Defense: Accuser's mother has sought money from other celebrities
SANTA MARIA, California (CNN) -- In his opening statements to a jury, Michael Jackson's lead defense attorney said Monday that the mother of his client's accuser has a long history of using her son's illness to pry money from celebrities.
Attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr. said the boy's mother approached "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, boxer Mike Tyson, comedians George Lopez, Adam Sandler and Jim Carrey in an attempt to get them to give her money under the guise of his needing medical help.
It was only Michael Jackson "who didn't see through the ruse," and he became "the mark," Mesereau told the four-man, eight-woman jury.
Mesereau's statement followed District Attorney Tom Sneddon's opening arguments in which the prosecutor detailed how Jackson allegedly abused the accuser. The defense was to continue its opening argument Tuesday. (More on prosecution opening.)
Mesereau said Leno told the Santa Barbara Police Department that he quickly ended a call -- which was taped -- from the boy because he could hear the boy's mother coaching him during the conversation and felt something was wrong.
The defense attorney added that the boy's mother accused Lopez of stealing $300 from her son's wallet.
The efforts appear to have paid off at least once, Mesereau said, citing comedian Louise Palanker's $20,000 gift to help the family build a room to care for the boy upon his release from a hospital.
But when Palanker went to visit the family, she discovered that the builder she had recommended was never paid, and the money had been spent instead on electronic equipment, including a large television and a DVD player, Mesereau said.
The boy's mother has claimed false imprisonment twice before, and has claimed she was a victim of sexual assaults four times, Mesereau said.
CNN's Miguel Marquez and producers Dree DeClamecy and Traci Tamura contributed to this report.
