The judge in the Michael Jackson child abuse trial in California has ruled that the singer's former wife, Debbie Rowe, will be allowed to give evidence for the prosecution.
The key ruling came as prosecutors prepared to wrap up their nine-week case against the pop star, opening the way for defence lawyers to respond to the charges against him.
Ms Rowe is engaged in a separate legal action with Jackson over custody of their two children.
His defence team had argued that allowing her to give evidence in this trial amounted to opening what they described as 'a can of worms'.
