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November 21, 2003
Michael Jackson Is Booked on Charges That He Calls Lies
By JOHN M. BRODER
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 20 — Michael Jackson, with his hands cuffed behind his back, was led into the county jail here on Thursday afternoon and booked on charges of child molesting, beginning what promises to be one of the biggest legal spectacles in years.
As Mr. Jackson was being photographed and fingerprinted inside the Inmate Reception Center at the Santa Barbara County Jail, his lawyer, Mark Geragos, stepped before a small forest of microphones and called the charges against the entertainer "a big lie."
"He is greatly outraged by the bringing of these charges," Mr. Geragos said. "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."
The authorities set Jan. 9, 2004, for an arraignment before a judge in Santa Barbara Superior Court. Mr. Jackson posted $3 million bail and surrendered his passport before he was released, officials said.
The sheriff''s department posted Mr. Jackson''s booking photograph on its Web site on Thursday afternoon. The picture showed a hollow-cheeked Mr. Jackson with his head turned slightly to the right, his eyebrows sharply arched and his eyes wide open and staring directly into the camera. His lips are thin and bright red and his nose bears a distinctive chiseled look that Mr. Jackson acknowledges was achieved surgically.
Officials did not disclose any more details of the charges against Mr. Jackson or identify the victim of the alleged acts in any way. They said Mr. Jackson would be charged with multiple counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, charges that could send him to prison for 10 or more years. Prosecutors indicated that formal charges would be filed in coming days, but offered no explanation for the unusual delay.
The charges involved a 12-year-old cancer patient who was an overnight guest at Mr. Jackson''s ranch, Neverland, on several occasions last winter, said an acquaintance of the boy''s family. The acquaintance said the patient''s family had been under psychiatric care and was not seeking monetary damages.
Ten years ago, Mr. Jackson, who is 45, escaped prosecution on similar charges involving a 13-year-old boy by reaching a multimillion-dollar settlement with his family.
Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., the Santa Barbara County district attorney, said the victim of the alleged acts was cooperating with the authorities and would testify against Mr. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson arrived by private jet at the airport here shortly before noon and was arrested at 12:05 p.m. behind the partially closed doors of a hangar, shielded from television cameras tracking his every move. Sheriff''s deputies placed him in the back of an unmarked sedan and drove him to the jail, where he was led into the building through a back entrance.
A sheriff''s deputy guarding the entrance said that all suspects entering the jail are handcuffed behind their backs. "Just standard operating practice," she said.
Cameras stationed above the entrance showed Mr. Jackson with his shoulder-length hair falling over the collar of a dark suit jacket.
The booking process took about 45 minutes, a sheriff''s department spokesman, Sgt. Chris Pappas, said, adding that Mr. Jackson and his entourage were cooperative and that the processing took place without incident. Mr. Jackson emerged from the jail a little over an hour after he arrived, leaving through a loading dock. No longer in handcuffs, he waved, flashed a V-for-victory sign and blew a kiss to photographers positioned on a hillside above the back entrance to the jail.
He then stepped into a dark Chevrolet Suburban with opaque windows, which was escorted from the jail property by three motorcycle officers. The low-speed caravan was tracked by news helicopters hovering overhead to the Santa Barbara airport.
Mr. Jackson reboarded his private jet and flew back to Las Vegas, where he has been for the last three weeks shooting a music video and a CBS special. Immediately after the charges against Mr. Jackson were announced on Wednesday, CBS canceled the show, which was to have broadcast next week.
Helicopter shots from Las Vegas showed Mr. Jackson''s black S.U.V. stuck in traffic on several occasions with well-wishers mobbing the car. The back window opened and a spectral hand reached out to shake the hands of his fans.
Stuart Backerman, a Jackson spokesman, issued a statement elaborating on Mr. Geragos''s earlier assertions about the charges.
"The big lie against Michael Jackson is anchored in the most vicious allegation imaginable, one that resonates across every culture: the spectacle of harming a child," the statement said. "That spectacle invites outrage, and it should. But this spectacle is rooted in a lie."
