Prosecutors want to review US entertainer Michael Jackson's financial records, saying they believe serious money troubles drove the entertainer to force his accuser's family to help him rebut a damaging television documentary.
Assistant District Attorney Gordon Auchincloss requested copies of the documents yesterday at a hearing that included several rulings in the singer's child molestation case, including that "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno may joke about Jackson despite a gag order on prospective witnesses.
Auchincloss told Judge Rodney S. Melville the state only wanted "a concise snapshot" of Jackson's finances to show the entertainer is "on the precipice of bankruptcy."
Melville said he would allow only minimal evidence on Jackson's financial condition. He asked both sides lawyers to confer and reach an agreement by Thursday on what financial records would be released.
"I don't want to inundate the jury with a lot of figures that don't tell a story," the judge said. "I don't think you can turn the jury into accountants."
Jackson lawyer Robert Sanger denied Auchincloss' assertion and said the state's focus on the singer's finances today has no relevance to his finances in 2003, the year at issue in the trial.
Despite Sanger's denial, Auchincloss called Jackson "a spend-a-holic" who has "an insatiable appetite for money." From 1999 to 2001, he said, Jackson was spending $35 million a year while earning only $11 million to $12 million.
"He is in debt to the tune of $300 million and has liabilities close to $400 million," the prosecutor said.
Auchincloss did not explain if he was talking about two amounts or including the debts in the sum of liabilities.
Prosecutors allege money troubles gave Jackson an incentive to hold his accuser's family captive to help him respond to a TV interview he gave in which he admitted sharing his bed with children.
Jackson, who was not required to attend yesterday's hearing, was not in court. His spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, said he is still in pain from a back injury that caused him to be late for court Thursday, an incident that irritated the judge.