The People of The State of California v. Michael Joseph Jackson (or simply People v. Jackson) was a child molestation trial involving pop superstar Michael Jackson in 2005. The alleged victim was a boy, Gavin Arvizo, referred to as "The Accuser." Arvizo was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crimes. Michael Jackson was indicted for conspiracy with five (unindicted) co-conspirators to abduct the accuser, his sister, and his brother, falsely imprison and extort the same children and their mother, and for sexually molesting the accuser. On June 13, 2005, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges. For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), sometimes referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko, is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop... In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more natural persons to break the law at some time in the future, so a natural person identified with the mind of a legal entity cannot conspire with the company alone. ... Kidnapper redirects here. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ... In criminal law, an acquittal is the legal result of a verdict of not guilty, or some similar end of the proceeding that terminates it with prejudice without a verdict of guilty being entered against the accused. ...

Early events

Bashir documentary

Main article: Living with Michael Jackson

A Granada Television documentary [1] about Jackson, in which he was extensively interviewed by British journalist Martin Bashir, was shown first in the UK on 3 February 2003 and then in the U.S. three days later. Martin Bashir interviewing Michael Jackson Living with Michael Jackson is a notorious Granada Television documentary [1] in which Michael Jackson is extensively interviewed by British journalist Martin Bashir over a period of 8 months beginning midway through 2002 up until January 2003. ... Current ITV Granada logo A Granada TV logo from the black and white era. ... Martin Bashir (born January 19, 1963, in London) is an British journalist of Pakistani origin. ... February 3 is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Gavin Arvizo with Michael Jackson during the Bashir interview

Among other things, the documentary shows the twelve year old Gavin Arvizo. The boy is seen holding hands with Jackson and resting his head on Jackson's shoulder. The boy stated in the trial that the holding of hands was Jackson's initiative, the latter his own, because he was really close to Jackson, and Jackson was his best friend. He and Jackson tell about the two sleeping in the same room, though not in the same bed (they told about an occasion where each was happy to sleep on the floor and let the other have the bed). The boy has later told that he had not realized that the footage would be broadcast all over the world. After the airing he was teased by his friends. His mother claims that she has not given Bashir permission to film her son, and was not even aware of that until the airing. This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... This is a screenshot of a copyrighted movie or television program. ... Two or more people voluntarily hold hands for one of the following reasons and purposes: in various rituals: handshake in certain religious services, to pray in various occult rituals to express friendship or love, to enjoy physical contact (not necessarily of erotic character), for emotional support, to guide (a child... Teasing is the act of playfully disturbing another person, either with words or with actions. ...

Jackson stated in the documentary that "many children", predominantly pre-adolescent boys (including Macaulay Culkin, when he was younger, his younger brother Kieran and sisters[2]) have slept in his bed, but he denies having had sex with any of them. Conversely, Jackson claimed he lets his children stay with his friends, for example with Barry Gibb. He emphasizes that children need and deserve lots of love — not sexual, but like having hot milk and cookies, tucking them in, telling a bed-time story, climbing trees with them, etc. A television documentary is a documentary or a series of documentaries that are meant to be broadcasted on television. ... Primary or elementary education is the first years of formal, structured education that occurs during childhood. ... Culkin at the New York (2003) release of Party Monster Macaulay Carson Culkin (born August 26, 1980 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Kieran Culkin Kieran Culkin (born September 30, 1982 in New York City, New York) is an American actor. ... Sexual activities are often performed in a bed. ... This article is about sex acts and practices (i. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Michael Jackson sparked an array of public response, ranging from outrage to pity

Responding to concern after the airing, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. stated that, under California law, even if they had slept in the same bed, without "affirmative, offensive conduct," it wouldn't have been criminal. [3] Screenshot from Martin Bashirs documentary on Michael Jackson, deemed fair use This work is copyrighted. ... Screenshot from Martin Bashirs documentary on Michael Jackson, deemed fair use This work is copyrighted. ... Santa Barbara County is a county located on the Pacific coast of Southern California, in the state of California, just west of Ventura County. ... A district attorney at the county level in the United States is the prosecutor for a county or local judicial district. ... Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. ... Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Sacramento Los Angeles Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 158,302 sq mi  410,000 km² 250 miles  400 km 770 miles  1,240 km 4. ...

Jackson was alleged of conspiracy with his aides to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, in an attempt to control PR-damage caused by the documentary. Jackson was also indicted for child molestation; however, this would have taken place not before but after the concern arose. Child abduction is the abduction or kidnapping of a young child (or baby) by an older person. ...

Visit to Florida and subsequent stay at Neverland Ranch

After the documentary aired in the UK, Jackson, staying in Florida, asked the mother to allow the accuser to come there and meet him, supposedly for a press conference. The mother set the condition that the whole family come. Jackson agreed, and the family flew to Florida with Chris Tucker, a friend of Jackson, on a private plane. Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Tallahassee Jacksonville Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 65,794 sq mi  170,451 km² 162 miles  260 km 497 miles  800 km 17. ... A joint press conference by U.S. President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at the White House. ... Chris Tucker Chris Tucker (born August 31, 1972 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American actor and comedian who has appeared in a number of hit movies. ...

The press conference never occurred.

During this three-day visit, the documentary aired in the US. The family alleges Jackson pressured them not to watch it.

When the accuser and his family returned home, Jackson was on the flight. He had asked the mother to take a commercial flight, but she insisted that she be on the same plane. The family alleges that Jackson gave the accuser alcohol and at one point licked the top of the side of his face. This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

After they returned to California the family again stayed at Neverland Ranch, from approximately 7 February to 11 February. They left at night with the help of the house manager Jesus Salas while other staff did not want them to leave, and went to stay with the mother's parents. Tyson (see below) called the mother repeatedly to ask her to come back, with the children, and saying that that would be safer for them. They did after the mother was told that "the Germans" Wiesner and Konitzer (see below), whom she did not like, would not be present. Because the Germans were there, she left again, but without the children. She claims that she had been told they had to stay. Salas told her he could not help her any more in this regard, because of instructions he had received. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Rebuttal video

In response to the Bashir documentary, Jackson had a so-called "rebuttal video" produced, called 'Take Two', and presented by Maury Povich. In law, rebuttal is a form of evidence that is presented to contradict or nullify other evidence that has been presented by an adverse party. ... Maury Povich Maurice Maury Richard Povich (born January 17, 1939 in Washington, D.C.) is an American TV talk show host who currently hosts the self-titled Maury. ...

The production included an interview with the family, filmed on the night of 19 February 2003 in Moslehi's home. Allegedly they were pressured by Jackson's aides to participate and say positive things.

This part of the footage was not aired because the videographer Hamid Moslehi refused to hand it over, because of a financial dispute with Jackson [4] [5]. It was found by police in a search of Moslehi's home in November 2003, and it showed the accuser's family praising Jackson.

DCFS interview

On 20 February 2003 the family was interviewed by the Sensitive Case Unit of L.A.'s Department of Children & Family Services (DCFS), as part of an investigation jointly carried out with the LAPD. A school official from the Los Angeles Unified School District had lodged a complaint out of concern for the boy who would later be Jackson's accuser, and his younger brother, of general neglect by their mother and sexual abuse by Jackson, after watching the Bashir documentary. The entire family insisted that no inappropriate contact with Jackson occurred; moreover, the mother said that the children were never left alone with Jackson. The case was closed; the charges marked as "unfounded". Allegedly the family was put under pressure by Jackson's aides to say positive things. This article is about the largest city in California. ... Child abuse is the physical or psychological maltreatmenoften synonymous with the term child maltreatment or the term child abuse and neglect. ... The Los Angeles Police Department (usually known as the LAPD) is the police department of the City of Los Angeles, California. ... The Los Angeles Unified School District ( the LAUSD) is the largest (in terms of number of students) public school system in California and the second-largest in the United States. ...