The statement went on, "Michael said, `Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons. The truth will win this marathon in court.'' Michael is going to defend himself with the force of his spirit, as would anyone falsely accused of something so monstrous."
Mr. Jackson has spoken openly about sharing his bed with young children, saying it is "beautiful," nonsexual and nothing to be ashamed of.
In a documentary that first broadcast on BBC television in England in February and later on ABC in this country, Mr. Jackson and a young boy talk about sharing Mr. Jackson''s bedroom at Neverland.
The boy says Mr. Jackson urged him to sleep in his bed, which the boy reluctantly agreed to do. Mr. Jackson says on the tape that he slept on the floor that night.
The interviewer, Martin Bashir, at one point questioned the propriety of a middle-aged man sharing a bed or bedroom with children not related to him.
"I''ve slept in a bed with many children," Mr. Jackson replied.
"That''s a beautiful thing," he said. "Why should it be worrying? Who''s the criminal? Who''s Jack the Ripper in the room? This is a guy trying to help heal a child. I''m sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor."
A moment later he says, "It''s very right. It''s very loving. That''s what the world needs now, more love."
Jermaine Jackson, an older brother of the pop superstar and with him one of the members of the hugely popular Jackson 5 recording group of the 1960''s and 70''s, expressed fury at the charges against his brother.
In a telephone interview with CNN, Jermaine denounced the charges and proclaimed Michael''s innocence.
"The whole family supports Michael 100 percent, 1,000 percent. Michael is innocent," Jermaine said.
"We will fight and we will stand up and everybody who knows us from around the world will support us," he said. "Because at the end of the day, this is nothing but a modern-day lynching. This is what they want to see — him in handcuffs. You got it! But it won''t be for long, I promise you."
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search
November 21, 2003
Michael Jackson Is Booked on Charges That He Calls Lies
By JOHN M. BRODER
SANTA BARBARA, Calif., Nov. 20 — Michael Jackson, with his hands cuffed behind his back, was led into the county jail here on Thursday afternoon and booked on charges of child molesting, beginning what promises to be one of the biggest legal spectacles in years.
As Mr. Jackson was being photographed and fingerprinted inside the Inmate Reception Center at the Santa Barbara County Jail, his lawyer, Mark Geragos, stepped before a small forest of microphones and called the charges against the entertainer "a big lie."
"He is greatly outraged by the bringing of these charges," Mr. Geragos said. "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."
The authorities set Jan. 9, 2004, for an arraignment before a judge in Santa Barbara Superior Court. Mr. Jackson posted $3 million bail and surrendered his passport before he was released, officials said.
The sheriff''s department posted Mr. Jackson''s booking photograph on its Web site on Thursday afternoon. The picture showed a hollow-cheeked Mr. Jackson with his head turned slightly to the right, his eyebrows sharply arched and his eyes wide open and staring directly into the camera. His lips are thin and bright red and his nose bears a distinctive chiseled look that Mr. Jackson acknowledges was achieved surgically.
Officials did not disclose any more details of the charges against Mr. Jackson or identify the victim of the alleged acts in any way. They said Mr. Jackson would be charged with multiple counts of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14, charges that could send him to prison for 10 or more years. Prosecutors indicated that formal charges would be filed in coming days, but offered no explanation for the unusual delay.
The charges involved a 12-year-old cancer patient who was an overnight guest at Mr. Jackson''s ranch, Neverland, on several occasions last winter, said an acquaintance of the boy''s family. The acquaintance said the patient''s family had been under psychiatric care and was not seeking monetary damages.
Ten years ago, Mr. Jackson, who is 45, escaped prosecution on similar charges involving a 13-year-old boy by reaching a multimillion-dollar settlement with his family.
Thomas W. Sneddon Jr., the Santa Barbara County district attorney, said the victim of the alleged acts was cooperating with the authorities and would testify against Mr. Jackson.
