Jackson jury to be shown 'adult material'

The jury in the Michael Jackson trial will be shown a variety of erotic evidence seized from the singer's Neverland ranch, Judge Rodney Melville ruled Friday.

The collection, which includes pictures of nude children, comprises 7 books, 55 magazines, 2 DVDs and 4 computers. Jackson's lawyers point out that 23 of the magazines are from 1936, however, and are considered "collector's items."

Melville ruled that although the evidence could be shown, the prosecution would have to refer to it as "adult" or "sexually explicit" and not "pornographic" or "obscene." Nevertheless, prosecutors claim that the "adult" material would demonstrate Jackson's apparent fascination with young children.

"Some depict children nude. Some depict adults who appear to be the age of our children (in the case)," said Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen. "All of which, taken together, indicates the defendant's prurient interest in children, particularly boys."

The defence had requested that the material not be presented on the grounds that it had not been established that they belonged to Jackson specifically.

In the pretrial hearing, Melville also ruled that jurors could be shown Living With Michael Jackson, the controversial Martin Bashir documentary which sparked the case.