June 13, 2005, Reach out and touch someone
Finding that Michael Jackson's celebrity cachet is still all there, as a matter of California law (specifically a unique provision contained at Cal. Penal Code Section 6-418(b)(2), which provides simply "celebrities are above the law"), a jury in Santa Maria, CA acquitted the "king of pop" on all charges associated with the child molestation prosecution he faced. (Juries are still out, apparently, in the nearby towns of Nino and Pinta.)
Well, let the jokes fly: Michael "beat it". He can moonwalk right out of the court house. Whatever. The jury was, as I feared, duly awestruck by the big-time celeb, and the prosecutor, alas, was a tad too aggressive on a case loaded with problematic characters the most prominent of which was the vic's professional shakedown artist mom, who, evidently, seems to have placed her child in a freakish situation, hoping to cash in. (And given that the civil suit is to follow, where the troublesome "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard is replaced by "preponderance of the evidence", may yet get that wish.)
The man remains a freak, and a deeply troubled individual, who should simply not be allowed alone in the presence of children, including his own. That's the way it is: a lesser man (in celebrity status and wealth, that is), on mere accusation of what there seemed to be enough evidence here to convince a grand jury to indict (not that that's all that hard), would probably find himself on a sex-offender registry and paying some social worker $150 an hour to babysit him with his own children.
Not the king of pop, though. He gets away with some... very troubling stuff. Well, he can have wild court house celebrations all he wants. I'm not sure this sort of accusation will be good for business (I really do resent reporting such as CNN's that he was "found innocent"; we are all innocent until proven guilty-- he was found not guilty-- a big difference here-- because the man was anything but "proven innocent".) Jackson is wildly in debt, and while he won't face jail (because his status as a celebrity is infinitely more important than the safety of children-- as that jury saw it, and sadly, just about
And he'll doubtless soon be reaping all the medical problems he sowed over the years with those freakish skin peels to make a Black man look like a White woman. And one or the other of these things will, hopefully, take him out of the pajama party business.
Maybe reality will set in for this fellow, one of these days. But probably not. In that sense, it's unclear to me even what value punishing him would serve... I'm sure Jackson could figure out the difference between Santa Barbara and San Quentin... or am I? In a world where just about any irate ex-spouse can swear out an accusation against just about any man that said man is molesting their children, and the man's life goes to instantaneous hell without so much as a court hearing... the fact that Mr. Jackson can continue to be allowed to live in his 24-7 predatory playground... is beyond galling.
Of course, I might just be saying these things because I can't moonwalk...
Comments
A wealthy person was able to throw enough fame and money into the works to jam them up and then wriggle out.
That's exactly the kind of outcome the system is designed to produce. Incredulity seems a little bit out of place (unless you're suprised that the sun did in fact rise in the east this morning ... again!)
From my remote location, I would idly assume (with no real research or proof or psychic investment) that Jackson did things with/to the kid that would get anyone with less perceived wealth thrown in jail _and_ that the victim and his mother are grifters who smelled a chance to whore his cancer/youth a little bit and make a big score.
I'm not so certain about the civil suit. Unless the shakedown family finds deep pocketed benefactors I would assume that Jackson can still muster enough lawyerage to make any challenge difficult and costly (and there's the little matter of collecting a judgement once it's made, I suspect the shakedown family will think that the way to riches doesn't lead thru the civil courts).
And yeah, if he's allowed to be left alone with a (specially) male child then he and everyone around him are just plain stupid.
Posted by Michael Farris at June 14, 2005 6:02 AM
C'mon. The stars for the prosecution were revealed for the scamming bullshitters they really are. If I had a meatball for every moment that sentiment was felt by the jury I could have the next Democrat convention.
The only thing Michael Jackson is guilty of is being a fruitcake. There are no laws against being creepy and looking like a ghoul.
Posted by Jihad Jay at June 14, 2005 11:33 AM
Mister Talking Dog,
I want to thank you for your support, and know I am very greatful for your wurds. I would invite you to Neverland, but you exceed the age limit.
Posted by MJ at June 14, 2005 11:34 AM
Jay, why not the Republic convention?
Posted by Jeremiad Screamer at June 14, 2005 4:47 PM
Jeremiad,
Because I'm a proud conservative and the only conservative meatballs I know are John McCain,...hm, can only think one conservative meatball I guess.
Posted by Jihad Jay at June 14, 2005 6:14 PM
Ya v serpe i neebet2. sdf4fdena!
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