ONE MORE CHANCE FOR MICHAEL

I’ve found a video of  ‘One more chance’. It is magical and infinitely sad.

Sad because we see him at the moment when he still doesn’t know what is awaiting him tomorrow. Magical because it is like stopping time or reversing it back to the point when all those tragic events have not yet taken place and there is still a hope that everything might still change.

There is something symbolic in it being called One More Chance.

It is really a new chance for Michael – a chance for the world to finally know him as a true human being and not the caricature they painted of him. A chance for him to relive his life again and for the people to learn what he was really like.

Only this time the story should be told not by rogues like DD, but by honest people who will be willing to tell the truth. It will be a chance for Michael to come into this life again and be himself at last.

One More Chance In Love. One More Chance For Michael Jackson.

The symbolism of One More Chance video is amazing. Every episode forms a striking association with the present day.

• People coming into the hall one by one and finally pouring in torrents are like people awakening to Michael’s innocence one after another and then forming a steady flow of his supporters from every corner of the world.
• The crowd on stage and Michael in the audience instead is like reversing our roles now with ordinary people turning into the main players of the show and Michael watching us from somewhere afar.
• The surprised look on people’s faces and their somewhat reserved attitude in the beginning which then turns into an enthusiastic welcome is like the initial wary start bringing about Michael’s overwhelming and whole-hearted acceptance in the end.
• Michael starting performing and people’s disbelief at seeing him again is like watching him miraculously returning to the world to everyone’s amazement and delight.
• Smiling Michael who runs along the line of people touching their hands while everyone bows to reach for his hand is like all people uniting in a universal greeting of him.
• Michael walking away from the set with people still applauding him is like the end which has not taken place yet but which is yet to come.

• And the timing of this video is even more prophetic than anything else – started on the eve of November 18, 2003 but shown only now it makes the video a true miracle linking the past, present and future.

Though all of us know what was awaiting Michael the very next day after the video I couldn’t resist going back into the past in order to see the events that followed with the eyes of a contemporary reader.

A journey back is always a highly educational and fascinating thing to do as you have the advantage of knowing the future while they don’t know it yet. So knowing what harassment, trial and tribulations those monsters prepared for Michael’s tomorrow and also knowing that all this ado will end in complete nothing it is highly useful to reverse one’s steps back into November 2003.

Despite the fact that Michael walked out a free man after two years of everyday torture the nightmare of it took away his spirit, ruined his health, and deprived us all of a chance to ever see his talent again until the moment he died. He did eventually regain his inspiration and continue work, but we were denied the chance to see it.

I wonder if the media uproar and billions of dollars made out of it was worth depriving us of the opportunity to ever see Michael Jackson again, enjoy his brilliant dance, listen to his phenomenal music and see everything else his genius could have brought to us if they hadn’t done their best to destroy him?

I just want to have a look into the faces of all these people and ask whether they realize what crime they have committed.

*  *  *

By the date of this video (November 17^th 2003) Michael Jackson and his three children had been staying in Las Vegas for about three weeks.  Michael came to Las Vegas at the end of October to release his Number Ones album and record “One More Chance” with an accompanying video to it. The video was to debut on November 26th at the end of a CBS special about MJ.

Charles Thomson spoke to those who were in Michael’s crew then and reconstructed Michael’s last few days there.

One more chance for him – NOW instead of THEN?

The way it looks the team had only two days for making the video – in the morning of day one Michael did dance rehearsals and worked out how to move around the tables, which was followed by three hours of recording the video with the of extras chosen for the shoot.

• “Our intention was to shoot from behind Michael towards the audience and then, to save money on all the audience members, the following day we would flip around and shoot Michael’s close-ups,” says a crew member to Charles Thomson. “So pretty much everything we got on the first day was head to toe and shot either in profile or from behind, with the audience in the background.” “He was really sweet with all the extras,” says a crew member. “When he was leaving he said a great big goodbye to them and thanked them for all their hard work. He was such a gentleman.”

But day two was never to come. At 8:30 the next morning Michael’s assistants Backerman and Shaffel learned from a call from Neverland that the ranch had been swarmed by policemen and when they turned on television they saw a helicopter view of the 70-strong police force raiding the ranch. Charles Thomson tells us of Backerman’s impressions:

• “Honestly, you would have thought it was an army battalion going into an Iraqi village. There were so many of them.”

Charles Thomson’s full story: http://www.charles-thomson.net/one_more_chance.html

I’ve had a look at the papers reporting the news that day and was disgusted to see some of them bubbling with excitement and labeling Michael guilty though it was not even clear what exactly he was accused of.

Some were telling outright lies. Charles Thomson writes in his blog that one of the extras who took part in the One More Chance video was shocked to see a tabloid soon after the shooting of it which quoted ‘sources’ and claimed that:

• “Jackson had been swarmed by young boys on the set – when in fact he had been present all day and had not seen anybody under the age of 18.”

Here is the man talking about it:

 

There were several sources however which tried to convey true information. The CNN managed to get across to its readers the general feeling of anxiety and confusion which accompanied the raid:

November 18, 2003
LARRY KING: Police state a surprise raid on Michael Jackson’s home at Neverland Ranch while he’s away. They say it’s part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Larry, investigators are still here at Neverland Ranch. They’ve been here since about 8:30 this morning. A spokesman for the sheriff’s department here in Santa Barbara County says that some 60 to 70 investigators from the sheriff’s department and the district attorney’s office have been here throughout the day, and they continue to do whatever it is they’re doing.

KING: And we do know it definitely is in connection with a child molestation matter?

BUCKLEY: Well, that’s what one source who is familiar with this investigation has told me. He said that it is having to do with an allegation of the sexual molestation of a child. But again, still just an investigation, at this point. No charges, obviously, have been brought.

KING: Here’s a statement released late today through Michael Jackson’s spokesman, Stuart Backerman,

“We cannot comment on law enforcement’s investigation because we don’t know yet what it’s about. We can comment on the malignant horde of media hounds claiming to speak for Michael on this and many other issues. A rogues’ gallery of hucksters and self-styled inside sources have dominated the airwaves since reports of a search at Neverland broke, speculating, guessing, fabricating information about an investigation they couldn’t possibly know about.

Michael himself said, quote, `I’ve seen lawyers who do not represent me and spokespeople who do not know me speaking for me. These characters always seem to surface with a dreadful allegation just as another project, an album, a video is being released.’ Michael, will, as always” — again, the statement continues — “fully cooperate with authorities in any investigation, even as it’s conducted yet again when he is not at home.”

Authorities search Michael Jackson’s ranch

Tuesday, November 18, 2003 Posted: 2049 GMT ( 4:49 AM HKT)

(CNN) — Investigators from the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office and Sheriff’s Department searched entertainer Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in California Tuesday as part of an “ongoing criminal investigation,” a spokesman said.

The nature of the investigation — or what they were searching for — was not disclosed.

Stuart Backerman, a spokesman for Jackson, said the singer was up all night shooting a video in Las Vegas and as of 12:30 p.m. PT (3:30 p.m. ET) was resting, so “he doesn’t know about it [the search] yet.”

Backerman said Jackson has been in Las Vegas for the past 2 1/2 weeks, shooting a video to promote a CBS special called “One More Chance.”

The spokesman had no comment to make on the search at Neverland Ranch.

“We’re unaware of what the substance of this matter is,” Backerman told CNN’s Frank Buckley in a telephone interview.

Backerman said no one was aware that the sheriff’s department was coming Tuesday.

The search warrant was served at 8:30 a.m. (11:30 a.m. EST), said Chris Pappas, a spokesman for the sheriff’s department, and investigators were still on the scene several hours later. [ ] 

https://edition.cnn.com/2003/US/West/11/18/jackson.ranch/

Reuters repeated the essence of Michael Jackson’s statement but supplemented it with a big piece titled ‘Affection for Young Children’.

The reporter quotes Bashir’s film and Michael saying that ‘sharing your bed is the most loving thing you can do’  without mentioning the fact that it was only a general observation on Michael’s part while what he really said in the film is that he always slept on the floor when he gave his bed to others.

The report closes with a baby-dangling episode (the affected outrage over which still escapes me) and a recent 12 mln settlement (?) to avoid a court trial which ‘threatened to spill details of his financial empire’.

AFFECTION FOR YOUNG CHILDREN

“Jackson has been dogged for 10 years by rumors and allegations stemming from his professed affection for young children. A former child star himself, Jackson has said he thinks of himself as “Peter Pan.”

In 1994 he reached a multimillion dollar out of court settlement with a 14-year-old boy who had accused him of sexual molestation. No criminal charges were brought and Jackson strenuously denied any wrongdoing.

Tuesday’s search warrant follows a tumultuous year for Jackson, whose talents as an entertainer have been eclipsed by his bizarre behavior both on and off screen.

In February, he revealed in a British television documentary that he sometimes shared his Neverland bedroom with young boys. One boy, a 12-year-old cancer survivor called Gavin, spoke openly about his affection for Jackson and of enjoying sleepovers with the pop star at Neverland.

“Why can’t you share your bed? The most loving thing you can do is share your bed with someone,” Jackson said in the documentary.

He later complained that the documentary maker had violated his trust, adding in a statement that “Michael Jackson has never, and would never, treat a child inappropriately or expose them to any harm and totally refutes any suggestions to the contrary.” The documentary sparked calls for an investigation by California child welfare authorities at the Neverland ranch.

In November last year, Jackson stunned fans in Berlin by dangling his barefoot baby from a hotel window.

In June, he settled a $12 million breach of contract lawsuit by his former top adviser, avoiding a trial that threatened to spill details of his financial empire into open court. http://news.myway.com/top/article/id/91097|top|11-18-2003::19:07|reuters.html

The next newspaper clip focuses on Michael Jackson knowing nothing of the Neverland probe.

Nov 18, 7:00 PM (ET)

Michael Jackson has been in Las Vegas for almost three weeks shooting a pop video.
“We cannot comment on law enforcement’s investigation because we do not yet know what it is about. Michael will, as always, cooperate fully with authorities in any investigation even as it is conducted, yet again, while he is not home,” said spokesman Stuart Backerman in a statement.
Jackson lashed out at the “rogue’s gallery of hucksters and inside sources” who dominated the airwaves on Tuesday speculating on the investigation.
“These characters always seem to surface with a dreadful allegation just as another project, an album, a video, is being released,” Jackson said in the statement.
The search warrant was executed on the same day that a new greatest hits collection was released, featuring Jackson’s latest single, “One More Chance.”

 

http://www.clickorlando.com/sh/entertainment/news/articles/natlphae-entnews-archive-265041620031119-171115.html

Fox News tells a totally different story. First they repeat words ‘sexual’ and ‘molestation’ in every possible context and in the first four sentences in a row,. Then they reproduce part of Michael’s official statement and mention a CBS special due on November 26 emphasizing that it ‘mainly consists of old concert footage’ but forgetting to say that the special was devoted to a new video.

They tell a totally false story of the accuser boy making revelations during a ‘therapy session’ (a blatant lie) and the therapist feeling compelled to report it to the authorities. The truth of the story is as follows:

Larry Feldman sent the Arvizo family to psychiatrist Dr.Katz for a interview to check their credibility. According to Feldman Dr. Katz had a hard time pulling the information from the boys. Since this was nothing but a formality the lawyer asked the doctor not to go deep into examining them, so any ‘therapy session’ was simply out of the question. Dr. Katz considered their story bizarre but nevertheless approached the DCFS who rejected their report as unfounded, after which Larry Feldman personally took the case to Tom Sneddon in his zeal to see Michael Jackson prosecuted.

(for details read this 5-part series https://vindicatemj.wordpress.com/real-story-of-the-1993-and-2003-cases-untold-by-larry-feldman/)

The FoxNews says the raid ‘came as a big surprise’ to Jackson but presents it in inverted commas thus doubting that it was truly a surprise for Jackson. Michael’s supporters are named a ‘motley array’ and Rabbi Shmuley who is named here as Michael’s spiritual adviser passes an immediate and stunning verdict on Michael saying that it is ‘the fall of a human being’ (!).

