BET Exclusive Interview
Mood:  special
Topic: Main News
By Bruce Britt

Posted July 7, 2005 -- (Los Angeles) -- During an exclusive BET interview conducted at the Jackson family compound, singer Jermaine Jackson broke into tears as he recalled his family’s tense drive to the courthouse to hear verdicts in Michael Jackson’s recent child molestation trial.

“We’re five guys from Gary, Indiana, who worked very hard (and) haven’t forgotten where we come from,” Jermaine said. “(We) never knew that the system would work against us.”

Jermaine’s comments were among many revelations the singer shared during the exclusive interview. Sitting in the ornately furnished home where he spent the latter part of his childhood, Jermaine gave BET a behind-the-scenes peep into his brother’s recent legal battles, including…

-- THE MINUTES BEFORE THE VERDICT

Jermaine wept as he recounted the nervous moments before the King of Pop learned his fate. “I heard from my sister Rebbie that (Michael)… read a few scriptures, and he was stomping his leg into the car… saying, ‘why’?”

-- THE MINUTES FOLLOWING THE VERDICT

According to Jermaine, the King of Pop sought comic relief immediately following his exoneration. “He had a sandwich… and he put on ‘The Three Stooges,’ and he just laughed, and it just was some positive entertainment… and the family came up. We hugged, and we talked… It was very, very tough, because he had done something that I don’t think I could have done. He stood up, and he held his head up all that time.”

MICHAEL’S CHARITY PLANS

Despite the trial, Jermaine said that Michael will continue to support children and charities. “(Michael) will still give, but he will give from a distance. He will put layers before him and just make it harder… But he will still give, ‘cause he was blessed with the talent to give.”

-- BITTER LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE TRIAL

“The lesson to be learned is… that we live in a society that (is) not a democracy. (It’s) almost like the outer wrapping of a sandwich. It shows every bit of the democracy, but when you bite into it, it’s every bit of a dictatorship.”

FAMILY ADVICE

Jermaine said his family has advised Michael to keep a healthy distance from strangers. “The advice that he’s gotten from all of us is you just can’t get too close to anyone… Because everybody that pats you on your back is not your friend.”

THE DAMAGE TO MICHAEL’S LEGACY

Jermaine believes Michael is the victim of a news media that intentionally smears black celebrities. “They’re going to try to tag him with this ‘formerly child molester’ or ‘Michael charged with child molestation,’ no matter what he does. But they want to label him that, just like they did with Michael Jordan with the drink and just like what they did with the gambling, just like they did with Mike Tyson... They want to get you, so when you go… back in time in history, and a (black) youth looks up Michael Jackson or Mike Tyson, that part is written alongside of his name.”

MEDIA MANIPULATIONS

Jermaine detailed how some in the media creatively muzzled the family. “I’ve been in situations where I wanted to talk freely (about Michael), and producers of shows (said), ‘no, you can’t say this, and you can’t say that.’ And I’d say, why? ‘Because we want to ask this and that, and our viewers are going to want to know why we didn’t ask this and that,’… We’re being controlled… It’s like the media has the last say.”

MEDIA HYPOCRISY?

Jermaine feels that Michael isn’t the only Jackson to suffer at the hands of a hostile media. He feels that the controversy surrounding Janet’s 2004 Super Bowl controversy was an attack on black America. “To sort of go after (Janet) like that, it was just unheard of,” Jermaine said. “Because there are shows… that are not adequate programming for our youth, and they are on the biggest networks… showing women kissing women and… you know exactly what I’m saying. And these are some of the top rated shows. But to go after my sister, and my brother, and my family… It lets you know what their plan is. They’ve had enough of us, I feel.”

BLACK AWARENESS

Michael’s ordeal seems to have made Jermaine and the Jackson’s even more sensitive to the need for black power and unity. “We, as black Americans, have to institutionalize ourselves -- to put ourselves in a position to hire and not be hired. To put ourselves in a position to compete in the global market as far as finance, trade, world trade… Because when you (do), it’s like having the last say. We need to have more outreach… whether it’s media, public opinion, more leaders, more ways to get our word out there. Because at the same time, when you look at what was going on in the case, the media would pound Michael. They would pound the family. And then everything, what was said, was totally opposite of what was going on in the courtroom.”

-- THE END OF THE INNOCENCE

Jermaine suggests that Michael has been irreparably damaged by the trial. “He’s tired,” Jermaine said, sympathetically. “This really hurt him... I saw his hurt, his pain. I felt it… This was something unreal, and it was just to say, it’s like (blacks have) come so far. This is 2005, but yet we haven’t gone anywhere.”

My Message to You, Michael: " We will stand by and wait... we will never leave you"
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Main News


(Saturday, 02 July 2005) –

This letter so completely and beautifully represents the sum of the sentiments in the thousands of letters MJJsource receives for Michael everyday...


Thank you...My Message to You, Michaela?|a?|..You need not ever doubt that your fans love you with all their heart and soul! There was nothing stopping me from going to Santa Maria during your trial. My reason for being there was to send positive energy, love and 100% support... there was nothing that could have stopped me from being there!

I will tell you that it was the best time of my life. You have the most loving and supportive fans!! Let me give you some examples: For those who didn't have enough money, others housed them in their hotels. For those who didn't have enough food, others all fed them. For those who came alone, others made sure they joined them in groups. Ia?™l

l have you know, Michael, it was a support group like no other!I know when someone is trying to accomplish something they say, "Even if I make a difference and help just one person, I would then feel my effort was worth while.a?•

Please allow me to tell you this... Michael, you have touched, influenced and have been an inspiration for SO manypeople!! You have so many people wanting to work for you in helping you make this world a better place. I believe they all look to you, as assurance, in believing that there are still good people in this world, people whom actually still care!

