US: Michael Jackson returned to his child molestation trial yesterday after suffering a "flu-like illness," and the judge apologized to would-be jurors, assuring them the pop star had been genuinely sick.
Jackson, (46) briefly waved and flashed a "V" for victory sign at fans before entering the Santa Maria, California courthouse after a week-long suspension in the jury selection procedure because of his illness.
Jackson spent two days last week being treated at a local hospital for what doctors described as a "a flu-like illness with some vomiting". More than 100 jury candidates were sent home for a week, only a few days after another one-week delay due to the death of the sister of Jackson's lead attorney, Mr Tom Mesereau.
"We've had a couple of false starts," Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville told the prospective jurors. "Mr Mesereau really did have a tragedy in his family and he could not have performed as he is expected to. Mr Jackson really was sick. He really had the flu."
Judge Melville assured the would-be jurors that neither incident had been a ploy by the defence, and asked them not to hold the delays against Jackson or his lawyers.
Jackson is charged in a 10-count indictment with molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland Valley ranch and with conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.