This fall is clearly implied by a meticulous repetition by FoxNews of the lurid allegations in the 1993 case and the rest of the story sounding like a full dossier on Michael Jackson.

The story traditionally ends with Michael’s collapsing career, his involvement in 1000 suits (as if it were his fault) and him ‘teetering near bankruptcy’. Special mention is made of Anthony Pellicano who has begun ‘serving federal prison time for possessing illegal explosives’ (evidently implying MJ’s criminal connections).

In short not a single point in Jackson’s black list was omitted to remind the readers of how ‘crooked and weird’ the guy was – though the only thing they were supposed to report was the fact that the police raid was carried out within a police investigation of a case and that no charges were as yet made – with everything else being nothing but malicious gossip.

Wednesday, November 19, 2003

FoxNewSources told Fox News and other media outlets that a 12-year-old boy had brought sexual allegations against the pop star, who was in Las Vegas filming a music video at the time of the raid.

Authorities would not say whether the allegations of molestation were the reason behind the raid. No immediate arrests were made.

But Court TV, which broke the story, said the allegations of molestation were at the root of the police investigation. Citing unidentified sources, Court TV reported the warrant was tied to sexual abuse allegations brought by a 12- or 13-year-old boy. Sheriff’s officials and the district attorney’s office refused comment.

Jackson publicist Stuart Backerman also refused to comment on any allegations and said neither he nor Jackson knew the details of the investigation.

Jackson denounced media coverage of the search in a statement released to The Associated Press by Backerman, who said the singer and his three young children have spent the last three weeks in Las Vegas for the making of a video.

“I’ve seen lawyers who don’t represent me and spokespeople who do not know me speaking for me. These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released,” the Jackson statement said.

The search came on the same day Epic Records released “Number Ones,” a greatest hits collection featuring Jackson’s new single, “One More Chance.” On Nov. 26, CBS is scheduled to air a Jackson special consisting mainly of old concert footage.

Sixty to 70 personnel from the Santa Barbara County sheriff’s and district attorney’s offices served a warrant about 8:30 a.m. as part of an “ongoing criminal investigation,” Sgt. Chris Pappas said.

Detectives were expected to be gathering evidence all day. As of midday there was no arrest warrant issued, Pappas said at a command post. The district attorney and sheriff planned to provide more details at a Wednesday morning press conference.

The $12.3 million Santa Ynez Valley property, which has a mansion, its own zoo and amusement park with bumper cars, a merry-go-round and Ferris wheel, has often been the site of children’s parties. Investigators were only searching select locations on the property, said sheriff’s Cmdr. Bill Byrne.

A source told “Extra” correspondent Michael Bryant the boy recently approached a Los Angeles law firm and claimed inappropriate conduct by the superstar.

And “Celebrity Justice” reported that it was the 12-year-old boy’s revelations during a therapy session that were behind Tuesday’s search warrant, the show’s producers confirmed to Foxnews.com.

The boy, who had spent time at Neverland Ranch, entered therapy several months ago and disclosed information the therapist felt compelled to report to authorities, according to “CJ” sources.

Under California law, if a health care practitioner “knows or reasonably suspects” a child to be a victim of abuse, the practitioner must report the abuse to law enforcement authorities “as soon as practically possible.

“News of the raid came as a “complete surprise” to Jackson, a source close to the pop star told Foxnews.com’s Roger Friedman.
After word of the search spread, a motley array of Jackson supporters hastily arranged a press conference in Las Vegas Tuesday afternoon.

One woman, Donna Green, said she was a big Jackson fan who had gotten the chance to meet and speak with the singer several times over the years. She was simply there to show her support, she said, and wore a button calling for an end to the “child abuse circus.”

“We love him very much,” she said. “He’s the nicest man I’ve ever met. He’s not this weird person they make him out to be.” She said the timing of the raid struck her as “convenient” since it coincides with the release of his latest album, “Number Ones.”

More than 10 years have passed since the 45-year-old singing superstar faced a child-molestation investigation in a case that never resulted in criminal charges.
The singer who had international hits with the albums “Thriller” (1982), “Bad” (1987) and “Dangerous” (1991) saw his career begin to collapse in 1993 amid allegations he molested a 13-year-old boy.

Jackson has maintained his innocence, and charges were never filed. He reportedly paid an approximately $20 million settlement.

But in the complaint filed, the boy claimed Jackson kissed and molested him on several occasions while the two were in bed together and said he once took a bath with the pop singer. He said the situation got “out of hand.”

Jackson’s spiritual advisor, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, told Fox News he had tried to counsel the singer about being more responsible.”I have sent him many messages,” the rabbi said on Fox News. “We’re not just talking about the fall of a business. We’re talking about the fall of a human being.”
Added Boteach: “He’s not a child, he’s an adult, and he has to accept” the consequences of his actions.

Uri Geller, a psychic and paranormalist who is a longtime friend of Jackson’s, told Fox News that if the allegations are of a sexual nature, he could not believe they were true.

“I’m a father myself and I would never associate myself with anyone who would do anything with a child,” said Geller, describing Jackson as “gullible, innocent, maybe a little confused … but I would never believe he would sexually abuse a child.”

Last year there was a public outcry after Jackson, a former child star, stunned fans by dangling his baby, whom he reportedly calls “Blanket,” from a hotel window in Germany. The child’s face was covered with a towel.
Jackson called the incident a “terrible mistake,” and Berlin authorities said the actions were not punishable.

Not much is known about Prince Michael II, whose mother has not been identified. The singer’s 6-year-old son, Prince Michael I, and 5-year-old daughter, Paris, were born during his marriage to Debbie Rowe, his plastic surgeon’s nurse, which ended in 1999. He was also married to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ daughter, between 1994 and 1996.

Jackson routinely keeps the children’s heads covered with cloth while escorting them in public — and he usually sports a surgical mask himself when out and about. He has said he wants to protect them from the public eye.

In a television documentary broadcast on ABC earlier this year, Jackson said he had slept in a bed with many children. “When you say bed you’re thinking sexual,” the singer said. “It’s not sexual, we’re going to sleep. I tuck them in. … It’s very charming, it’s very sweet.”

As of last December, when Jackson interacted with young fans outside a lawsuit hearing in Santa Maria, Calif., he was still inviting children to his home for parties.
Jackson is also connected to Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano, who began serving federal prison time Monday for possessing illegal explosives. Pellicano is being investigated about whether he secretly taped conversations of celebrities and their lawyers. Pellicano, 59, worked for Jackson as a spokesman and security consultant during the abuse investigation.

The “King of Pop” amassed a half-billion-dollar fortune over the past 20 years, but his former financial advisers have said, in a lawsuit last spring, that he is saddled with debt and teetering near bankruptcy. Current financial advisers have denied that claim. Jackson has appeared weak and ghostly pale at many of his recent public appearances, and his own attorneys have said has been involved in nearly 1,000 lawsuits.

In June, he suffered a suspected anxiety attack during a visit to Indianapolis to deliver a deposition in a lawsuit and his doctor said the singer was weak, dizzy and dehydrated.

In a separate Santa Maria lawsuit hearing earlier this year, the singer hobbled into court on crutches with his left foot wrapped in bandages because of swelling from what he described as a spider bite and delayed testimony because he said he was too ill to appear in court. When he did finally testify, he giggled during questioning and made comical faces at people in the courtroom.

The next piece concerns Tom Sneddon’s news conference held the next day, November 19, 2003.  It calls Michael a ‘self-appointed King of Pop’ but otherwise reports the case as it was presented by the District Attorney, bad as it was.

They speak of Michael’s ‘surrender’ as if he were a run-away criminal, while Michael Jackson has already made arrangements to return and immediately confront the authorities. Sneddon says that charges ‘will be filed’ against MJ, so at the moment there aren’t even any charges.

The issues discussed include the $3mln. (!) bail, the possibility of Michael’s children taken away from him (!), the changes in the law and Tom Sneddon’s invitation to other ‘victims’ to come forward and speak against Michael.

The article linked to the one below explains that the change in the law allowed prosecutors to intervene in a civil action to stop it, saying that in 1993 ‘the alleged victim refused to testify against Jackson, and criminal charges were never filed. Jackson then reportedly paid the alleged victim a multimillion-dollar sum as a result of a civil court settlement’.

By that they mean that first the ‘victim’ refused to testify in criminal proceedings and then Jackson paid millions under the agreement.

This is a deliberate, blatant and monstrous lie.

The real story is that it was Michael who insisted on criminal proceedings going first, but Larry Feldman unfortunately managed to put the civil suit before the criminal case. The ‘victim’ continued to cooperate with the police even after the settlement but refused to go to a criminal court which the family tried to avoid from the very beginning. Their sole and main goal was a money settlement only – something they could do only within the framework of a civil suit.

In fact the Chandlers were terrified of a criminal trial and it was Michael and his lawyer who insisted on it! And it wasn’t Jackson who paid the money in a civil suit once it went forward – it was the insurance company which did.

News Conference Held Wednesday

POSTED: Wednesday, November 19, 2003

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Authorities in Southern California on Wednesday issued a warrant for Michael Jackson’s arrest on charges of molesting a child and asked the pop superstar to turn himself in and surrender his passport.

“Get over here and get checked in,” Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon Jr. said at a news conference. Sheriff Jim Anderson said bail has been set at $3 million.

 “The service of the warrants was part of an ongoing investigation alleging criminal misconduct on the part of Michael Jackson,” Anderson said. The arrest warrant for the self-appointed “King of Pop” accuses him of violating Section 288(a) of California law, which applies to lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, an offense punishable by three to eight years in prison.

 

Jackson spokesman Stuart Backerman issued a statement saying the entertainer “has already made arrangements with the district attorney to return to Santa Barbara to immediately confront and prove these charges unfounded.”

“Michael would never harm a child in any way. These scurrilous and totally unfounded allegations will be proven false in a courtroom,” Backerman said. According to the Backerman statement, Jackson’s lead attorney is Mark Geragos, who is currently defending Scott Peterson in his double-murder trial.

 

Sneddon Jr. said charges “will be filed” against Jackson.

An affidavit that will provide details into the accusations has been sealed for 45 days while authorities conduct their investigation.The deputy with the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department said authorities are negotiating with Jackson’s lawyer for the pop star’s surrender.

 

A spokesman for Jackson said Tuesday the pop star and his family are in Las Vegas for the shooting of a music video.When asked if Jackson’s children would be taken away from him, Sneddon said, “That’s a decision that would be made by a juvenile court.” He said he is confident the young accuser would be willing to testify.

 

Sneddon led an unrelated investigation into an accusation of molestation against Jackson in 1993. No charges were filed in that case, although a settlement reportedly was reached. Sneddon, however, said Wednesday that the 1993 investigation led to the California Legislature changing the law. ( Full Story)

 

On Tuesday, as many as 70 law enforcement officers spent 12 hours searching the star’s Neverland Ranch for corroborating evidence.

The $12.3 million ranch has a mansion, its own zoo and amusement park.

Brian Oxman said he has represented the Jackson family for 14 years. He’s not representing Michael Jackson but said he has spoken to family members.

Oxman told “The Early Show” on CBS Wednesday that the search warrant is related to a complaint from a 12-year-old boy. He said the boy had claimed that “sexual molestation” took place at the ranch.

 

Three search warrants have been served — one at Jackson’s ranch and two others in southern California.Sneddon said he’s “sad there’s another victim out there.”

He asked anyone with information about additional victims to come forward.

http://www.clickorlando.com/entertainment/2648110/detail.html

On day 3 of the events the CTV News already assumed a vicious tone of mockery and affected disgust. It is pretty malicios as it is, however I would like to outline a couple of points.

