June 13th: The Day Jacko Wasn't a (Smooth) Criminal

The Verdict. MJ on Trial

June 13th 2005 was probably the most important date of Michael Jackson's life and career. After being arrested in November 2003, charged with 10 counts including child molestation, provision of alcohol to a minor, attempted molestation, and attempts to hold a family captive in Neverland; Michael Jackson was finally found not guilty. The 14 week trial eventually concluded that Jackson was innocent of all the alleged charges against him which were instigated by Gavin Arvizo, a close friend and regular visitor to the superstar.
   Earlier on, a British journalist, Martin Bashir, created a documentary exposing the realities of MJ's life which was aired February 2003. Living With Michael Jackson was intended to be an opportunity to clarify his image and shrug off negative press (e.g. his dramatic change in race, his excessive plastic surgery, dangling babies off balconies...); however it achieved the opposite. After admitting to allowing children, including Gavin Arvizo, to sleep in his bed, rumours spread and investigations were thrown underway. This effectively lead to the accusations from the teenage cancer survivor, Arvizo, claiming Michael sexually molested him and committed other offences shortly after Bashir's programme was made.

The King of Neverland

"See, when you say "bed", you're thinking sexual. They make it sexual. It's not sexual; we're going to sleep."

- Michael Jackson, interviewed on Living With Michael Jackson

 The prosecutors of the case argued that Michael used the amusement park/go-karts/zoo 'Neverland' as a lure to attract young, disadvantaged children to his home. Jackson claimed it was his way of offering other children a happy childhood that he was denied by his father and early career. However Ron Zonen declared in court: "The lion in the Serengeti doesn't go after the strongest antelope. The predator goes after the weakest." After prosecutors framed MJ as a preying pedophile, his defence lawyers supported him as the victim of the Arzino's ploy to gain money from the King of Pop, and a testimony of 140 witnesses had been performed; the Californian jury acquitted all ten charges after a 33 hour deliberation. MJ fans were packed inside and outside the courtroom. One dedicated fan even released a white dove for every charge that was acquitted, and apparently the dove's were named after Michael Jackson songs too...how symbolic. For many June 13th 2005 is known as Victory Day, when justice was restored and their hero could (moon)walk free from the courtroom.