Three of the jurors who found Michael Jackson not guilty on all charges brought against him in a dramatic June 13 verdict have now stated they believe the erstwhile King of Pop molested Gavin Arviso, his accuser in the case. Two of the jurors reportedly have book deals and a joint TV movie in development, leading, not unreasonably, Jackson's defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr., among others, to question their motives.
Eleanor Cook, 79, and Ray Hultman, 62, said Monday on MSNBC's new Rita Cosby: Live and Direct show that they believed Arviso was sexually assaulted. "No doubt in my mind whatsoever, that boy was molested, and I also think he enjoyed to some degree being Michael Jackson's toy," Cook said. She added, "I'm speaking out now because I believe it's never too late to tell the truth."
"There were a lot of people that were interested in this case from day one," Hultman said. "People expect to know what's going on with their justice system and how things work."
But why now and not then?
Cook and Hultman said they agreed to go along with the other jurors when it became apparent that they would never convict the pop star. Cook said she and Hultman caved to threats from jury foreman Paul Rodriguez. "He said if I could not change my mind or go with the group, or be more understanding, that he would have to notify the bailiff, the bailiff would notify the judge, and the judge would have me removed," she said.
So now you're uncaving - doing a bit of reverse spelunking?
Cosby asked Cook if the other jurors will be angry with her. "They can be as angry as they want to. They ought to be ashamed. They're the ones that let a pedophile go," she responded.
Um, you did too, lady.
Hultman indicated he was upset with the way other jurors approached the case. "The thing that really got me the most was the fact that people just wouldn't take those blinders off long enough to really look at all the evidence that was there."
Article comments
1 - bhw
These two jurors are a couple of idiots. Either they voted against their own beliefs during the deliberations, which makes them idiots, or they're full of crap now, which makes them idiots.
American jurisprudence on display. Beeeeutiful.
2 - Eric Olsen
ergo=idiots, greedy idiots
3 - Nancy
These assholes are perjurers whether before or after the facts. In any event, they should be prosecuted if they have been found to have done anything in violation of their trust. As for Cook, age doesn't give her carte blanche to do 'whatever [she] wants to do.' Senile old bitch.
4 - Eric Olsen
I don't think they broke any laws, other than those of judgment and taste
5 - Vent Casey III
I love how Cook, the sharp-tounged poseur she is, tried to place blame on the other 10 jurors by saying that they were the ones who let a child molester go free. No, Ms. Cook, you played a role in that too. Had you had the gall to actually stand up and make a reasonable argument that Jackson was guilty, we probably aren't all cracking you for being the gold-digging loser that you are.
6 - Phillip Winn
"[I]s there any slight possibility that this boy might lie at all?" Um, that's not "reasonable doubt".
There should be a four-hour training session that all jurors should sit through, educating them on what constitutes reasonable doubt.
Of course, defense attorneys would never let that happens. An uneducated jury is usually a defense attorney's best hope.
7 - Nick Goddard
These morons are sick. They obviously have no idea what the hell they are talking about. Take a look at the road they walked down to get here. They were jurors on the Jackson case, indicating they are either liars and came into the case the knowing at least something about the trail, or they spent their lives living in some remote part of the world completely devoid of any outside influence. Basically they are either liars or ignorant, and not the kind of person who deserves to publish a book on something they obviously have no knowledge about. However, the fact remains that they did sit in on the trial and either didn't think is was guilty, or they were too spineless to speak up and put a child molester behind bars. In the two months since the trail they seem to have become child molestation experts and have the nerve to not only speak out against the man they acquitted, but to also say the accuser, Gavin Arvizo, liked it. I think they should either get an education before they open their big mouths, or they should stop trying to make a few bucks off of Jackson and shut the hell up. They had their chance to speak. Doesn't anyone think it is odd that they choose to do so now that they can get rich from it? It is clear they are setting out with the best intentions.
8 - lne
I think these folks should NOT be able to make ONE DIME off the case - these hypocritical spineless peeps who now say he's guilty. Geesh......how DO they screen jurors in the USA? I live here and could not believe the non-intelligent, certainly non-MENSA material on the jury. I guess ignorance is bliss for some.
9 - Eric Olsen
it seems we all agree they are at least disingenuous
10 - Marcia L. Neil
Although he has access to public telephone directory listings, many of us don't really know what Michael Jackson does in his "spare time", except call and demand information for himself.
11 - One chef
Why are aren't these two jurors claiming to give 'some' of the proceeds to 'charity', rather than giving it to the poor victim? After all, HE is the person who deserves it most, if indeed, they believe he really, truly was molested. He would be raking it in, instead of them, if they had convicted. How strange they didn't think to throw some of the proceeds his way...
12 - Jim Smothers
I for one am not suprised in verdict. One woman having a sex pervert in her family. I could never see where Jackson was anything, but perverted. Guess it says a lot about money, if you or I had been brought up before court with same charges, we would be under the jail.
13 - Eric Olsen
under the jail, indeed
14 - cengiz
these people r liers they only said this after they landed book deals and haters stop calling michael perverted if u did ur research it was always about money and as u can see these people r trying to make money not tell the truth. All this BS coming out is becuase they are trying to get rich. Watch aphrodite jones ducmentary about the trial she was there throughout the trial and while thinking he was guilty after witnessing the trial even she saw it was a setup. William wagnear was also there throughout the trial he and geraldo riveria were the only ones being unbiased. They looked at the families history and the evidence they saw there was nothing there. William wagnear has also said that jason francia (a kid who claimed he was molested) told him it didnt happen. Putting that into the fact that he admitted he and his mother wanted money and his mother sold the story to a tabloid made it clear what they wanted
B4 calling michael jackson or anyone else a pedophile do your research, look at all the facts and evidence regardless of who is being accused rich or poor
15 - cengiz
and this wasnt an uneducated jury they were educated there were teachers a math teacher and some other fields they were more then capable of doing the right thing