The previous ‘victim’ is again said to have first refused to press charges and as a result of that Jackson ‘later reached a multi-million-dollar court settlement with the boy’s family’ – which is a blatant lie AGAIN, as it was Jackson and his lawyer Bert Fields who insisted on a criminal trial instead of a civil suit and it was only due to Larry Feldman’s masterful performance that the Chandlers escaped a criminal trial.

The current ‘victim’ Arvizo is described in such a way that he looks like a double victim – first of cancer and then of a predator who took advantage of the boy who was reckless enough to make his ‘last wish to meet Jackson’.

The article speaks of ‘numerous framed photographs of young boys’ with a clear hint at ‘more victims’ to come. In this context the warm words of Randy Taraborrelli about Michael look like a complete mockery and a joke.

Michael’s lawyer Mark Geragos is presented to the public as a lawyer for the ‘accused wife killer Scott Peterson and convicted shoplifter Winona Ryder’ and the author of One More Chance R.Kelly is mentioned in connection with him facing child pornography charges, thus making Michael and Kelly look like a gang.

The reporter makes the arrest an easy ride for Jackson:  “After about an hour (spent in a feces-covered restroom) “Jackson left in a black SUV” .

No one explains why after paying the $3mln. bail Michael had to return to Las Vegas – it looks to the reader that he went back to his work as if nothing happened. However as far as I know he simply had nowhere to go as his Neverland employees cried and told him that the ranch had been cruelly ravaged and was categorically no place to return to.

Following the now-familiar-to-us pattern the article finishes with Michael’s career going down – his songs are yanked, there is no public appetite for his music and the CBS special celebrating Michael’s career and introducing the new video is already cancelled.

Looking at Michael Jackson in handcuffs let me ask a question: Was there a need to handcuff Michael Jackson? He ‘surrendered’ to the police all by himself, so why did they handcuff him? To humiliate him even more?

Jackson out on bail in molestation case

CTV.ca News Staff

Date: Fri. Nov. 21 2003 10:45 AM ET

The self-proclaimed King of Pop is free on bail but will have to face the music soon.Authorities expect to file charges against Michael Jackson after the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. He will appear in court Jan. 9 for arraignment.

Jackson flew to California Thursday to surrender on the child molestation charges he faces.

 

His convoy was followed by television crews every step of the way to the Santa Barbara courthouse, where he was booked with his arms handcuffed behind his back.He was photographed and fingerprinted. He then surrendered his passport and posted a bond to cover his $3-million US bail.

 

The mug shot taken of Jackson posted on the sheriff’s Web site showed the 45-year-old singer in lipstick and eyeliner, his cheeks sunken, with hair hanging over one eye.

It wasn’t a long stay: After about an hour, Jackson left the county jail in a black SUV.

 

He later returned to Las Vegas, where he had been shooting a music video. Television images showed Jackson’s SUV stuck in traffic in Las Vegas. Some people swarmed the vehicle to touch his hand, and he flashed a ‘V’ sign to them. The crowd included children. Security guards moved people along when the crowds built up.

 

“Mr. Jackson’s people were very co-operative throughout this process,” said Sgt. Chris Pappas of the Santa Barbara County sheriff’s office.

His lawyer made it clear Jackson would be fighting these charges.

“Michael has given me the authority to say on his behalf these charges are categorically untrue. He looks forward to getting into a courtroom, as opposed to any other forum, and confronting these accusations head on,” said lawyer Mark Geragos.

Besides Jackson, Geragos has represented other high-profile clients, including accused wife killer Scott Peterson and convicted shoplifter Winona Ryder.

Geragos said he negotiated with authorities for the pop superstar to turn himself in. The arrest warrant against Jackson, 45, cites a violation of the section of the California Penal Code that prohibits “lewd or lascivious acts” with a child under age 14,

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Anderson told a news conference.

 

Jackson could face up to eight years in prison for each charge. There have been numerous media reports that the allegations involve a 12-year-old boy who stayed at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch about three months ago.According to Fox News, the boy was a cancer patient whose “last wish” was to meet Jackson. They also report that the boy confessed to his psychiatrist that Jackson plied him with wine and sleeping pills, then allegedly molested him.

 

Jackson was the target of child abuse allegations almost a decade ago. He was never charged after the complainant refused to press charges. However, Jackson later reached a multi-million-dollar court settlement with the boy’s family.

“I don’t think he ever rebounded from this the last time it happened. He’s such a fragile person,” said Randy Taraborrelli, who has written a biography of Jackson.

 

Home video of Jackson’s Neverland Ranch house shows numerous framed photographs of young boys.
“As a prosecutor, I want those photos. I want to know who those boys are,” said Jeanine Pirro. “I want to talk to them and I want to find out what they say and what may have happened when they were there.

Three radio stations in Toronto have already yanked the pop star’s songs from their programming. One program director suggests the public’s appetite for Jackson’s music is slim to none.
Jackson’s current single, “One More Chance,” was written by R. Kelly whose owns songs were pulled off several North American stations when he was facing child pornography charges.
And American TV network CBS has scrubbed plans for a prime-time special celebrating Jackson’s career. With files from CTV’s Alan Fryer http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20031121/jackson_arrest_031121/

The Day 4 reporting done by the NEWS24 (on November 22, 2003) by far surpasses all previous reports in the scope and intensity of vicious speculation.  By the tone of the report you can see that this news outlet is utterly enjoying itself and its disgusting humor.

First they say that while Jackson was wanted by the police he didn’t pay attention to his arrest warrant as he was finishing his music video. Then come their references to the ‘OJ Simpson white bronco chase’ and ‘The Day of the Jacko’, their claims that Michael’s ‘extraordinarily eccentric behavior falls into the realm of bizarre’ and that Jackson was already in Las Vegas (not still there) when his Neverland Ranch was swarmed by the police, thus implying that Michael kind of escaped to Las Vegas right before the raid.

They tell a nasty lie that ‘despite the warrant, Jackson showed up to complete his video early on Wednesday.’  They repeat the vile rumors that he was in ‘about every major casino in town’, taking his time before ‘facing music’ in California and having ‘one more luxurious night’ which in the opinion of some learned pundit was a sign of giving him ‘preferential treatment’.

“God forbid we inconvenience Michael Jackson” was what a law professor of some university said.

The keynote of their story is that he is ‘strange’ in his every move and all this strangeness is ‘just him’.

If I were in the place of these Associated Press  correspondents I would die of shame for what they were saying at the time.

Where on earth was Jacko?

2003-11-22 21:35

Las Vegas – The whole world seemed to be wondering where Michael Jackson was. Helicopters and reporters were swarming his ranch. Fans were waiting patiently for any glimpse of him.  He was wanted on a warrant accusing him of child molestation charges, but the King of Pop was on a sound stage, finishing up his music video. The song? “One More Chance.” Jackson had one last chance to dance, one more evening with his family and one more night in Las Vegas before he returned to Santa Barbara, California, to face the music on Thursday. 

 

He turned in his passport at the courthouse and posted $3m bail. His mug shot showed a gaunt figure with long, wavy black hair and red lipstick.  He flashed a V-finger sign and blew kisses as he left the courthouse.  Then, he was back on a plane to Las Vegas, then off on a strange two-hour, 30-minute jaunt around the city. Fans got out of their cars and cheered on Jackson. Media helicopters and hundreds of motorists followed the pop star and his entourage as if the OJ Simpson white bronco chase was happening again.  Britain’s Guardian called Thursday “The Day of the Jacko.”

 

To former publicist Michael Levine, Jackson was meandering through the twilight zone.  “Most Americans have become accustomed to this extraordinarily eccentric behavior,” said Levine, a prominent entertainment publicist who represented Jackson when he was facing a similar molestation allegation in 1993. “They expect just about anything that falls into the realm of bizarre.”

 

Jackson was already in Las Vegas when dozens of law enforcement agents swarmed his Neverland Ranch compound near Santa Barbara on Tuesday to serve a search warrant. He had started filming his video on Monday. The shoot was supposed to wrap on Tuesday, but instead, Jackson’s handlers asked CMX Las Vegas Studios if they could come back on Wednesday, said Dean DeLorean, studio vice president.

 

Wednesday was the day authorities announced that an arrest warrant has been issued. It accuses the 45-year-old Jackson of multiple counts of lewd or lascivious acts with a child under 14, an offense punishable by three to eight years in prison. Authorities said they expect to file charges after Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday.

 

Despite the warrant, and Santa Barbara District Attorney Thomas Sneddon Jr advising Jackson to “Get over here and get checked in,” Jackson showed up to complete his video early on Wednesday. His father and brother, Jermaine Jackson, were with him, and his mother had flown in for support, DeLorean said.

 

“They had to finish it,” he said. “It was a must. This sound stage will probably be the last sound stage Michael Jackson will ever step on.”

 

The media helped orchestrate the “where’s Jackson?” game. He was rumored to be at just about every major casino in town, and an international army of reporters and photographers converged on the recording studio, airports in both states and Jackson’s ranch in California.  A Jackson impersonator serenaded reporters at the studio with his rendition of “Beat It.”

 

Jackson took his time heading back to California.  To Laurie Levenson, a professor at Loyola University Law School, letting Jackson have “one more luxurious night” before he surrendered showed preferential treatment. “The way it’s been handled had been to allow special arrangements to tidy up his work schedule before he has to deal with the court,” she said. “God forbid (we) inconvenience Michael Jackson.”

 

Santa Barbara Sheriff Jim Anderson said authorities were in contact with Jackson’s lawyers and the singer had been given the chance to surrender “within a specified period of time.”  On Thursday, Jackson flew back to Santa Barbara. Television stations went live, showing a handcuffed Jackson entering the courthouse.  His handlers scrambled about, with attorney Mark Geragos saying Jackson came back to confront the charges head-on, and spokesman Stuart Backerman calling the allegations “outrageous.”  Jermaine Jackson went on CNN, comparing the case to a modern-day lynching.

 

Once Jackson was back in Las Vegas Thursday, news stations went live again, this time broadcasting Jackson’s journey through the city’s streets for two hours. Fans couldn’t get enough. Hundreds followed the entourage and more burst into traffic to try and shake Jackson’s hand.

 

“I felt like I was on a roller coaster! The thrill was in the chase,” fan Kathy Simmons, who was following Jackson, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.  It was a strange journey indeed, and Jackson hasn’t even made it to his January 9 arraignment yet.  “I don’t think he’s strange,” said fan Donnette Peach. “It’s just him.”

AP

https://www.news24.com/World/News/Where-on-earth-was-Jacko-20031122

And this is what Michael Jackson really did in Las Vegas when the police raided his home at Neverland.  Dieter Wiesner described to Charles Thomson a heart-breaking picture which is decidedly different from the account of the NEWS24:

Charles Thomson says:

In Las Vegas, it fell on manager Dieter Wiesner to break the news to Michael Jackson. “Michael was still in his room,” Wiesner explains. “He was sitting next to the fireplace when I came in and he was very quiet. I had to tell him and it was not easy to tell Michael things like this because he was in such a good mood. He saw a future. When the Bashir situation arose he was very down. Now everything had changed and Michael was ready to do new things. Then, to go to his room and tell him such a bad situation… it was a disaster.

“I told him, ‘Michael, there is bad news but on the other side you have to see it as also good news. The bad news is the police are on the ranch.’ Michael was completely shocked. I was sitting next to him; I had my arm on his shoulder.

“He looked at me and he was really… You could see the blood going out of his face. He was deeply shocked. But I told him, ‘Michael, now you have the chance finally to clear up everything. Once and forever you can clear up everything.'”

News spread quickly amongst the crew. “I saw it on TV that morning and by the time I got to the hotel lobby, everybody else had already found out,” says a crew member. “So we went to work as normal and waited to see what was going to happen.

