Los Angeles, Jan 08: News organizations asked a judge to unseal court records related to the search of Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch as part of the child molestation case against the pop star. The motion filed yesterday in Santa Barbara county superior court contends the public was not properly notified of a request last month that the documents remain sealed until the singer's January 16 arraignment.
"There needs to be notice and an opportunity to be heard regarding the sealing of court documents," said attorney Theodore Boutrous Jr., who represents NBC, CBS, CNN, ABC, Fox News Network and the New York Times. "There must be notice so the public can go in and argue that documents should not be sealed."
The records were initially sealed for 45 days on November 17, the day before authorities searched the ranch for evidence involving the boy Jackson is accused of molesting. Jackson has denied the allegations.
The records include the search warrant, an affidavit in which authorities explained their reasons for seeking the warrant, and a list of items seized.
The records were to become public December 31, but prosecutor Thomas Sneddon and Jackson attorney Mark Geragos requested on December 24 that they remain sealed until the arraignment.
Superior court judge Clifford Anderson signed the order December 26. The media organizations requested yesterday that a hearing on unsealing the search records be held the day of the arraignment.
Calls to Anderson and Geragos were not immediately returned. Bureau Report