You know, one of the media members asked me, a?oeWhy do you care?a?• my answer was, a?oeBecause Michael Cares.a?• You LEADER Michael and I and many others, are thankful for your guidance. There are many people who just need to know the way and they know you can show thema?|. such an honorable role.

I, we, leave you now, to heal and replenish your body and mind. We are all extremely sorry, you had to go through, what you did, it broke all of our hearts.

We will stand by and wait, we will never leave you Michael. We know you hurt, we know you need a break, we know you need to be with your children and familya?| we love you Michael.

Please forgive us for our never-ending want, of you in our presence.

All MY Love

Blanketparis!

http://mjjsource.com/main - MJJsource - The Official Source for Michael Jackson News and Information Generated: 5 July, 2005, 00:23

Michael Jackson vacationing in Bahrain
Mood:  cool
Topic: Main News
'Very, very private' visit as guest of king's son

The Associated Press
Updated: 8:11 a.m. ET June 30, 2005

MANAMA, Bahrain - Michael Jackson began a vacation at a prince’s palace in the tiny Gulf kingdom of Bahrain, his first trip overseas since being acquitted of child molestation charges, an official close to the royal circle said Thursday.

Jackson and his three children arrived on a private plane from Europe on Wednesday night for an indefinite stay, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because private visits involving the royal family are not authorized to be announced.

Jackson was found not guilty of child molestation in a California court on June 13.
He chose Bahrain because his brother, Jermaine, previously visited the kingdom, the official said.

“He’s come here to retreat and relax and enjoy the calmness of Bahrain,” the official said, adding that no other member of the Jackson family accompanied the pop star. Another official speaking on condition of anonymity said Jackson was a guest of Sheik Abdullah bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the king’s son, in one of the royal palaces. Sheik Abdullah, believed to be in his early 30s, is a friend of Jermaine Jackson.

The official described the visit as “very, very private.”

Jermaine Jackson has close links with Bahrain’s royal circle. In January, he and Sheik Abdullah announced plans to launch a charity theme song written by the royal.

? 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
? 2005 MSNBC.com
URL: http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8415726/

Statement of Michael Jackson: A Message For My Fans
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Breaking News
Without God, my children, my family and you, my fans, I could not have made it through. Your love, support and loyalty made it all possible.

You were there when I really needed you. I will never forget you. Your ever-present love held me, dried my tears, and carried me through.

I will treasure your devotion and support forever. You are my inspiration.

Love,

Michael Jackson
Original Message

Jackson a victim of media vultures
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Main News
It is baffling to me how people judge without knowing too much of anything.

Mr. Mike Vecchio ("Jackson free, but accuser is not," June 19) is worried about Michael Jackson's future victims when he doesn't even know if there are any past ones. We are so quick to jump on the bandwagon and go with whatever the media writes. Today's world is different, and people sue if you look at them wrong. We don't know anything about what Michael has or has not done. What we do know is that there are vultures out there who prey on the weak and take advantage of kindness.

Were you at Neverland when any of these accusations supposedly took place? I don't think so. There isn't always smoke when there's a fire. If you take a hard look at Michael, you can see that he is still a child himself. Do we know how things done in a childhood could possibly effect someone? Unless you're a psychiatrist, and sometimes they have trouble, how can you make judgments like this.

Michael went to trial, he was acquitted of all charges, and you can continue to speculate all you want, but you weren't there.

There is too much hate and willingness to believe everything that is written about anyone. The media aren't always right, and they form opinions just like everyone else. Michael will do just fine, and if America doesn't want to buy his music, so what? We love to ruin people. He can go to Europe, Asia or anywhere else in the world where people still love him. I believe Michael was innocent and, although a grown man, he has the spirit and mind of a child. He is living the childhood he missed, and people are using it as something dirty and to get a free ride.

When you know for sure what happened, then you can say what you want. But you don't know and it's only your opinion, just as this is mine.

ALINDER RIDLEY

Martinsville

from the Courier News website www.c-n.com

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Interview With Michael Jackson Jurors
Mood:  happy
Topic: Main News

Michael Jackson faces a new trial
Mood:  surprised
Topic: Main News
Michael Jackson is being sued by a woman who claims she was bitten by superstar's dog. The woman, named Donna Kyman, declared she was bitten by Flash, Michael Jackson's dog, in April 2005. Kyman, 66, said she went through a "great mental, emotional and physical pain and suffering".

"The dog was possessed of vicious and dangerous propensities and was inclined to attack people and other animals without provocation."

Kyman claims the animal "viciously and without provocation attacked" her in the garage of her Encino home, near the Jackson's residence, reports Femalefirst.com, and accuses Jackson of "negligently, carelessly and wrongfully".


24th of June 2005, 08:07 GMT | Copyright (c) 2005 Softpedia

Trial turned Jackson into a 'zombie'!
Mood:  blue
Topic: Breaking News
London June 23, 2005 4:38:33 PM IST

Pop star Michael Jackson's nutritionist has revealed that the star was under so much stress during his trial that he had almost turned into a zombie.

"I got this strange call from Joe Jackson one day. He said, 'You gotta fly out here. Michael's been in his room for 30 days, drinking nothing but water,'" Dick Gregory told US TV news show EXTRA.

"He was stronger at the trial than he was when he got home in the evening. That's when he was able to collapse and deal with the pain and feel the hurt of his body. "He was a zombie... He just didn't have an appetite and he wasn't eating. There was nothing he could do to get his appetite back," he added.

