A California judge denied on Monday a bid by Michael Jackson’s lawyers to throw out the child molestation charges against the pop star or delay his trial by several months.

Jackson’s lawyers argued that a grand jury indictment should be dismissed because of “outrageous government conduct” by the chief prosecutor, who they claimed was engaged in a personal witch hunt against Jackson.

The defense team also argued in a separate motion that they needed more time to go through some 22,000 pages of evidence.

Santa Maria Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville rejected both defense arguments, saying a delay in the trial, scheduled for Jan. 31, would amount to “a huge step backwards.”

“If I continue this case for three months, we’ll have 90 more search warrants and 90 more motions,” Melville said, adding that the court will begin summoning jurors next week.

The defense has argued that the prosecution had been slow in turning over discovery material that needed analysis, and that its witness list included people who did not exist.

Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau argued that the case should be dismissed because Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon had become carried away by his desire to bring down a celebrity.

“There has never been a child molestation case in this county pursued at this level. There has never been a murder case in this county pursued at this level,” Mesereau said. “This is being done because Mr. Sneddon wants glory and doesn’t like Michael Jackson.”

Deputy District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss dismissed the argument as “tiresome” and “the ultimate act of desperation.”

“The idea that we would select Michael Jackson out of the hundreds of celebrities in our county for no reason is foolish. This is recycled rubbish,” Auchincloss said.

Melville earlier rejected a similar request seeking the removal of Sneddon.

Source: Reuters

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