Afterwards, in November 2003, when there was outside interest in connection with charges against Jackson, a report was made. [6]

Plans for a trip to Brazil, final departure from Neverland

A shorter or longer trip of the family to Brazil was planned and prepared, for protection of Jackson and/or the family against supposed or pretended danger, as a result of the Bashir documentary. These plans play a role in the allegations. According to witnesses, the Jackson camp told the family that there were death threats, related to the airing, against the family, while later, allegedly, some of the Jackson camp came with threats themselves.

After the interview, the children went back to Neverland, and a day later, the mother came as well after cooperating in making preparations for the trip to Brazil, although, she says, she did not really want to go. From the 25th of February to the 2nd of March, the family and some of Jackson's staff stayed in a hotel in Calabasas, California, and they went shopping in preparation for the trip to Brazil. After that, they stayed at Neverland again. On 10 March, the mother and the accuser went to the hospital with a urine sample of the accuser, for a scheduled medical check-up. This was spilt, allegedly deliberately, by a Jackson aide in order to prevent detection of the accuser having been drinking alcohol. Afterwards the accuser went back to Neverland, while the mother went to stay with her fiancé. Calabasas is a city located in Los Angeles County, California, in the western United States. ...

By pretending that her father was seriously ill, and promising that two days later the family would return to Neverland, and then go to Brazil, she persuaded Jackson's aides to bring the children for a visit to their grandfather. After that she and her children never returned. At first the accuser was very angry at his mother that she did not allow him to return to Neverland.

Mother of accuser seeks legal advice

Meanwhile the old apartment of the accuser's mother, who partly lived with her fiancé and partly with her parents, was emptied, her belongings stored, and the remaining rent paid, by Jackson's staff. It is not clear whether this was at her request. Afterwards, she had trouble getting her belongings returned. This was one of her reasons for seeking legal advice.

The second reason was to prevent re-airing of the Bashir documentary with her son in it.

The lawyer referred the family to a second lawyer, who sent the family to psychologist Katz, to find out whether there might have been sexual abuse. The accuser's brother told him that he had witnessed Jackson and the accuser having sex, after which Katz reported this to the authorities, as is compulsory for someone of his profession in such a case, being a so-called "mandatory reporter of child abuse".

Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department investigation

In June 2003 the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department started an investigation. In July 2003 they first interviewed the family.

Searches

On November 18, 2003, a team of more than 70 investigators from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney's Office and Sheriff's Department descended upon Jackson's Neverland Ranch with a warrant to search the premises. They were reportedly looking for evidence to corroborate the account of the then 13-year-old accuser that Jackson had sex with him. November 18 is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... A search warrant is a written warrant issued by a judge or magistrate which authorizes the police to conduct a search of a person or location for evidence of a criminal offense. ...

Also searched on the same day were the office of Bradley Miller, a private investigator working for Jackson, and the L.A. home of Hamid Moslehi, Jackson's videographer (see also above).

Miscellaneous allegations

On April 14, 2004 it was announced that the LAPD was investigating another allegation of child abuse, possibly committed by Jackson. The only information the LAPD was willing to release about this new case was that the incident allegedly occurred in the late 1980s. If it happened before 1988, California's statute of limitations may have expired on the case. Attorneys for Jackson claim that the new allegation is groundless. The LAPD has stated that "no charges will be sought" in the case, after a two-month investigation found "no evidence that any crime occurred". April 14 is the 104th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (105th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A statute of limitations is a statute in a common law legal system setting forth the maximum period of time, after certain events, that legal proceedings based on those events may begin. ...

Gavin Arvizo

Gavin Arvizo, the accuser, was born in December 1989, hence he was 13 years old in February and March 2003, when allegedly the crimes were committed.

The accuser admits that he has often misbehaved in class at his middle school, and often failed to do his homework. At some stage he had problems with almost all teachers. Middle school, (Intermediate/Junior high school) covers a period of education that straddles primary education and secondary education, serving as a bridge between the two. ...

In 2000 he was diagnosed with cancer. Soon after that, through Jamie Masada [7], the owner of a comedy club, his wish was fulfilled to meet Jackson, and the boy often visited Neverland, also when Jackson was not home. In 2001 there were no visits but he and Jackson had many telephone conversations. In 2002 was the filming for the documentary, which was aired in 2003. When normal cells are damaged beyond repair, they are eliminated by apoptosis. ...

His father was several times at Neverland in 2000, sometimes with the whole family, other times with just the children. According to witnesses the father has been persistent in begging celebrities for money for the family, and after receiving money, persistently asking for more.

After 2000 the accuser's parents were divorced, his mother has custody over him and his older sister and younger brother. After having completed classes in parenting and anger management, the father has applied for having a restraining order against him temporary lifted, to allow him to see his three children. He claims he wants to see for himself how his health is and hopes to find out whether the boy and Jackson have had sex. He blames his ex-wife for having allowed the boy to sleep in the same room with Jackson and claims that she has been in a mental hospital, and that she sometimes coaches her children to lie. Divorce or dissolution of marriage is the ending of a marriage before the death of either spouse, which can be contrasted with an annulment, which is a declaration that a marriage is void, though the effects of marriage may be recognized in such unions, such as spousal support, child custody... Child custody and guardianship are the legal terms used to describe the legal and practical relationship between a parent and child, including e. ... Parenting is the process of raising a child from birth until they reach adulthood. ... The term anger management commonly refers to a system of psychological therapeutic techniques and exercises by which one with excessive or uncontrollable anger can control or reduce the triggers, degrees, and effects of an angered emotional state. ... An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that either prohibits or compels (enjoins or restrains) a party from continuing a particular activity. ...

He was featured in Bashir's documentary as one of many guests at the Neverland ranch; subsequent airings of the Bashir documentary on American VH1 after the 2003 allegations have blurred Jackson's accuser's and his siblings' faces, as well as muted out his name. Until February 2005, the accuser was officially anonymized as "John Doe" by the court and the media, although his full name was already available all over the Internet. VH1 (spelled VH-1 (Video Hits One) until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment (then a division of Warner Communications and then-current owners of MTV, which originally came up with the idea of the channel). ... ... In the United States, the name John Doe is used for a defendant or victim in a legal example or for a person whose identity is unknown or is intended to be anonymous. ...

