Comedy Club Owner And Flight Attendant Testify at Michael Jackson Trial

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

The man who claims to have introduced Gavin Arvizo to Michael Jackson (although he admits he never met him) took the stand in court yesterday. Outside of testimony, a ruling concerning psychologist Stan Katz, the man who the Accuser first told of the alleged abuse, was made by Judge Melville. Katz is due to testify soon, however Melville ruled that he cannot testify about the Accuser's credibility or whether or not he feels molestation actually occurred.

Jamie Masada, owner of the Laugh Factory comedy club, is a friend of the Arvizo family and introduced many celebrities to the Accuser during his illness. He testified during direct questioning by Prosecutor Ron Zonen that he felt the Arvizo family were being held against their will at Neverland Valley ranch after a conversation with Janet Arvizo, "She was kind of in a state of crying, like 'Oh my God, they are holding me here,"' said Masada, "She said, they're holding me with my kids against my will. I need to get out of here."

The witness also corroborated Louise Palanker's testimony from last week when she said the Accuser would not corroborate his Father's claims that comedian George Lopez stole $300 out of his wallet. Masada claimed he wrote the Father a cheque for $350 when he was first told.

During cross-examination, Masada talked back to lead Defence attorney Tom Mesereau, repeating what Palanker had told him about her experience in court last week, "She said that you have made this court like O.J.'s court or Robert Blake's court, and you lied and changed the words around," he said. Masada snapped on another occasion when Mesereau read out a previous statement he made to sheriff's investigators where he made reference to the Arvizo parents asking for money. Masada insisted he was only talking about the Father, "Don't put words in my mouth," he said angrily. "Let me tell the truth."

Although previously Masada had staked claim to being the man who introduced the Accuser to Michael, he wasn't so adamant during his testimony. The witness testified that he had made a few phone calls after the Accuser expressed an interest in meeting Michael, even to producer Quincy Jones, "I don't know if the message got to him or the fact that he called the next day was by the will of God," he said.

Masada admitted to never have met Michael, "This is the first time I've seen him," he said, turning to him and asking, "How are you?" Michael waved. When leaving the courthouse, reporters asked Michael about the sometimes light-hearted nature of the proceedings, "You can use a little comic relief sometimes," he said according to the Associated Press.

The day's testimony ended with flight attendant Cynthia Ann Bell taking the stand. She served Michael as well as the Arvizo family on a trip from Miami to Santa Barbara. When Prosecutors questioned her about being ordered to serve wine in Coke cans she refuted the claim, saying it was her idea. "Michael Jackson is a very private drinker," she said. He is also a nervous flier according to Bell, and he once had a plane land due to turbulence, the wine was to ease his anxiety.

Bell recounted that she saw the Accuser sitting next to Michael on the flight, but never saw him share his drink with anyone, and even his children Prince and Paris were always beside their Father or on his lap. The witness stated that she found the Accuser to be "loud" and "obnoxious" during the flight, stating he made demands, "Serve me my food, this isn't warm," he apparently said. "The individual was very rude..." Bell said. "He was just unintelligent. It was embarrassing to have him aboard, actually."

These claims are not unique, as former Neverland maid Kiki Fournier testified to witnessing a similar attitude from the Accuser. Fournier testified on March 17th that if the Accuser and his brother didn't like something they were given for dinner they demanded something different, "There was no respect," she said.

"You told the grand jury (Gavin Arvizo is) a weird kid?" Mesereau asked Bell. "Yes, I did," she replied. Bell testified that she knowingly served alcohol to Davellin Arvizo (who was then 16) after asking her for identification according to the Santa Maria Times.

On her way out of the courthouse Bell took the time to shake hands with Michael, she will continue her testimony today.

Source - MJNI.COM