Dec. 17, 2004 — Subpoenas have begun to be served on witnesses in the Michael Jackson case. And the King of Pop could be facing a triple whammy.

First, Court TV has confirmed that Jackson’s long-time right-hand man, Bob Jones, was served a subpoena in the Los Angeles office of attorney, Richard M. Steingard. This 20-year veteran of MJJ Productions has been told by the prosecution that he should be ready to testify at Michael Jackson’s child molestation trial sometime in April. The subpoena orders Jones to turn over to authorities all relevant files, diaries and photographs in his possession. Jones has also been ordered to hand over the chapters of his in-progress tell-all book which is said to be about half written.

Jones had worked for the Jacksons since their Motown days and was one of Michael’s most trusted confidants until he was summarily fired recently by Michael’s youngest brother, Randy. No severance pay, no vacation pay, no “thank you very much.” The termination could turn out to be a mammoth mistake, as Bob Jones traveled the world with Michael Jackson for decades. He’s the only top-ranking insider who never signed a confidentiality agreement. He knows the pop star’s secrets and now he’s finally able and willing to write an insider’s expose all about it.

To get an idea of how devastating Jones’ book could be for Jackson, consider this excerpt from his recent book proposal, which is making the rounds of New York publishing houses:

“Bob Jones knows where every single body is buried in Jackoland … imagine the possibilities. Any ambiguity about the nature of Michael Jackson’s many relationships with young boys will be laid to rest here …”

And, presumably, on the witness stand as well. Bob Jones recently told me he didn’t want to be a witness for either side, but if called, “I won’t lie for Michael Jackson.”

Second possible whammy: Among the nearly 170 names on the state’s witness list are those of Michael Jackson’s former personal maid and her son. (She quit Neverland Ranch in 1991.) Mother and son were the recipients of a $2.1 million Jackson payout in the mid-1990s and all indications are that the son — now a young 20-something —is prepared to take the stand to testify about what occurred between him and Michael Jackson. Since a subpoena in a criminal case trumps any civil nondisclosure agreement, he will be free to tell his story at the criminal trial without fear of retaliation by Jackson. As the saying goes, “there’s strength in numbers,” and it could be compelling for the jury to hear from not one but two boys claiming the same violation by Michael Jackson.

That of course begs the question: What about the first boy whose landmark civil suit netted him and his family a $20 million settlement back in 1994? My best information at this point is he has refused all requests to testify. So, how might the state present that part of the Michael Jackson saga to the jury? Look for one of his parents to take the witness stand — probably his mother. She will have to explain why she allowed Jackson and her son to spend more than 30 consecutive nights together sleeping in the same bed. This could be compelling testimony.

Whammy number three: Court TV’s investigative unit can now report that Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of Michael’s children, has also received a subpoena from the prosecution to appear at trial. She’s the same woman who is currently waging a custody battle with her ex. It’s a battle that sources tell me is getting ever more bitter as Rowe pushes forward on her request to have Michael Jackson submit to a psychological test to prove he’s mentally fit to be around the children. Adding to Rowe’s disenchantment with her former husband is the fact that his regular checks stopped arriving several months ago.

Others who have also gotten word from the district attorney’s office that they may be called to testify: Several former employees of Neverland — security guards, an office manager, personal maids and longtime Jackson family friends.

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The last time Michael Jackson faced allegations of child molestation the case never got to court because, as we all know, Jackson paid upwards of $20 million. Was that money, and the boy’s later refusal to testify at a criminal trial, a quid pro quo? The two sides have always been in dispute about this. Team Jackson has signaled that the money went for the child’s immediate silence; therefore, the parents could be called just as complicit as Jackson in trying to keep things secret. But the boy’s family has always maintained they were willing for their son to testify against Michael Jackson, even after they took the settlement. The problem, they say, was the extreme slow pace of the criminal case. As district attorneys in both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara tried to figure out how to proceed, their lives were being threatened by rabid Jackson fans and their request for protection under the state’s witness protection program was turned down. Only then, according to a family source, did the boy’s father decide to flee California rather than stay to cooperate.

To this day Michael Jackson has maintained his innocence. He repeats over and over that he would “never harm a child.”

Flash forward to the current molestation case. Legally speaking, things are different now because of a crucial amendment to section 1108 of the California penal code. It was authored by then California Assemblyman James Rogan in 1995. Rogan used to be a sex crimes prosecutor, a judge, as well as a United States Congressman, and he said he authored the amendment to right an injustice. Sex criminals don’t change their pattern of behavior, Rogan told Court TV, and it just didn’t seem fair that a jury was not allowed to hear that a suspect had committed “prior bad acts.”

“This case appears to be just the exact type of circumstance that the bill was designed to address,” Rogan said. “If the past allegations are true, if Michael Jackson really did molest a kid and was able to pay his way out of criminal prosecution and keep the child from testifying … justice is not offended to allow that information into this current case.”

Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon’s 65-page motion asking the court to grant him the 1108 right to bring up Michael Jackson’s past acts is heavily redacted. But it’s clear to the reader that there will be many witnesses called to testify about Jackson’s pattern of behavior. Under the section that is called “Summaries of the proposed testimony of witnesses” there follows 26 full pages of blacked out names, addresses and allegedly incriminating instances of Michael Jackson’s interaction with young boys. This is where some of those past Neverland employees (see above) come in. They say they saw questionable activities between Michael Jackson and young boys during their employment and during the 1993 case many of them told their stories under oath.

Five of these former employees later sued Michael Jackson for wrongful termination and they lost. So watch for the current Jackson defense team to attack them as liars and opportunists. Their cross-examination could be brutal if Judge Rodney Melville allows it.

You’ll hear a lot in the news in the days ahead about the prosecution asking for “the 1108.” Now you know — if it’s granted by Judge Rodney Melville — it means the jury will hear about Michael Jackson’s behavior with other boys, at other times. And yes, that means going back as far as the 1993 case.

Most courtroom watchers believe Melville will give the state the right to bring up at least some, if not all, of those 26 pages of what the DA calls, Mr. Jackson’s “other crimes”.

As one New York-based criminal defense attorney told Court TV, “If the DA gets the right to delve into Jackson’s past behavior, if he shows this is a guy with a real proclivity toward messing with young boys, you can stick a fork in Michael Jackson — he’s done.”

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