The judge in Michael Jackson's child molestation trial decided on Wednesday not to change an instruction that would allow jurors to find Jackson guilty of a misdemeanour count of giving alcohol to a minor.
The decision came as the prosecution and defence argued for a second day over what should be included in the jury instructions, which were expected to be read to the panel later on Wednesday.
Closing arguments are set to begin on Thursday and the jury is expected to get the case Friday.
Opening statements in the trial started on February 28.
An indictment accuses Jackson of giving alcohol to his accuser in order to commit felony molestation.
But Judge Rodney S. Melville decided on Tuesday that the alcohol allegation could be a "lesser included offence," meaning jurors may consider convicting Jackson of simply providing alcohol to the boy.
The defence revisited the issue on Wednesday and tried to get the instruction removed, but Melville did not change his mind.
Also on Tuesday, Melville approved an instruction involving the TV documentary "Living With Michael Jackson," in which Jackson's future accuser appeared with the pop star and in which Jackson said he allowed children to sleep in his bed in an innocent, non-sexual way.
The judge said he was willing to tell jurors the video was "not offered for the truth of what is said except for certain identified passages."
Melville said jurors would be told the rest of the video should be considered hearsay.
The passages he referred to were not specified in open court.
46-year-old Jackson is charged with molesting a 13-year-old in February or March 2003, giving him wine and conspiring to hold his family captive to get them to rebut damaging aspects of the documentary.
