Santa Maria - The child molestation trial of Michael Jackson cost taxpayers about $2.7m, according to news reports Friday...
Santa Maria - The child molestation trial of Michael Jackson cost taxpayers about $2.7m, according to news reports Friday. Most of the money went to pay police officers who were stationed at the California courthouse during the trial that ended last month with Jackson being acquitted of all charges. The reports coincided with a decision by judge Rodney Melville to order prosecutors to return to Jackson all the material confiscated from him, including the pop star's adult magazines. The items, including computers, books and magazines, were gathered as part of the investigations into charges that Jackson molested a 13-year-old boy two years ago at his Neverland Ranch in early 2003. "Anything you have seized that was not brought to court and was not contraband, should be returned to Mr Jackson," Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville told Santa Barbara county district attorney Tom Sneddon.
The only items that the pop star will not repossess are syringes and prescription drugs that were found at Neverland but were not prescribed to Jackson.
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