Acording to Ratethemusic.com, Gregory has trained Jackson's personal cooks so they can mix vitamins and herbs into his food to help stabilise the pop star and build up his strength.

"I took about three hours training them how to cook," Gregory said. (ANI)

?2002 - 2003 Netindia123.com.
All rights reserved.

Las Vegas Jackson fan stayed loyal
President of fan club delighted with verdict, admires pop star for 'heart'

By RICHARD LAKE
REVIEW-JOURNAL

Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Copyright ? Las Vegas Review-Journal

Want to peek inside the mind of a Michael Jackson fanatic? Sit down with Farah Pajuheshfar for 15 or 20 minutes.
"Thirty-six years ago, it was his music and his dance. Later on it was his heart," Pajuheshfar said Monday, surrounded by memorabilia featuring the pop star. "He's a humanitarian. The way he cares about the world."To Pajuheshfar, a 47-year-old immigrant from Iran and the president of a local Michael Jackson fan club, there was simply no way a jury could find Jackson guilty of hurting anybody, let alone of molesting a little boy.

"They found him not guilty of all these charges," Pajuheshfar said, sitting at the dining room table of her Henderson home a couple of hours after the jury's announcement. "I'm so glad. We've been waiting for this for 12 or 13 years."
Pajuheshfar fell for Jackson as a child growing up in Iran back when it was a democratic country. As a young woman, she fled to France after the Islamic revolution of 1979.

Her devotion to Jackson grew as his efforts to help children and the poor expanded, she said. A man like that, she said, wouldn't hurt a fly.

"I taught my kids to never ever judge someone without knowing them," she said.The family moved to Las Vegas 13 years ago. Once, she and her now 13-year-old daughter even met Michael Jackson at an event on the Strip.

And though she is not a friend of Jackson's or anything, she said she feels close to him."Michael Jackson is not just a singer to us," she said. "Michael became part of my family. ... He helped us through difficult times in our lives. I don't have any brothers, but he is like my brother. He's a part of my heart." As far as the trial goes, all any skeptic would have to do is simply look at the evidence, she said. This clearly was nothing but an attempt to extort Jackson for money, she said.
"We read every transcript," said Pajuheshfar, a local hairdresser

But isn't Jackson just a little too weird for such adoration? Didn't he go off the deep end a long, long time ago?

"Not to us," Pajuheshfar said of the pop star's adoring fans. "He's not weird." Pajuheshfar said she would have been at Jackson's Neverland Ranch already if not for her son's graduation from Green Valley High School today. Because of that event, she said she'll have to wait until Wednesday to travel there.

In the end, she said, she believes most people will come to accept the verdict as truth, once they examine the evidence.
Everybody else, she said, can wallow in their ignorance.

"Some people, they really don't want to learn the truth," she said. "These people, you cannot change their minds."

Find this article at:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Jun-14-Tue-2005/news/26718162.html

Jackson photographer speaks out
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Main News
3.38PM, Thu Jun 23 2005
Harrison Funk


Harrison Funk, who was Michael Jackson's personal photographer for 14 years, has been speaking about the Michael Jackson trial.

The world-famous snapper has worked with a host of stars, including Mick Jagger, David Bowie, Laurence Fishburne, Lionel Ritchie, model Iman, Johnny Depp, Neil Diamond and John Travolta.

New York-born Harrison has also made music videos, including Cameo's Word Up, with the famous red codpiece.

He said: "I didn't have my doubts about Michael. But I think that when you listen to evidence, you have to look at it fully. And make your judgment from that. The jury obviously did that.

"I think Michael's been the target for a lot of people making these kind of allegations. Fortunately, only a very small number of people have ever tried to target Michael in this way.

"And I think when you get to that level of your career you do become a target and people try to bring you down."

Jackson was cleared on June 13 of all ten charges in his child sex abuse trial.

A jury of eight women and four men unanimously cleared him of ten counts of molestation, attempted molestation, plying children with alcohol and conspiracy to hold Gavin Arvizo and his family captive.

Jackson's lawyers described the Arvizo family as liars and cheats who were out to profit from Jackson's deep pockets.

Content ? ITV Network Limited. All Rights Reserved

Townshend Lauds Jackson
Mood:  celebratory
Topic: Main News
While gearing up to play his first Who concert in nearly a year at the London edition of Live 8, Pete Townshend weighed in on the verdict of Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. "I was pleased Michael was cleared," the sixty-year-old guitarist posted on his Web site Wednesday. "His feathers may be badly burned, and he may be damaged in other ways too, but he is something of an angel."

Townshend called Jackson's trial -- which concluded last week in the pop star being acquitted of the ten charges he faced --"absurd." He also relayed a story about how Jackson once funded a circus for a group of special-needs children, including a daughter of one of Townshend's friends. "This little girl believed she was Michael's future wife," Townshend wrote, "and he so kindly allowed her to sit next to him, as his future bride."

Townshend himself faced child pornography charges in 2003. He admitted accessing illicit photos while doing research for a memoir that would document his own abuse as a child. After a four-month investigation, the charges were dropped, but Townshend's name was placed on the National Sex Offenders register for five years.

"I intend to work my way back to normality," he told Rolling Stone at the time.Since then, the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has been at work on an autobiography, a solo music project and the tentatively titled Who2, the first Who album in twenty-three years. For the July 2nd Live 8 show, the Who will perform along with U2, Paul McCartney, Madonna, Elton John, Sting, Coldplay and a reunited Pink Floyd at London's Hyde Park.


