| Arvizo In Court On Welfare Charges |
 |
| Monday, 31 October 2005 00:24 |
|
The mother of a boy whose accusations of molestation against Michael Jackson were rejected by a jury made a brief and apparently reluctant court appearance on welfare fraud charges today in Los Angeles. At first, the woman was absent from the hearing, sending her lawyer to handle a postponement. But Superior Court Judge David Horwitz demanded she come to court. After a two-hour delay, she rushed in, clad in a jogging suit. The Associated Press is withholding the name of the woman to protect the identity of her son. With her hair pulled back in a barette and no makeup, the woman was barely recognizable as the witness who testified at length in the Jackson trial. She is accused of perjury in falsely applying for welfare aid. Prosecutors allege she collected nearly 19-thousand dollars in fraudulently obtained welfare payments between November 2001 and March 2003, failing to disclose she had received a 150-thousand-dollar settlement of a lawsuit against a department store chain. The 37-year-old woman didn't speak during today's proceeding. Her lawyer agreed to a postponement until December 19th for further scheduling. |