Arrest and investigation

Police photograph of Michael Jackson, November 20, 2003

Along with the warrant to search the premises was a warrant for the arrest of Jackson. Jackson was in Las Vegas, Nevada at the time recording a music video for his most recent single "One More Chance", from his Number Ones greatest hits album, which had been released at midnight, just hours before the warrants were issued and the allegations broke to the media. On November 20, Jackson flew in a leased jet to Santa Barbara Airport and surrendered himself to California police. Driven by police to the Santa Barbara County Jail, he emerged from the police vehicle in handcuffs. He was charged with "lewd or lascivious acts" with a child younger than 14 under section 288(a) of the California Penal Code. He posted US$3 million bail. I believe this to be public domain. ... I believe this to be public domain. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An arrest warrant is a warrant issued by a public officer which authorizes the arrest and detention of an individual. ... Nickname: The Entertainment Capital of the World Official website: http://www. ... Number Ones is a greatest hits album released by singer-songwriter Michael Jackson in late 2003. ... November 20 is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Santa Barbara Airport (IATA: SBA, ICAO: KSBA) serves the Santa Barbara area. ... Rigid handcuffs in holster, as used by UK police A model cuffed with handcuffs, waist chain, and thumbcuffs Police arrest and handcuff a woman on a boat. ... The California Penal Code forms the basis for the application of criminal law in the American state of California. ... This article is about general United States currency. ... The word bail as a legal term means: Security, usually a sum of money, exchanged for the release of an arrested person as a guarantee of that persons appearance for trial. ...

Later Jackson requested lowering of the bail. The prosecution was opposed as they argued that Jackson might well consider going to live in another country as a fugitive: there are several countries of Europe, the Near East and Africa, where Jackson is adored, and several of those countries do not have extradition treaties with the United States. Also they cite Andrew Luster as an example: he fled to Mexico, notwithstanding his $1 million bail bond. A fugitive is a person who is fleeing from custody, whether it be from a government arrest, government or non-government questioning, vigilante violence, or outraged private individuals. ... Andrew Stuart Luster (b. ...

The judge was Rodney S. Melville, 62. Jackson's lawyers have included Mark Geragos (who also simultaneously defended Scott Peterson) and Benjamin Brafman (who won an acquittal on weapons and bribery charges for P. Diddy), until Jackson replaced them with Thomas Mesereau Jr. (who briefly represented actor Robert Blake) because a lawyer was needed who could give Jackson's case his full attention. Mark Geragos (defense) and Scott Peterson (defendent) listening during pre-trial on May 27, 2003 Mark John Geragos (born October 5, 1957) is a criminal defense attorney who has defended such people as pop-star Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal, who was allegedly involved in... This article needs cleanup. ... P. Diddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs) is an African-American record producer, entrepreneur, and rapper. ... Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. ... Robert Blake on the cover of the Baretta Season 1 DVD set. ...

Jackson had been temporarily exempted from the requirement to stay in the US, for a possible trip to Britain ending not later than January 6, but he did not use the exemption after all. Shortly after being arrested, Jackson was made to surrender his passport to Santa Barbara authorities. At the time of his booking, his weight was measured at 56 kg (120 pounds), a notably low weight for a 178 cm (5' 11") middle-aged man. A series of public vigils to protest his innocence, organised by fans, were held on November 23, but were notable for the low turn-outs. November 23 is the 327th day of the year (328th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 38 days remaining. ...

On November 25, 2003 it was revealed that, unbeknownst to Jackson, the private jet that was chartered to take him and his attorney from Vegas to California was secretly wired with video and audio recording devices. A third party took recordings on this trip and attempted to sell them to major television and radio networks for an extremely large amount of money; all declined to purchase. A restraining order against the jet company has been issued prohibiting the videotape from being shown to any third parties; a massive lawsuit toppling the $500,000,000 mark has been filed by Jackson's party against the perpetrators. Jackson has not paid his travel agent for the flight and is in 2004 being sued over that. Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

On November 26, 2003, it was revealed that XtraJet, the company that found the recordings and hidden cameras on Jackson's plane, on Monday, showed the video to several news organizations on November 24. FOX News reported that the tape shows Jackson calm and relaxed on the plane. [8] November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... XtraJet is a Charter Jet Company based in Montana Bay. ... November 24 is the 328th day (329th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Fox News Channels slogan is We Report, You Decide The Fox News Channel is a U.S. cable and satellite news channel. ...

On December 18, 2003, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent in order to commit that felony, in February and March 2003, all regarding the same boy under 14. December 18 is the 352nd day of the year (353rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Bottles of cachaça, a Brazilian alcoholic beverage. ...

The felony complaint stated that Jackson had seven times "willfully, unlawfully, and lewdly committed a lewd and lascivious act, upon and with the boy's body and certain parts and members thereof, with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires" of Jackson and the boy and that this sexual conduct has been "substantial". A felony, in many common law legal systems, is the term for a very serious crime, whereas misdemeanors are considered to be less serious offenses. ... In general use, a complaint is an expression of displeasure, such as poor service at a store, or from a local government, for example. ... Intent in law is the planning and desire to perform an act. ...

Also, that on two of these occasions, Jackson had administered to the boy an intoxicating agent, with intent thereby to enable and assist himself to carry out the previously mentioned act. ...

Jackson denied and said that the sleepovers were non-sexual. He still described the boy on whose statements the accusations were based as "a sweet child"; he said the boy was manipulated by greedy parents. A sleepover (also called a slumber party) is a type of party which a guest or guests are invited to anothers house to stay overnight. ...

During a 60 Minutes interview with Ed Bradley, Jackson claimed that he was manhandled by police during his booking. Amongst other things, he claimed that his arms were dislocated, the handcuffs bruised his forearms, and that he was locked in a dirty bathroom for over 45 minutes. He has not formally filed his complaints. Sixty Minutes was also the replacement for the BBC current affairs programme Nationwide. ... Ed Bradley (born June 22, 1941 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American journalist, reporting for CBS News since 1967. ...

The Santa Barbara County police then released video tape showing Jackson's arrest, which seems to go smoothly and without incident. They also released audio tape of his ride into the police station. In it Jackson complains about the handcuffs, and is politely told by an officer how he can relieve the discomfort. He is heard to be whistling (nervously) and he asks for the air conditioning to be turned on; it is. Police allege this proves Jackson's claims are false; Jackson (and his family) claim what is being shown is only a biased view of what occurred: it does not prove that his claims are false, and police avoids showing what would prove his claims to be true.

California State Attorney General Bill Lockyer ordered an independent investigation into Jackson's complaints. After interviewing 163 witnesses the complaints were rejected in August 2004. Official language(s) English Capital Largest city Sacramento Los Angeles Area  - Total   - Width   - Length    - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 3rd 158,302 sq mi  410,000 km² 250 miles  400 km 770 miles  1,240 km 4. ... In most common law jurisdictions, the Attorney General is the main legal adviser to the government, and in some jurisdictions may in addition have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions. ... Bill Lockyer is the current Attorney General for the U.S. state of California since 1999, currently serving his second four-year term. ...

At the prosecution's request the judge issued a gag order which forbode the following parties to talk to the news media: the defendant, the prosecutor, defense counsel, any attorney working in their offices, their agents, staff, experts, any judicial officer or court employee, any law enforcement employee and any agency involved in the case, and any persons subpoenaed or expected to testify. The purpose was that people among whom a jury had to be selected were not influenced. However, he would consider proposals to allow either side to answer reporters' questions about rumors surrounding the case. A gag order is an order, sometimes a legal order by a court or government, other times a private order by an employer or other institution, restricting information or comment from being made public. ... A defendant or defender is any party who is required to answer the complaint of a plaintiff or pursuer in a civil lawsuit before a court, or any party who has been formally charged or accused of violating a criminal statute. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... A lawyer is a person qualified to give legal advice who advises clients in legal matters and represents them in courts of law and in other forms of dispute resolution. ... An attorney is someone who represents someone else in the transaction of business: For attorney-at-law, see lawyer, solicitor, barrister or civil law notary. ... A court is an official, public forum which a sovereign establishes by lawful authority to adjudicate disputes, and to dispense civil, labour, administrative and criminal justice under the law. ... A subpoena is a writ commanding a person to appear under penalty (from Latin). ... In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. ... A jury is a sworn body of persons convened to render a rational, impartial verdict and a finding of fact on a legal question officially submitted to them, or to set a penalty or judgment in a jury trial of a court of law. ...