BILL CRANDALL
(Posted Jun 23, 2005)

Michael Jackson's Mother Speaks Out About Trial
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Main News
KNBC-TV

LOS ANGELES - In a "Today" show exclusive, Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, talked to MSNBC's Rita Cosby one week after her famous son's acquittal on all charges of child molestation.

Katherine Jackson is considered to be "the rock" of the Jackson family. With nine children, including Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop." The Jackson matriarch told Cosby that the seven days she waited for the jury to come back were nail-biters. The whole trial took everything out of her son, physically and mentally, Cosby reported. "One of the reasons why it devastated him," Mrs. Jackson said, "he would tell me, 'Mother, when they say 'call your next witness,' and I look around and I'm surprised. It's people that I've helped, and they're up there trying to make money off of me by lying. I don't understand how people can do that.'"

When asked if she felt Michael has shaken the allegations of child molestation once and for all, Mrs. Jackson said, "he'd been proven not to be a child molester, and they know he's not. But some people just believe what they believe and I can't stop that. But I wish they would stop and think about it. That he is not a child molester. He is not a pedophile. He doesn't give liquor to children. These kids were bad kids." Cosby asked Jackson, "If you could see the boy and the mother, what would you say to them?"

"I could not even answer that right now," Mrs. Jackson said. "It all depends on what mood I am in when I see them. I feel sorry for them, too. From what I hear about their past, I feel sorry for their future if they don't change their way." Some of the jurors said that they believed Michael Jackson may have molested someone else before, but they didn't believe the words of this family.

"I think there was one juror, I think they said juror No. 1 said that. I can't change his mind. He believed what he wants to believe," said Mrs. Jackson. Cosby said following Jackson's acquittal, Attorney Tom Sneddon was unapologetic and said he made no mistakes and would do it again.

"Maybe he didn't make what he calls 'no mistakes,' but he made a big mistake. My son is not a pedophile," Mrs. Jackson said. "Are you angry at the way some perceived he targeted your son," Cosby asked.

"My son is a better person than he is," said Mrs. Jackson. "What he did to my son, my son would never do to anyone else." "Another thing, too," Mrs. Jackson continued, "that ranch was not built to lure little children just to molest them, as the prosecutors tried to say. When he let people come out there and enjoy the ranch, everything is free. He has always been taught to give and to share." Michael Jackson's mother said Michael told her if he had to help people from now on, he would help them from a distance. "Do you think from here on out, he will say, 'OK, no kids, no boys in the bedroom because I don't want to be accused of something,'" Cosby asked. "I am sure he won't do that now. Twice he's been accused of doing something he hasn't done," Mrs. Jackson said.

When asked how the trial affected Michael Jackson's mother personally, she said, "I had anxiety sometimes, I prayed about all of that. He was my child and I loved him, and I was going to stick by him."

? 2005 MSNBC.com
URL: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8302648/

Profile: The Arvizo family
Mood:  irritated
Topic: Main News
By Matthew Davis
BBC News, Washington

The credibility of 15-year-old cancer survivor Gavin Arvizo and his mother Janet was key to the case against Michael Jackson, who has been acquitted of child abuse and abduction charges by a California court.

The defence sought to portray the boy and his family as dishonest gold-diggers who saw Mr Jackson as a celebrity fall guy to be milked for cash.
Janet Arvizo proved to be a loose cannon and one of the most explosive witnesses in the case with her erratic courtroom outbursts.

The many faces of her son - downcast and ghostly in a police interview, or fresh-faced and confident in documentary footage - gave the jurors a compelling dilemma. But what emerged above all was a sad picture of a family fragmented, and of a teenage boy - still with serious health problems - laying himself open in a case seen all over the world.

Father assaulted mother

Gavin Arvizo comes from a troubled background. His mother remarried in 2004 - to US Army Major Jay Jackson - following an acrimonious divorce from her previous husband, 37-year-old lorry driver David Arvizo. Mr Arvizo lost custody of the teenager, his younger brother and older sister after admitting an assault on Janet Arvizo.

The trial heard how the father was persistent in begging celebrities for money after Gavin was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer in 2000, which required the boy's spleen and left kidney to be removed. It was in that year that Gavin first met Michael Jackson, introduced to the star by Jamie Masada, owner of The Laugh Factory in Hollywood.

'Jesus juice'

Gavin claimed the abuse started after his appearance with Mr Jackson in the British documentary by Martin Bashir - filmed in 2002 and aired in 2003. He said it was after the interview that Mr Jackson started serving him and his younger brother wine, which he claimed the singer called "Jesus juice", and began making sexual advances.

But defence lawyers were able to put a number of dents in Gavin's credibility as a witness. It emerged that the boy, and his younger brother and older sister, had taken acting lessons ahead of a 2001 lawsuit against US retailer JC Penney.

The boy himself said Mr Jackson broke his heart by rejecting him as a friend, and defence lawyers suggested the accusations were a case of revenge. In separate interviews with a social worker and a teacher after the airing of the Bashir documentary, Gavin denied he had been molested by Mr Jackson. Prosecutors said this was because he wanted to put an end to the teasing he was enduring in the wake of the film. The low, downcast demeanour of the boy in a powerful video shown at the very end of the case, in which he haltingly described the alleged abuse, was a powerful boost to his case.

'Are you Catwoman?'
From the outset of the trial, Janet Arvizo proved to be a mercurial character. She rarely gave a straight answer to any of the defence's questions thrown at her in court, often replying using a repetitive array of words and phrases.

