shown to be very persuasive in terms of how jurors view the credibility of the parties in the case. So that is important," said Mr. Gabriel. "However, if it looks like there's an attempt to dress up, an attempt to appear attractive, you can have a backlash effect where the jurors actually become suspicious of the defendant, saying, 'They're dolling themselves up in a particular way... to try to seduce me, or try to persuade me, or try to distract me from the allegations here.' ''Next, the experts took up the issue of demeanor, something everyone from the judge to the TV talking heads took issue with last time. Mr. Gabriel, however, thinks the dance moves on the SUV weren't necessarily a bad idea."To behave and cower in a corner could potentially convey the message that 'I have something to worry about,' " he said. "The concern I would have later in the trial is you're conveying the message that 'I don't take this seriously.' "Dennis Merenbach, a defense attorney in Santa Barbara, recommends Mr. Jackson overcome the temptation to break out into "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" outside the courtroom, as actor Robert Blake did earlier in his case.Mr. Jackson's unusual behavior in court has not served him well in the past, Mr. Merenbach noted."He had another trial and he acted this way and the judge allowed a lot of the antics to go on. Well, that only cost him $12 million," said Mr. Merenbach, referring to a previous civil case in Santa Maria. "This is going to cost him life imprisonment. This is a case for which he's going to be dead in 30 days if he ever ends up in the joint. People do not like people like this in the joint."If Mr. Merenbach had his choice, he wouldn't even let the singer sign autographs. Crowds of fans are unpredictable — whether it's chanting that prosecutors are racist and potentially offending the judge and potential jurors or encouraging the entertainer to do something foolish."I would arrange for the Sheriff's Department to bring the limo as close as possible to the courtroom door so that he can get into the courtroom and out of the courtroom without having contact with his fans," said Mr. Merenbach.The added benefit in that, perhaps, is that Mr. Jackson might actually arrive on time."There are no excuses for being late," insisted Mr. Merenbach. "Anytime you're going to give unfavorable conduct in front of a judge, that will always be weighing in his psyche when he has to make a decision relating to the evidence in the case. The worst scenario is, for subjective reasons, the judge will choose to deny any defense motion."So it's probably not a good idea, then, for the singer to make devil horns with his fingers as he did in court in December of 2002 — even if Tom Sneddon, whom he probably considers to be Satan himself, is in the room."A certain amount of reaction is fine. If you're rolling your eyes consistently or gesturing, it looks like, to the jurors, that you are trying to show them how outrageous this is," said Mr. Gabriel."Jurors are very sophisticated. They want to make their own judgments. They don't want to have the attorneys, the defendant, or the parties in the case saying, 'Here is how you should feel about this.' "Which is why the people Mr. Jackson brings for support are important, too.Bringing his family may help jurors rationalize his behavior, Mr. Gabriel said. Perhaps the singer feels comfortable sharing a bedroom — and even bed — with other kids because maybe he grew up in a household where he didn't have separate rooms."The people that you normally want to have come in any criminal trial is your family," added Mr. Merenbach."The implication is that if we thought you were guilty, we would not be sitting in the courtroom supporting you."But, in the end, said Mr. Gabriel, only one thing really matters to jurors in a criminal case.The evidence.http://www.newspress.com/mjacksonupdate/0428conduct.htm |
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By Quintin Cushner/Staff WriterSchool resource officers and detectives are among more than 40 city police personnel who will monitor the area around the Santa Maria Courts Complex during the Friday arraignment of Michael Jackson, according to Chief Danny Macagni. Department officials hope that by diverting police from their usual beats that day, they might be able to avoid exorbitant amounts of overtime, Macagni said. He noted that there will still be enough police officers to monitor other areas of the city. Seth Waite/Staff Jackson is expected to be arraigned on a grand jury indictment Friday. Though the indictment is currently sealed, the charges are likely to be similar to a complaint prosecutors filed against the singer last year. At Jackson's Jan. 16 arraignment on those charges, the singer pleaded not guilty to engaging in lewd acts with an unnamed boy under the age of 14 on seven occasions between Feb. 7 and March 20, 2003 and two counts of "administering an intoxicating agent" - reportedly wine - to help him with the alleged molestations. On Jan. 16, Macagni said his department used about 100 hours of overtime, at an approximate cost of $6,000. That amount could be equaled on Friday, he said. It's a relative drop in the bucket for a department with an annual operating budget of $15 million, but the costs could add up to a tidy sum during a projected seven-week trial in the case, he said. Also, it would be impossible to divert officers from their usual duties over the duration of a lengthy trial, he said. For that reason, Macagni said he was planning to seek mutual aid from law enforcement agencies in Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Under mutual aid agreements, neighboring departments are responsible for helping one another in the event of unforeseen emergencies. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, which monitors the courts complex, will send about 50 deputies to the site Friday, according to sheriff's Cmdr. Bill Byrne. Since Friday is a court-ordered furlough day, many of the deputies are actually bailiffs who would have normally been off that day, Byrne said. The Sheriff's Department may also seek mutual aid if the Jackson case leads to a protracted trial in Santa Maria. At the conclusion of the Jan. 16 hearing, Jackson created a fan frenzy by jumping atop his sport utility vehicle parked along Miller Street. As he sped away, fans of the singer rushed onto Miller Street, and chased after the vehicle. Macagni said that there will be no pedestrian access to Miller Street near the courts complex this time, though the street will remain open to vehicle traffic. Anyone who attempts to cross a police barricade or a fence at the site will be arrested on suspicion of disobeying police officers' orders, he said. On Friday, fan access to Jackson will be restricted by a fence running along Miller Street, according to Byrne. In January more than 1,000 people turned out to see Jackson, and a similar number is expected this time, he said. Jackson, who on Jan. 16 was dropped off along a curb at Miller Street, will instead be deposited inside the court's public parking lot in front of Building G, where the arraignment is scheduled to take place, Byrne said. Jackson will not be accompanied by Nation of Islam security, Macagni said, adding that his department was notified Tuesday that a private security company had taken over guarding the singer. Macagni was cautiously optimistic when asked about the singer's expected behavior on Friday. "We hope he'll arrive and depart in a professional manner," Macagni said, noting that Jackson representatives had assured him that there would be no surprises. "But they might not be able to control the actions of their boss," Macagni said of the representatives. * Staff writer Quintin Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or by e-mail at qcushner@pulitzer.net. April 28, 2004 
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