I fail to understand how Michael Jackson can buy his way out of the last incident of alleged child abuse. That is only the civil side of the story! Where is CA to bring a criminal suit based on statutory rape, for one? Did CA take a bribe from him? In short, why didn’t we see MJ vs. The State of CA years ago?
Gee, like can any adult sleep with kids of no relation whatsoever? Even if it is perfectly innocent, as he tries to claim, is this not a problem with the statutes of CA? - Jinx
He offered the family $20M (thats the figure I see the most). They decided that would be nice to have & didn’t want to cooperate with the prosecuters office anymore. $20M ten years ago is alot of dough.
Are you saying that sleeping in the same bed with children is inherently immoral, and should be illegal?
The state of California couldn’t proceed without a willing complaintant and witness. Since Michael paid him off, there wasn’t much the DA could do.
Legislation is in the works to prevent this from happening again. I don’t know the details, but from what I heard on the news it sounds like civil suits will not be possible before criminal trials. (That won’t prevent under-the-table buying off of witnesses, but at least that can potentially be traced and is itself a crime.)
The legislation passed, according to CNN, says two things. One that civil suits should be put off until the criminal phase is over. This would prevent people from offering money.
The second part can compell a witness to testify. This last part is unlikely to effect any real change.
Can you imagine a prosecuter compelling this little kid, supposedly with cancer, to testify. C’mon. He could but it wouldn’t buy him much.
And money does help the legal system. Theoretically no but c’mon. Look at the practice of bail. I kill someone I am poor. MJ kills someone he is rich. I go to jail because I can’t post bond. MJ goes free. While awaiting trial I get raped and infected with AIDS. I’m later found not guilty. Is this fair? No but that is the way the country works.
And let’s face it does anyone think, regardless if OJ is innocent or guilty, if he had been an ordinary everyday black guy he wouldn’t be in jail right now. No he bought good lawyers that got him off.
handy:
It ain’t just pocket change today, either. Inflation isn’t all that high.
From what I read somewhere today (sorry for the lack of link, it may have been cnn or bbc) the “compelling to testify” basically amounts to the fact that any written or taped testimony from the kid is admissable even if the kid backs out and decides not to testify at the trial.