Among her favourites were "It's burned inside my memory" and "Money doesn't buy happiness". At times she drew laughter from the courtroom - often directed at her - as in the time she tried to explain she was acting in the so-called rebuttal video.

"You are not going to call Halle Berry and say, 'Are you Catwoman?'," she said in response to questioning.

She was accused of exploiting her cancer-stricken son for money. Defence witnesses said she had concealed sources of income while receiving welfare cheques. It was also suggested that she spent $7,000 (#3,800) shopping and dining out at the same time as she alleged Mr Jackson kept her and her family captive. Now their claims about Mr Jackson's behaviour have been rejected by a jury, their motives for making the allegations against the singer will come under close scrutiny in the coming weeks.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/music/4584531.stm

Published: 2005/06/13 21:29:38 GMT

? BBC MMV

Jackson mother sorry for Arvizo
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Main News
Michael Jackson's mother has said she felt sorry for the teenager who accused him of child abuse, which resulted in her son being acquitted in court.

Katherine Jackson did not know what she would say to Gavin Arvizo and his mother Janet if she met them, she said.

"I feel sorry for them, and from what I hear about their past I feel sorry for their future if they don't change their way," she told NBC's Today show.

Last week Michael Jackson was cleared of 10 charges at his California trial. Katherine Jackson told the US TV network she believes her son's name has now been cleared beyond doubt. "He's been proven not to be a child molester and they know he's not. He's not a child molester, he's not a paedophile, and he doesn't give liquor to children. These kids were bad kids," she said. She added that Jackson would change his friendships with children, no longer allowing them to share his bed.

Radio 'boost'

"I'm sure he's not going to do that now because twice he's been accused of doing something he hadn't done," she said. In 1993 the singer paid a reported $20m (#12.7m) settlement to a boy who accused him of molesting him, although no charges were ever brought in the case. Since his acquittal, there has been a rise in the amount of times Jackson's music has been played on US radio stations, research has suggested. "There was an absolute spike in airplay subsequent to the reading of the verdict," Mediabase 24/7's president, Rich Meyer. "Only time will tell whether the increased airplay will be sustained," he added.

The top three most-played songs were Billie Jean, Beat It and Rock with You.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/music/4118014.stm

Published: 2005/06/22 07:58:03 GMT

? BBC MMV

Commentary: All the little voices deserve equal attention
Mood:  surprised
Topic: Breaking News
January 17, 2004

by Steve Corbett / Times Columnist

While the world watches Santa Barbara District Attorney Tom Sneddon prepare to make his case against superstar Michael Jackson on charges of child molestation, the Santa Maria parents of another alleged molestation victim wonder why Sneddon abandoned them in their search for truth.

David Bruce Danielson retired last year from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, where he worked as a detective until his July 20, 2002, arrest on suspicion of child molestation.

In August 2002, Sneddon decided not to prosecute Danielson, of Orcutt, who was then 49, married and a veteran forensic investigator who had worked on some of the county's most serious criminal cases.

During a subsequent internal investigation into the molestation allegations, Danielson remained on paid administrative leave until he retired, according to sheriff's Lt. Julie McCammon.

Citing confidentiality, Sheriff's Department officials declined to release specifics about how long Danielson collected his paycheck while on administrative leave or how much money he received when he retired June 17, 2003.

Danielson received full pay during the time he did not work and applied that time to his pension, McCammon said. Danielson did not return to partial duty because of the seriousness of the child molestation allegations, she said.

The completed internal investigation did not exonerate Danielson, Sheriff Jim Anderson said Monday.

"He retired in lieu of termination," Anderson said.

Danielson could not be reached for comment.

Sneddon did not respond to a request to discuss the difference between freeing Danielson and prosecuting Jackson. But the district attorney has previously said that Danielson's lack of provable criminal intent figured prominently into the decision to release the detective.

Although Sneddon has offered few details about the charges against Jackson, the veteran prosecutor obviously believes Jackson acted willfully.

But Danielson admitted only to accidentally fondling the then 14-year-old child in a one-time occurrence, according to Sneddon, who said in an August 2002 interview that the deputy admitted touching the girl "in areas people would consider inappropriate."

Sneddon said Danielson came home after a night of drinking and crawled into his wife's bed where the child, who was a guest in the home, was sleeping.

"He touched (the child) a few places (and) by what he was touching realized it wasn't his wife," Sneddon said. "He said, 'Oh my gosh,' and jumped out of bed."

Sneddon said the subsequent investigation into the girl's claims did not provide the required evidence necessary to file a formal charge and prepare for court.

The child's parents, whose names are not being used to protect the identity of the alleged victim, believe that a provable case existed against Danielson.

The girl's mother and father also wonder why the Sheriff's Department - and not an outside police agency - conducted the investigation. One of the detectives even identified himself as a friend of Danielson, the child's mother said shortly after Sneddon declined to prosecute.

The child's father said last week that the Jackson case seems to depend on the word of a child who, like his daughter, cooperated with Santa Barbara County law enforcement officials.

But Sneddon didn't take his daughter's statements seriously enough to go to court.

Jackson's alleged victim, however, is expected to testify as Sneddon's star witness.

Shortly after Sneddon decided not to prosecute Danielson, the child wrote about her feelings, her father said.

"When I came clean I expected to be set free from the burden I had been carrying for so long, however, the only person set free was David Danielson," the child wrote.

"I am astounded at the stupidity the DA showed by allowing this man to be released of all charges. David Danielson may be free, but I am still emotionally trapped. There is not one day that I don't wish I wouldn't have come clean..."

