SANTA MARIA, California - More than 100 white-clad fans from across the world screamed support for Michael Jackson as he arrived for the start of a critical new phase of his child sex trial.
The embattled pop icon arrived at court with his parents ahead of a hearing at which prosecutors were due to begin presenting testimony about five other boys who they say were molested by Jackson.
Soberly-dressed in a black jacket and floral waist coat, Jackson stopped briefly to acknowledge the fans, turning around to smile and wave at the crowd as he flashed one of his trademark "V" for victory signs.
The group fans, including a children's choir wearing red gloves, brandished flags from around two dozen countries as they thronged the gate of the small courthouse to watch the star arrive.
"I moved to the US to support him as soon as he got arrested," said Yukiko Kanda a Japanese student. "I know he's innocent."
One fan held a banner emblazoned with the words "stay strong" amid the chants of "innocent" from the crowd.
An advocate for child sex victims was heckled by fans as he held up a banner that read: "Neverland a sextrap for children."
Around 200 faithful Jackson fans had gathered in the California town of Santa Maria at the weekend to lend their vocal support to the faded "King odfPop" ahead of the start of testimony about alleged prior child sex offences.
Jackson is accused of molesting a then 13-year-old boy at Neverland two years ago.
But prosecutors won a major victory last week when trial Judge Rodney Melville gave them permission to tell jurors of allegations that the star has a history of preying on young boys.
04/04/2005 16:46 GMT