Ruling due on past Jackson claims

Mr Jackson's lawyers admitted settling two past cases out of court

The judge in Michael Jackson's trial has ordered a hearing to decide whether jurors can be told about past sex offence allegations against the singer.

Prosecutors want to call the alleged victims of two previous cases against Mr Jackson as witnesses in his current child molestation trial.

Both previous cases were settled out of court. Judge Rodney Melville will rule on the matter at a 28 March hearing.

Mr Jackson denies 10 charges, including child abuse and false imprisonment.

"Inflammatory evidence"

Details of the previous cases have never been made public - but last September the singer's lawyers admitted they settled two civil cases out of court.

In a 1993 case, Mr Jackson agreed to pay a boy he was accused of molesting a reported $20m (£10.4m). Police also learned of a separate case in 1990.

Defence lawyer Robert Sanger said Judge Melville would have to determine whether evidence from past accusers would be "so inflammatory as to be prejudicial" to the current case against Mr Jackson.

He also asked the judge to consider the risk of confusing jurors and causing major delays to the trial.

Mr Arvizo was said to have accused comic George Lopez of theft

Neither Mr Jackson nor the trial jurors were required to attend legal discussions at Santa Barbara Superior Court on Friday.

Judge Melville also agreed to allow testimony that Mr Jackson's teenage accuser, Gavin Arvizo, once accused comedian George Lopez of stealing his wallet.

Defence lawyer Mr Sanger said the boy met the Mexican comic at a comedy club but later had a disagreement with him.

Sanger said the boy was subsequently persuaded by his father to accuse the comedian of stealing his wallet and demanded $300 (£156) in return.

The defence team said the incident demonstrated a pattern of the accuser trying to obtain money from celebrities.

"There is a good faith belief here that there are parallel patterns," said Mr Sanger. "When there is a falling out there is an accusation."

Prosecutor Tom Sneddon sought to block the evidence, saying Gavin Arvizo had tried to resist his father's plan. The trial is due to resume on Monday.