“Of course, when we got to the soundstage it was a complete zoo with paparazzi and fans. It had leaked where we were shooting. The day before, nobody knew we were shooting or anything.

“We waited that entire day for Michael to come and I think we went back a second day. Then he called finally and said, ‘I’m just not going to be able to come’.”

Jackson spent much of those two days crying, says Dieter Wiesner. “I was sitting with him day and night. He was shocked; he was crying… he didn’t know what to do. It was such a bad situation. We were supposed to go to Europe. He was ready to move on in his life and everything was prepared. It was just a beautiful situation and this news shocked him deeply. Really, it killed him.”

Two days after the Neverland raid Jackson’s depression turned to anger. When it emerged that the boy behind the accusation was none other than Gavin Arvizo, the boy whose hand Jackson had held in the Martin Bashir documentary, Jackson decided to fight.

“You know, when it was clear that this allegation was because of the Arvizos, then he started to really fight the situation,” says Wiesner. “Michael told me, ‘Dieter, you know what, they should bring this young boy into a big place, invite all the press and he should look me in the eyes and tell me that I did this.’ So he was ready to fight.”  http://www.charles-thomson.net/one_more_chance.html

While Michael was in a state of a complete shock not knowing what to think reporters like Nancy Grace and Diane Dimond already passed a guilty verdict on him and stigmatized him as a serial child molester.

Nancy Grace’s biggest and only argument was the number of officers taking part in the raid. If there were 70 of them it was enough proof for her that the person was guilty and no other evidence was required to prove the case.

Both Nancy Grace and Diane Dimond took part in an interview with Larry King on the day of the raid – November 18, 2003, and the sane voices of the host and two lawyers Brian Oxman and Johnnie Cochran were practically sunk in the shrill and excitement these two ladies poured on their TV viewers.

Nancy Grace didn’t seem to know a thing about the previous case but was confident enough to say that the first ‘victim’ was molested since the age of 5 or 7, while in reality Jordan was 13 when he first came to Neverland (and none of the lawyers even corrected her!).

The multi-million settlement is regarded by her as a way to keep the case out of court, while everything was the other way about and it was Michael’s and his first lawyer Bert Fields’s all-time goal to take the case to court. And again Johnnie Cochran does not even correct her! Instead he speaks of himself and how difficult a time it was for him as a lawyer. (So please don’t tell me that Johnny Cochran was ‘excellent’ and the best lawyer for Michael at that time)

In contrast to Nancy Grace and Diane Dimond who seem to be extremely knowledgeable about the present case Johnnie Cochran looks confused and unconvincing. Both he and Brian Oxman naturally don’t know who the current accuser is, but Brian Oxman is at least much more insistent on Michael’s innocence than Cochran.

In addition to it all Nancy Grace calls Jordan Chandler’s 1993 declaration an ‘affidavit’ though Jordan actually made a declaration which is even less than an affidavit though both are made under oath, and which certainly does not have the same value as a deposition, for example. And again Michael’s famed lawyer doesn’t mind it.

Here is their conversation (slightly shortened) http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/18/lkl.00.html:

KING: What do you make of this, Johnnie Cochran?

JOHNNIE COCHRAN, JACKSON’S ATTORNEY IN ’93 MOLESTATION SUIT: Well, it sounds like dej… vu to me, from that standpoint. I don’t know very much about this at all, Larry. It’s unfortunate, clearly, and we’ll have to see how it plays out. I mean, I think that Tom Sneddon was involved in the investigation back in 1993. So…

KING: Tom is who?

COCHRAN: It’s Tom Sneddon is the district attorney there in Santa Barbara County, and I understand he was there — one of the people there today. So probably hear more from him in the near future. I don’t know what the allegations are or where this is going. I do know that Michael is — maintains his innocence. I know that. And that’s all I know, at this point.

KING: Brian, you’re the Jackson family attorney. Does that include Michael?

BRIAN OXMAN, JACKSON FAMILY ATTORNEY: We’ve represented most of the family in their divorce cases, and we’ve represented them for 14 years. And I have always been a defender of Michael, never wanted to speak for him because he speaks for himself. And what I want to do is let Michael be able to answer any of these allegations that he has made. But I can tell you the entire family is very upset about the whole thing, and they see this…

KING: Upset at Michael or upset about the coverage, as the statement says?

OXMAN: The statement. The statement is — the allegation, I think, is the correct way to look at this. They are just upset. It’s dej… vu, as Johnnie says. But more important, it’s here we go again. Michael just seems to be a sitting target for anyone who wants to take a potshot at him, and this appears to be another one of those cases. And it causes a worldwide hysteria.

KING: Diane Dimond, when she joins us, will be by phone. She’s covering a story that she may tell us about, connected with this.

KING: Nancy Grace, what would they be looking for at the house in connection with child molestation evidence?

NANCY GRACE, COURT TV: Good question, Larry, because, of course, unless there is a child victim there to tell them some type of evidence, some type of verbal statement, we’re wondering what could be found at the house? But I’ve got a clue. Larry, we know that there are about 70 members of law enforcement there. We know that a member from the district attorney’s office is there, which is, in my mind, very significant. This is something that is a joint effort by police and the DA’s office. They would be responsible for a preliminary hearing or a grand jury…

KING: So what would…

GRACE: … proceeding.

KING: So what might they…

GRACE: That means that…

KING: … be looking for?

GRACE: That means to me it’s much more serious, if a DA is in. Also, a locksmith was brought in earlier today, reported by Diane Dimond. We have heard reports that there are lockboxes there, possibly photos, who knows, something that is significant to the alleged complaint of a 12-year-old boy.

And Larry, I just heard Brian Oxman state that Michael Jackson’s there for anybody to take potshots at, but I would like to point out that not long ago, we were discussing this affidavit of a 13-year-old boy. Sound similar? Yes. This boy — I will only call him J. Chandler (ph) — signed an affidavit, a sworn affidavit, describing sexual contact when he — starting around the age of 5 to 7 with Michael Jackson. This resulted in a multi-million-dollar settlement.

Now, also in my experience as a felony prosecutor, that’s one type of offender that can’t help but repeat…

KING: All right…

GRACE: … offend, and that’s a child molester.

KING: Is that — is that the case you settled, Johnnie?

COCHRAN: Yes, I think she’s probably referring to that case, and that case was resolved and, you know, the record was pretty clear about it. You know, there’s a — it’s very complex. It’s not as easy as Nancy makes it for anybody involved in it to talk about that. It was resolved to the satisfaction of all parties.

KING: But you can’t talk about that, right?

COCHRAN: It’s very — it’s very limited, what you can say about that.

KING: Of course, the obvious thinking of the public is, if someone didn’t do anything, why settle for a penny?

COCHRAN: Well, I think that it had — you just look back at what happened, and the record was that both sides maintained that they brought — the young person’s side and his lawyer, Larry, felt and maintained they brought their case in good faith. The defense said they’d making that in good faith. And the matter was resolved and it never went further. There was never any criminal charges.

KING: But the public thinks?

COCHRAN: Yes. Perhaps so. But you know, at any rate, Michael Jackson has always been a target by many — for many. You know, one of the things that I think that Brian was thinking about today is that, isn’t it ironic, though, these charges are brought on the day of the release of his latest album. And these things always seem to happen.

KING: Do you see a connection, Jann Carl?

CARL: Yes. I mean, this is something…

COCHRAN: … it’s always coincidental.

KING: What must they show to get a warrant, Brian?

OXMAN: There has to be some kind of showing of probable cause. And what we’ve seen with, like, the Kobe Bryant case is an accuser who makes the allegation, can establish the probable cause merely by the accusation itself. But it’s so interesting. There are 60 officers, vans, trucks — this is an invasion more than it is anything else. I’ve handled child molestation cases for 27 years, and I’ve never seen 60 officers approach anybody’s house in this manner. Something is amiss…

GRACE: That’s because this is…

COCHRAN: … in the Santa Barbara’s office…

GRACE: … a fortress, Brian! This isn’t a regular…

OXMAN: Oh, I — oh, I’ve had…

GRACE: … one-bedroom apartment! This is a fortress…

COCHRAN: I’ve seen fortresses…

GRACE: … the police are searching!

OXMAN: … I’ve seen houses where they have to batter the door down, and they don’t bring 60 officers. This is incredible.

GRACE: You know, Brian, I only have one thing to say. This affidavit says, “Michael Jackson and I in bed together,” “He had me twist his nipples”…

OXMAN: You are reading the Jordie Chandler affidavit, which is 10 years old and…

GRACE: “He told me nothing was wrong with it.”

OXMAN: The affidavit…

KING: That case is settled.

OXMAN: … is just long history. It’s digging up old history. And here’s the point of the problem. Michael settled that case and, it appears that what the accusation here is, it’s mirroring the 10- year-old accusation. It’s a deja vu all over again, and I’m wondering about that.

KING: But that doesn’t mean it isn’t true, Brian.

OXMAN: Correct, Larry. We don’t know. We don’t know who the accuser is and we…

KING: Well, at this point, no one knows anything.

OXMAN: We just don’t know.

KING: You were saying something, Jann?

CARL: The last time when this occurred, 10 years ago, I know that there was — Johnnie we were talking about it — there was a body search. I mean, it was part of the search warrant to search the body of Michael Jackson. And he talked about being…

KING: You mean the kid was able to identify things…

CARL: Well, that was the implication.

KING: Is that true, Johnnie?

COCHRAN: Well, again, without going into details regarding the case per se…

KING: No charges were ever filed, right?

COCHRAN: No charges were ever filed. There was a humiliating search warrant for Michael’s body. That was one of the…

KING: And did they follow through on that?

COCHRAN: Oh, yes. They did. And that was a — it was a court order.

CARL: They photographed it.

COCHRAN: It was a court order.

COCHRAN: It was one of the most difficult days I ever spent as a lawyer.

KING: Nancy, are you hooking one with the other because — just because that’s the only basis you have to go on, the similarity of a matter 10 years ago?

GRACE: Larry, I am basing this on over a decade of handling startlingly similar cases. Larry…

KING: Yes, but no one was convicted in this.

GRACE: Yes, I know that, Larry. There was a multi-million- dollar settlement in order to keep it out of court. And when Johnnie’s referring to a full body search — it was apparently a photographic session of Michael Jackson’s body to corroborate, in my mind, what the alleged child victim — how he described Michael Jackson without his clothes on.

Now, Larry, you know, of course, a defense attorney can paint that as perfectly innocent. In my mind, I don’t think that’s innocent. I don’t think that’s appropriate. In fact, that is a felony. You asked me earlier, what do I think police are looking for? Let me just be blunt. In my mind, they are looking for photographs, they are looking for videos, they are looking for letters, communications between Jackson and this young accuser, something to corroborate what this young boy, if he exists, has said — the description of the inside of the home, the bedroom, whatever, something to corroborate his story.

KING: Yes, back it up. Is this a case, Brian, of sort of like it looks like a duck and it acts like a duck, it could be a duck?

OXMAN: It is a case of excitement and hysteria because here we have the same accusations that we had 10 years ago. It’s like playing the play-offs all over again. There are more than…

KING: But Nancy is right in getting excited about something like that. I mean, angry excited.

OXMAN: People get excited. Nancy is excited. I understand that.

GRACE: No, I’m not excited! I’m discouraged…

OXMAN: You sure look excited to me, Nancy.

GRACE: … with the justice system — I’m disturbed that the justice system chose not to go forward with an investigation. He had an excellent attorney, I can vouch for that, with Johnnie Cochran. And now, apparently — and I don’t know all the facts yet, nobody does. But apparently, there’s yet another young alleged victim out there. And if the justice system had done what it should have done 10 years ago, there wouldn’t be another alleged victim!

OXMAN: I think the justice system did do what it should have done 10 years ago, and what we’re finding here now is that it happened once, a shakedown took place once, and apparently, it might be the same accusation again. We don’t know. We can’t prejudge this. We don’t know anything about the accuser. We don’t know what it’s all about. And when we find out, we’ll make a reasoned judgment about it.

