TV network reveals allegations against Jackson

LOS ANGELES - The now 15-year-old boy who has accused Michael Jackson of molesting him gave graphic descriptions of the singer masturbating him to a grand jury, ABC News said after reviewing the previously secret testimony.

ABC said that its "Primetime Live" program will air verbatim quotes from the 1900 pages of grand jury testimony it has seen in which the boy describes Jackson masturbating him when he was 13 years old and living at the singer's Neverland estate in central California.

Jackson, the "Moonwalking" superstar who has portrayed himself as a modern-day Peter Pan, was indicted on 10 counts of child molestation and conspiracy. He has strongly denied the charges with his representatives claiming that boy and his parents were seeking to extort money from him.

ABC quoted Jackson's accuser as saying, "We were laying on the bed and he (Jackson) told me that men have to masturbate. He told me that he wanted to teach me (to masturbate) ...so we were laying in the bed, and then he started rubbing me.

"... he put his hand down my pants and he started rubbing me ... my private area ... he was masturbating me," said the boy, who was 14 when he testified last Spring.

The prosecutor asked him, "Did you look over to see his eyes at any time?" The boy answered, "Yes" and added, "His eyes were like squinching (sic) really tight."

The prosecutor asked the youth if Jackson, 46, ever talked to him "about those occasions where he masturbated you?" and the boy answered, "No."

ABC said the prosecutor then asked the boy "Did you at any time touch Mr. Jackson?" and he answered, "No. He - he wanted me to, but I didn't. I said no and I pulled my hand away."

Jury selection in Jackson's trial is due to start on Jan. 31. ABC said the youth, his brother, sister and mother, testified before the 19-member grand jury in Santa Barbara County, California, last Spring. They were among 41 witnesses heard over 14 days.

Both Jackson's lawyers and prosecutors are under a court-ordered gag order not to speak about the case. An ABC spokesman would not comment on how "Primetime" obtained the testimony. A Jackson spokeswoman had no immediate comment.

The judge in the case on Wednesday delayed a ruling a ruling whether accusations of sexual abuse previously made against Jackson will be allowed into the trial.

Jackson's lawyers have called the evidence flimsy but prosecutors said that it showed a pattern of sexual abuse of young boys.

Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville said he was not inclined to consider evidence that Jackson may have sexually abused other boys until he heard the bulk of the prosecution's case against the entertainer.

- REUTERS