Jackson singled out young boys, ex-maid says

Michael Jackson took a special interest in a number of young boys including his teenage accuser and actor Macaulay Culkin, the pop icon's former maid testified on Thursday, describing his Neverland ranch as a "Pinocchio's pleasure island" for children.

Kiki Fournier, who worked for Mr Jackson between 1991 and 2003, and testified for prosecutors in his sex abuse trial, named 10 adolescent boys whom the star singled out for close friendships over the years at the ranch.

"With an absence of authority figures these children became pretty wild," said Ms Fournier, describing her experience at the 1,130-hectare Neverland Valley Ranch in the central California foothills that features a zoo, amusement park and arcade.

"Without parents it became like Pinocchio's pleasure island sometimes."

Ms Fournier said children at Neverland were allowed to eat whatever they wanted, stay up late and spend their time playing video games or watching movies.

On at least three occasions she said she saw children who appeared to be drunk. Once while serving dinner to Mr Jackson and about five children, she said, she suspected that the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" and at least three of the youths were intoxicated.

The jury has been shown stacks of pornographic magazines seized from Mr Jackson's bedroom and his young accuser, a recovering cancer patient, has spoken of nights of heavy drinking with the singer at Neverland.

In addition to Home Alone star Macaulay Culkin and the 15-year-old boy at the centre of the trial, Ms Fournier identified as one of Jackson's special friends the teen who accused him of molestation in 1993.

Defence lawyers objected to the mention of his name and Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville ordered it removed from the record.

Mr Jackson, 46, was never charged with a crime in the 1993 case and reached an out-of-court settlement with the boy's family.

Melville is expected to hold a hearing next week to determine if prosecutors can tell jurors about past accusations of sex abuse by Mr Jackson and call his 1993 accuser as a witness. Legal experts say it could be one of the most important rulings in the case.

Mr Jackson's defence team has described the mother of the singer's accuser as a grifter who latched onto celebrities and who has a history of making sexual harassment charges.

They have also said it was Mr Jackson's accuser and his younger brotherwho ran wild at Neverland, breaking into a wine cellar and Mr Jackson's stash of pornography on their own.

Under cross-examination, Ms Fournier said the brothers had trashed their guest unit towards the end of their stay in 2003.

"They tore it apart," she said, adding that she had found broken glass and spilled drinks in the room.