SANTA MARIA, Calif., May 5 (UPI) -- The California judge in pop star Michael Jackson's child molestation trial Thursday denied a defense request to have the charges against him dismissed.
Superior Court Judge Rodney S. Melville rejected a motion for acquittal -- the fifth time Jackson's team has requested a mistrial, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The defense then began trying to refute accusations Jackson, 46, molested a teenage cancer victim at his Neverland Ranch, then intimidated his family into denying the incidents happened.
Jackson has pleaded innocent to all 10 charges against him.
Since prosecutors began presenting their case Feb. 28, they've called 85 witnesses, including the boy, his mother and other witnesses who alleged Jackson had molested boys as far back as the 1980s.
In addition to the current accuser, jurors heard allegations Jackson molested or behaved inappropriately with five other boys, including former child star Macaulay Culkin and two youngsters who reached multimillion-dollar settlements with the singer in the 1990s.
