The credibility of witnesses — especially those who may have a financial motive for accusing Michael Jackson of molestation — has become central to the criminal case against him.

During pretrial hearings on Monday, Mr. Jackson’s attorneys attacked the believability of the 13-year-old alleged victim’s mother, as well as the veracity of several former Neverland Valley Ranch employees who may be called to testify against the entertainer.

At the core of the case is whether jurors will believe witnesses if they sold information about Mr. Jackson’s private life, as some potential witnesses have, or if they have had past legal fights with the superstar. Defense attorneys have repeatedly asserted that some potential witnesses are simply making accusations as a “shakedown” for money.

At the very least, the large number of witnesses brings more weight to the current allegations.

“There’s a whole heck of a lot of smoke, and it might lead one to believe there’s a fire,” Mr. Thomas said.

Using those old allegations may be a sign of a weak case, said Gerry Spence, a prominent attorney for criminal and civil cases who splits his time between Jackson Hole, Wyo., and Montecito.

“That always suggests to me that the case is weak,” he said, “if they have to attack the defendant with witnesses that have that kind of baggage.”

But there can be a “dastardly cumulative effect” of testimony even from those who may have their credibility compromised, Mr. Spence said.

“An individual witness may not amount to very much, but a whole bunch of witnesses can .Ê.Ê (make) a weak case into a strong one,” he said.

Source: Santa Barbar News Press

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