# Breaking news! Neverland Ranch raided! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 18, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960 "2003-11-18T19:59:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/41 "2003-11-19T19:06:40Z")
[Ananova: Jacko ‘negotiating surrender’](http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_839879.html?menu=news.latestheadlines) ---
**Author:** ![Michael\_Ellis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/977dab/32.png) [@Michael\_Ellis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Michael_Ellis)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/42 "2003-11-19T20:05:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Crusoe \* > \*\*[Ananova: Jacko ‘negotiating surrender’](http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_839879.html?menu=news.latestheadlines) \*\* Bubbles is going to be so dissapointed he doesn’t get to play cult leader now. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/43 "2003-11-19T20:09:41Z")
Of course, Wacko Jacko has [released a statement](http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/2648383/detail.html) claiming that it’s all yet another conspiracy: > [@](#): > > “These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released,” the Jackson statement said, referring to Tuesday’s release of a greatest hits album, “Number Ones.” Hmm. Sony’s still eyeing that juicy Beatles catalog in Michael’s fortune, aren’t they? Wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some truth to this… …on the other hand, when you _know_ there’s a conspiracy against you, it’s probably a really bad idea to keep touching little boys. Tsk tsk, Mikey. ---
**Author:** ![FabioClone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5f8ce5/32.png) [@FabioClone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FabioClone)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/44 "2003-11-19T20:34:36Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by NoClueBoy_ > > The news (NBC) just said that an arrest warrent has been issued for Mike. Don’t worry, they’ll never catch him. He’s a Smooth Criminal. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/45 "2003-11-19T20:36:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by OpalCat \* > \*\*I know someone who has known Michael Jackson for many, many years. She says that it’s true. I mean, she’s been at relatively closed social gatherings with him where he has had one of his boys present and the relationship was apparently abundantly clear. She has no reason to lie, and she herself is at least as famous as he is so she isn’t namedropping or something like that. \*\* Liz taylor? Brooke Shields? Come on, give, give. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/46 "2003-11-19T21:14:07Z")
This is just going to end badly, I fear. I don’t know exactly how - but badly. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/47 "2003-11-19T21:47:54Z")
The man is sick. I don’t think he sets out to hurt little boys, I think he’s rationalized it and no longer thinks like we would about the situation. Not that I feel sorry for him at all, but the guy needs help someplace secure. And the way this is shaping up he won’t get it. Where are his bio kids (or alleged bio kids–the blonde hair? Please.) ---
**Author:** ![Lochdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/edb3f5/32.png) [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/48 "2003-11-19T22:00:20Z")
Why anyone cares about this misfit is beyond me. He is a marginally talented marketing creation who has more then outlived his 15 minutes. He hasn’t had a real hit albulm since the 80’s and Sony have been accussed on several occassions of inflating his sales figures (like many publishers do!). He is not as naive as he likes to portray himself and he can be very calculating when it suits him. Clearly he has an image issue insofar as he has realigned his own face for no good reason. As for the child molestation charges I would imagine that they are true and this is just one of many such instances. I think the parents of that boy should be charged for reckless endangerment, the fools. ---
**Author:** ![Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7cd45c/32.png) [@Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Glory)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/49 "2003-11-19T22:31:13Z")
> [@](#): > > I know someone who has known Michael Jackson for many, many years. She says that it’s true. I mean, she’s been at relatively closed social gatherings with him where he has had one of his boys present and the relationship was apparently abundantly clear. She has no reason to lie I find this perplexing. Does your friend support and advocate Michael Jackson’s pedophilia? I would think if I were in such a situation, at a party where someone is clearly molesting a small child, I would try to save that child, not sit by and let it happen. ---
**Author:** ![CrazyMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ee59a6/32.png) [@CrazyMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrazyMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/50 "2003-11-19T22:37:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rug Burn \* > \*\*If this goes to trail, I wonder if he’ll hire Johnny Cochran. “If it doesn’t fit, you must aquit.” :eek: \*\* OMG, that defense takes a horrible twist in a child molestation case! :eek: IIRC, Johny Cochran _was_ his lawyer for his first child molestation case. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/51 "2003-11-19T23:17:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Lochdale \* > **Why anyone cares about this misfit is beyond me.** I don’t think anyone around here really cares one way or another, it’s just that the fool is a walking trainwreck. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/52 "2003-11-20T00:00:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by GIGObuster \* > **The Chewbacca Defense has been mentioned on many weblogs and internet discussion forums, especially ones that often feature legal issues. Tech-site Slashdot is one such example, where the Chewbacca Defense has been occasionally mentioned in discussion of legal affairs - usually cases involving Microsoft, SCO, or the RIAA - the implication being that their legal arguments make no sense.** Ooohhhh… Phew! I was terrified that someone would tell me that Wacko is hung like a Wookie! Then I would’ve had to go bleach my brain! Hell, I would’ve had to scrape it out of my skull and replace it with an all new one! ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/53 "2003-11-20T13:44:54Z")
It’s looking more and more like this is _not_ about money. > [@](#): > > [This is London](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/7772290?source=Evening%20Standard) > Full details of the child abuse allegations facing Michael Jackson emerged today as it was revealed that the case being investigated by police centres on a 12-year-old boy suffering from cancer. > > Jackson, who is expected to surrender to police today, is alleged to have plied him with wine and sleeping pills at his Neverland ranch. > > Reports said the boy had been living at the Santa Barbara estate with his family when the alleged assaults took place. Jackson is said to have paid his medical bills and helped his family financially, even buying them a new car. He was introduced to Jackson as a “dying wish” as his condition deteriorated. When his cancer went into remission he was allowed to move on to the estate. Sources also said Jackson tried to buy off the family when they grew concerned at the nature of the relationship. > > “He bought them passports and planned to ship them off somewhere to South America,” a friend of the boy’s family claimed. As for what the cops could be searching for, perhaps it’s footage of the Bashir interview filmed by Jackson’s cronies. > [@](#): > > Also crucial to the prosecution case could be the ITV documentary shot last year by Martin Bashir, which included footage of Jackson cuddling a 12-year-old cancer patient named only as “Gavin” who was living at Neverland and was said by the singer to be sleeping in his bedroom. Also of note: > [@](#): > > The boy’s mother later attacked Bashir for showing her son without permission, and praised Jackson for his “constant support”. I guess that’s changed, huh? ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/54 "2003-11-20T19:06:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by \*\*Diogenes the Cynic \*\*\* > Liz taylor? > Brooke Shields? I was gonna say… ‘at least as famous as he is’ is a pretty damn short list. ---
**Author:** ![Bruce\_Daddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Bruce\_Daddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bruce_Daddy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/55 "2003-11-20T20:01:44Z")
27 killed, hundreds wounded in Istanbul blasts. But hey, Michael Jackson might be in that airplane. :rolleyes: Fuck off, cable news. ---
**Author:** ![Mehitabel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mehitabel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mehitabel)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/56 "2003-11-20T20:29:03Z")
Oh God, I remember that kid! I forget if his face was blurred out, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/57 "2003-11-20T20:37:04Z")
**Bruce Daddy** , no kidding! I am dreading, just _dreading_ the fact that I’m going hear about every teensy weensy detail about this as the lead on the news for the next umpteen months. “Breaking story: Jackson in the courtroom - sneezes audibly!” _sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/58 "2003-11-20T20:46:34Z")
Uh, **Opal** , claiming you know an unnamed Famous Person to back up your claims isn’t exactly convincing. Doubt begins to creep into the minds of the Dopers and it cannot be readily dislodged. If you want to share the name, fine. It might lend more credibility if you give info on how you came to know him or her. If you don’t, and you want to play this close to your vest, why did you bring it up in the first place? ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/59 "2003-11-20T21:13:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > \*\*Liz taylor? > Brooke Shields? > > Come on, give, give. 😉 \*\* Neither of those. More famous than Brooke Shields though. I’ll say that she is a singer, but I ain’t gonna say more than that. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Glory \* > \*\*I find this perplexing. Does your friend support and advocate Michael Jackson’s pedophilia? I would think if I were in such a situation, at a party where someone is clearly molesting a small child, I would try to save that child, not sit by and let it happen. \*\* She didn’t give me a lot of details, and I have no idea what goes on in her mind, obviously. I know that it wasn’t a “small child” though, more like a pre-teen. Still bad–don’t get me wrong–but we’re talking about a relationship that was probably at least somewhat reciprocated on the part of the kid versus the much worse and gross predation of a small child. It is still a crime, and still should be punished. Please don’t think that I’m excusing him. I’m just saying that it is easier to think that someone would think it wasn’t their business when it’s an older child. I have no doubt that she would have done something had it been like a 5 or 6 year old. Also, I seriously doubt that he was actively molesting anyone at the time. She just said that it was really clear what the relationship was, and it wasn’t platonic. Apparently they acted like “a couple”. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Derleth \* > \*\*Uh, Opal, claiming you know an unnamed Famous Person to back up your claims isn’t exactly convincing. Doubt begins to creep into the minds of the Dopers and it cannot be readily dislodged. > > If you want to share the name, fine. It might lend more credibility if you give info on how you came to know him or her. If you don’t, and you want to play this close to your vest, why did you bring it up in the first place?\*\* Well this is MPSIMS and it was relevant to the topic–why wouldn’t I mention it? Sure it’s just hearsay but as I said–it’s MPSIMS where hard proof isn’t a prerequisite to posting an anecdote. As to how I know her–she is from my hometown and is friends with my mom. Whether anyone believes me or not is up to the individual and I totally understand if anyone decides they don’t believe me. I want to respect her privacy, though, and will not be giving her name. ---
**Author:** ![WolfpackJeep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpackjeep/32/2921_2.png) [@WolfpackJeep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WolfpackJeep)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2003, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960/60 "2003-11-20T21:54:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mehitabel \* > \*\*Oh God, I remember that kid! I forget if his face was blurred out, though. \*\* It wasn’t blurred out when I saw the interview. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/breaking-news-neverland-ranch-raided/213960.md?page=4)