Jackson was arraigned January 16, 2004, at the court of Santa Maria. He was admonished by the judge for turning up 20 minutes late. He entered a plea of "Not Guilty". Hundreds of fans and an international media circus surrounded the event, and Jackson responded with a dance atop a parked SUV, despite his alleged back problems. Subsequently, police decided to enforce more order from the public for safety reasons, and Jackson attorney Tom Mesereau reportedly counseled his client to tone down his theatrical behavior in and around the courthouse. Arraignment is a common law term for the formal reading of a criminal complaint, in the presence of the defendant, to inform him of the charges against him. ... January 16 is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Santa Maria is the largest city in Santa Barbara County, California. ... In legal terminology, a plea is simply an answer to a claim made by someone in a civil or criminal case under common law using the adversary system. ... INS agents recover Elián González by force from his uncles house; this photo, taken by AP photographer Alan Diaz, won him a Pulitzer Prize. ... Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. ...

Judge Melville turned down a media's request for publication of 82 pages of documents and related tape recordings because that would violate the parties' privacy rights and complicate the process of selecting an unbiased jury. It concerned the boy's accounts of what allegedly happened, interviews with his family, statements that came out during the child's psychological counseling and information about the Chandler's case. Privacy is the ability of an individual or group to stop information about themselves from becoming known to people other than those whom they choose to give the information. ... For with(out) prejudice in law, see Prejudice (law). ...

It was contained in an affidavit in which authorities explained their reasons for seeking a search warrant for Neverland Ranch. An affidavit is a formal sworn statement of fact, written down, signed, and witnessed (as to the veracity of the signature) by a taker of oaths, such as a notary public. ...

In a court session on February 13, 2004 it was revealed that the defence had just received 400 pages of evidence from the lead prosecutor and that hundreds more are expected. The judge said he wanted the trial to begin before the end of 2004. Both sides agreed that was possible. Jackson was not present. He was also not at sessions where only prosecution witnesses were required to testify, to determine whether there was enough evidence to start the trial itself. February 13 is the 44th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In legal parlance, a trial is an event in which parties to a dispute present information (in the form of evidence) in a formal setting, usually a court, before a judge, jury, or other designated finder of fact, in order to achieve a resolution to their dispute. ...

In the court session of April 2, 2004 the judge ordered papers to be released from a previous unrelated lawsuit started by the accuser's family; Jackson's defense said they would be used to show Jackson's innocence. April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

At some stage between the arrest and the trial Nation of Islam members were playing a major role in Jackson's affairs, to the visible consternation of defense attorney Mark Geragos, in particular in the field of security, and allegedly at the request of Jackson's brother Jermaine, a convert to Islam. The Nation of Islam presence around Jackson suddenly and quietly disappeared upon the hiring of criminal defense attorney Thomas Mesereau in April of 2004, a move, ironically, at the behest of Randy and Jermaine Jackson. The Nation of Islam (NOI) is a religious and socio-political organization founded in the United States by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 with a declared aim of resurrecting the spiritual, mental, social, and economic condition of the Black men and women of America and the rest of the world. ...

Grand jury proceedings and indictment

Grand jury proceedings (without defense and without judge) in Santa Barbara, starting in March 2004, led to Jackson's indictment on April 21, 2004. The grand jury was composed of nineteen jurors; the indictment required the votes of at least twelve jurors. Prosecution witnesses testified without defense cross-examination. The judge ruled that witnesses before the grand jury could talk to defense attorneys about their knowledge of the case as long as the witnesses did not tell what they saw in the grand jury room or what questions they were asked and their answers. Many grand jury witnesses were sneaked into the building where the grand jury is meeting, sometimes covered in blankets to hide their identities. In February 2005 The Smoking Gun published the secret transcript. A grand jury is a type of common law jury responsible for investigating alleged crimes, examining evidence, and issuing indictments if they believe that there is enough evidence for a trial to proceed. ... Mission Santa Barbara, known as the queen of the missions. Santa Barbara is a city in California, United States. ... In the common law legal system, an indictment is a formal charge of having committed a serious criminal offence. ... April 21 is the 111th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (112th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about witnesses in law courts. ... In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. ... In law, cross-examination is the interrogation of a witness called by ones opponent. ... Screenshot from The Smoking Gun The Smoking Gun is a website that posts legal documents, arrest records, and police mugshots on a daily basis. ...

Thus pre-trial hearings to prepare a preliminary hearing were no longer needed. Within some criminal justice systems, a preliminary hearing (evidentiary hearing) is a meeting, after a criminal complaint has been filed by the prosecutor, to determine whether, and to what extent, criminal charges and civil cause of actions will be heard (by a court), what evidence will be admitted, and what...

A sudden change of the Jackson defense team was announced in late April, 2004. Ben Brafman and Mark Geragos were replaced by Robert Blake's defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, and allegedly at the behest of Jermaine and Randy Jackson. According to CNN legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin, tension from the Jackson family from not having Geragos' full attention, because of the Scott Peterson death penalty case being at trial, and quick responses to their questions regarding media coverage of Michael's case were the reasons for the dismissal. Brafman and Geragos learned of their replacement not directly from the family but through telephoned press inquiries into the dramatic shake-up. Benjamin Brafman is a highly respected criminal defense attorney based in New York. ... Mark Geragos (defense) and Scott Peterson (defendent) listening during pre-trial on May 27, 2003 Mark John Geragos (born October 5, 1957) is a criminal defense attorney who has defended such people as pop-star Michael Jackson, actress Winona Ryder, Gary Condit, and Susan McDougal, who was allegedly involved in... Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. ...

The second arraignment was on April, 30, and attended by lame-duck defense counsel Mark Geragos. The new charges, to which Jackson pleaded not guilty, were similar to the earlier ones, allegedly "on or about and between" 20 February and 12 March 2003, but with the addition of conspiracy involving child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. Apparently the first two referred to the allegation that the accuser, although he was free to move within Neverland, was at some stages not allowed to leave the ranch, even when his mother wanted that. Arraignment is a common law term for the formal reading of a criminal complaint, in the presence of the defendant, to inform him of the charges against him. ... In the criminal law, a conspiracy is an agreement between two or more natural persons to break the law at some time in the future, so a natural person identified with the mind of a legal entity cannot conspire with the company alone. ... False Imprisonment is a common law tort, and possibly a misdemeanor crime, wherein a person is intentionally confined without legal authority. ... Extortion is a criminal offense, which occurs when a person obtains money, behaviour, or other goods and/or services from another by wrongfully threatening or inflicting harm to this person, reputation, or property. ...

News organizations' cases for releasing evidence were heard at a hearing on 28 May 2004. The judge refused to release the full indictment or grand jury testimony.

On July 28, 2004 judge Melville granted a delay in the trial. July 28 is the 209th day (210th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 156 days remaining. ...

On December 3 and 4, 2004, Neverland was searched again. Also in that month Jackson's DNA was taken.

