THIS MAKES A CHANGE: A MICHAEL JACKSON CASE WHERE HE ISN'T THE ACCUSED

Some unfinished business from the Michael Jackson sideshow: Jeffrey Borer and Arvel Reeves have been indicted on conspiracy, witness tampering and intercepting communications charges. The indictment suggests the pair used two cameras and a microphone to tape "a professional entertainer and his attorney" as they flew to Santa Barbara in November 2003: in other words, Jackson as he went to hand himself in.

According to the indictment, Reeves purchased the video and audio equipment from three electronics stores in San Bernardino County and, with another suspect, secretly installed the equipment in a concealed part of the airplane's cabin. The indictment did not identify the other suspect, listed as an unindicted co-conspirator.

The microphones were allegedly installed between passenger seat cushions.

Borer instructed Reeves to obtain and install the equipment and later contacted news companies and offered to sell the recordings, the indictment said.

In April 2004, according to the indictment, Reeves told a suspect to lie to FBI agents by saying that the video equipment was installed in an attempt to catch someone who had been stealing alcohol from the aircraft.

It's not yet been revealed if they had a fall-back position - perhaps plans to attach a small camera to a bird to film through the plane window? Should Jackson be on the lookout for birds getting too friendly?



Meanwhile, Jackson's pledge to have his song ready to go to help Katrina victims within twenty-four hours seems to have been a deadline which has passed; indeed, with Rita getting ready to blow through Texas, it might be more timely to adapt the song to help the next bunch of victims.

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