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Jackson misses court deadline
Showbiz
18:35 10 March 2005
Michael Jackson has angered the judge in his child abuse trial by turning up an hour late.
Judge Rodney Melville had threatened to seize the singer's $3million bail after he failed to arrive to the Santa Monica courtroom for the start of the ninth day of proceedings.
After there was no sign of Jackson at the courtroom, Melville issued an arrest warrant for the eccentric star.
In an angry announcement, Melville told the court: "I'm issuing a warrant for his arrest. I'm forfeiting his bail. I will hold the order for one hour."
The statement was made within minutes of the court reconvening to hear Jackson's accuser, Gavin Arvizo, continue his testimony against the star.
The 15-year-old boy is expected to reveal intimate details of the alleged sexual abuse he encountered at the hands of the 46-year-old star at his Neverland Ranch home.
Lawyers for the troubled singer - who could have faced spending the rest of the case in police custody in he failed to arrive - said their client had been admitted to hospital for a serious back problem.
Thomas Mesereau Junior, representing the 'Billie Jean' singer, was spotted talking frantically on his mobile phone half an hour before proceedings were due to begin, before announcing that his client had been admitted to a nearby medical centre.
He said: "Mr. Jackson is at Cottage Hospital in Santa Ynez with a serious back problem. He does plan to come in."
Last month, the case was held up for four days when the singer was admitted to another hospital suffering from 'flu.
(c) BANG Media International
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