Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 24, 1993 TAG: 9311240146
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL PAGE: A2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Los Angeles Times
DATELINE: LOS ANGELES LENGTH: Medium
Bertram Fields, Jackson's civil attorney, went so far as to tell a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge that "you've got a district attorney sitting up in Santa Barbara, probably about to indict. . . . You can't get too much closer to an indictment than to have a grand jury sitting there."
After first stating that, however, Fields and Howard Weitzman, Jackson's criminal attorney, backpedaled, attempting to play down the significance of grand jury involvement. They said that while at least two subpoenas have been issued, they have no information indicating an indictment is imminent. Weitzman said his colleague "misspoke" when he suggested an indictment might be returned soon, and added he is not even sure the grand jury has been impaneled.
Legal experts said if a grand jury has issued subpoenas, it demonstrates a panel has been impaneled and is at least preparing to hear evidence. That would be the clearest signal to date that investigators are pushing for a criminal indictment.
News of the subpoenas came as the singer's legal woes are compounding by the day.
Monday, five former security guards filed a suit claiming that they were fired because they had knowledge of his "nighttime visits with young boys." Fields vehemently denied those allegations Monday evening.
Then, Tuesday morning, Jackson's lawyers lost a bid to delay a civil case brought by a 13-year-old boy who says Jackson molested him over a period of about four months earlier this year. The ruling in the civil case could clear the way for trial to begin in March.
by CNB