Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Congratulations Michael, now please, get help
Chicago Sun-Times ^ | June 14, 2005

Posted on 06/14/2005 7:32:32 AM PDT by Asphalt

Michael Jackson's fans were cheering and hugging each other Monday outside the courtroom where he was acquitted on all counts in his child molestation case. But it was impossible for us to get excited over the verdict. You could feel relief that this case was over and the 46-year-old "King of Pop" had gotten his day in court, but no number of "not guilty" pronouncements could erase the taint of the "lifestyle" choices that got him into trouble.

As Jackson was driven away in a funereal black vehicle, under the gaze of a now standard-issue helicopter camera, we wondered how he will respond to being freed of accusations some experts were sure he would be convicted of and even those who thought otherwise acknowledged came dangerously close to criminal behavior. Will the owner and aging lost boy of Neverland continue to insist he is pure of heart and spirit, did nothing wrong in sleeping with underage boys and faces no greater challenge than being misunderstood? Or will he respond to his brush with years in prison by facing up to his psychological problems and seeking help for them?

In saying "the healing process must begin," Jesse Jackson may have been talking about recovering from the grueling trial and its coverage. But Michael Jackson has deeper personal issues to deal with -- including, possibly, being in a state of denial. His strange appearance at the courtroom in his pajamas, his stomping on the roof of his SUV, his mystery trips to the E.R. certainly did nothing to establish his stability.

He will live with the knowledge that he owes his freedom to the prosecution's haphazard case as much as his pleas of innocence or any skillful turns by the defense to support them. This was a case, built and rebuilt over a decade by Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon, undone by prosecution witnesses seemingly hired by the defense. They included a young accuser who kept changing his story; the accuser's mother, who came off as a gold digger and, in allowing him to sleep in Jackson's bed, a derelict parent, and an ex-wife of Jackson's, Debbie Rowe, who was brought in by prosecutors to testify against him but spoke of what a wonderful father he was. This despite being involved in a custody battle with him.

In the end, even as this verdict is applauded for showing you're not guilty until proven so in this country, it will, for some, confirm the notion that celebrities get their way in the justice system. Will Jackson's biggest media moment since "Thriller" recharge his career, which was on an artistic and commercial decline before the molestation charges were raised? Perhaps if he stops blaming other people for his misfortunes and starts taking responsibility for them. But if he continues living in his fantasy world, any buzz from this trial will wear off as fast as cable news can find another scandal to obsess over.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: michaeljackson
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 601-609 next last
To: OldFriend

My bet is that we'll be hearing from the kids in the next 10 years or so....

Sadly, I believe their lives have little to no hope of 'normalcy'. But with a media light in their face, they may tell on Daddy without batting an eye.


41 posted on 06/14/2005 7:59:39 AM PDT by najida (A tagline? How about--- I pulled all the tags off my pillows!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 24 | View Replies]

To: Asphalt

Double Jeopardy means that he can't be tried for the same crime more than once. He can certainly be tried for other crimes.


42 posted on 06/14/2005 8:00:02 AM PDT by LIConFem (A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: bnelson44

I watched the idiot woman who released the doves. For your info everyone of those doves will die because they were raised in captivity and depend on humans to feed them. Made me sick. I have an African Grey Parrot that we raised from an infant. He could no way take care of himself in the wild. Nice goin A##holes.


43 posted on 06/14/2005 8:00:23 AM PDT by DooDahhhh
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: EdHallick; Delmont; SortaBichy

But I'll bet a buck or two he doesn't rename his estate "Neveragainland"...


44 posted on 06/14/2005 8:00:36 AM PDT by ErnBatavia (Like a fool, I looked up from 'neath the tree as the bird chirped...Vogelspooren)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur

Well, sure they did. After all, that horrid woman snapped her fingers at them. /sarcasm


45 posted on 06/14/2005 8:00:42 AM PDT by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: LIConFem

In other words, MJ could be tried if the prosecutor gets wind of NEW instances in which MJ molested ANYONE, including that same boy. He just can't be tried for the same instances of molestation.


46 posted on 06/14/2005 8:02:11 AM PDT by LIConFem (A fronte praecipitium, a tergo lupi.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 42 | View Replies]

To: MizSterious

LOL! They even commented that they didn't like the way the mother dressed!