Jackson intends not to place himself in so vulnerable a position again. Geraldo Rivera, a longtime friend of the Jackson family, explained that Michael Jackson will never have sleepovers with boys not related to him again, because he understands that, however innocent his conduct has been, it violates a social norm. Geraldo Rivera on the Fox News Channel in 2004. ... In sociology, a norm, or social norm, is a pattern of behavior expected within a particular society in a given situation. ...

Alleged co-conspirators

The indictment named five alleged co-conspirators (not indicted themselves):

• Frank Tyson (also called Frank Cascio), 23, who was Jackson's personal assistant, and might have threatened the accuser's younger brother, who was a witness of part of the alleged crimes. Tyson and Jackson have been friends since Tyson was a small boy. Tyson's father was the concierge at a NY hotel where Jackson stayed. Right after the 1993 allegations, Cascio and his younger brother were seen traveling the world with Jackson.
• Vince Amen (also called Vinnie), 24, who worked for Jackson's production company and might have been holding the family at Neverland against their will - got acquainted with Jackson through Tyson
• Marc Schaffel - producer of the unreleased song What More Can I Give featuring various celebrities on vocals in an attempt to raise funds for disaster relief following the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attack; former producer of homosexual pornography - his house was searched by the police in 2004
• Dieter Wiesner - German
• Ronald Konitzer - German-born Canadian

None of them agreed to testify during the grand jury proceedings. The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ... Since its coinage, the word homosexuality has acquired multiple meanings. ... Pornographic movies Pornography (from Greek πορνη prostitute and γραφία written material) (also informally referred to as porn, or porno) is the representation of the human body or human sexual behaviour with the goal of sexual arousal, similar to, but distinct from, erotica, though the two terms are often used interchangeably. ...

The charges

The following is a list of the 10 counts for which Michael Jackson was accused. For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), sometimes referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko, is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop...

1. Conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion
2. Lewd act on a child under 14 (molestation episode which was alleged by accuser.)
3. Lewd act on a child under 14 (molestation episode which was alleged by accuser.)
4. Lewd act on a child under 14 (molestation episode accuser's brother says he witnessed.)
5. Lewd act on a child under 14 (molestation episode brother says he witnessed.)
6. Attempted lewd act on a child under 14 (accuser's allegation Jackson tried to get the boy to masturbate him.)
7. Administering alcohol to enable child molestation (related to molestation in Count 2; included lesser offense of furnishing alcohol to a minor.)
8. Administering alcohol to enable child molestation (related to molestation in Count 3; included lesser offense of furnishing alcohol to a minor.)
9. Administering alcohol to enable child molestation (related to molestation in Count 4; included lesser offense of furnishing alcohol to a minor.)
10. Administering alcohol to enable child molestation (related to molestation in Count 5; included lesser offense of furnishing alcohol to a minor.)

See also the section "Police and courts" below.

The trial

The Lewellen Justice Center in Santa Maria, where the trial was held

The jury selection for the jury trial started on January 31, 2005, and lasted less than a month. Twelve out of about 200 people were selected for the final list of jurors in the 2005 Michael Jackson trial. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x621, 261 KB) Summary The Lewellen Justice Center in Santa Maria, California. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1000x621, 261 KB) Summary The Lewellen Justice Center in Santa Maria, California. ... A jury is a sworn body of persons convened to render a rational, impartial verdict and a finding of fact on a legal question officially submitted to them, or to set a penalty or judgment in a jury trial of a court of law. ... A jury trial is a trial in which the judge of the facts, as opposed to the judge of the law, is a jury, made up of citizens who are usually randomly selected and are generally not legal professionals. ... January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ...

The final 12 Jurors consisted of 8 women and 4 men with 8 alternate jurors which consisted of 4 men and 4 women. There were no African-American jurors in the final 12, however there was 1 African-American juror among the alternate jurors.

There were 91 prosecution and 50 defense witnesses, although fewer than planned. Melville allowed Jay Leno, defense witness, to continue making jokes about Jackson and the case as long as they were not related to an incident about which he would act as a witness in the trial. This article is about witnesses in law courts. ... Jay Leno (born James Douglas Muir-Leno April 28, 1950) is an American comedian who is best known as the host of the long-running NBC television variety and talk show The Tonight Show. ...

Because no television cameras were allowed inside the courtroom, E! and British Sky Broadcasting broadcasted a re-enactment of the trial. It aired Monday through Friday at 7:30 and 9pm. E! (Entertainment Television) is an American cable television and direct broadcast satellite network. ... British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB — formerly two companies, Sky Television plc and British Satellite Broadcasting) is a company that operates Sky Digital, the most popular subscription television service in the UK and Ireland. ...

Bashir refused to answer any question regarding unpublished footage of his documentary, or anything about how it was prepared and produced. This refusal was based on the California Constitution's journalist shield law and the First Amendment privilege for journalists. Melville decided that the defense could submit a motivated request to Melville to have Bashir return to testify more, against which Bashir could file opposition. Also Melville agreed that before possibly charging Bashir with contempt of court for refusing to answer, Bashir would be heard. Contempt of court is a court ruling which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, deems an individual as holding contempt for the court, its process, and its invested powers. ...

Adult materials found at Neverland included over 70 magazines of straight porn, including publications dedicated to mature and overweight women and four gay themed books. All legal. However, some had fingerprints of the two brothers on them; both boys claimed that Jackson showned these adult materials to them for the purpose of grooming, and gave them alcohol (which he called "Jesus juice"). Grooming a child is befriending a child, often in the negative context of lowering the inhibitions of the child to sexual behavior with the other person; in addition to acts which by themselves are legal, grooming may include showing pornography to the child, perhaps even child pornography. ...

Both were allegedly for the purpose of lowering inhibitions to sexual behavior. Jackson denied this; he claimed that the accuser and his brother were sometimes “out of control” at Neverland, they found some magazines and drank alcohol in his absence. An inhibitor is a type of effector that decreases or prevents a chemical reaction. ...

On 10 March 2005, the judge was on the brink of issuing an arrest warrant and forfeiture of the bail, when Jackson was an hour late for the trial (see also WikiNews). Search and seizure is a legal tool whereby police who suspect that a crime has been committed may do a search of the property. ...

The accuser's brother testified that on two occasions, each during a few seconds, while not been seen, he had seen that Jackson had outercourse with the apparently sleeping accuser (counts 4 and 5). Details of the sexual act on the second occasion contradict what the accuser's brother told psychologist Katz, according to Katz' testimony before the Grand Jury. He explained this by saying that there were actually three occasions. Outercourse is sexual activity that does not involve penetration. ...

The boy's brother claimed that Jackson had showed them pornography, both via the Internet and magazines. Allegedly, he showed them photographs of topless women, while stating "Got milk?". Apparently he also leaned in and whispered to Prince Michael II, who was sleeping nearby, "Prince, you're missing some pussy"", while the accuser and the accuser's brother stared at the images on the computer screen. Other accusations include coercing the boys into "cussing", and swearing them to secrecy, insisting that they do not tell anyone "even if they have a gun to your head".

The boy admitted that he had lied under oath in an unrelated court case.

