The long awaited Michael Jackson court case will go ahead on 31 Jan as planned after Jacko's lawyers were unsuccessful in their bid to have the case thrown out of court or, at least, postponed three months.
Judge Rodney Melville rejected Jacko's lawyers somewhat ambitious claim that the repeated search of the singer's Neverland ranch proved their client was a victim of "vindictive prosecution" and that therefore the whole case should be scrapped. He also refused their request for another three months to work their way through the thousands of pages of evidence being presented by the prosecution, adding: "If I continue the case for three months, we'll have 90 more search warrants and 90 more motions."
All of which means what is sure to be a media circus of a trial will kick off in the New Year. Melville admitted that the high profile nature of this case would be "problematic" but said notices would be sent out to potential jurors next week.
Elsewhere in Jacko news, the singer's ex-wife and the mother of two of his children, Deborah Rowe, has begun proceedings to get visiting rights to Paris, aged six, and Prince Michael I, aged 8. Her parental rights were terminated in 2001 but partially restored in 2003. The latest claim for access will go to court on 2 Feb, just two days after that child abuse case begins. Rowe may be making these new access moves so that, should Jacko be found guilty in the pending court case, she can win the custody of her two children.