Jackson Case Down To Closing Arguments

Michael Jackson was plagued by "con artists, actors and liars," the defense said Thursday after the prosecution portrayed the pop star as a sexual predator who used wealth and celebrity to exploit children.

It was a dramatic day pitting lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr., who has won national acclaim in high-profile criminal cases, against Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen, who has handled some of the most notorious cases in Santa Barbara County.

"Michael Jackson, not for the first time, took sexual liberties with a 13-year-old boy," Zonen told the jury. "Michael Jackson should be held responsible."

Zonen gave a summation of more than 14 weeks of trial, including a sharp attack on the defense for failing to fulfill the promises it made when it launched its effort to safeguard the pop star from charges of child molestation.

"Whenever a prosecutor does that, you know they're in trouble," Mesereau said.

The defense lawyer said he could spend time pointing out where the prosecution failed but that the stakes were too high.

"This is not a popularity contest between lawyers," Mesereau said. "The question here is the life and freedom of Michael Jackson."

The jury is expected to get the case today after Mesereau completes his closing and the prosecution gets another shot.

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