KING: How serious was that, years ago, Johnnie? I mean, by — the allegation…

COCHRAN: I think it was very serious. It was a very serious, very serious case.

KING: Were they close to indicting?

COCHRAN: You know, it’s hard to say. I mean, it was — there were both offices. There was Gil Garcetti in Los Angeles and Mr. Sneddon, I think, in Santa Barbara. It was a — I took it very seriously. And at the end of the day, when the matter was resolved, you know, I felt it was the appropriate resolution for all parties involved.

KING: Are there times a client will resolve something financially, even though he didn’t do the alleged act?

COCHRAN: I think there are.

KING: And what would be those times?

COCHRAN: I think that — I think you look at a number of factors — without speaking about that particular case, which I’m really precluded from doing. I think if you felt that your name was going to be drug through the mud and it would do great damage to your career, it would last a long period of time, one might make that decision.

KING: In other words, hypothetically, Kobe Bryant might have done nothing wrong but might settle this just to let it go away?

COCHRAN: To not have to have all this exposed and lose all his corporate…

KING: In other words, Brian, I would say that if that was — if I was accused of that, the natural thing to say, I would never settle if I didn’t do it.

OXMAN: Well, sometimes it’s not your choice.

KING: If I did do it, I would settle.

OXMAN: I have brought child molestation cases against defendants, and I always include a negligence allegation in that because that means that the homeowners’ insurance policy takes over and a homeowners’ insurance policy…

KING: Really?

OXMAN: … can settle right out from under the defendant. The defendant can scream, I will not settle that case, and they have no choice because the insurance company settles it.

KING: Nancy, how do you respond to that? What if the insurance company says, We’re going to settle this.

GRACE: You know what, Larry? You know, how I respond to that? This is not, in my mind, a matter of money or insurance companies and settlements and civil suits! This is about, in my mind, a young boy, in this case, an alleged 12-year-old boy! You say we don’t know what the facts are? You’re right. But I do know this. Something a 12- year-old boy said sent 70 people out to Neverland…

KING: By the way…

GRACE: … on an exhaustive search…

KING: But Nancy, let’s…

GRACE: … and a judge agreed signing a search warrant!

KING: Let’s be fair. A 12-year-old boy could also fantasize, and he could imagine.

GRACE: Sure, Larry. It could happen.

KING: So the mistake we make on this program frequently is we jump to conclusions.

GRACE: Larry, I’m not…

KING: We make a leap.

GRACE: … jumping to a conclusion. I know…

KING: In other words, you have made no conclusion yet? You don’t believe this boy, is what you’re saying. You believe this boy or don’t believe him?

GRACE: I haven’t made any conclusion, but I know what I see. I know that we have been told by sources that have openly stated this is the result of something alleged by a 12-year-old boy.

KING: OK, but…

GRACE: I think we can accept that as true.

KING: Could it be possible…

GRACE: And because of that…

KING: … that a 12-year-old boy could fantasize? Is that possible?

GRACE: Well, of course, it’s possible. But don’t you…

KING: So why don’t we say two things are — two things are possible. He might have harmed him, the kid might be lying. Is that true?

GRACE: Absolutely true.

KING: So why are we so mad?

GRACE: Larry…

KING: I don’t understand it. We don’t know enough.

GRACE: I find it very difficult to believe that an entire fleet of police officers and the district attorney’s office and an impartial magistrate, a judge, would go to this extent based on a 12-year-old’s boy fantasy, OK?

KING: So what more could they have, then, other than…

GRACE: If you want to believe that, fine. I don’t believe it.

KING: … a statement?

GRACE: They could have physical evidence. They could have evidence on this boy’s body.

KING: But we don’t know.

GRACE: Well, of course, we don’t know! We won’t know until we get the return on the search warrant!

KING: So how can you be angry at Michael yet, if you don’t know?

GRACE: A, I’m not angry!

KING: You’re not angry?

GRACE: B, I’m disappointed. I’m disappointed that…

KING: Oh, OK.

GRACE: … this has been allowed…

KING: I’m sorry. I was — I apologize, Nancy.

GRACE: … to continue, and that our justice system apparently, from outside observances, allowed a molestation to slip through its fingers.

KING: All right. I was reading you as angry. I apologize. I didn’t know that you were concerned.

KING: Let’s take some calls. We go to Norfolk, Virginia. Hello.

CALLER: Yes. I have been wondering, has anyone considered doing DNA testing on Michael Jackson to confirm that these children are his biological children? They do not look anything like him, and I wonder if he has fathered them.

KING: Why would — who would do the testing, and for what purpose?

CALLER: Well, I just wonder if anybody has wanted to see if he has bought these children, if they are, in fact…

KING: Brian, do you want to comment?

OXMAN: I can tell you that they are Michael’s children. He’s had the first two, who were Prince, and then he had Paris with Debbie Rowe. They are his kids. And the third child, who is Michael, Jr., Prince Michael, Jr., is his biological child had with the surrogate. There’s no allegations concerning these children. They are absolutely fantastic, beautiful kids, and there’s not any problem with them by way of a DNA test or anything that would be required with a DNA test..

KING: Kirksville, Missouri. Hello.

CALLER: Yes. I have a question for the panel.

KING: Sure.

CALLER: In a case like Scott Peterson’s or Michael’s, does the defense attorneys know the truth?

KING: Johnnie?

COCHRAN: That’s a good question. I think that — who knows the truth? I mean, from a standpoint — your client says they’re innocent. And you go in and investigate the facts. And you — you know, from a standpoint, you present what the facts are. You can’t change the facts. They are what they are, and you just deal with it. Now, if a client says they’re guilty, Larry, that’s when you dispose of the case. You plead them guilty. You make — you work — you enter them into a plea bargain.

KING: You can’t let your client lie.

COCHRAN: No, you don’t let them lie at all. Now, if the client says, I’m guilty, and…

CARL: But I want you to get me off.

COCHRAN: … you try to work the best deal you can. But if he’s says, I’m guilty and I want to — you can’t let them testify…

KING: Nancy, what if 10 years ago, the prosecutor didn’t have a case because the kid dropped the charge?

GRACE: Well, you know, Larry, when a case becomes a criminal matter, the victim cannot drop the charge. At that point, the prosecution represents the people, the state, justice, society. And at that point — and I have had victims want to drop charges and not testify, but it’s not just about that victim, although, in my mind, they are paramount. It is about future innocent victims, and therefore, my practice was to subpoena the victims and have them come to court anyway.

KING: What if the father or mother of the victim said to you, I’m the mother. The victim is 12. I will not let him or her testify. Do you want to put them in jail, put them in jail.

GRACE: You know, Larry, you got me between a rock and a hard spot because I would not want to harm — emotionally harm the victim or the victim’s family. But on the other hand, when you don’t seek justice and you don’t chase the truth, no matter it tastes going down, you have a repeat offense, like what I believe we may be seeing right now.

KING: Rockford, Illinois. Hello.

CALLER: Good evening. This question is for Nancy.

KING: Yes.

CALLER: Could it be that some parent has some trumped-up idea that they’re going to bleed Michael for some money and extort money from Michael by lying about a molestation that really didn’t happen?

KING: Isn’t that a possibility?

GRACE: You are so correct. And Brian was correct earlier. When somebody’s got a lot of money and the rest of the world knows about it, they’re sitting targets for scams. But it’s hard for me to believe, frankly — to the caller — that the district attorney, probably several assistant district attorneys, lawyers, an impartial judge and 70 people from law enforcement would buy into a scam without checking it out first.

KING: Now, CBS has a show what, scheduled when?

CARL: CBS has a one-hour special with Michael Jackson scheduled for November 26. We contacted — “Entertainment Tonight” contacted CBS and asked, you know, if there are any thoughts about the special, what they may do with it. Today they said they’re waiting to hear more information, which…

KING: He’s singing in the special?

CARL: He is. And in fact, he was — he’s in Vegas right now, which is why he wasn’t home when the police arrived. He’s there — he’s working on a music video for the special that — and what we heard was that Michael actually didn’t want to go through with the special at this time, but contractually, our sources tell us, that he had to. So he’s been down there trying to play catch-up, get the music video completed. When CBS says they’re going to wait to hear more, to me that says…

KING: They’re waiting.

CARL: … there’s a possibility…

KING: They may not.

CARL: … they may or may not air this special.

KING: Santa Barbara. Hello.

CALLER: Hi. This question is for Johnnie. Johnnie, do you think it’s any coincidence that the — that it was served on the day the album was released?

COCHRAN: No, I don’t think it’s — I don’t think it’s — I think it’s probably more than coincidence. I think it was planned. I think you can get a warrant at any time. If it’s an ongoing investigation, they could have picked it any time. I think the fact that the — I think it’s a big news day. His album comes out by Epic Records and this happens the same day…

KING: What’s the purpose?

COCHRAN: If you look back at Michael’s history, you’ve seen these things before. Whenever he’s had any particular big (UNINTELLIGIBLE), there’s always some countervailing thing. You know, he has been really, really a target throughout his career, pretty much over this last decade. Anything he does is blown out of proportion. You know, if he…

KING: So the prosecutor…

GRACE: Oh, Johnnie! Johnnie…

KING: … the record’s coming out, I’m going to file today?

COCHRAN: No. I don’t think he said — I don’t think he said that. I think that…

GRACE: But Johnnie, he’s not a target…

COCHRAN: I think that — I think it’s not just a coincidence. Now, when I say…

GRACE: Only reason he’s a target is because…

COCHRAN: Nancy…

GRACE: … he wears a big bullseye! He goes on national TV…

COCHRAN: Well, Nancy, I don’t know that he…

GRACE: … and says, yes, I sleep with little boys in my bed.

COCHRAN: I know he wears a big…

GRACE: Of course!

COCHRAN: He did say that on national — but he said also…

GRACE: Yes, he did.

COCHRAN: … he would never harm a child. He said he loved children. He would never harm a child. I mean, he said it was all innocent, very innocent. Now…

GRACE: It’s all in your definition of love.

COCHRAN: … as his lawyer — we’d all advise him, Don’t ever put yourself in that position. That’s who Michael Jackson is. He’s a very, very naive person in many respects, and there’s no question about that. So I think that, yes, he does wear a bullseye on him, and so…

CARL: Johnnie, I’d like to know, as an attorney, at some point, have you all said, Don’t sleep in bed with little boys anymore, as his attorney?

KING: Has somebody said that?

CARL: Has somebody…

COCHRAN: Well, I think it’s not appropriate for us to say what we’ve said to him. But obviously, you could probably surmise that many of us…

OXMAN: I think you can look at how Michael travels. He always travels with an entourage of adults. And people say, Why are all these people all around you? Very simple, Larry. He has these people there to make sure that there are not these kinds of accusations being made against him.

KING: Let me get a break, and then we’ll have Diane Dimond with us on the phone. Don’t go away. You’re watching LARRY KING LIVE. Stay there.

And joining us on the phone is one of the best journalists in the business on covering stuff, Diane Dimond, Court TV anchor and contributor to “Hollywood at Large.” She’s been covering the Jackson story since sexual abuse allegation case back in ’93. What can you tell us of news late, Diane?

DIANE DIMOND, COURT TV: Well, Larry, first of all, I’m sorry I can’t be on camera here with you today, but I’m still in Santa Barbara, I am still working this story as best I can.

There is new and breaking information that will come out tomorrow, and that’ll come from the district attorney himself and the local sheriff. They’re going to have a news conference about 11:00 a.m., but I have learned something very important and I will pass it on to you, in that there was not just a search warrant out there today at Neverland. There was also an arrest warrant. And had Michael Jackson been there, they would have put handcuffs on him and taken him to jail.

KING: Does this mean, Diane, they’re going to go to Vegas and arrest him?

