Michael Jackson's lawyers went to court today to ask for a lengthy delay to the start of his trial on child sex abuse, saying they need more time to go through some 22,000 pages of evidence.
The pop superstar's defence team will also ask again for the charges to be dismissed because of "outrageous government conduct" claiming that the chief prosecutor in the case conducted a personal witch hunt against Jackson.
Jackson (46), was not in court for today's hearings and the judge is expected to rule on the defence requests later this week.
Jackson's trial, on charges of lewd behavior with a young boy at his Neverland Valley Ranch, plying him with alcohol and conspiring with his staff to cover up his actions, is scheduled to start on January 31st.
Jackson has pleaded not guilty.
On Friday he threw a party for 200 local children at Neverland, his theme park-style home in the foothills above Santa Barbara, California.
Prosecutors had been expected today to have evidence of "prior sexual offences" by Jackson admitted at the trial. But that motion will now not be discussed until early January.
Jackson's lawyers asked for a delay of several months in the start of the trial, which is expected to take about four months once underway and could involve more than 150 witnesses.
They argued that the prosecution had been slow in turning over discovery material that needed analysis, and that its witness list included people who did not exist.
The defence is expected to argue that the entire case should be dismissed because Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon had become carried away by his desire to bring down a celebrity.
Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville has already rejected a previous similar request seeking the removal of Mr Sneddon.