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Last Updated: Friday, 28 January, 2005, 15:45 GMT

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Timeline: Michael Jackson trial

18 November, 2003

Police search Michael Jacksons Neverland ranch
Police with a search warrant raided Mr Jackson's Neverland ranch at 0830 local time 1630 GMT giving the first public indication that the star was being investigated. Mr Jackson's lawyer said the investigation had been going on for two months and arose from allegations of sexual abuse of a 12yearold boy.

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19 November, 2003

Arrest warrant issued

20 November, 2003

Mr Jackson is arrested and freed on 3m pound1.65m bail

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18 December, 2003

Formal charges laid
Mr Jackson is charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering intoxicating liquor to a minor with the intent of committing a crime.

25 December, 2003

Mr Jackson gives his first interview since allegations broke
Speaking to the CBS TV network in a hotel room Mr Jackson said he would quotslit my wristsquot before he would hurt a child. He also claimed he suffered a dislocated shoulder after police quotmanhandledquot him and treated him quotvery roughlyquot during his arrest.

16 January, 2004

The singer pleads not guilty in court after arriving 21 minutes late

21 April, 2004

Mr Jackson indicted by grand jury to stand trial

25 April, 2004

He changes his defence lawyers

30 April, 2004

The star pleads not guilty to 10 child molestation charges including a fresh charge of conspiracy to abduct a child

28 May, 2004

Judge Rodney Melville sets tentative date for the trial of 13 September

27 July, 2004

The judge agrees to the defences request to delay the trial until 31 January 2005

17 September, 2004

The singer and his family watch the mother of his accuser give evidence in a pretrial hearing

4 December, 2004

Police raid Neverland ranch a second time

19 January, 2005

British journalist Martin Bashir asks not to be called as a witness
Bashir made a 2003 documentary in which Mr Jackson admitted sleeping in the same room as children at his ranch. Prosecutors want him to testify about other things the singer said or did that were not used in the programme. But Bashir said his work quotspeaks for itselfquot. Bashir now works for US network ABC.

30 January, 2005

The singer posts a video message on his website calling for a fair trial

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31 January, 2005

Jury selection begins

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15 February, 2005

The singer is rushed to hospital with flu and the trial is postponed for a week.

28 February, 2005

Trial opens with statements from prosecution and defence.

1 March, 2005

UK journalist Martin Bashir takes the witness stand but refuses to answer several questions.

9 March, 2005

Gavin Arvizo the 15yearold who accused Mr Jackson of molesting him takes the witness stand.

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28 March, 2005

Judge Rodney Melville allows past allegations against the singer to be used in evidence.

13 April, 2005

Janet Arvizo the mother of the boy accusing Mr Jackson takes the stand.

28 April, 2005

Debbie Rowe the singers exwife takes the stand.
Ms Rowe tells the court she was not forced to praise Mr Jackson in a 2003 video. She goes on to say he is quotgenerous to a fault good father and great with kids but calls his aides quotopportunistic vulturesquot.

5 May, 2005

The prosecution case ends marking the halfway stage.
Judge Melville refuses to throw out the charges and the defence begins with alleged victims mothers and ranch employees called to testify that Mr Jackson is not an abuser.

11 May, 2005

Macaulay Culkin appears and denies being abused.
Culkin who met Mr Jackson as a child star after appearing in 1990 film Home Alone says allegations that the singer abused him are quotabsolutely ridiculousquot. But he does admit sharing a bed with Mr Jackson.

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24 May, 2005

TV show host Jay Leno says he received odd voicemail messages from Gavin Arvizo but the boy never asked for money.

25 May, 2005

The defence rests its case after just three weeks confirming that Mr Jackson will not take the stand.

26 May, 2005

The judge allows a video of police interviewing Gavin Arvizo as the trial nears its end.

1 June, 2005

Judge Rodney Melville gives the jury the option to reduce one of the charges.
The judge says the jury can decide Mr Jackson gave Gavin Arvizo alcohol but did not abuse him resulting in a lesser charge with a penalty of up to a year in prison.

2 June, 2005

Both sets of lawyers make their final arguments.
The last chance for lawyers to convince jurors. Mr Jackson's lawyer Thomas Mesereau tells them the Arvizo family are quotcon artists actors and liarsquot while prosecutor Ron Zonen says quotsomething terribly illegalquot happened at Neverland.