Mr. Jackson arrived by private jet at the airport here shortly before noon and was arrested at 12:05 p.m. behind the partially closed doors of a hangar, shielded from television cameras tracking his every move. Sheriff''s deputies placed him in the back of an unmarked sedan and drove him to the jail, where he was led into the building through a back entrance.
A sheriff''s deputy guarding the entrance said that all suspects entering the jail are handcuffed behind their backs. "Just standard operating practice," she said.
Cameras stationed above the entrance showed Mr. Jackson with his shoulder-length hair falling over the collar of a dark suit jacket.
The booking process took about 45 minutes, a sheriff''s department spokesman, Sgt. Chris Pappas, said, adding that Mr. Jackson and his entourage were cooperative and that the processing took place without incident. Mr. Jackson emerged from the jail a little over an hour after he arrived, leaving through a loading dock. No longer in handcuffs, he waved, flashed a V-for-victory sign and blew a kiss to photographers positioned on a hillside above the back entrance to the jail.
He then stepped into a dark Chevrolet Suburban with opaque windows, which was escorted from the jail property by three motorcycle officers. The low-speed caravan was tracked by news helicopters hovering overhead to the Santa Barbara airport.
Mr. Jackson reboarded his private jet and flew back to Las Vegas, where he has been for the last three weeks shooting a music video and a CBS special. Immediately after the charges against Mr. Jackson were announced on Wednesday, CBS canceled the show, which was to have broadcast next week.
Helicopter shots from Las Vegas showed Mr. Jackson''s black S.U.V. stuck in traffic on several occasions with well-wishers mobbing the car. The back window opened and a spectral hand reached out to shake the hands of his fans.
Stuart Backerman, a Jackson spokesman, issued a statement elaborating on Mr. Geragos''s earlier assertions about the charges.
"The big lie against Michael Jackson is anchored in the most vicious allegation imaginable, one that resonates across every culture: the spectacle of harming a child," the statement said. "That spectacle invites outrage, and it should. But this spectacle is rooted in a lie."
The statement went on, "Michael said, `Lies run sprints, but the truth runs marathons. The truth will win this marathon in court.'' Michael is going to defend himself with the force of his spirit, as would anyone falsely accused of something so monstrous."
Mr. Jackson has spoken openly about sharing his bed with young children, saying it is "beautiful," nonsexual and nothing to be ashamed of.
In a documentary that first broadcast on BBC television in England in February and later on ABC in this country, Mr. Jackson and a young boy talk about sharing Mr. Jackson''s bedroom at Neverland.
The boy says Mr. Jackson urged him to sleep in his bed, which the boy reluctantly agreed to do. Mr. Jackson says on the tape that he slept on the floor that night.
The interviewer, Martin Bashir, at one point questioned the propriety of a middle-aged man sharing a bed or bedroom with children not related to him.
"I''ve slept in a bed with many children," Mr. Jackson replied.
"That''s a beautiful thing," he said. "Why should it be worrying? Who''s the criminal? Who''s Jack the Ripper in the room? This is a guy trying to help heal a child. I''m sleeping in a sleeping bag on the floor."
A moment later he says, "It''s very right. It''s very loving. That''s what the world needs now, more love."
Jermaine Jackson, an older brother of the pop superstar and with him one of the members of the hugely popular Jackson 5 recording group of the 1960''s and 70''s, expressed fury at the charges against his brother.
In a telephone interview with CNN, Jermaine denounced the charges and proclaimed Michael''s innocence.
"The whole family supports Michael 100 percent, 1,000 percent. Michael is innocent," Jermaine said.
"We will fight and we will stand up and everybody who knows us from around the world will support us," he said. "Because at the end of the day, this is nothing but a modern-day lynching. This is what they want to see — him in handcuffs. You got it! But it won''t be for long, I promise you."
Copyright 2003 The New York Times Company | Home | Privacy Policy | Search
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