Actors - 2005 trial of Michael Jackson

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	Actors - 2005 trial of Michael Jackson

In 2005, Michael Jackson went to trial on child molestation charges. The alleged victim was a boy, Gavin Arvizo, referred to as "The Accuser." Arvizo was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crimes. Michael Jackson was indicted for conspiracy with five (unindicted) co-conspirators to abduct the accuser, his sister, and his brother, falsely imprison and extort the same children and their mother, and for sexually molesting the accuser. On June 13, 2005, the jury found Jackson not guilty on all charges.

Early events

Bashir documentary

A Granada Television documentary about Jackson, in which he was extensively interviewed by British journalist Martin Bashir, was shown first in the UK on 3 February, 2003 and then in the U.S. three days later.

Among other things, the documentary shows the twelve year old Gavin Arvizo. The boy is seen holding hands with Jackson and resting his head on Jackson's shoulder. The boy stated in the trial that the holding of hands was Jackson's initiative, the latter his own, because he was really close to Jackson, and Jackson was his best friend. He and Jackson tell about the two sleeping in the same room, though not in the same bed (they told about an occasion where each was happy to sleep on the floor and let the other have the bed). The boy has later told that he had not realized that the footage would be broadcast all over the world. After the airing he was teased by his friends. His mother claims that she has not given Bashir permission to film her son, and was not even aware of that until the airing.

Jackson stated in the documentary that "many children", predominantly pre-adolescent boys (including Macaulay Culkin, when he was younger, his younger brother Kieran and sisters) have slept in his bed, but he denies having had sex with any of them. Conversely, Jackson claimed he lets his children stay with his friends, for example with Barry Gibb. He emphasizes that children need and deserve lots of love — not sexual, but like having hot milk and cookies, tucking them in, telling a bed-time story, climbing trees with them, etc.

Responding to concern after the airing, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. stated that, under California law, even if they had slept in the same bed, without "affirmative, offensive conduct," it wouldn't have been criminal.

Jackson was alleged of conspiracy with his aides to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion, in an attempt to control PR-damage caused by the documentary. Jackson was also indicted for child molestation; however, this would have taken place not before but after the concern arose.

Visit to Florida and subsequent stay at Neverland Ranch

After the documentary aired in the UK, Jackson, staying in Florida, asked the mother to allow the accuser to come there and meet him, supposedly for a press conference. The mother set the condition that the whole family come. Jackson agreed, and the family flew to Florida with Chris Tucker, a friend of Jackson, on a private plane.

The press conference never occurred.

During this three-day visit, the documentary aired in the US. The family alleges Jackson pressured them not to watch it.

When the accuser and his family returned home, Jackson was on the flight. He had asked the mother to take a commercial flight, but she insisted that she be on the same plane. The family alleges that Jackson gave the accuser alcohol and at one point licked the top of the side of his face.

After they returned to California the family again stayed at Neverland Ranch, from approximately 7 February to 11 February. They left at night with the help of the house manager Jesus Salas while other staff did not want them to leave, and went to stay with the mother's parents. Tyson (see below) called the mother repeatedly to ask her to come back, with the children, and saying that that would be safer for them. They did after the mother was told that "the Germans" Wiesner and Konitzer (see below), whom she did not like, would not be present. Because the Germans were there, she left again, but without the children. She claims that she had been told they had to stay. Salas told her he could not help her any more in this regard, because of instructions he had received.

Rebuttal video

In response to the Bashir documentary, Jackson had a so-called "rebuttal video" produced, called 'Take Two', and presented by Maury Povich.

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