VANITY FAIR - JACKSON ACCUSER JORDAN CHANDLER TERRIFIED ABOUT TESTIFYING

The VANITY FAIR journalist who broke the news about MICHAEL JACKSON's secret addiction to painkillers last week (ends30JAN04) now claims the pop star's former accuser JORDY CHANDLER is terrified of being called to testify against his old pal.

MAUREEN ORTH has spoken extensively with Chandler's family for an expose on Jackson in the upcoming March (04) issue of Vanity Fair and she fears the one-time accuser, now a 23-year-old student, will never recover from his links to the THRILLER singer.

Chandler and his immediate family reportedly received $25 million (GBP11.8 million) in an out-of-court settlement back in 1993 when the then 13-year-old Jordy alleged he had been molested by Jackson.

Orth admits she tried and failed to interview Chandler directly, but did meet him and spoke extensively with his uncle.

She says, "Jordy Chandler's life has been completely broken by his association with Michael Jackson.

"He went to college, he manages his own money. He's a very attractive, bright kid but I don't think he really is able to have a normal life. He can't go anywhere without being identified as the Michael Jackson boy.

"People want to know all about Michael and how much money did he get."

Orth claims Santa Barbara, California, District Attorney TOM SNEDDON, who is leading the prosecution against Jackson in a new round of child molestation charges, has already approached Chandler and asked him to testify against Jackson.

She adds, "His uncle says Jordy should come testify because it would be the final nail in Michael's coffin and Jordy would be a hero."