Michael Jackson's defense attorney Thomas Mesereau concluded his closing argument today with outtakes from the Living With Michael Jackson film, in which Jackson stated he would "slit [his] wrists" before he would harm a child.
In the 30 minutes of footage Jackson also said, "I love innocence. I'm a nut for innocence," — interesting statement, that — before Mesereau finished, admonishing the jury, "Under the law and the facts you must return a verdict of not guilty on all the counts. It is the only right verdict."
Then, as Jackson's sisters Janet and LaToya left the Santa Maria courtroom, Senior Deputy District Attorney Ron Zonen began his final rebuttal argument before the trial was turned over to the jury to determine the frail-looking King of Pop's fate.
Zonen reiterated that evidence Jackson fondled children in the past was necessary to prove the singer a serial pedophile. "It was anything but suddenly acting out with a 13-year-old child," he said of Jackson's alleged grooming and molestation of Gavin Arviso, then 13, in early 2003.
Zonen said that the boys who spent extended periods of time in Jackson's bedroom were more than just friends of the singer. "That is not a friendship, that is a relationship."
"In your entire life you have never heard of another middle-aged man doing that. If someone in your neighborhood were taking a 12-year-old boy into his bed amid a sea of pornography and alcohol, you would be on the phone with the police immediately," he said.
He also alleged that Jackson had been "in love" with Jordy Chandler, the boy who received the $20 million settlement from him in 1993, that Jackson sharing his bed with boys could not be explained away, and that Gavin Arviso is a "clone" for Jordy Chandler.
The prosecuter also addressed why Jackson would molest the boy at the very time when he was under particular scrutiny in the weeks following the TV airing of Living With Michael Jackson. "Why would he do it? Because he could. Because he has no restraints on his impulses ... Because the child was in love with him. Because they child would do anything he wanted him to do."
Article comments
1 - Mark Harrington
I think this is a very difficult situation for the legal system. I think reasonable doubt has very much been established and therefore MJ should be equited. I think he is an innocent man, but has this been proved in court?
If he is found guilty, can we say justice has been done, when so much doubt has been established.
Not good.
2 - Shark
Shark's predictions:
* aquitted on conspiracy charges
*convicted on molestation charges
* shortly after the verdict, Nancy Grace will stick her head in an oven and end her life -- since she'll lose her reason for living.
3 - Eric Olsen
Shark, all seems appropriate
4 - brittany
i believe the only reason these people are makin the statements they are is because they want money and since he has had these lies against him before they all figure hey since i was at his house at one time or another and i dont get wat i want from him i can make up this horrible lie and he will suffer major and i could get money or more outta this
5 - Josia
Regarding your previous post Eric - I third the motion - Blogcritics is definitely up there at the top of my list for following the case. It's nice to see peoples' opinions right along with the latest developments.
But Michael Jackson's fate isn't actually in the hands of anyone - his fate was carved out some 40 something years ago the moment he was conceived - we are all born with a very specific set of traits - under a very specific set of circumstances - so that we will go through a predetermined succession of events in this world - or more specifically, so that our soul will go through the exact experiences it needs to advance as much as possible in each incarnation.
The beauty of Kabbalah is that it allows us to pass go and collect $200 here in this lifetime - by accelerating inner processes in such a way that we won't have to keep coming back to this furtherst of worlds over and over again.
Michael Jackson may appear to be going through hell at the moment - but this could possibly be the best thing that ever happened to him - he may actually for the first time in his life be stopping to contemplate the meaning of his life - and if that is happening then all the pain and humiliation in the world would at least be serving its purpose. That is the only way for the Creator to get our attention, because when everything is fine and dandy we don't stop to question anything and just take all the abundance He has to give.
Little do we know in our uncorrected state that he has millions times more of filling to give us than we're capable of receiving.
Think back to the lowest point ever in your life - I'll bet you anything that looking back - it was one of the greatest turning points of your existence.
Have a great week -
J.
6 - Nancy
I'm sure I'm not alone or original in saying that this case in so unusual, in that (to me) the accusers are even more bizarre and repellant then the defendant. Good thing I'm not on the jury. My recommendation to the court: after doing whatever is decided w/Mr. Jackson, prosecute the parents of this kid for perjury, scamming, hustling, pimping, child neglect and abuse, and anything else they've revealed themselves guilty of during this whole sorry exercise in greed, stupidity, and lust (for money, sex, or whatever by whomever).
7 - james mclafferty
Deliberations Day 1: No Verdict Jury Asks Questions
Created: Monday, 06 June 2005
Jurors in the Michael Jackson child molestation trial completed their first full day of deliberations Monday without reaching a verdict. The eight women and four men have spent some eight hours weighing up the evidence.