"This happened to me when I was 14," she wrote. "I am now 16. I am a junior in high school, and I feel alone in this. I am asking the community to please help me to bring this man to justice. I don't want this to happen to other young girls. Santa Barbara County, please HELP..."

The child signed her letter "The "IGNORED' Teen.

The girl's father describes the now 17-year-old high school senior as bright, busy and sensitive. Yet, he worries that she will feel even more alone now that Sneddon has taken the word of another alleged child molestation victim more seriously than hers.

"Maybe it's because it is high profile, higher profile, but still, in her mind it's the same situation," he said. "She's still angry."

Although the child is "over what actually happened," the child's father said "her anger stems toward Sneddon." Although the girl's family dealt with an assistant district attorney in Santa Maria, "it all boils down to Sneddon's hands" in Santa Barbara, he said.

Despite Danielson's shocking admission to several people, Sneddon judged the evidence to be weak.

Maybe so.

But, in this uncelebrated case, even the best legal judgment does little to convince a still-vulnerable child that trust and truth matter.

Steve Corbett's column appears Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. He can be reached at 739-2215 or e-mailed at scorbett@p... Read Corbett online at www.santamariatimes.com.

Janet Jackson Thankful, Somber At Humanitarian Awards Acceptance
Mood:  special
Topic: Main News
LAUNCH Radio NetworksMon Jun 20, 3:00 AM ET

Grammy-winning performer Janet Jackson struck a somber note as she expressed her gratitude at an awards ceremony Saturday night honoring her humanitarian work for several AIDS-related charities. It was her first public appearance since older brother Michael Jackson was acquitted of child molestation charges on June 13. After a joking introduction by actor Alan Cumming, Jackson apologized for her own lack of humor, according to AP reports. She said, "My family and I have just gone through the least humorous chapter of our lives. I'm going to leave the jokes to the late-night (comics), if that's OK."

No stranger to controversy herself after the 2004 "Nipplegate" controversy at the Super Bowl, Janet added: "What I've learned in these recent months is that there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And it's real, it's a beautiful light that both comforts our minds and strengthens our souls. Tonight my heart is filled with gratitude for that light. I'm so grateful that prayers are answered, that faith is rewarded and tolerance is celebrated as a virtue. I'm grateful that God is of unconditional love."

Jackson received a standing ovation at the fundraiser, held June 18 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. She was honored for the millions of dollars she has both raised and donated for humanitarian causes, including the American Foundation for AIDS Research, the Elton John AIDS Foundation and the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation.

For more news at Yahoo! Music, click here.
Copyright ? 2005 LAUNCH.

"How Do You Feel?"
Mood:  special
Topic: Main News
Created: Sunday, 19 June 2005

That seems like the question that I am asked the most…. that, and the media begging for an interview or a sound bite. The answer to the second question is a radical “NO!”

There is absolutely no way I want to give the media one second of anything that belongs to Michael, just so they can get one more minute of ratings, a job advancement for themselves, or some more money in their greedy little paws, even if it is just me. I am not what they want. They just want another piece of Michael, and they are NOT getting it from me. I hold every moment we spent together sacred and personal. That belongs to us. My silence is the ultimate allegiance to my friend and hero.

The only one that has the authority and integrity to speak, at this time, is Thomas Messereau. He must speak in order to balance those scales of justice… remember that symbol?

I have been at “ground zero” throughout the entire year and a half. From the second day of production of ONE MORE CHANCE shooting in Las Vegas when my wake up call was interrupted by a news alert and helicopter shots of a raid on Neverland; the airplane ride to Santa Barbara where I witnessed Michael’s arms being twisted behind his back to slam shackles on his wrists. My heart has been in shackles until I heard the words NOT GUILTY repeated over and over again. Now how do I feel?

I AM FILLED WITH RAGE!!!!! I saw my dear friend go slowly from a vibrant, creative, loving man to a frail, broken hearted, human being. He was repeatedly raped (emotionally and mentally robbed and destroyed by force and violence). Day in and day out, in the courtroom and in the media, he was abused and violated in the worst possible manner in front the entire world, and me.

How do I feel? I am glad that the jury finally came to the same conclusion we knew all along. And what was the purpose of torturing this beautiful human being not only by a few ignorant (lacking a sense of awareness) lawmen, but also by a media willing to participate in the crucifixion for greed? I am ENRAGED!

I am trying to find the peace in my heart to forgive. Rage is a useless and horrible emotion to carry. Over this past week I have tried to cry it out. I went to the Neverland Gates on vindication day and tried to “hug” it out with all of my friends who marched beside Michael on this journey. I am still working on it.

Michael shared so much with me every day, and I still can not even conceive of how his body and heart is feeling now. All I do know is that Michael needs to recover (reclaim, recuperate) from this most heinous act that anyone could have put him through.

I know he needs to find peace. He did share with me his desire to be ALONE with his children… for him NOT to speak or see any one for a long time. I know he said this to also include me, not in any selfish or greedy manner, but for his own survival. I will respect this completely. But also in the same breath, he shared his love and gratitude for all of his friends that stood by his side.

I know we have so many feelings deep within us that need to be expressed. Many of us feel elated and want to party, some want to bow their heads in prayer and give thanks, and I have my rage to work through. Whatever we may be experiencing, let us please be respectful of Michael’s healing process and give him the time he needs to be able to regain his spirit to the fullest.

I have confidence that the artist, the God energy that dwells in Michael, will not be able to remain still. I am sure the music is still dancing in his mind. I am excited to know how his experiences will translate into his art.

Please, all of his friends, be patient and let us learn, and put the negative behind us quickly.

