Earlier this week, Tom Meserau, the lead attorney representing Michael Jackson in the alleged child molestation case, read a list of celebrities who might be called as witnesses for the defense. As some commentators noted, a red carpet would be needed outside the Santa Barbara County courthouse to welcome the celebrities.
The names being mentioned include Kobe Bryant, the basketball star who recently had his own brush with law, actress Elizabeth Taylor, NBC's Tonight Show host Jay Leno, singers Nick Carter, Stevie Wonder, Barry Gibb and Diana Ross, comedian Chris Tucker, talk show hosts Larry King and Maury Povich, and one name that will be familiar to most desis, lifestyle guru of movie stars and celebrities -- Deepak Chopra.
Chopra has been a spiritual advisor to Jackson for several years. The king of pop is reportedly a vegetarian and a follower of the Ayurvedic tradition of food and medicine. Jackson thanked Chopra in his 1992 book of poems -- Dancing the Dream .
The jury selection process for the trial was halted when Jackson suddenly came down with the flu. But earlier, potential jurors were asked if they could identify the celebrity witnesses.
Reuters reported that one would-be juror was asked by Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen if he could identify Chopra. The man responded, 'I think he's a rapper.'