One of Michael Jackson's former housekeepers testified today in his child molestation trial that an alarm that sounds when anyone enters the pop star's bedroom suite had the same volume during a test recorded earlier this year as it did in previous years.
The maid's testimony was aimed at discrediting an account by the accuser's brother, who testified he twice entered the two-storey master bedroom suite at Jackson's Neverland ranch and saw Jackson molest his brother on the upstairs bed.
The defence contends the events related by the brother never happened and seeks to show that the alarm would have alerted Jackson that someone was entering the suite.
The maid, Maria Gomez, was questioned about a test conducted by a defence witness to measure the volume of the alarm. She told defence attorney Robert Sanger that the alarm's chime sounded at the same volume during the test as it has for the last several years.
Prosecutors have suggested that the chime may have been louder during the test than it was when Jackson's accuser and the boy's brother were staying at Neverland in February and March 2003.
The defence case had been expected to last into June, but prosecutors said in court on Friday that the defence has indicated it may rest tomorrow. Defence lawyers did not comment.
"Tonight" host Jay Leno was expected to take the stand tomorrow to testify about a call the defence says he received from Jackson's accuser.
Defence lawyers say the boy's family targeted Leno and other celebrities, including Jackson, in attempts to get money.
Comedian Chris Tucker, who like Jackson befriended the boy while he was battling cancer, was to testify about spending time with the family, including a trip to visit Jackson in Miami in February 2003. It was unclear when Tucker would testify.
Tucker's girlfriend, Hollywood casting assistant Azja Pryor, testified last week that the boy's mother complained in March 2003 that Jackson's associates were trying to keep her family away from Jackson. Jackson is accused of molesting the boy in late February or early March 2003.
Jackson, 46, is also accused of plying the then-13-year-old boy with alcohol and conspiring to hold his family captive to get them to rebut a documentary in which the singer holds the boy's hand and acknowledges sleeping with children. Jackson says the practice is non-sexual. Jackson denies all charges.
AP