DIMOND: Well, I’m trying to determine that. And I get a coy answer from all of my law enforcement sources here. You have a warrant like this, it’s good in all 50 states. If he’s in Vegas, are you pursuing this, I’ve asked. And they with a smile on their face say, you can imagine that we are pursuing it. That’s all they’ll answer.

KING: Did you learn what he’s being arrested for?

DIMOND: The charges will be simple. Penal code 288, child molesting.

KING: What do you make of this, Diane, as a reporter?

DIMOND: Well, Larry, as you said, I’ve been covering this since 1993, ’94. You know, once you bite into a story like this, you always stay involved, whether you’re covering it on a day-to-day basis or not. It was tough at times. He sued me for $100 million, for goodness’ sake. Johnnie Cochran can tell you about that, although the suit was filed by a different attorney.

COCHRAN: It wasn’t me.

DIMOND: We won that case, and it’s been a long road. Do I know that he’s guilty? No, I don’t know he’s guilty, but I do know that from what I’m hearing, this case is going to go to trial. There is nobody that wants a monetary settlement here. They want justice.

KING: Was an arrest warrant issued years ago, Johnnie Cochran?

COCHRAN: No. There was not. In fact, when I got involved in the case, we had offered — Michael was in Europe as I recall — and he came back, and I told the prosecutors if they wanted him, I would bring him down, because he maintained his innocence and he would come into court, he would come in and (UNINTELLIGIBLE) himself. That never happened in that case. This is perhaps different.

KING: Nancy, what do you make of this report by Diane, that they had an arrest warrant, as well?

GRACE: I think her report is accurate and I think that because simply I do not normally see people from — representatives from the DA’s office going on a regular search unless there’s a lot to it.

I am not surprised. I think that, Larry, we are who we are. You can’t change your nature. And if Michael Jackson agreed to a multimillion dollar settlement 10 years ago in a similar allegation, I would be willing to bet the behavior not only didn’t stop, Larry, but couldn’t stop. It is his nature.

KING: OK, Brian. What do you make of an arrest warrant?

OXMAN: Obviously, an arrest warrant causes a serious concern, and we’re very disturbed that there would be an arrest warrant out there. Michael is not someone who is going to flee the scene. Michael is not somebody who’s going to never be heard of again. As you see with celebrities, they come in voluntarily, almost inevitably. So for there to be no communication between the district attorney’s office and Michael and his representatives…

DIMOND: That’s not true, Larry. No. That’s not true. There have been at least two attorneys for Michael Jackson talking to law enforcement here. In fact, Steve Cochran, I don’t think he’s any relation to Johnnie, but Steve Cochran was down at Neverland today.

OXMAN: He’s a good friend, and we know him and he’s excellent.

KING: So you’re saying the prosecutor has informed Jackson’s representatives of the arrest warrant?

DIMOND: Not only that, but he was told that, you know, there’s plenty of room for cooperation here. We’re not here to drag anybody’s name in the mud. If you want to bring him in, bring him in.

OXMAN: I am certain there will be cooperation, and what I’m criticizing here is that…

DIMOND: Really?

OXMAN: … there’s no prior communication. This is an investigation…

KING: You mean, like yesterday?

OXMAN: Correct. Yesterday or the day before. And Diane has said that this has been ongoing for two months. So, this is a surprise to all the attorneys, and Michael is not someone…

DIMOND: Brian, Brian, wait a minute. You want the law enforcement people here to telegraph what they are going to do in a criminal investigation? Come on.

OXMAN: I think in a molestation case of this nature, I think absolutely so. Because it’s a past incident.

DIMOND: Oh, if there was a man down the street with three children and he was molesting the children, they certainly wouldn’t call his attorney and say, oh, by the way, we’re coming in tomorrow.

OXMAN: You’re talking about an ongoing problem. This apparently is something which happened months and months ago.

KING: Your source is who, Diane? People in law enforcement?

DIMOND: Very high, high, high.

KING: And you’re saying they have an arrest warrant? Is it your probability then they’re going to arrest him in Vegas unless he surrenders?

DIMOND: Well, again, I can’t get a straight answer on that, but it wouldn’t surprise me, Larry.

KING: Johnnie, what would you recommend?

COCHRAN: Well, I would recommend that some accommodation be made that he come forward. I believe he’s going to fight these charges, and I expect he’s going to come in and say get, you know, get it done and get it going.

KING: If he called you to come in again, would you?

COCHRAN: No, I wouldn’t, because — it’s not because of this case, though. When I finished the P. Diddy, Puffy Combs case in New York, I said no more criminal cases for me. And I’ve remained true to that.

KING: Diane, we thank you very much for this exclusive. You are staying right on top of it again. You’ve got it from a top police source. They won’t tell you if they’re going to serve it in Vegas. Maybe they’ll make an accommodation. Would you expect that, Diane, to let him come back and surrender?

DIMOND: Oh, I think they absolutely would, they would open the door wide for him to step right through it. I don’t, however, think they’re anticipating that’s going to happen, Larry.

KING: Well, thank you all very much.

DIMOND: Let me tell you too…

KING: Yes, go ahead.

DIMOND: I’m still working this story out here, and tomorrow on Court TV, 9:00, both coasts, 9:00 a.m., big exclusive interview. Tune in.

Let me remind you that this is the FIRST day of the events, which is actually TOMORROW for the Michael Jackson we see in the “One More Chance” video.

Only one day has passed but he is already ACCUSED, TRIED, CONVICTED and his career is already OVER.

CBS Pulls Jackson Show … For Now

CBS has postponed its plan to broadcast the entertainment special, “Michael Jackson Number Ones,” which was scheduled to air the night of Wednesday, Nov. 26. The network released the following statement:
“Given the gravity of the charges against Mr. Jackson, we believe it would be inappropriate at this time to broadcast an entertainment special. However, we are very mindful that Mr. Jackson is innocent until proven guilty. We will consider broadcasting the special after the due process of the legal system runs its course.”
A replacement program for the special will be announced at a later time.
http://www.clickorlando.com/entertainment/2648110/detail.html

Jackson – ‘forever tainted’

2003-11-20 13:29
Los Angeles – Fresh child sex allegations against the “King of Pop” Michael Jackson are likely to seriously damage his already shaky public image and legendary musical career, industry experts said.
US authorities on Wednesday ordered Jackson, 45, one of the world’s best-known entertainers, to surrender to police and hand in his passport saying he faced charges on multiple counts of child abuse.
“This is not good for his career, to say the least,” said Daily Variety music writer Phil Gallo of the charges against Jackson that each carry a maximum penalty of eight years in jail.
“There is not a lower crime to be accused of. Artists can recover from murder allegations, from drug addiction and jails sentences, but the fact is that when you have a stigma of mistreating children, it sticks with you.”
After spending 30 years building up a global image that has made billions of dollars, the latest charges will taint Jackson’s image forever, said Peter Montoya, an author on personal branding.

 

Poisoned

But, he said, some die-hard fans will remain doggedly loyal to the “Gloved One”, just as supporters of onetime celebrity murder suspect OJ Simpson stuck by him.
“For most in the mainstream, Michael Jackson’s brand will forever be poisoned by his bizarre, reprehensible, and possibly criminal behaviour, but his hard-core fans will surely rally around him and make charges of racism and persecution,” he said.
Jacko, as he is known to many fans, has faced a litany of very public legal problems in recent years, including accusations in 1993 that he molested a 13-year-old boy, and is likely to go on the offensive against the latest charges, Montoya predicted.
The singer has already alleged a conspiracy to scupper the success of his first album in a year, Number Ones, that was released on Tuesday just as police raided his Neverland Ranch in search of evidence.

 

Battered image

Jackson’s image has been battered in recent years by increasingly eccentric behaviour, including a reclusive lifestyle, penchant for wearing face masks in public while covering his three children with veils and dangling a baby from a fourth floor hotel window.
All that leaves Jackson, whose record sales and fortune have seriously declined from their record-breaking peak over the past 10 years, with a badly tarnished image and a career that is under threat.
“These new charges will hurt his record sales in the long run in terms of his catalogue – and he’s mainly a catalogue artist now because its been a long time since he put out a sucessful new record – because nobody is going to want to be in the Michael Jackson business,” Variety’s Gallo said.
“People are going to want to be very, very careful of using his music, especially licensing it for with anything to do with children. You will want to be very sure that his songs can’t be misinterpreted in any way, shape or form.”
The entertainer is likely to disappear from music radar for some time, irrespective of what happens with the allegations against him, Gallo said.
– AFP
https://www.news24.com/Entertainment/OffBeat/Jackson-forever-tainted-20031120

Jackson: Industry cautious

2003-11-20 06:55
New York – The entertainment industry quickly distanced itself from Michael Jackson on Wednesday after an arrest warrant was issued against the superstar on child molestation charges.
CBS television immediately announced it would postpone a Michael Jackson special that was to have aired next week. None of Jackson’s traditional allies, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, would comment on the charges.
The singer’s entourage meanwhile suggested the charges were deliberately timed to coincide with the release of his new greatest hits album, Number Ones.
CBS was to have broadcast a special show on Jackson’s career next Wednesday.
But it said in a statement “Given the gravity of the charges against Mr Jackson, we believe it would be inappropriate at this time to broadcast an entertainment special.”

Multiple counts

Jackson, who was in Las Vegas recording a new video for Number Ones, has been charged with multiple counts of child molestation in Santa Barbara.
The US network said it was “very mindful that Mr Jackson is innocent until proven guilty” and it will “consider broadcasting the special after the due process of the legal system runs its course”.
The Michael Jackson Number Ones show has already been recorded and features top pop names including singer-actress Jennifer Lopez and arranger Quincy Jones. Jackson was to perform his new single, One More Chance.
Jackson’s album was released on Tuesday as dozens of investigators raided his Neverland Ranch in California searching for evidence related to the latest allegations.
Shares Sony Music, the recording company that holds his contract, fell 1.8% on Wednesday to $34.37.

Struggling

Jackson has one of the most expensive recording contracts in history but his career has waned in recent years following earlier allegations of child abuse.
His last album, Invincible, released in 2001, sold about two million copies. Normally this would be considered a success but Jackson spends huge sums making his records and has to generate greater profits.
One More Chance , the only new music on the latest album, which is devoted to the singer’s greatest hits, is already struggling to get airplay in the United States.
On Tuesday, Jackson’s spokesperson Stuart Backerman quoted the singer as saying: “These characters always seem to surface with a dreadful allegation just as another project, an album, a video, is being released.”
But prosecutors have strongly denied any link between the timing of the warrant the release of Jackson’s new album.
Santa Barbara district attorney Tom Sneddon said, “It really has nothing to do with his album or whatever else he’s doing in his life. We don’t – we don’t track him.”
Sneddon said that he and Santa Barbara Sheriff Jim Anderson did not even know about the new release.
“Like, the sheriff and I really are into that kind of music,” he quipped before insisting that the arrest had been originally planned for several weeks earlier but was postponed because police had to cope with about 500 000 visitors arriving in Santa Barbara for Halloween.
– AFP
https://www.news24.com/Entertainment/OffBeat/Jackson-Industry-cautious-20031120

All of the above was Michael Jackson’s TOMORROW.

This nightmare was to last for a year and half and was to end in his full acquittal.

But his health was to be ruined, his music had to be stopped and we were never to see him again – until after his death.

It makes you incredibly sad that it was due to their viciousness, nastiness and greed for ratings that we were deprived of a chance to see him again, listen to his magical music and lyrics, and enjoy his brilliant dance. They made a decision for us – and we allowed it to happen – to trample down an innocent man for billions of dollars put in someone else’s pockets.

Was all the money they got out of it worth it?

They destroyed him and orphaned us. But if the number of decent people had been bigger at that time the whole outcome could have been totally, completely different.

And this is what makes it so infinitely sad.

