by Giles Hewitt
SANTA MARIA, California - Michael Jackson's lawyers were set to cross-examine his accuser's brother Tuesday over his eye-witness testimony of the alleged child molestation at the heart of the pop icon's trial.
But with only a half-day court session scheduled and the teenaged witness still under prosecution questioning, it was not clear when the defence might get its turn.
On Monday, the witness offered jurors graphic testimony of how he saw Jackson molesting his older brother -- then a 13-year-old recovering cancer patient -- at the star's Neverland Ranch two years ago.
The faded "King of Pop" also paraded around naked and aroused in front of the brothers, showed them pornography, plied them with wine and simulated sex with a mannequin, he said.
The teenager, now 14, is one of the most crucial players in Jackson's trial, as he is the only person who claims to have witnessed the molestation.
With Jackson staring at him from the defendant's bench, the boy recounted returning from a trip to get chocolate from the ranch's movie theatre during a sleep-over in Jackson's split-level bedroom.
As he entered the room, he saw Jackson lying on his back on the bed beside his brother, who was "curled up" and facing away from the entertainer with his eyes closed.
"I saw Michael's left hand in my brother's underwears and his right hand in his own underwears," the boy said.
"He (Jackson) was masturbating. He was rubbing himself. He had his hand in his pants and he was stroking up and down," he told the jurors who could send Jackson, 46, to jail for up to 20 years.
He said he saw an almost identical scene when he walked into the bedroom about two days later, except his brother was lying in his back and appeared to be asleep.
Both alleged incidents took place sometime after the February 2003 broadcast of a documentary in which the pop star was seen holding his future accuser's hand.
Although he mumbled at times during his testimony and often appeared confused by specific dates, the brother delivered his description of the alleged molestation clearly and without hesitation.
Jackson's defence team contends the accuser's family concocted the story to extort money from the pop star and that their mother coached her children in the details of the allegation.
The chubby teenager also told jurors that Jackson had once briefly appeared naked and sporting an erection in front of the brothers as they watched television on the star's immense bed.
"Michael walked up naked. He told us it was natural. My brother and I were grossed out," he said.
The young witness said he had not told his mother or elder sister of the alleged molestation and first mentioned it during a later interview with a psychologist, who then notified the authorities.
Jackson has denied 10 charges, including child molestation, plying the boy with alcohol to seduce him and conspiring to kidnap the accuser and his family and hold them prisoner at Neverland until they made a video clearing the star of any suggestion of child abuse.
Continuing the series of alleged revelations, the boy claimed Jackson showed him and his brother pornographic websites and magazines and frequently gave them red and white wine, sometimes concealed in soft-drink cans.
He also testified that the brothers often slept with Jackson in the star's bed where, on one occasion, Jackson simulated having sex with a girlish mannequin.
On several occasions Jackson took out a suitcase full of pornographic magazines including Playboy and Barely Legal, the youngster said, adding that the singer had talked to him about the subject of masturbation.
"He said everyone does it, you should try it," the boy said.
Jackson gave the brothers wine "a lot of times" in the star's bedroom, his office and in a hidden wine cellar, he said.
03/08/2005 09:46 GMT