Michael Jackson Trial: Jury Reaches Verdict

Author: Eric Olsen — Published: Jun 13, 2005 at 4:13 pm 50 comments

UPDATE
Count 1 - not guilty
Count 2 - not guilty
Count 3 - not guilty
Count 4 - not guilty
Count 5 - not guilty
Count 6 - not guilty
Count 7 - not guilty
lesser offense - not guilty
Count 8 - not guilty
lesser offense - not guilty
Count 9 - not guilty
lesser offense - not guilty
Count 10 - not guilty
less offense - not guilty


At 12:30pm PT the jury for the Michael Jackson child molestation and conspiracy trial announced it had reached a verdict after 14 weeks of testimony on 10 charges.

Judge Rodney S. Melville also issued a statement saying that the jury asked and withdrew a question Monday morning, and confirmed that on Friday the jury had a read-back of testimony and there were four meetings in chambers with attorneys.

The verdict will be announced at 1:30 PT, 4:30 ET, giving Jackson and his attorneys time to get to the court house in Santa Maria.

Jackson is charged with molesting a 13 year-old boy in February or March of 2003, plying him with alcohol in order to abuse him, and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. The jury has been given permission to reduce the alcohol charges to misdemeanors if it feels Jackson did not molest the alleged victim.

Our extensive and ongoing coverage of the case can be found here.

UPDATE
MSNBC is showing the Jackson motorcade live as it drives from Neverland to the court house - shades of OJ.

UPDATE
Jackson is running late, will be in court by 1:45pm PT

UPDATE
MSNBC is saying an ambulance will be on hand in case Jackson is convicted and responds "poorly."

UPDATE
Five more minutes.

UPDATE
MJ and entourage have arrived - much speculation as to the possibility of misdemeanor-only convictions on the alcohol charges, likely no jail time.

UPDATE
Jackophiles on the scene expected to freak either way - may attempt to lynch media members if guilty verdict.

Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2

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  • 1 - HW Saxton

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:40 pm

    It's TOO quiet around here.Where's all
    the hoopla? Fans and haters etc.??? This
    is big! And also thankfully over almost.

  • 2 - Matt

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:44 pm

    I hope he responds poorly, when they throw the book at him. Jacko being carried out on a stretcher would make my week, on a Monday no less!!

  • 3 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:52 pm

    Welcome to earth, commenter #3. We hope you come in peace, because you clearly don't come in coherence!

  • 4 - Mark Saleski

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:53 pm

    i'm watching a live feed right now...he's just pulled up to the courthouse.

    gees, i've never experienced the jackson fan-screaming weirdness before. bizarre.

  • 5 - Josia

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:55 pm

    You Americans really know how to put on a show!

    Interesting how we all enjoy someone else's pain so much - teaches us something about our true nature.

    J.

  • 6 - Eric Olsen

    Jun 13, 2005 at 4:56 pm

    we eat pain

  • 7 - Josia

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:00 pm

    How long is this going to take? It's midnight here in Israel ...

  • 8 - peter

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:02 pm

    And I need to go to the pub here in uk

  • 9 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:03 pm

    A reading of the verdict is imminent. What that means is anybody's guess.

  • 10 - Margaret Romao Toigo

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:05 pm

    Wolf Blitzer is trying to pass the time on CNN.

  • 11 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:06 pm

    There are ten counts on four charges, right?

  • 12 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:06 pm

    I'd take the pub over the verdict, myself. :-)

  • 13 - Bennett

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:14 pm

    Ahhhhhggggg! The tension is killing me. It's the lead story on VPR...

    Time for a beer, mate.

  • 14 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:14 pm

    Apparently it's a matter of moments now.

  • 15 - Josia

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:19 pm

    25 pages?? ok - I'll hear it when I wake up. I doubt he'll walk away from this - we're all getting pretty tired of finding such big flaws in our larger than life icons.

  • 16 - Eric Olsen

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:22 pm

    not guilty on every count

  • 17 - Margaret Romao Toigo

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:22 pm

    Not Guilty on all 10 counts.

  • 18 - Mark Saleski

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:22 pm

    NOT GUILTY

  • 19 - HW Saxton

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:22 pm

    The ugly little freak is walking on all
    charges. What does Nancy Grace do now?

  • 20 - Dawn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:23 pm

    Unbelievable - Just WOW!!

  • 21 - TJ

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:23 pm

    this is builshit - send the jacko wacko to the prison...

  • 22 - Andrew Ian Dodge

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:23 pm

    Its astonishing he is found not guilty on all accounts. Nice to see that celebrities get away with things mere mortals would get serious time for...

  • 23 - carmie

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:25 pm

    Hmm... first OJ, now Michael... Yet Winona Rider got shit for stealing a dress...

  • 24 - Phillip Winn

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:25 pm

    Wow. I'm glad I spent no time at all watching the trial.

    Wow.

  • 25 - Katy

    Jun 13, 2005 at 5:31 pm

    Where was O.J.

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