Let us turn this page with all the knowledge that we have gained. Let us leave Michael in peace. He KNOWS we are here… and waiting for him.

Lets keep dancing.

Karen Faye

Symphony of INNOCENCE
Mood:  hug me
Topic: Main News
Created: Sunday, 19 June 2005

June 17, 2005
By MJJsource Contributing Writer, John Karrys

Children of the world, there is hope. It is okay to be different and be self-made in mind and spirit. We are now reminded that one should strive to tell the truth and be loyal to one’s conscience and remember that karma returns to those who lie with malice. You can choose to stand apart from those who would like to manage your mind and not believe you have to fit into any conventional wisdom or pyramid of conformity. It’s really okay to choose not to follow this cliquish opinion of the moment, or that sheepish behavior. At this moment, Michael Jackson’s symphony of innocence is the best thing America has exported to the world in a very long time. It is a blaze of hope.

Listen to the symphony. Listen and watch closely. Notice the nuances from this or that pundit who was so sure that Michael Jackson was guilty. What do you hear? Does it sound logical? Did it ever sound logical? Do you notice certain faces puffing up? Listen to Tom Sneddon’s mumbling press conference; it felt like a Humpty Dumpty moment did it not? To all of those who hedged their careers on a Michael Jackson conviction, fear not, the angels of retribution will visit you shortly. Consult your lawyers for details. This includes those who felt it was their right to meddle in his private financial affairs. Last time I checked the pulse of this nation, any person’s private property was generally to be respected and honored. Most working people can appreciate that. I guess those moral vultures living outside of that pulse will learn that lesson. Perhaps they need some music for some insight.

A great thing about captivating music is that it can elevate ones awareness toward a more productive plateau. Listen closely to the attempted Michael Jackson career obituaries. This media has tried to tell the public that Michael Jackson’s career took a dive in the 90’s and has never recovered since. What standard did they use to decide that? A musicologist? Is it because he began to create music and videos that questioned the prevailing conditions of the time, instead of creating music for the dance clubs and charts? Revisionist music historians have tried, unsuccessfully, to desecrate the Jackson name by marginalizing his musical trailblazing achievements. Many “experts” will now have to undergo a credibility review.

For the last week, the world saw pictures of a jail cell. Who should really be there as a retribution of justice? How many? Throughout the world, the use of malicious force seems to be used illegally as a tool to exercise more state power over millions of innocent people. Out of this display, children begin to see value in lying and abandon values because they see adults lie constantly only to profit and be rewarded without consequence. Not this time around. There is a wheel of possibilities as to who should fill that jail cell and set an example. Media and legal statisticians are still working out the final tally as to the number of perjuries committed. Stay tuned.

In schools, universities, corporations, and our courts, we have clearly witnessed an epidemic of lies, frauds, the manufacturing of false profits as well as rampant perjury. As a result, we are sleeping complacently in a dangerous bed of lies. Michael Jackson’s explosive symphony is a victory for the truth and justice that is possible in all of our lives.

Ladies and gentlemen, to personify integrity isn’t out of style. To add value to the world is something to strive for as opposed to striving to be a vampire of someone else’s work and wealth. Victory is both peace and an authentic expression of what is possible throughout the cycle of life.

Michael’s triumph and rite of passage is a composition to the world; a unique symphony of innocence. At least, it seems possible that we can lock and load our victorious consciences with faith, diagnose our dangerously sick institutions and peacefully heal our communities.

For You And For Me.

A Note from MJJsource:

Team MJJsource would like to express our deepest thanks to John Karrys for the profound and powerful articles that he has contributed to this website over the past year.

John, in your articles you have so eloquently expressed the words that we felt so strongly but, as Michael's official website and voice, were gagged by law from expressing. We thank you for 'speaking' those often unpopular opinions and for courageously looking beyond the contorted image and twisted stories that were being force fed to the world on a daily basis throughout this process. We applaud your independent and insightful mind and thank you for letting us share 'you' with the world!

To All of Michael?s Friends, Fans & Supporters: THANK YOU
Mood:  party time!
Topic: Main News
Created: Sunday, 19 June 2005

On behalf of Michael Jackson, MJJsource would like to express his deepest appreciation to everyone who extended their love, prayers and support to him, his family and his entire team during this very difficult year and a half.

As we close this chapter in all of our lives and embrace a new beginning, Michael wants every fan, friend and supporter to know how truly loved and valued you are. He felt the power of your prayers, your personal sacrifices and the passion of your hearts in your many acts of love, letters, gifts and emails. There are no words to express how important each of you are to him. He is so deeply thankful to God, his family, his attorneys, his friends and his fans… the incredible power of all your love and dedication was invaluable to him and sustained him as he fought for his life everyday.

Throughout this experience, you were never far from his thoughts. He knew about your support demonstrations and vigils all over the world. He saw your faces, your banners and your signs at the beginning and end of each court day. Your constant presence and your cheers were an invaluable source of encouragement for him. He noticed every expression of love placed at his gates; the hearts, the angels, the stars, the banners… He drew strength from your strength… and he expressed his heartfelt gratitude and love for all of you, to those around him, time and time again.

It is of the highest importance to Michael, that his fans be acknowledged and that they truly know how special they are to him. He is so blessed by your loyalty and your ability to see the truth through all of the deception.

He sincerely thanks you all, with a humble and grateful heart, for standing with him, believing in him and fighting for him. His love and gratitude for you knows no bounds and he shares this victory with you. If he could have, throughout this experience, he would have told each one of you personally, “I love you more.”