Now that I see this Michael’s video I hope against all hope that the events take a different turn and Michael gets another great chance now – of a new life and love for him starting anew.

UPDATE 1.01.2020

Since Charles Thomson’s series about making the ‘One More Chance’ video seems no longer available on his blog, here it is in full reprinted from http://www.mjtunes.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=140

Michael Jackson’s ‘One More Chance’ – A Dream that Turned into a Nightmare, by Charles Thomson.

November 30, 2010 , (Sawf News) – Michael Jackson dreamt of a triumphant return to showbiz after years of seclusion with the music video of One More Chance in 2003, only to have the dream turn into his worst nightmare.

Charles Thomson speaks to the performer’s colleagues, collaborators and co-stars about his little-known final music video…

Part I: Engineering Michael Jackson Comeback

In summer 2003 Michael Jackson and his team were quietly plotting an extraordinary comeback. Amid the tranquil setting of his sprawling Neverland Ranch, Jackson was meeting with his business partners, advisors and publicist on a regular basis to devise plans for a multi-faceted comeback that would re-launch the star into the stratosphere. The comeback would be surprising, seeing Jackson branch into new areas and industries and rehabilitating his image at the same time.

Michael Jackson’s Fallout with Sony

The past few years had not been kind to Jackson. His 2001 album Invincible had received a mixed critical reaction and had been mocked by the press as a commercial failure. In the Summer of 2002 Jackson had blamed low album sales on his record company, Sony, branding label boss Tommy Mottola ‘racist’ and ‘devilish’. He claimed the label had sabotaged Invincible by failing to promote it and, in a series of speeches, announced his intention to leave the label. However, his public fall-out with Sony had led to further tabloid mockery and his campaign had ultimately fallen flat.

Negative Publicity from Martin Bashir’s Documentary

Jackson’s confidence had been rocked by two further incidents. The singer found himself at the center of a global scandal in November 2002 after pictures of him dangling his son over a hotel balcony in Germany were beamed around the world. He was dealt another blow in February 2003 when Martin Bashir’s documentary Living with Michael Jackson caused uproar, showing Jackson holding hands with young cancer patient Gavin Arvizo and admitting to sharing his bed with other people’s children. It was at this point that Jackson’s camp decided enough was enough.

Damage Control

The concern amongst Jackson’s advisors was that the singer’s name had become little more than a punchline; an easy target for relentless mockery and abuse. His image was in desperate need of repair. The effort began with damage control. Jackson’s camp released a rebuttal to Bashir’s documentary, featuring footage of the presenter contradicting the views expressed in his own film and proving that he had omitted vital answers from the star. After exposing Bashir’s duplicity Jackson’s camp followed up with a second documentary, Michael Jackson’s Private Home Movies, in which the star presented funny and interesting clips from his archives.

An appearance at the BET Awards in June 2003 to present his idol and mentor James Brown with a Lifetime Achievement Award contributed to the wave of good PR Jackson was receiving. The star’s brief appearance on the show saw audience members burst into tears and it served Jackson well to be seen presenting an award rather than receiving one for once. Things were beginning to look up for the singer and now his elaborate comeback plans could really be put into effect.

Reinventing Michael Jackson

“Michael was regaining much of his self-esteem and self-confidence after dwelling in the shadows of public scandal and scorn,” says publicist Stuart Backerman, hired by Jackson in 2002. “In the language of marketing, Michael was about to be re-branded.

“The comeback plan was called the MJ Universe project and it was all about ‘the People’s Michael’, if you want to think of it in political terms. That’s what was underpinning this whole scheme. It was about being accessible. After all the years of living as a partial recluse and a tabloid target he wanted to reach out and be seen in an objective way.”

The first step towards making Michael Jackson more accessible would be to create a link between the star and his fans. In Vancouver a web design company called Blast Radius was secretly working on a brand new official Michael Jackson website (his old one was owned and controlled by Sony). The website would contain what Stuart Backerman describes as ‘the most unbelievable interactive videos’ and would serve as a medium for Jackson to stay in touch with his fans.

The next step was to open up Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. After the Bashir documentary his sanctuary was seen as a sinister place. In order that people could experience Neverland themselves and enjoy a brief glimpse into Jackson’s world, the star planned to launch the ranch as a resort for short breaks, generating income as well as improving his image.

Jackson’s merchandising had ‘dried up’ in recent years, says Backerman, and loose plans were in place to launch several new products, beginning with a Michael Jackson clothing line. He was also in talks with a Japanese investor to design a theme park.

From Music to Movies

But the jewel in the crown of Jackson’s comeback plans was a deal he and his camp had recently struck with a motion picture company in Montreal. For years it had been Jackson’s desire to move away from the music business and into the movie industry. In 1993 he had a deal in place with Sony to begin making movies but the plans were scrapped after Santa Barbara DA Tom Sneddon raided Jackson’s home and the star found himself accused of child molestation. In recent years Jackson had made baby steps towards launching himself as a player in the movie world, first making a cameo appearance in Men In Black II and then guest starring in low budget comedy Miss Castaway. Now he was ready to make the leap.

“He didn’t want to really start again with the music,” says Dieter Wiesner, Jackson’s manager from 1997 until 2003. ” was that he had really made the best in his life for the music part. He created everything. He made Thriller and things like that and he knew it could be very hard to top these things. For him it was very important to be successful After he was done with Sony, he had a whole other plan. His focus was just not that much on the music part anymore. His feeling as a director and an actor, directing movies, making short films, things like that. He was really into it.

“He knew he had to do something for the fans but it was very clear that he couldn’t go back on tour because he was mentally not into it anymore. He wanted to do big concerts, say, at the pyramids in Egypt – big places – over two or three years. He agreed to do something like that because the fans really wanted to see him, but he felt his real future should be in the film business.”

After months of negotiations, Jackson’s camp had managed to secure financing so the star could purchase Cinegroupe, a Canadian animated features company, which Stuart Backerman says Jackson wanted to turn into ‘a whole Pixar type thing’. In anticipation of the takeover, the company had invited Jackson to begin contributing ideas to an upcoming picture, Pinocchio 3000. A decade after his film-making dreams had been squashed, Jackson was finally about to begin making the transition from music to movies. But before that he had one burning priority, and that was to release himself from his Sony contract.

“He wasn’t ever really right back on good terms with Sony,” says Stuart Backerman. “The Beatles Catalogue is one thing but after the whole Tommy Mottola business, it was over. It was not gonna really be happening with Sony again.”

According to Dieter Wiesner, Jackson had no plans to move to another label after he fulfilled his contract with Sony. The focus was squarely on movie-making and all signs pointed to the fact that Jackson was serious about achieving his goal. One morning at Neverland Ranch, during the comeback discussions, Jackson presented Stuart Backerman with a signed fedora as a thank you for all his hard work. Inside Jackson had written the inscription, “Dear Stuart, many thanks for your kind help and please don’t make plans for the next decade.”

Part II: Michael Jackson’s Dream Takes Shape

In October 2003 Michael Jackson flew to Las Vegas to begin a series of in-person appearances that would mark the beginning of his elaborate comeback plans. In keeping with his new accessible image he also took part in several autograph signing sessions, the proceeds from which went to charity. On Saturday 25th October he was presented with the key to Las Vegas at the Desert Passage Mall and three days later he appeared at the Radio Music Awards to debut his new charity single, What More Can I Give.

One More Chance Music Video

But most excitingly for the star’s fans, Jackson was in town to record a new music video. A new greatest hits compilation called Number Ones was due to be released on November 18th and, thinking that it would fulfill his contractual obligations to Sony, Jackson had contributed an unreleased track, One More Chance, and agreed to promote it as a single. Seeing the opportunity to fulfill another contractual obligation at the same time – he owed CBS a performance – Jackson decided to record an accompanying music video. The video would debut on November 26th at the end of a CBS special about the star and then go into rotation elsewhere.

After recording the video Jackson was set to embark on what Stuart Backerman describes as a ‘triumphant publicity tour’ across Europe, Africa and South America. “We were going for three months,” says the publicist. “We were going to do all kinds of autograph sessions, record signings and fan events and we were going to do something at Harrods in London, too.”

“He was going to give Muhammad Ali an award at the Bambi Awards in Germany,” adds Dieter Wiesner. “We also had a plan to do something with Nelson Mandela.”

Nick Brandt, a seasoned Jackson collaborator, was scheduled to direct the new video. Brandt had worked on numerous short films with the star in the past – most famously on the Earth Song video, which combined Jackson’s strong environmental views with the director’s acclaimed wildlife photography. Their most recent outing had been 2001’s Cry, a video Jackson reportedly refused to appear in due to his conflict with Sony.

Turning his Back to Music in Pursuit of Film

The shoot would take place at the CMX Productions studio and the concept was simple. The song was a yearning ballad about lost love in which Jackson pleaded with an ex-girlfriend for ‘one more chance at love’. The video would feature a unique role reversal in which an audience would stand onstage and watch Jackson as he performed the track in an empty, upscale nightclub, hopping banisters and jumping on tables. The set-up seemed to have little correlation with the song and appeared to be more of a comment on the press and public’s perpetual invasion into Jackson’s privacy – a common theme in the star’s videos – essentially showing a crowd of bystanders watching over Jackson in an intimate, off-stage moment, transfixed by his heartbreak.

Jackson technically owed CBS a performance so the aim was to create a hybrid that would satisfy the broadcaster and also work as a music video. An idea was hatched to give the video a live feeling by following Jackson seamlessly through the club rather than cutting from scene to scene in the typical music video style.

“We had five cameras rolling on him at all times,” says a senior crew member, who asked to remain anonymous after speaking without record label permission. “The idea was to try to capture Michael, as much as possible, doing one routine through the club, to give it kind of a live feeling. It would literally flow from one camera to the next. We also had kind of a limited time with Michael because he would set his own schedule, so we also decided to capture it that way to make sure we could get it all shot cohesively.”

Running the production on a tight schedule and a tight budget, the crew got one rehearsal day with Jackson. “Michael came in that day to do dance rehearsals with Nick and to work out how he would move around the club,” says the crew member. “That was where we determined which tables he would jump on so we could light them properly and so on. So that was probably about two to three hours of just Nick and other key crew members working with Michael – maybe four hours.

“Watching his process with Nick was quite inspiring. He really liked to create with Nick. He was involved in everything. He was obviously an experienced artist in music videos and knew what the process was all about, knew who the key people were to talk to. I mean, he and the crew had a definite conversation about composition and lighting and how to capture various dance moves with the camera and what angles to use. He was truly an artist. He didn’t just show up and not care. He was definitely excited to be there and involved in the process and really wanted to create something special.”

Jackson’s manager Dieter Wiesner, however, says the singer wasn’t quite as excited as he seemed; much of the video had been devised in the star’s absence and he was annoyed by the modest budget. “Michael was not too happy about it,” he says. “It was a relaxed situation but it was not what Michael really wanted to do. He looked still for the biggest thing and this was not something he would pick. It was not one of his high class things he did before.”

Wiesner says Jackson was also unhappy with the set’s resemblance to one of his best known videos from the 1980s. “When we arrived there, the set was already done. He was saying, ‘This is like Smooth Criminal’. But he did his job. I think when he started to do something, he did it right. He was not so happy but he had to deliver something and that’s what he did.”

Michael Jackson dreamt of a triumphant return to showbiz after years of seclusion with the music video of One More Chance in 2003, only to have the dream turn into his worst nightmare.

Part III: Filming of One More Chance

On Monday 17th November 2003 a crowd of extras waited in a holding area at the CMX studio. They knew they were there for a music video, but that was all they knew. “We auditioned on the Friday and knew we were going to shoot at the soundstage on Monday,” says Ken Yesh, one of the extras chosen for the shoot. “We went the entire weekend wondering who the video was for. Then, when we got there, we signed some papers and on the back page it said ‘Michael Jackson, One More Chance, Sony Productions’. We all just flipped.”