During the alleged sexual incidents, Jackson wore underpants, and the accuser wore underpants or pajamas. On one brief occasion the accuser and his brother claimed they saw Jackson naked. But both boys described the incident differently. According to the brother, Jackson purposefuly exposed himself and his penis was erect, but according to the accuser, Jackson only came up the stairs from the bathroom to the bedroom while unclothed, retrieved something and went downstairs. Even if the incident was non-sexual this was special to the brothers, because they had never seen a naked adult before. Line art depictions of a man and a woman designed to educate extraterrestrials about the appearance of the human body. ... The penis (plural penises or penes) or phallus is an external male sexual organ. ... Erection of many tissues can occur in both sexes during sexual arousal. ...

The accuser told a school administrator at a date after he had left Neverland that Jackson had not molested him. Later, at the trial, he said that this was not true, that he had lied because he was already teased after the airing of the Bashir documentary, and he feared that the teasing would get worse if he would have told the truth, which, as he now said, is as follows: on one occasion Jackson manipulated the accuser's genitals for about five minutes, causing the accuser to ejaculate (count 2); the next day Jackson started it again (count 3) and also tried to guide the accuser's hand to Jackson's genitals, but the accuser pulled away (count 6). A sex organ, or primary sexual characteristic, narrowly defined, is any of those parts of the body (which are not always bodily organs according to the strict definition) which are involved in sexual reproduction and constitute the reproductive system in an complex organism; namely: Male: penis (notably the glans penis... Semen or ejaculate is the fluid discharged from the penis during ejaculation, usually at the time of orgasm. ...

The accuser said that he was happy at Neverland, and that only after leaving did he realize he didn't want to be there anymore.

Witness George Lopez, who has been a friend of the accuser's family, gave the family money, but the father kept asking for more. It was alleged by the defense that the family tried to extort money from Lopez, by claiming that Lopez stole $300 from the family. This allegation was used to illustrate a pattern of family behavior. However, the prosecution says these problems were caused by the father, before the divorce. George Lopez. ...

House manager Jesus Salas testified that the accuser's mother was at no time held at Neverland against her will and that she had never complained of her children being taken advantage of at Neverland.

The accuser's mother, Janet Arvizo, took the Fifth regarding welfare fraud she has committed. For that reason the defense asked Melville not to allow her as a witness at all, but Melville ruled that she could testify without being questioned about the fraud. The defense would later have the opportunity to present other evidence for the welfare fraud (which is relevant for the credibility of the witness). The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ... Welfare is financial assistance paid by the government to certain entities or groups of people who are unable to support themselves alone, or are perceived by the government to do be able to do function more effectively with financial assistance. ...

She admitted that she had lied under oath in an unrelated court case.

In May 2005 the witnesses for the defense testified. Closing arguments of both sides were presented in the beginning of June. Jackson's defence team had to be on 10-minute notice throughout jury deliberations.

The jury reached a verdict of not guilty on all counts and all lesser offenses for those counts, announced at 14:13 PDT (21:13 UTC), June 13, 2005. June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Alleged prior sexual crimes (Evidence Code 1108)

Melville allowed the prosecution to present evidence regarding five men (out of seven requested [9]) who, as a boy, allegedly have been involved in sexual behavior with Jackson (see also n:Past Jackson abuse claims to be used in court). Regarding this, the prosecution called a total of nine people to testify, including only one of these five alleged victims: Jason Francia (one other of the five, Macaulay Culkin, testified for the defense). The purpose was to demonstrate a pattern of behavior of Jackson. Bringing in evidence of so-called "prior bad acts" to suggest that a defendant had a propensity to commit certain crimes, is only allowed in a few US states, and only for sex crimes; in California this is Evidence Code 1108. Culkin at the New York (2003) release of Party Monster Macaulay Carson Culkin (born August 26, 1980 in New York City) is an American actor. ...

• Jason Francia (born 30 May 1980) is the son of Jackson's former maid Blanca Francia, who moved from El Salvador to the US in 1975. She worked for Jackson in the period 1986-1991 at the Jackson family home in Encino, Los Angeles, at Jackson's Century City, Los Angeles apartment which he called "The Hideout", and at Neverland. She often brought Jason along to her work. Jason was a friend of Jackson in the period 1988-1991, when he was 7-10 years old. Jason claimed Jackson touched his crotch twice over his shorts, and once touched his testicles from under his shorts, on each of these three occasions for a few minutes during a tickling game. On the first two occasions he received $100 each for not telling his mother. Ca. 1996 Jackson paid the family an additional $2,000,000 to settle the case, which Jason claimed to have no knowledge of. Blanca Francia also received $20,000 for a TV interview. She testified too, in spite of the settlement. She did not see sexual activity, just an occasion where Jackson and Jason were lying together partly on, partly in a sleeping bag. When asked about a previous interview a year ago where Jason had told policemen a different story he claimed not to remember such interview.
• Jordan Chandler, who allegedly was molested by Jackson in 1993 (see Michael Jackson: 1993 allegation of child sexual abuse) has, according to his uncle Ray Chandler, left the country to avoid testifying. Former security guard Ralph Chacon says that at Neverland he saw Jackson putting Chandler's penis in his mouth on one occasion, and touching Chandler's crotch with his hand on another occasion. However, Chacon's reliability is disputed, as he has had past conflicts with Jackson. Chacon's testimony also contradicted Chandler's affidavit, he claimed having seen Jackson molest Chandler in early 1993, while according to Chandler's own testimony Jackson didn't start abuse him until May 1993 in Monaco. Chandler's mother has also testified and contradicted known facts about the case, claiming that she was the one to alert authorities about the relationship between Jackson and her son in September 1993, althought authorities were alerted by Jordan's father in August 1993. Former maid Adrian McManus says she once saw Jackson touch Chandler's crotch over his clothes. Bob Jones, who worked for Jackson from 1987-2004 as PR-man and Stacy Brown have written the book "The Man Behind the Mask," to be published in May 2005. As a witness Jones was hesitant whether he did or did not remember Jackson licking Jordy's head.
• Macaulay Culkin - Phillip LeMarque stated that he once saw Jackson with his hand resting on the pants of Culkin when the two were playing video games. Adrian McManus only saw that once Jackson kissed Culkin on his cheek, and had his hand "kind of by his leg, kind of on his rear end". However, Culkin denounced the molestation allegations as "absolutely ridiculous" and said that nothing inappropriate has happened. Culkin testified that he slept in Jackson's bed several times between the ages of 10 and 14, sometimes with other boys as well. He said the sleepovers weren't planned and that he and others would just fall asleep when they were tired.
• Wade Robson - He has confirmed that he has slept in the same bed with Jackson, but he denies that anything inappropriate has happened.Wade's mother, Joy, admitted in cross-examination, that her son went missing for three days with Jackson, causing the police to get involved. But, like the sleepovers, she was confident this was all innocent and her son confirmed it.[10]
• Brett Barnes - Like Robson, he has confirmed that he has slept in the same bed with Jackson, but he, also, denies that anything inappropriate has happened. Brett's sister, Karlee, testified that he slept 365 nights with her brother.[11]

Charlie Michaels and Charmayne Sternberg were also planned prosecution witnesses, but they did not testify. The witnesses included some of the "Neverland Five" (former security guards Ralph Chacon, Kassim Abdool, and Melanie Bagnall, former office manager Sandi Domz, and former maid Adrian McManus) who lost a lawsuit in 1995 against Jackson. The two boys about whom Melville did not allow evidence are Jimmy Safechuck and Jonathan Spence. Encino is a district of Los Angeles, California, located in the central portion of the southern San Fernando Valley. ... View of the Century City skyline from the Getty Center. ... Tickling is the act of touching a part of the body so as to cause involuntary laughter or twitching movements. ... A security guard is a private person who is employed to protect property and people. ... Culkin at the New York (2003) release of Party Monster Macaulay Carson Culkin (born August 26, 1980 in New York City) is an American actor. ... Wade Jeremy Robson (born September 17, 1982) is a choreographer and the creator and host of MTVs Wade Robson Project. By the time he was seven, Wade had appeared in three of Michael Jacksons biggest videos Black or White, Jam and Heal the World. Since then, he has...

