Absence of Formal Charges Against Michael Jackson=Weakening Case [NYT]

[truthisfreedom]

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/04/national/04JACK.html?ex=1071118800&en=653f9d8d3814025d&ei=5062&partner=GOOGLE

Absence of Formal Charges Against Michael Jackson May Point to a Weakening of the Case


By JOHN M. BRODER

Published: December 4, 2003



LOS ANGELES, Dec. 3 — Two weeks after the arrest of Michael Jackson on felony child molesting charges, the case against him may have hit some snags.

The Santa Barbara County district attorney, Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., has twice delayed filing formal charges against Mr. Jackson, who was showily arrested, booked and set free on $3 million bail on Nov. 20. Mr. Sneddon now says the charges will be made public the week of Dec. 15. Veteran prosecutors say that such a delay is unusual, though not unprecedented, and does not necessarily indicate problems with the case.

But the tip line set up to field anonymous calls from anyone with information about the current case or similar complaints of misconduct by Mr. Jackson has yielded little, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department said. Of 70 calls to the line over the last two weeks, only a handful have produced information relevant to the case against Mr. Jackson, said the spokesman, Sgt. Chris Pappas. And no one has come forward to tell of separate acts of molesting by Mr. Jackson, Sergeant Pappas said.

"At this point in time," he said, "none have clearly identified new cases for independent investigation."

The delay in releasing details of the charges against Mr. Jackson and the lack of new complaints have prompted some in the Jackson camp to say Mr. Sneddon is playing a weak hand based on a single child's shaky testimony. One of Mr. Jackson's lawyers suggested this week that Mr. Sneddon might be forced to drop the prosecution before a trial.

<snip>
"At the press conference, the district attorney paraded before the world a bunch of uncharged and unsubstantiated claims to poison a jury," Mr. Oxman said. "He conducted a jocular press conference as if it's a Broadway opening. That is just unprofessional conduct."

He also said that he suspected that the victim's family was seeking money, not the conviction and imprisonment of Mr. Jackson.

"The D.A. says this isn't about money and there's no civil suit, like the last time," Mr. Oxman said. "Whenever anyone says it's not about money, it's about money."
------------------
so, it looks like the whole michael jackson thing was a big coverup for the day of protests against bush in london AFTER ALL. it's actually getting humorous to see the cycle of revelatation become shorter and shorter after each one of these rovian events... the fake turkey, the lie about british airways, the propped-up michael jackson story and false arrest... it used to take MONTHS to get information about the lies. now the lies begin to show cracks in their facades within HOURS, and are debunked within DAYS. rove is losing his grip on appearance-control in the media. it won't be long and they'll start PLAYING HIM.

[Cush]

1. I think this case is about money

I'm not saying Jackson is innocent, but there have been stories on how the family of the accuser is/or has filed for bankruptcy (or is in severe debt), this is not the first time they've accused someone of molesthing the boy...etc.

Just my opinion.

[wabeewoman]

2. I don't know if he is innocent either

but the family has also sued before and first contacted a lawyer instead of the police. But then Jackson has definately set himself up for charges like this. Admitting to sleeping with little boys?? He needs to grow up and get a clue.

[artvark]

6. He needs to be in JAIL!!

[truthisfreedom]

9. judge, jury, and executioner? did he molest YOU?

or is he just a weirdo that bugs you personally?

[MUAD_DIB]

12. Guilt before innocence?

You might need to review how our justice system is set up in this country.

Until he has his time in court the only thing that M.J. is guilty of is self/medical mutilation.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

16. Based on what, your personal dislike for Jackson....

...which is pretty obvious...or something fact-based?

[SemperEadem]

28. I was at Norstroms' the other day and could hear them playing

"Bad" on the muzac system... I said to myself, audibly, "wow, I can't believe that they're playing that"--my spin to my self being that I was shocked the muzac people didn't pull his music from the playlist because of how everyone is so fast to rush to judgement with hardly any facts but a spleen needing to be vented. Then the Chanel makeup person standing next to me said "I know I can't believe it, either... he should be in jail".

"venting your spleen?" I said to her, to which she cast a quizzical, almost non plus look of "huh?" I said to her "in this country, in case you didn't know--innocent until proven guilty. No case has gone to trial, no formal charges have been levelled---just specualtion from the news media, based upon Court TV's Diane Dimond's hysterically induced, factless speculation. You might want to just stick to selling makeup and leave the weightier issues of law and jurisprudence to those who know that they're talking about?" and walked off.

Guess I won't be buying makeup at Nordstroms anymore.

