Pop star's family promises big support at arraignment

LOS ANGELES -- Hundreds of fans from around the world will converge on Santa Maria for Michael Jackson's arraignment on child molestation charges later this week, his family said Monday.

"My brother is innocent; he is 1,000 percent innocent," his brother, Jermaine Jackson, said. "My mother, father, sisters and brothers are overwhelmed at the outpouring of the fans."

Diana Dalo, an Italian fan, said fans are planning a "huge gathering" over several days that will include people from Spain, France, England, Canada, Mexico and Japan, as well as from around the United States.

Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned Friday in Santa Maria.

"We've had fans calling from out of state who are flying in just for the arraignment," said Angel Howansky, a publicist who is helping coordinate the event. She added that she was helping without pay.

Meanwhile, more than two dozen Jackson attorney, accountants, bankers, and managers were to meet at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Monday morning to discuss the singer's business affairs, said Jackson family friend Brian Oxman.

Jackson, 45, is charged with seven counts of performing lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent. He's free on $3 million bail pending his arraignment.

The Friday court date also was to include a hearing for news organizations asking a judge to unseal documents related to the Nov. 18 search of Jackson's Neverland Ranch.

The news organizations contend that the public was not adequately notified of a request by Jackson's attorney and Santa Barbara prosecutors to keep the search documents sealed, at least until the arraignment.

The documents include the search warrant, an affidavit in which authorities explained their reasons for seeking the warrant, and a list of items seized.