As part of the evidence to show attraction to boys, the prosecution introduced two books featuring nude prepubescent boys. The books were seized from Jackson in 1993 and never returned [12]. The prosecution portrayed them as being child erotica or pornography, showing a sexual attraction to boys. However, the defense characterized them as wholly non-sexual, non-pornographic, art books. The defense pointed out that the books were legal to possess, and Jackson was therefore never charged with owning them. While both featured nudity, neither book contains any depictions of sexual acts. Jackson lost possession of the books long before meeting the current accuser, which is why the books were a part of the 1108 evidence. He has never been accused of showing these two books to any boys.

One book, "The Boy: A photographic Essay" features many pictures of nude boys, including some explicit pictures of genitalia. The pictures were of boys who took part in the 1963 film adaptation of the book Lord of the Flies. One book had an inscription saying it was from a fan. While the other book read this inscription : "Look at the true spirit of happiness and joy in these boys' faces. This is the spirit of boyhood, a life I never had and will always dream of. This is the life I want for my children. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Accuser's mother

The accuser's mother, Janet Arvizo, who now uses Jay Jackson's last name, has been identified as the most problematic of the prosecution witnesses. Her behaviour of snapping her fingers and staring at the jurors, was criticized by jurors after the trial. [13] She was often unresponsive to questioning, even by the prosecution. She seemed to argue defensively, over seemingly small issues, such as whether she had a body wax or only a leg wax. She even accused the defense of altering a receipt for the body wax. Questions were often answered with speeches or catch-phrases, more than answers. She made repeated use of a few catch phrases, such as "It's burned inside my memory" and "Money doesn't buy happiness". [14] There were often times when the court erupted in laughter over her answers.

Chris Carter

Prosecution witness Chris Carter, who has been Jackson's bodyguard from August 2002 - August 2003, has been put in jail in Las Vegas. He is accused of robbing a Radio Shack in October 2003, Subway sandwich shop in August 2004, a KB Toy Store in January 2005 and a Jack in the Box restaurant in February 2005. He was arrested on 19 February 2005 after police searched his mother's house, and found a handgun. He has pleaded not guilty. A bodyguard is a person who protects someone (known as their principal) from personal assault, kidnapping, assassination, loss of confidential information, or other threats. ... This article is about the city of Las Vegas in Nevada. ... RadioShack Corporation (formerly Radio Shack) (NYSE: RSH) runs a chain of electronics retail stores in the United States, as well as parts of Europe. ... Exterior of a typical Subway restaurant in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico Locations of Subway stores Subway is the name of a multinational restaurant franchise that sells sandwiches and salads. ... For other uses, see Jack in the Box (disambiguation). ...

In 2000, Carter was convicted of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and therefore not allowed to possess a gun. [15] Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ...

In 2004 Carter has been questioned before the Grand Jury [16]. He appealed the decision that he would be sent to Jackson's trial to testify. He announced that if he had to go, he would take the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination. The prosecution, after first having him brought to a California prison, and after convincing Melville to allow him as a witness, did not have him testify after all. The first ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights. ...

Carter witnessed family members at Neverland and when he acted as their driver on a few occasions, and he was on the plane from Miami.

Jackson's finances

The prosecution sought to have Jackson's financial records exposed in the trial.

They claimed that Jackson is a "spendaholic" who was, from 1999 to 2001, spending $35 million a year while earning $11 million to $12 million a year, and as a result is on the brink of bankruptcy. They argued that this could have been a motive for Jackson to resort to the alleged conspiracy to control the PR damage of the Bashir documentary, and thus control the resulting financial damage. Defense argued that $7 million, which television paid for the rebuttal documantary would no way influence situation with loan, so there was never sense to commit crime for those money. Also, defense questioned prosecution's expert estimations of Jackson's assets value, citing that this estimation was done on "when bought" basis and did not include investments in those assets, as well as actual market value.

The judge ruled that the prosecution could subpoena the financial records, but that they would only be opened in the trial after he heard testimony that they are relevant. A subpoena is a writ commanding a person to appear under penalty (from Latin). ...

Court Dates

• January 31 - Jury selection begins.
• February 24- Jurors and alternates seated.
• February 28, March 1 - Opening statements begin.
• March 1 - Prosecution testimony begins.
• May 4 - Prosecution rests.
• May 5 - Defense testimony begins.
• May 25 - Defense rests/prosecution rebuttal begins.
• May 27 - Prosecution rebuttal ends/defense offers no rebuttal.
• June 1 - Jury gets instructions.
• June 2, June 3 - Closing arguments.
• June 13 - Verdict Delivered.

As of 15 April 2005, all weekdays from 28 February 2005 were court days, except: January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... February 24 is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (126th in leap years). ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ... May 27 is the 147th day (148th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 218 days remaining. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 2 June is the 153rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (154th in leap years), with 212 days remaining. ... June 3 is the 154th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (155th in leap years), with 211 days remaining. ... June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• 31 March - César Chávez Day (holiday)
• 6 April - funeral of Johnnie Cochran
• 30 May - Memorial Day

A few court days were without jury and without Jackson. On these days motions were discussed and ruled about. These were on 11, 18 March, and the first part of 28 March. March 31 is the 90th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (91st in Leap years), with 275 days remaining. ... César Estrada Chávez or Cesar Estrada Chavez (March 31, 1927 – April 23, 1993) founded the National Farm Workers Association that later became the United Farm Workers. ... April 6 is the 96th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (97th in leap years). ... Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. ... May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... Relatives and others traditionally place flags near veterans headstones on Memorial Day Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday that takes place on May 30th and is observed on the last Monday of May. ...

There were also several days in which Michael Jackson was unable to attend. These are: For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), sometimes referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko, is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop...

• 15 February - Questioning of potential jurors was postponed until February 22, after Michael Jackson was hospitalized with the flu.
• 21 March- Court was delayed for 45 minutes, after Michael Jackson showed up late again complaining of back trouble. After meeting with attorneys and the doctor, Melville resumed the court into session without threatening to revoke Michael Jackson's bail.

See [17]. February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... February 22 is the 53rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), sometimes referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko, is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (81st in leap years). ... For other people with the same name, see Michael Jackson (disambiguation) Michael Joseph Jackson (born August 29, 1958), sometimes referred to as The King of Pop or Wacko Jacko, is an American musician and entertainer whose successful music career and controversial personal life have been at the forefront of pop...

Verdict

At approximately 2:25pm PDT (21:25 UTC) on June 13, 2005 the jury of the Superior Court of the State of California, held in and for the County of Santa Barbara, determined that Michael Jackson was not guilty on all counts. June 13 is the 164th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (165th in leap years), with 201 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ... In criminal law, an acquittal is the legal result of a verdict of not guilty, or some similar end of the proceeding that terminates it with prejudice without a verdict of guilty being entered against the accused. ...