[private_ryan]

27. because he did......and you know that because....

I think you need to be in jail. I just have a feeling about you.

[SouthernDaisy]

31. how dare you say that when YOU DON'T KNOW

what happened there!!!!!!
Have you listened to the hour long interview of weirdo jacko on VH1? When Jackson said that the shared his bed, he meant that he gave the kids his bed while he slept on the floor and that nothing sexual happened. Can you not give this guy the benefit of a doubt?????


To quote my friend, Panda:
"He could very well believe himself to be a child. A child with money and power. He has some mental problems due to his strange upbringing. His father was abusive, he lost his own childhood to showbusiness, he was seen as a source of money, not as a human being by his own father. Once he got old enough, he rebelled against the family and tried to recapture his lost youth. It is quite conceivable that the odd Peter Pan "I won't grow up" persona is enabled by having many other children around. There might be no "sex" involved at all. Just being a kid with other kids.
I still say, no matter what we personally think of his odd behavior, he may very well be innocent of these charges.
Sneddon, the D.A., has been sniffing around Jackson for a decade looking for a shred of evidence.
He's odd, but maybe not "that way" which is the conclusion all the Puritans are going to jump to. Being different shouldn't be a crime."

[mmm]

23. He is innocent!

Once again, he shall be proven innocent.
Because he is innocent.

[PennyLane]

3. The London Trip?

Or was it a smoke screen to smooth the passing of the Medicare Bill?

[truthisfreedom]

4. both. everything. it's rovian!

[artvark]

5. Rich child molesters beat the rap

I used to work with law enforcement people who specialized in pedophiles. They were unanimous in their opinion that he is one.

Stinkin' rich, piece of filth.

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[dfong63]

10. based on what evidence?

I used to work with law enforcement people who specialized in pedophiles. They were unanimous in their opinion that he is one.

based on what hard evidence? the constitution says people are to be judged by a jury of their peers - not by a jury of law enforcement people. and on facts - not opinions.

[northzax]

24. righto

I wonder if these so called experts ever thought anyone was not-guilty?

[Media_Lies_Daily]

17. Oh, I'm quite sure "they were unanimous"...

...because the legal system no longer reflects the philosophy of "you're innocent until proven guilty".

They "just know" EVERYONE is guilty.

[CatWoman]

29. Art -- try feeding your mind

and looking at other points of view. There are other sides. Really, there are.

http://www.globalblacknews.com/MichaelJackson.html

[Kinkistyle]

32. Who are you?

What rich child molestors "beat the rap"?

Great. Your law enforcement buddies are in agreement. Fortunately for the citizens of the U.S., your law enforcement buddies don't pass judgement on the guilt of suspects - a jury does, based on court-evidence.

[Melinda]

7. This story has been BS from the get........

And that's why the D.A. did NOT take this to a Grand Jury. The evidence does NOT and will NOT support the allegations - watch and see.

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. "suspected that the victim's family was seeking money" - Zactly

. . MJ made an error before, in paying a settlement rather than do the "court" thing

. . It appears MJ is not going to make the same mistake this time.

Too many people take that previous "payment" as an admission of guilt.

I believe that MJ just wanted the issue to "go away"

But appartently the press/others want to "latch on" and make a sensation out of the accusations.

I believe it IS possible that one can have an affinity for Children and NOT be perverse about it.

Lord knows that ADULTS aren't much of a bargain when it comes to trust and friendship !!

Just My Humble Canuk Opinion

[Puglover]

13. This is exactly the thing that scares me most about

Americans today. (Aside from GWB et. al. ) And that is the lynch mob mentality. And I'm not sure where on earth it comes from? Media? What? Granted, Jackson is at best eccentric and exercises ZERO judgement in his sleeping arrangements but I honestly don't know if the guy is guilty or not and I'm not going to open my piehole and scream how he should be put away. That's up to the people directly involved. I understand from personal experience that there are huge amounts of people who have been victimized by pedophiles out there and of course they would have STRONG opinions but victim status does make an abitrator of justice make. Just seems to me there are so many people out there who are mean spirited and want to hang someone high regardless of proof of guilt.

[dbt]

15. Blame for the lynch mob mentality

Can be laid squarely and fairly at the feet (cloven hooves) of Rush Limbaugh. He was the first to realize that there were million$ to be made by stirring the emotions of so many people out there who are mean spirited and want to hang someone high regardless of proof of guilt.

Of course, the groundwork for this gold mine was laid by Ronald Reagan*, who taught this country that it's OK to hate certain groups.