From Team MJJsource:

As Michael’s official website, we were gagged by law from expressing our anger and outrage at so much of what was being done and reported… but you, the fans, did it for us… And, to you all, we say a sincere, thank you. Thank you. Thank you… for your unwavering loyalty to Michael and to the truth.

We continually cheered with you as you courageously stood up to the powerful forces of deception behind this trial. We know you cried and screamed with us as lie after lie was perpetuated and sold as fact to the world through the media. Often we looked to you to speak when we couldn’t… and you did, sacrificing your own time, money and sometimes relationships with those who refused to see Michael’s innocence. Michael has been a warrior; we have all been his army.

Each of us, in different ways, have had to stand up against much adversity as we have fought to let the truth of this incredible injustice be made known, most importantly and significantly, Michael himself. We know that it has not been easy; we know that so many of you have sacrificed so much to be there for Michael and stand up for truth.... no matter what.

The tireless 'campaigns for victory' of Michael's fans and friends were such a source of beauty and strength for Michael and for all of us involved. But most of all, throughout the entire ordeal, Michael was there, leading us all on, a source of immeasurable inspiration as he bravely walked in that courtroom each day, withstanding indescribable pressure and pain. His strength and endurance is a wonder and blessing to every one of us. We thank him, with all of our hearts, for finding the incredible fortitude within himself to see this horrible experience through to its victorious end. It is a profound lesson for all who have witnessed this triumph, “…and the truth shall set you free.”

For so many years, Michael has given his fans all he had to give on stage and in life, over and over again… and when it was your turn to give back… you were there, in force. You made him proud. You made him strong.

On behalf of Michael Jackson and everyone on his team, MJJsource wants to recognize and praise you all for your roles in this victory of truth. You always knew, you never questioned, you never wavered...

We give you a standing ovation.
Dancing IN the Victory.
Team MJJSource

Jackson Case Exposes Prosecuting Pitfalls
Mood:  surprised
Topic: Main News
Published Saturday, June 18, 2005

By JEREMIAH MARQUEZ
Associate Press Writer

SANTA MARIA, Calif. Set aside Michael Jackson's wealth and celebrity, and his trial could be a textbook lesson - a study in the pitfalls prosecutors face in trying to make child-molestation charges stick.

The credibility of the accuser and his family came under withering attack. Some of the children's testimony was inconsistent and muddled. And there was no DNA evidence, no smoking gun.

"Some prosecutors don't want to touch these cases with a 10-foot pole because they are so difficult," said Victor Vieth, director of child abuse centers at the American Prosecutors Research Institute in Alexandria, Va.

It's unclear how many of the thousands of molestation cases filed each year nationally end with jurors returning guilty verdicts; rough estimates run between 50 and 75 percent. In California, more than 3,420 defendants were found guilty of various sex crimes against minors in 2003, a conviction rate above 74 percent, according to the state Department of Justice.

However, the rate generally is lower in cases that depend heavily on the victim's word, Vieth said.

That's partly because prosecutors not only have to present a case against the alleged abuser, they must protect the accuser against defense counterattacks.

"The first question the jury is going to ask is 'Why would this child make up these allegations?'" said Leonard Levine, a prominent Los Angeles defense lawyer who has handled close to 100 child molestation cases. "And if you can give them a reason as a defense attorney, you're halfway there."

Jackson's prosecutor, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon, said molestation cases are hard to prove because they often leave no physical evidence.

"They're far more difficult than murder cases. Murder cases you usually have a gun or a knife or blood or fingerprints or something," Sneddon said in an interview. "I've tried cases where they never found the body. I've had two of those cases. And those cases were much easier to try than some of the child molestation cases I've had."

The Jackson case had factors that complicated the prosecutors' job, said Sneddon's deputy, Ron Zonen.

"This case became more difficult because we were dealing with a 13-year-old boy from East L.A. who was rather unsophisticated, who was against not just a celebrity but an international superstar," Zonen said.

The deep pockets that come with celebrity tipped the scales even more. Jackson was able to hire a top defense lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr., who dug up alleged scams involving the accuser's family to portray them as career con artists who had been after the singer's money.

Prosecutors were able to capitalize on an unusual California law to introduce old - and uncharged - molestation allegations against Jackson, but those accusations couldn't eclipse doubts about the family's credibility.

Sneddon and his team also couldn't produce any biological or medical evidence of abuse. Only 20 percent of cases involve such physical evidence, according to David Finkelhor, director of the Crimes against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire.

As a result, many prosecutors are forced to build cases on testimony alone, a strategy made more risky when the witnesses are children, who can be rattled and have trouble recalling key details in court.

Concerns about flawed child testimony grew in the 1980s and '90s, after molestation cases such as the McMartin Preschool case in Los Angeles County, the Little Rascals case in North Carolina and the Margaret Kelly Michaels case in New Jersey fell apart.

Interviewing techniques have since improved, and some jurors have become more forgiving of child testimony partly because of the Catholic church sex abuse scandal and child abduction and murders that have drawn national attention, lawyers said.

However, none of that helped when the brother of Jackson's accuser testified and gave an account of the alleged molestation that differed from statements he made to sheriff's investigators. And the accuser himself initially couldn't recall telling a grand jury that Jackson said it was "natural" when the singer appeared nude in front of him and his brother.

"As a prosecutor, once you lose the credibility of your witness, you're done," said Larry Hardoon, former lead prosecutor in Massachusetts' infamous Fells Acres sex abuse case, which produced convictions but led to the discrediting of the interview techniques used by investigators. "It's the end of the story."

---

Associated Press Writer Tim Molloy contributed to this report.