“That right there was such a moment,” says fellow extra Juliette Myers. “As we were going down the line we were cheering because wow, you know, what an iconic moment. We were going to be a part of something that’s history.”

But the excitement was short-lived. “When we went into the soundstage they told us that ‘yes, this is a Michael Jackson video but he will not be here’,” says Ken Yesh. “So we were all pretty disappointed. He had a body double that was doing all the camera sets and all the arrangements. We thought that that was all that was going to be there – just a lookalike.”

The extras were put in bleachers on the stage in a choral arrangement while the crew tinkered with the lighting. A few extras were selected to look into the distance or look amazed and the crew panned the audience a lot, but the extras spent much of their time standing around. “If they weren’t going to use us for a scene then they’d take us back out to the waiting area,” says extra Stephen McClelland. “I remember us waiting outside while they were trying to set up some of the table things to get a rough idea.”

“Being extras, we started early but we didn’t really have to do much,” agrees Juliette Myers. “They’d set us up, they’d do some lighting and cue the music and we’d stand and do our part, then we’d cut for a break. There was never really much work. There was a very free, fun and fancy type air about the day.”

Michael Jackson’s Surprise Appearance

Several hours into the shooting day, Michael Jackson, wearing dark jeans and a white t-shirt, slipped onto the set through a back door. “When he made his entrance it wasn’t anything grand,” says Ken Yesh. “It was kind of on the down low – really hush-hush. We were onstage at the time so there were a few whispers of, ‘Oh my God, I think that’s him!’ The room was pretty dim. The whole ambience was the nightclub scene so there were some lamps on the tables and the stage lights were very dim, but he’s pretty hard to miss.”

“It was like electricity through the air,” adds Stephen McClelland. “Everybody was getting really excited.”

“We weren’t even prepared for him to come out,” says Juliette Myers. “We were standing in the bleachers and I was talking to somebody and all of a sudden I heard cheering. I looked up and he was just there. It’s weird how you don’t even realize how powerful he is until he’s there. It’s like a presence. I couldn’t stop screaming. I tried to be professional but that didn’t work. We were all screaming our heads off. But he let us have our time. I’m sure he knew that he was going to have fans so he gave us time to just embrace him and then we got to work.”

Michael Jackson’s Dance Moves: Inimitable

The crew had spent much of the day preparing for Jackson’s arrival in order to avoid keeping him waiting once he arrived. With everything in position and ready to go, Jackson launched into his first performance almost immediately, meandering around the nightclub and showcasing his famous dance moves.

“I think they told us he wasn’t going to be there because they wanted to see our responses on film when he started dancing,” says Ken Yesh, “because when he first came in, it wasn’t five minutes and he jumped right into it. He started going into the sequences, walking through the tables at the nightclub, going up to the stage, singing, jumping onto the tables and onto the chairs – and I was looking at everyone else and their faces were like mine. It was just disbelief.”

“It was amazing,” recalls Juliette Myers. “Part of our reaction was supposed to be shock and awe, but it was real. We were just like ‘Oh my gosh, he’s here. This is him in real life. He’s right in front of us’. It was so easy to be happy and to have the wondrous looks in our eyes. He did a move standing on a table right in front of us and it was like, ‘Wow. There it is. This is what we grew up with’. It made that reaction and that moment real.”

“They had genuine surprise on everyone’s face,” says Ken Yesh. “Everyone had a permanent smile across their face. They couldn’t believe it. I think we all understood what it meant. We were in the presence of one of the best entertainers ever on the face of the earth. I mean, who has the chance to do something like that?”

“It was like seeing Elvis perform live, or the Beatles,” agrees Steve McClelland. “You’ve got a legend in front of you performing. It was magical. All those rumors about him being past it were, I believe after seeing him, completely unfounded. He was still perfectly capable. He was truly magic. Truly blessed.”

Each time Jackson finished the routine, shooting would pause while the crew fixed the set for continuity; in each performance Jackson would kick lamps and wine glasses off of the nightclub tables. Between takes Jackson would interact occasionally with the extras, says Stephen McClelland.

MJ: Focused During Shoots, Caring and Concerned During Breaks

“We’d all been standing there for a long time. He’d say thing like, ‘I hope you guys aren’t too uncomfortable back there’ because the lights would come up on us and we were standing really tight together and we couldn’t move. Between takes we had to stay there. So he was just feeling for us a little bit. When he started to perform he was very focused but then he would go back to being just casual. He’d say things to us like, ‘I hope you all liked that one’. He was being funny, witty.”

Mostly, though, Jackson kept to himself. “He was kind of separate,” says Juliette Myers. “I think he was just really shy. I remember there was direction that he was very shy so they didn’t want us to look directly in his face.”

“I was extremely surprised at how humble he was,” adds Ken Yesh. “But when the camera started rolling and the music was on, it was like electricity. The guy was completely amazing. He would do the same dance sequence five or six times, flawlessly.”

“Michael was soft spoken and kept to himself,” confirms a crew member. “But when the cameras started rolling he just became Michael Jackson instantaneously. The moves and the walking and everything, it was just Michael Jackson through and through. It was amazing. I remember him jumping up on a table and doing a spin at one point and his hands went up in the air and it was just 100% pure Michael Jackson. I’ll never forget that memory.”

After performing the routine five or six times across roughly three hours, Michael Jackson made his exit. “He was really sweet with all the extras,” says a crew member. “When he was leaving he said a great big goodbye to them and thanked them for all their hard work. He was such a gentleman.”

“He didn’t just scurry out,” says Juliette Myers. “He respectfully said thank you. I don’t even know what he was thanking us for, though.” She laughs. “He was the star. We were just backdrop.”

Jackson was scheduled to return the following day to film frontal shots and close-ups. “Our intention was to shoot from behind Michael towards the audience and then, to save money on all the audience members, the following day we would flip around and shoot Michael’s close-ups,” says a crew member. “So pretty much everything we got on the first day was head to toe and shot either in profile or from behind, with the audience in the background.”

The day’s rushes showed Jackson on good form, leaping energetically from table to table, running around the club and looking genuinely happy as he high-fived the crowd. He paid subtle homage to older videos; a shot in which he pulled his jacket down over his shoulders before the excited audience was reminiscent of the Dirty Diana music video while his kicking the table decorations as he danced called to mind his controversial short film for Black or White.

At the end of each take Jackson had nodded and bowed to the audience, turned his back on the stage – an enormous grin on his face – and walked out of frame. This shot would serve as the end of the music video and the moment was loaded with connotations. Jackson turning his back on the stage, and on his audience, was symbolic of his intention to leave the music world behind and embark on a brand new career path. Perhaps smiling with as much relief as happiness, he was also turning his back on his final music video for Sony and, he thought, walking away from the contract that he so desperately wanted out of. In essence, he was turning his back on his old career and walking away from it, ready to follow the dream that had been snatched from him ten years previously. Michael Jackson was finally going to make movies.

Part IV: Dream Turns into a Nightmare

At roughly 8.30 next morning Stuart Backerman and Jackson cohort Marc Schaffel spoke on the telephone to discuss their departure for Europe the following day. Their conversation was interrupted by an incoming telephone call for Schaffel from Joe Marcus, a security coordinator at Neverland. “It was a weird hour for Joe to be calling,” says Backerman, “so Schaffel said he would call me back.”

A short while later Backerman’s telephone rang. “You gotta turn on the television,” said Schaffel. Backerman switched on his TV and saw the now famous helicopter images of police swarming Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. Led by District Attorney Tom Sneddon, 70 sheriffs from the Santa Barbara Police Department had been dispatched to raid Michael Jackson’s home. “Honestly,” Backerman recalls, “You would have thought it was an army battalion going into an Iraqi village. There were so many of them.”

His heart sank. “At that moment I realized that the European trip and the whole MJ Universe project was finished because by that point Diane Dimond was on, revealing that it was all over a second charge of child molestation.

“Michael was just getting ready to leave the 1993 allegations behind and rebrand himself. We’d just finished dealing with the Martin Bashir scandal and here it was again.” He sighs. “Here it was again.”

In Las Vegas, it fell on manager Dieter Wiesner to break the news to Michael Jackson. “Michael was still in his room,” Wiesner explains. “He was sitting next to the fireplace when I came in and he was very quiet. I had to tell him and it was not easy to tell Michael things like this because he was in such a good mood. He saw a future. When the Bashir situation arose he was very down. Now everything had changed and Michael was ready to do new things. Then, to go to his room and tell him such a bad situation… it was a disaster.

“I told him, ‘Michael, there is bad news but on the other side you have to see it as also good news. The bad news is the police are on the ranch.’ Michael was completely shocked. I was sitting next to him; I had my arm on his shoulder.

“He looked at me and he was really… You could see the blood going out of his face. He was deeply shocked. But I told him, ‘Michael, now you have the chance finally to clear up everything. Once and forever you can clear up everything.'”

News spread quickly amongst the crew. “I saw it on TV that morning and by the time I got to the hotel lobby, everybody else had already found out,” says a crew member. “So we went to work as normal and waited to see what was going to happen.

“Of course, when we got to the soundstage it was a complete zoo with paparazzi and fans. It had leaked where we were shooting. The day before, nobody knew we were shooting or anything.

“We waited that entire day for Michael to come and I think we went back a second day. Then he called finally and said, ‘I’m just not going to be able to come’.”

Jackson spent much of those two days crying, says Dieter Wiesner. “I was sitting with him day and night. He was shocked; he was crying… he didn’t know what to do. It was such a bad situation. We were supposed to go to Europe. He was ready to move on in his life and everything was prepared. It was just a beautiful situation and this news shocked him deeply. Really, it killed him.”

Two days after the Neverland raid Jackson’s depression turned to anger. When it emerged that the boy behind the accusation was none other than Gavin Arvizo, the boy whose hand Jackson had held in the Martin Bashir documentary, Jackson decided to fight.

“You know, when it was clear that this allegation was because of the Arvizos, then he started to really fight the situation,” says Wiesner. “Michael told me, ‘Dieter, you know what, they should bring this young boy into a big place, invite all the press and he should look me in the eyes and tell me that I did this.’ So he was ready to fight.”

That the allegation had come from the Arvizos made the ruination of the MJ Universe project even more galling for Stuart Backerman. “Sneddon didn’t have anything except the word of Janet Arvizo, and she was totally crazy,” says Backerman. “And I know that because I was there and I saw her. She had a track record as long as my right arm. Sneddon just wanted to get Jackson.

“It’s very frustrating to this day. We had the world’s greatest celebrity and he was more focused than he had been for a long time. But the whole thing got cut off by Sneddon.”

Almost unbelievably, Sneddon had managed for the second time to steal Jackson’s movie dream away from him just as he was on the cusp of achieving it. Prior to the 1993 allegations, moving into the movie industry had been Jackson’s greatest preoccupation. His chances ruined by the scandal of the Jordy Chandler debacle, he’d wound up back on the road – the one place he’d least wanted to be – and grown ever more weary of the music business.

Movie success was the one type of success which had always managed to evade Jackson – the most decorated entertainer in history – and it had long been the one type of success he truly longed for. Believing that One More Chance would fulfill his contract with Sony, Jackson had felt he was finally free to pursue his vision.

“I really have to say, he was a very sharp guy. He knew exactly what he wanted,” laments Dieter Wiesner. “I think if he would have had the time and if nobody had come in-between, he could have been very successful in the second part in this career, with the movies and the animated videos. In my opinion, he would still be here today.”

With movie success set firmly in his sights, Jackson was merely jumping through the necessary hoops before he could pursue that goal with one hundred percent of his attention and energy. One More Chance, he had thought, was the final hoop. Michael Jackson had believed that the single and music video would win him back his freedom. It is one of life’s cruel ironies that the next time his fans saw him, he would be in handcuffs.

Source: Sawf News