The not guilty verdicts on all ten charges, including four lesser substitute charges, were read aloud by court clerk Lorna Frye. Fans celebrated outside of the courthouse, cheering, waving signs, and even releasing white doves and confetti as the verdicts were announced. The investigation and trial lasted for 574 days. A court clerk or clerk of the court is an occupation whose responsibilities include maintaining the records of a court. ... Pigeon redirects here; for other uses, see Pigeon (disambiguation). ... Confetti is made up of small pieces of paper or plastic which are usually thrown at celebrations, espescially weddings. ...

After the trial, some jurors claimed that while they did not have enough evidence (a "smoking gun") to give a guilty verdict, 3 jurors believed that Jackson probably did molest children (but not Gavin Arvizo; the 2003 accuser). [18] The most critical of Michael Jackson was Juror #1 Raymond Hultman. After his comments, Juror #3 Susan Derr Drake made clear she thought that Michael Jackson was innocent of all accusations of molestation, including prior allegations.[19] This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ... This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ...

Allegations of juror misconduct

Since the trial was over there has been some controversy over the conduct of jurors during deliberations. Juror #5 (Eleanor Cook) admitted to illegally bringing in a medical text to show "Jackson fit the book's definition of a pedophile to a T."[20]. She also claimed to having winked at Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, even though jurors are supposed to avoid all such communication, no matter how innocent. She also claimed that there were three devoted fans of Michael Jackson, who made clear, early on, they would never convict Jackson; with one referring to him affectionately as "my Michael". While herself allegedly came in on the jury with the sole intent of convicting Jackson and later write a book about it. When he was acquitted, her book deal fell through. This is the jury for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Jurors Cook and Hultman have claimed that the juror foreman threatened to remove them from the jury, unless they agreed to acquit Jackson, even though jurors cannot be removed from a jury simply because they don't agree with the others. Both jurors expressed regret about the verdict while still trying to sign book deals and sell T-Shirts about the case. Hultman later tried to get out of a book deal by claiming he had been coerced to sign it just like he had been coerced to acquit Jackson. [21]

Reports also came out that several members of the jury made fun of an alleged victim who burst into tears on the stand while talking about having been tickled by Jackson 15 years ago.

After the trial

Janet Arvizo, the mother of the accuser, was charged with welfare fraud on August 23, 2005 for allegedly collecting nearly $19,000 in payments while making false claims. During her testimony at the Jackson trial, Arvizo cited the Fifth Amendment against criminal self-incrimination in refusing to answer questions about how she succeeded in illegally obtaining welfare payments while having more than $30,000 in the bank. During the defense case, a Jackson lawyer walked a California Department of Social Services representative through Arvizo's welfare applications, pointing out how she repeatedly failed to disclose, as required by law, assets and financial assistance she was receiving. Among many devastating brickbats tossed at Arvizo during the Jackson trial, the welfare fraud allegations were particularly damaging since they appeared to be backed by government documents (not to mention that Arvizo refused to address them for fear of incriminating herself). She has plead not guilty to all charges brought against her. A status hearing has been set for October 28, 2005. August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 28 is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 64 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Two of the twelve Jurors have also come out to say that they believed that Michael Jackson did abuse children in the past, but the evidence just wasn't there and it could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that Michael Jackson abused Gavin Arvizo.

Currently, Michael resides in Bahrain where he is living with his 3 children.

See also

• Allegations of child sexual abuse by Michael Jackson in the early 1990s
• Media circus
• Thomas Mesereau
• Michael Jackson 2005 Juror List
• Actual innocence

Jordy Chandler In the period 1992-1993 Jordy Chandler (also called Jordan and Jordie, born January 1980) was a friend of Michael Jackson, the singer. ... INS agents recover Elián González by force from his uncles house; this photo, taken by AP photographer Alan Diaz, won him a Pulitzer Prize. ... Thomas A. Mesereau, Jr. ... This is the Juror List for the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson. ... Actual innocence is the most widely used - yet often the least studied - defense to crime. ...

External links

• "Jackson Not Guilty", article by CNN reporting the verdict on June 13, 2005.
• Mary Fischer GQ Article: "Was Michael Jackson framed?"
• Magpie's Michael Jackson Case Page
• Testimony of 12 y. o. J. Chandler (The Smoking Gun Magazine)
• E! Online: The Michael Jackson File – From Superstar to Suspect, Complete Coverage of Trouble in Neverland
• Court TV Special Report: Michael Jackson Accused
• Michael Jackson Trial Watch
• Aerial photograph of Neverland, and more
• Gary Glitter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Satirical animation that recreates news coverage of Jackson being brought to court to be charged formally, but with Gary Glitter in Jackson's place
• http://www.aimpress.com/deantong.htm

Gary Glitter on the cover of a Greatest Hits album. ...

News

Wikinews has news related to:

Category:Michael Jackson trial

Wikinews has news related to:

Jackson found 'not guilty' on all counts

• Michael Jackson Trial Watch
• E! Online: The Michael Jackson File – From Superstar to Suspect, Complete Coverage of Trouble in Neverland
• Court TV Special Report: Michael Jackson Accused
• MJNewsOnline.com: Latest Michael Jackson News (Pro-Jackson Website)
• Timeline of news
• News Briefs: Fans rejoice Michael Jackson acquittal
• Chaos 2004: the Michael Jackson trial

Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... Image File history File links Wikinews-logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ...

Police and courts

• Opening statements of the trial, by prosecution and defense, including the indictment: [22] [23] [24] [25] (pdf)
  • applicable sections of California Penal Code:
    • count 1, overt acts 1-28: 182(a)(1) - conspiracy, involving unlawful controlling, withholding, concealing, enticing, and threatening the accuser, his mother, his sister, and his brother, to commit:
      • 236 - false imprisonment
      • 278 - child abduction
      • 518 - extortion
    • count 2-6: 288(a) - lewd act upon a child: four times plus one attempt (664): two times (counts 2 and 3) reported by the accuser, two times (counts 4 and 5) witnessed by his brother, while the accuser slept, and an attempt to have the accuser perform a non-penetrative sexual act on Jackson (count 6). 288(a) should not be confused with 288a.
      • counts 7-10: 222 - administering alcohol to enable and assist oneself to do this (four times); in June 2005 Melville ruled that alternatively the jury can consider the lesser charge of just supplying alcohol to the accuser.
• Evidence Code 1108 - allowing in a sexual offense trial, evidence that the defendant has committed another sexual offense, as evidence of a person's character or a trait of his or her character
• Trial transcripts: [26] (not after 11 April and not 16, 17, 18, 21, 23, 24, 25, 28 (2nd part), 30 March, 1 April)
  • Overview of court days
• Transcripts of questionings before the Grand Jury
• Sheriff and DA
  • Tom Sneddon vendetta theory: Site investigating evidence against Santa Barbara DA T. Sneddon, alleging malicious prosecution
• The Smoking Gun: List of items seized from Neverland (but with large parts erased)
• Felony complaint, Dec 2003
• DCFS memo
• http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nndb.com%2Fpeople%2F698%2F000030608%2F&btnG=Google+Search -accuser info

click on the first link to get into the website. Secrecy is the condition of hiding information from others. ... Seduction is the process of deliberately enticing another person into an act (see motivation). ... A threat is an unwanted (deliberate or accidental) event that may result in harm to an asset. ...

Interviews

• michaeljackson.ru
• mjshouse.com
• CBS News
• USA Today: Neverland