Michael Jackson's sudden illness halts trial

SANTA MARIA, California - Pop star Michael Jackson was taken to a hospital emergency room suffering from the flu, bringing an abrupt halt to jury selection in his child molestation trial.

Jackson became so sick while en route to court in Santa Maria, about 30 minutes from his Neverland Valley Ranch, that he was driven instead to a local hospital. The sudden illness caught Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville and even Jackson's own lawyers by surprise.

"I did speak with Mr Jackson by telephone this morning on the way to court and he said he was very ill," lead defence attorney Tom Mesereau told the judge after a hushed conference with his colleagues.

"I'm told he's being examined by a doctor."

More than 100 jury candidates sat idle for over an hour while the judge conferred in private with prosecutors and Jackson's attorneys and then, by telephone, with an emergency room doctor.

Melville emerged from his chambers to announce that the 46-year-old Jackson had been admitted to the hospital and would not be able to attend court for at least several days, bringing audible groans from some of the would-be jurors.

Since jury selection began on January 31 in the sensational trial, potential jurors have only been summoned to court on four days. Melville was forced to cancel the proceedings last week after Mesereau's sister died.

"Mr Jackson is very ill with the flu. He has all of the symptoms we all have (with the flu)," Melville said after speaking with the doctor. He then dismissed the jury candidates until next Tuesday, saying that would give Jackson "ample time" to recover.

The unexpected development sent dozens of reporters and camera crews scrambling from the courthouse in Santa Maria to nearby Marian Medical Centre, where Jackson was being treated. A spokeswoman there declined comment.

Jackson is charged in a 10-count indictment with molesting a then-13-year-old boy at his Neverland Valley Ranch and with conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.

Melville has established a pool of about 240 prospective jurors, from which he will choose the 12 men and women who will ultimately decide Jackson's fate. The judge also wants to pick eight alternates, who will take the place of any jurors who must be dismissed during the six-month trial.

On Monday, Mesereau told the court that he plans to call some of he most famous people in America to testify in Jackson's defence, including basketball star Kobe Bryant, actress Elizabeth Taylor, Tonight Show host Jay Leno, singers Barry Gibb, Nick Carter, Diana Ross and Stevie Wonder, talk-show host Larry King, author and lifestyle guru Deepak Chopra and comedian Chris Tucker.

Mesereau also said he would call 10 members of Jackson's family to the witness stand, including two of the singer's young children, Paris and Prince Michael, and several of his nieces and nephews.

Mesereau did not say what testimony the famous athletes and entertainers could offer on behalf of Jackson.

- REUTERS