Sunday, June 19, 2005

Michael Jackson is a Child Molester

First of all, as someone who has always supported the verdicts on OJ
Simpson and Robert Blake, I can't make too much of a stink about the
Michael Jackson verdict. Very few of us actually saw the trial, only
heard about it second-hand by reporters or friends. So I can't argue
with the jury's decision.

That said, I think it's total bullcrap. Michael Jackson is a child
molester, period. Even some of the jurors said they were disturbed by
MJ sleeping with boys
. A juror interviewed on Howard Stern said she believed everyone on the jury thought MJ molested the child. "So what's the problem," the world yells. "Lock him up!" The problem lies not with the legal system or celebrities or lawyers. The blame for the innocent verdict lies squarely with the prosecutor.

Quite simply, the prosecution botched this case up so badly that they
made Marcia Clark look like freakin' Perry Mason. The jurors were
instructed in excruciating detail that a guilty verdict could only be
reached if the facts were proven "without a reasonable doubt." District Attorney Tom Sneddon and his team let there be reasonable doubt. I first knew this case was in trouble when I heard that the accuser had made the same accusations against his own grandmother.

The mistakes the prosecution made could fill a book and probably will, but here are some examples. The defense knew they could never win if the case focused on Jackson, because nobody believes or trusts him. So they turned it into a trial of the accuser and his family, and the prosecution fell for it, hook, line, and sinker. While the prosecution brought out mountains of evidence that Jackson was a molester, the defense busied themselves bringing out mountains of evidence that the accuser and
his family were a bunch of con artists. The prosecution should have spent more time looking for a better case to use to prosecute, and kept this accuser as a corroborating witness. Either that or tried harder to protect the accuser's integrity and making sure he and his family looked respectable.

That goes to another mistake - preparing witnesses. One juror said she was put off by the mother looking trashy on the stand, instead of done up like she was in the video depositions. The same juror also said she was creeped out by the mother staring at the jury, talking to them, and snapping her fingers at them. The prosecution should have done practice sessions to make sure she behaved herself, and sprung for a makeover. Better yet, keep her off the stand entirely.

But it wasn't just the mother who was a problem. Time and again, the prosecution put witnesses on the stand and seemed surprised or unprepared for their responses. They put Jackson's ex-wife on the stand, then were shocked when she praised Michael. Lack of preparation was the key.

I could go on and on about how the prosecution made the case too complicated, how they tried to bring in too much information, how they built their case around a family of con artists, and all sorts of other crap. But the bottom line is that they had the world's most famous child molester sitting in court and they couldn't close the deal.

So what do we do now? Nothing. The case doesn't really end here, anyway. In ten years, more of Jackson's victims will be old enough to come forward. I just hope this case hasn't scared them all away. Besides, all of Jackson's dirty laundry was aired. I don't know anybody who isn't convinced he was guilty. Society will do to him what they did to O.J. Simpson - treat him like he was convicted, and punish him. The days of sleepovers at Neverland are over. His career, despite claims of a comeback, is over. I've heard he plans to leave the country, and I say good riddance.

For those few who still believe Jackson was innocent, I suggest you look up the traits of a pedophile. Michael Jackson literally fits that profile to the letter. Quite a coincedence, don't you think?

1 comment:

Maurice Mitchell said...

I was looking for that article thanks!
It's true. The prosecution was woefully unprepared, but whoever R. Kelly's lawyer is is probably reading the notes carefully for tips.