The jury in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial spent two hours weighing up the evidence before being sent home for the weekend.
The eight men and four women were sent out to consider their verdicts yesterday after 14 weeks of testimony.
The singer faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted of the 10 counts against him. In its closing argument the defence portrayed him as a victim of those trying to pull "the biggest con of their careers" and said the jury must acquit him.
The prosecution replied by telling jurors they would probably ask themselves why Jackson would molest his accuser Gavin Arvizo, and the answer was "because he could". It painted picture of Jackson as a serial child molester and his Neverland Ranch as a predator's lair.
"This child was in love with him," Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen said. "This child would do anything he said." Defence lawyer Thomas Mesereau Jr said the case had been a "nightmare" for Jackson.
"They are trying to take advantage of Michael Jackson," he told the jury, calling for him to be cleared on all charges. "They are trying to profit from Michael Jackson.
"They think they have pulled it off. They are just waiting for one thing - your verdict." As the jury began its deliberations, a grim-looking Jackson left the Santa Maria courthouse, California, and walked slowly to his entourage's waiting vehicles, parked where he had danced on top of his SUV after his arraignment.
The singer drove off without comment. Jackson, 46, has appeared gaunt in recent days, and officials at the Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital revealed today that he had visited the emergency room last night. Spokeswoman Janet O'Neill refused to discuss why he was there.
He is accused of molesting a 13-year-old cancer survivor Arvizo in 2003, plying him with alcohol and conspiring to hold the boy's family captive to get them to rebut a damaging documentary.
He denies four counts of committing a lewd act on a child, one count of conspiracy involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, one count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child and four counts of administering alcohol for the purpose of committing child molestation.
The jury was given 98 pages of instructions to guide members after more than 130 witnesses were heard, including the boy, now 15, who told of being molested by Jackson.
Three young men, including actor Macaulay Culkin, told the court they spent time with Jackson as boys and were never molested or inappropriately touched. Judge Rodney Melville told Jackson he could stay at Neverland during deliberations but attorneys would have to stay within 10 minutes of the courthouse in case the jury had questions that needed to be addressed.