Entertainment US Jackson Fans - Fans of the pop star show their support outside his Neverland ranch
TAPE: 04/0047
IN_TIME: 14:43:12
DURATION: 1:38
SOURCES: SKY
RESTRICTIONS: No UK/CNNi/Internet
DATELINE: California - 15 Jan 2004
SHOTLIST
Neverland Ranch, California
1. Various, fans outside Neverland Ranch singing
2. Various, fans gathered outside Neverland Ranch
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop, Fan of Michael Jackson
"Because I love him, basically, that's all there is to it. He's amazing."
4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Voxpop
"If you listen to songs like childhood and heal the world you will know that he really doesn't have that in him."
5. Entrance to Neverland with barricades
Santa Maria, California
6. Wide shot, courthouse
7. Various, interiors of court room
Neverland Ranch, California
8. UPSOUND: (English) Michael Jackson Fans
"We love Michael, we love Michael."
9. Jackson's lawyer drives into Neverland Ranch
10. UPSOUND: (English) Mark Geragos, Michael Jackson's lawyer:
"All I ask is that you guys move out of the street here because somebody's going to get hurt."
11. Media following car
12. View into Neverland through gates
13. Fans gathered outside Neverland singing
JACKSON SET TO PLEAD NOT GUILTY
Michael Jackson's lawyer said on Friday that the pop star will plead not guilty when he appears in court on child molesting charges later in the day.
A huge security operation will be put in place around the courthouse in Santa Maria, California.
Two months after a prosecutor made worldwide news by announcing he would charge Michael Jackson with child molestation, the multi-millionaire pop star was set to face his first court appearance amid an all-out media blitz.
Jackson, a longtime resident of this idyllic central California valley, abandoned his fabled Neverland Ranch after the case broke and was planning to come to court on Friday from Beverly Hills where he has been holed up in a spectacular leased mansion.
Busloads of Jackson fans also were en route from Los Angeles and Las Vegas to the rural Santa Maria Valley on a "Caravan of Love" to show their support for Jackson.
Several members of Jackson's famous family planned to be at his side when he is arraigned.
With news crews arriving from around the globe, setting up mini TV studios and satellite dishes, the scene was reminiscent of the OJ Simpson murder trial.
Although small compared to Simpson's "dream team," Jackson's defence expanded on Thursday with the addition of New York attorney Benjamin Brafman, a principal of the firm that won acquittal for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs on bribery and weapons charges in 2001.
Jackson's attorney, Mark Geragos, announced that Brafman would act as "co-lead counsel" and would appear with him at Friday's arraignment.
Jackson is charged with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts on a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent, reportedly wine.
Jackson, who has maintained his innocence, has been free on three (m) million dollar bail pending arraignment.