47 posted on 06/14/2005 8:03:03 AM PDT by American Butterfly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: blueblazes

Well, Jackson has this multi-million dollar child-trap all baited and set--it WILL happen again, and chances aren't that slight that a relative of these jurors could be a future "special friend." Especially the Hispanic jurors: he seems to prefer those little boys.


48 posted on 06/14/2005 8:04:35 AM PDT by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: American Butterfly

And we are supposed to take this verdict seriously? People who can barely construct a coherent sentence and who focus on trivialities such as somone snapping their fingers or dressing poorly?????? People who admit that they think Jackson is a molester but find him not guilty anyway????? These jurors are obviously morons. If this is what the average American actually IS like, then the country is lost.


49 posted on 06/14/2005 8:05:34 AM PDT by blueblazes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: Asphalt
Just a guess?

How many of those fans that stood around the court house and attended his amusement park do you think actually voted Republican?

The whole enabling of dysfunctional and disturbing behavior always seems to fall on the left hand side of our population. Just look how sympathetic the left has become towards the terrorists at gitmo, Wanting voter rights for criminals along with feeling more sorry for them than the actual victims of the crime they had perpetrated?
50 posted on 06/14/2005 8:06:13 AM PDT by april15Bendovr
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: American Butterfly

If only the mother showed up in Court in her pajamas!


51 posted on 06/14/2005 8:06:13 AM PDT by OldFriend (MAJOR TAMMY DUCKWORTH.....INSPIRATIONAL)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: sinkspur

Naive works too...I use Native Californian as a description of somebody who is a "native", grew up here, lived here entire life.Just a generalization...obviously there are a lot of solid decent people who live out here, but there are WAY too many airheads!


52 posted on 06/14/2005 8:06:53 AM PDT by scott says
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: MizSterious

Michael Jackson is the biggest, most visible, most obvious child molester in this country, if not in the entire world. He has even ADMITTED PUBLICLY that he sleeps with little boys in the same bed. What do people think he's doing with those kids? If Michael Jackson cannot be convicted of pedophilia, than how can anyone else? Take the laws off the books, there is no point in having laws that the people will not uphold through jury decisions.


53 posted on 06/14/2005 8:08:00 AM PDT by blueblazes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 48 | View Replies]

To: OldFriend; American Butterfly

Yes, I was struck by how they criticized the mother's fashion sense, yet the clown-faced, pyjama-wearing, fake-nosed Jackson is ok?


54 posted on 06/14/2005 8:08:08 AM PDT by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: OldFriend

Yeah, totally!


55 posted on 06/14/2005 8:08:39 AM PDT by American Butterfly
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 51 | View Replies]

To: blueblazes

NAMBLA must be celebrating every bit as much as Jackson and his fans.


56 posted on 06/14/2005 8:09:02 AM PDT by MizSterious (First, the journalists, THEN the lawyers.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 53 | View Replies]

To: Asphalt

I agree with you. It's so easy to say the jurors were "stupid," etc. But they had a job to do and it appears that they did it.


57 posted on 06/14/2005 8:10:12 AM PDT by Hildy ( The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Asphalt

Unfortunately, this jury couldn't see past their -- quite justified -- dislike of the victim's mother. MJ now has a free pass to molest boys for the rest of his life. I feel sorry for his children, especially "Blanket," who has NO MOTHER. I am betting that this child was born of an egg donor who signed away her rights prior to conception. Thus, there is no second parent or maternal relatives to challenge Jackson's parenting decisions.


58 posted on 06/14/2005 8:10:36 AM PDT by joylyn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: American Butterfly
Humor story here
59 posted on 06/14/2005 8:11:29 AM PDT by navysealdad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 47 | View Replies]

To: MizSterious

EXACTLY. He's a text book case of how to handle these kinds of cases. First you select your victims from chaotic, crazed, dysfunctional kinds of families - because who's going to believe those kids anyway, or even care if they are molested?? Then if you're "caught" sleeping with these kids in the same bed, you just say you're some kind of Peter Pan who never grew up and it's all really innocent. Just be sure to do it in Calif where you can buy the families and the jurors and some bunch of morons are bound to believe you. How on earth can anyone be convicted of child molestation in this country if Michael Jackson, who has publicly admitted to sleeping with these kids, is freed?


60 posted on 06/14/2005 8:11:34 AM PDT by blueblazes
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 601-609 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson