Santa Maria, Calif. – After cracking Michael Jackson jokes for months, Jay Leno played it straight for the most part Tuesday at the pop star’s child-molestation trial, testifying that the boy at the center of the case sounded scripted over the telephone but never asked for money.
The defense called the “Tonight Show” host to the stand to support its claim that the boy’s family schemed to get money from celebrities such as Jackson. The boy was suffering from cancer when he telephoned Leno.
Later in the day, the defense called actor Chris Tucker to the stand and said he would be their last witness, indicating Jackson will not testify. Defense attorney Thomas Mesereau prompted speculation the pop singer might take the stand in opening statements, when he said jurors would hear from Jackson on certain issues.
Tucker remained on the stand at the end of the day and was scheduled to complete his testimony today.
Initially serious and understated on the witness stand, Leno warmed up during his testimony, occasionally smiling, and finished with a lighthearted promo: “We have Renée Zellweger on the show tonight.”
Leno said that he grew suspicious when he began receiving repeated voice-mail messages from the boy in 2000.
Leno said the boy left so many messages that he finally approached comedian Louise Palanker, a friend who had become acquainted with the boy.
“I said, ‘What’s the story here? This doesn’t sound like a 12-year-old. This seems a little scripted,”‘ Leno testified. He said Palanker told him the boy wanted to be a comedian and writes out everything he says.
Leno testified he makes many calls to ill children, and at one point he did an imitation of the mumbly way children usually speak to him – not the kind of forceful, adult presentation he said he heard from Jackson’s accuser.
But Leno said the boy never asked for money and he never gave him any, though he did send “Tonight Show” memorabilia and a picture.
The defense has said Leno was so concerned about the boy’s calls that he called police, but Leno said Tuesday it was police who contacted him. He said he probably did tell police he believed the family was looking for money. “In the business I’m in, you hear from a lot of crazy people, and I’m reluctant to follow up. But when it’s a child, I do follow up,” he testified.
Tucker testified that he met Jackson’s accuser after the boy’s father introduced himself at a comedy club and asked him to take part in a benefit.
Tucker said that a few days after the benefit, the boy told him it hadn’t made any money, so Tucker wired “probably $1,500 or more” to a foundation for the family.
Mesereau asked Tucker if he believed the money was for medical expenses.
“I was hoping it was for that,” Tucker said.
