Judge refuses to unseal grand jury transcripts

A media attorney had sought the action.
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (AP) -- The judge in the Michael Jackson child molestation case reinforced the wall of secrecy around grand jury transcripts and other evidence Friday and said that trying to ensure a fair trial for such a famous entertainer is "exasperating."
Judge Rodney Melville rebuffed arguments by a media attorney who sought to unseal grand jury transcripts so the public can see whether Jackson is being treated fairly.
In doing so, he suggested that celebrity trials such as Jackson's require a different standard than those of average people.
"The difficulty of seeing that an individual in this country gets a fair trial is exasperating when the individual is known around the world," said Judge Melville.
Jackson, 45, has pleaded innocent to committing a lewd act upon a child, administering alcohol, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
Lawyer's argument
On Friday, media lawyer Theodore Boutrous Jr. implored Judge Melville to unseal 47 search warrants and the entire grand jury indictment pertaining to Jackson so the public can know the exact charges the entertainer faces and the procedures used to gather evidence.
"The time has come, in this case, to let the sun shine in so the public, and the press as its surrogates, can know what the case is about," said Boutrous, who represents a coalition of media organizations including The Associated Press.
By keeping a tight lid on the case, Boutrous said Judge Melville is allowing Jackson's lawyers to "manage" the release of information, an allegation that brought a harsh response from the judge.
"This is about the court trying to balance First Amendment rights against the rights of Mr. Jackson and the prosecution," Judge Melville said.
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