:freak:
dbt

*AKA the Great Satan

[Doug Decker]

26. Welcome to DU pjeffrey4444....

Great, well-thought-out post.

:hi:

[drfemoe]

14. Breakthrough Crime Solving

and prosecution methods.

You arrest the guy, get his bail money, and then put up an
800# to locate the 'victims'.

Someone does have their ass on backwards.

It was the London thing .. timing it with Scott's court appearances
.. keep the show rolling, ya know. ANYTHING but *reality*.

[Noordam]

18. People need to stop repeating things that are not known.

When the first case 10 years or so ago MJ admitted sleeping with the boy(s). But nowhere since has MJ said that. Could it be after the first case, MJ and his handlers changed the groundrules.

I do not know it MJ is guilty or not, but if after what happened 10 years ago and the $$$ it cost MJ, I think I would be sure I was not put in that position again.

So people that say he sleeps with little boys are not telling the truth TODAY.

[Ediacara]

19. Didn't he admit just last year...

In the expose/interview that he continues to sleep with boys in his bed?

I am not trying to start a flame war, just trying to clarify.

[ConcernedCanuk]

20. "he continues to sleep with boys in his bed? " if it is JUST sleeping - -

. . why the "hoopla" ??

. . have not some of us slept with a child who just wanted comfort, scared of a storm, just lost a loved one, had a nightmare, whatever ??

. . If indeed it is just "sleeping" and NOT as the world thinks of "sleeping with someone" solely refers to sexual stuff

and I remember seeing one of Michael's interviews where he said he relates to children more than adults because they are more "honest"

and I can't disagree with THAT !!

and I don't think that Michael built that whole Neverland thing just to "lure" kids into his life

I believe he loves kids in a way that a lot of parents would be ashamed to proclaim

If anything, Michaels' persecution by the Media is probably more fueled by regular Adults guilt over not paying enough attention to their own children (apologies and recognition to those parents who DO adore their children)

And then of course, there's the media's tendency to "jump" on anything that sounds "juicy"

Sorta sick if you ask me

- let the trial happen

- then judge

Just A Canuk Opinion

[chromotone]

30. I find your posts informative and agree with you most of the time...

However, I take exception to parts of this one.

I had the same argument with my sister about MJ the first time this happened. She too posed the question “Haven’t you slept with a child who was afraid and needed comfort?” Yes, I told her: MY children (I have an 11-year old daughter and 5-year son). I have the responsibility of seeing to their well-being; emotionally, mentally, financially, etc. There have been a number of times a nightmare, thunderstorm, etc., has brought them into my room. I let them crawl into my bed to sleep with me. This comforts them.

As for MJ, I really don’t know if these bedmates are there for comforting. I don’t know how MJ gets children to nap with. I can’t imagine a parent bringing his/her child to MJ’s ranch for comforting. If this is the case, then we have some sorry parents in this world.

As for MJ’s comment about children being more honest than adults, I would tend to agree (although I'm more inclinded to believe this quote is being played up by MJ's handlers and supporters). They are also more naïve and gullible. That’s the nature of children, and that's what endears them to their protectors. (If MJ believes children are more honest than adults, why isn't he relating to a 10-year old lawyer? Or 12-year old business managers? ;))

The fact that children are honest, naïve, and gullible, make them vulnerable. And this is also why they need an older figure to protect and guide them to adulthood. Does MJ provide this protection and guidance? I don’t know. If he did, one would think this information would be in the public sphere by now, but I haven’t hear or read anything to support this notion.

As what was stated the first time around by MJ’s representatives: while it might be weird for an adult to want to sleep with children, it’s not illegal.

Perhaps the recent events will set the record straight.

[Whoa_Nelly]

21. Absence of Real News

Or covering this news and keeping the public focused on MJ instead of the creeps in DC works well for BushCo to do silly little things such as lifting steel tariffs and what that really means to our on-the-way to-a-depression economy.

Ain't it grand the media has "news-du-jour" to quickly use when there's something big and nasty happening with our economy and government?

[Gman]

22. This is nothing

compared to the airplane that crashed in NYC the day the NORC report came out. Just like Carnahan and Wellston's crahes were murder, I'll go to my grave believing that crash was mass murder.

[dbt]

25. Hmmmmm. Just as it comes out that the Jacko case looks "weak,"

Limbaugh's medical records get subpoenaed!! Now we are witnessing (wait for it)

The distraction from the distraction!

Are there any more reasons to kill your TV?

:evilgrin:
dbt