Little more than an hour into the day the jurors sent word to the judge that they had a question, but the query and its resolution were not publicly disclosed, drawing a protest from news media.
The jury got the case Friday afternoon and deliberated for about two hours.
Jackson fans waited outside the courthouse Monday holding signs saying such things as "Only love. No crime. He's innocent. Leave him alone," "We shall overcome" and "Peter Pan rules." A woman held a sign showing Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr., and Jackson.
A handful have travelled from Britain, including Peter Scott, who has flown over from London three times since the trial began almost four months ago.
"It's important that he sees the support," he said. "Michael's done so much for other people that now he's down we have to be there for him."
But an international throng of reporters, photographers and TV crews outnumbered the fans. At one point, Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, arrived and was mobbed by cameras.
On the issue of the jury question, media pool coordinator Peter Shaplen said Judge Rodney S. Melville held a private meeting with lawyers in chambers to discuss the question and how it would be answered. Shaplen said the judge did not plan to reveal to the public what the jurors asked about.
The procedure is unusual. Normally, questions from the jury are a public record since they are submitted in writing by the jury foreperson.
An attorney for news organizations including The Associated Press filed motions seeking a transcript of Monday's closed proceedings, immediate access to any questions from the jury, and to any proceedings concerning those questions.
Jackson was treated at hospital emergency room in the town of Solvang on Sunday and rumours repeatedly swirled through the press corps that he was returning there Monday. Jackson spokeswoman Raymone K. Bain said he did not and was feeling fine.
Sunday's treatment was for a recurrence of back trouble, Bain said.
Source: MJJsource / AP
8 - james mclafferty
Eric olsen and peeps,There is absolutely no way mj would of had any sexual thoughts about these children it has come to light. Michael, i have found out is a devout jehova's witness and they are absolutely(rightly or wrongly against the thought of being gay),and so mj has had it rammed down his throat,also he was severely abused by his father, details of which we don't still know,because of the abuse his father dealt out mj does not like being touched in any sexual kind of way and has made him what they call "A sexual", this means he is of no sexual persuasion because of the fear installed into his psycheon the very rare occasion he was interested in the opposite sex the female in question suddenly and strangely stopped contacting him. This was found out later to be because his father and management would threaten them to stay away from mj(without mj's knowledge),they were worried it would affect his career and their pockets!,so all these factors heightend the disinterest in sexual relationships with anybody.I think for these reasons he could not of had any sexual intent with any of these alleged victims,it seems he just wants to treat them like his kids.(just a theory i don't want hate mail lol!)
9 - Eric Olsen
James, I have heard this theory and it may be truthful on the surface, but it also has the logic of saying no Catholic priests would ever molest boys because it is contrary to their beliefs. People are complicated creatures.
10 - james mclafferty
Eric,You maybe right about the "Minority" of catholic priests that have been found to be pedo's. And your right about the belief side of it but with mj i think he's been scared to death about having relationships because his dad brainwashed him into thinking sins of the flesh were of the devil,it was evil(although considering he's married to mj's mum, and fathered them he's a bloody hippocrite) by certain malicous managment figures and his father.I mean we don't know if in fact mj himself was sexually abused by somebody, or thats what the vh1 documentary seemed to be sure of, i just think there are some things in this world we don't understand about people so we straight away put them into the guidlines we value ourselves IE:Michael's an adult who has millions of $$$ builds a theme park in his garden and invites thousands of underprivileged kids,assumption:"peadophile".And people would admittedly have ground's to be wary but why can't somebody be that innocent in what they do?.It's like the whole "michael jackson sleeps in an oxygen chamber",the funny thing about that is mj fabricated the whole oxygen chamber thing to take the mickey out of the press,and a lot of the other wacko stories he made up himself apparently.Eric nobody should force you to like him that's personal preference,but a kid is involved in this and him being mj aside and no matter how much you want him to be guilty,another part should be thinking "i hope to god he is innocent because it means one less kid has been hurt.The sad thing is either way gavin will be scarred for life whichever way it goes.I don't usually go on like this because usually i'm quite open minded(i am still open to fact,grudgingly that he may be guilty),but the mj subject certainly has been colourful dont you think?,and at the end of the day it's brought me to your site which i intend to visit long after this trial.:)
11 - Unknown mj fan
I just wanted to say i love Michael jackson and i wish i could meet him one day but we all know that will never hapen and if he did mess with those little boys he will sooner or later pay for it and if he didin't god knows whats right for him. GOD BLESS BIG M.J.