# The trial has begun. So the question must be asked. Did Michael do it?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739
**Category:** Great Debates
**Created:** [February 1, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739 "2005-02-01T05:26:44Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/1 "2005-02-01T05:26:44Z")
Well did he? Obviously, more evidence will come out as the trial moves along. However, based on what you know now, do you think he did it, and will he be convicted. Please explain what you base your opinion on.
I personally feel Michael Jackson is crazy, but I don’t think he did it this time. The accuser and his family lack credibility. Plus, the [timeline](http://www.newspress.com/mjacksonupdate/0822lawyersbattle.htm) of events doesn’t make sense to me. Here is a partial timeline:
\*Feb. 6: British documentary “Living with Michael Jackson” airs on ABC, showing him holding hands with the boy who would become his accuser, and saying he shares his bed with children. At around this date, the boy and his mother are interviewed by the Jackson camp and reportedly make positive comments about the singer.
Feb. 20: “Take Two: The Interview They Wouldn’t Show You,” a video compiled for the Jackson camp by Hamid Moslehi of West Hills, airs on FOX.
Feb. 20-March 10: During this period, authorities allege Mr. Jackson committed four lewd acts on a child under 14 and gave the boy alcohol to commit the molestation.
April 26: First letter from family attorney William Dickerman to Mark Geragos requesting return of property allegedly taken from the family by Mr. Jackson’s associates, including personal letters between Mr. Jackson and the boy. In all, 16 letters are sent back and forth between Mr. Dickerman and Mr. Geragos over a two-month period. The family receives some but not all the items they said were taken from them.
June: The boy reportedly tells the family’s civil attorney, Larry Feldman, that something happened between him and Mr. Jackson. Mr. Feldman refers the boy to Dr. Stan Katz to determine the veracity of the comments, who reports the accusations to authorities.\*
Do you really think Michael Jackson is stupid enough to actually molest a kid, _after_ he was accused of molesting him. That seems rather unlikely to me. Plus the accuser’s mom seems like a nut who has lied about matters like this before (and involved her kids). Although I think he is a weirdo, I doubt he commited this crime.
I don’t think he will be found guilty. Not because the jury doesn’t think he did it, just cause the state can’t prove it. What are your thoughts?
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### Author:  [@Lochdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lochdale)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/2 "2005-02-01T05:30:27Z")
I really don’t know enough about the case other than the fact I am creeped out by Jackson. I think he is a moderately talented popstrel who has some real emotional issues.
That said, I have not been impressed by the prosecutions case as of yet. We may see more as it develops. I have no faith, however, in a California jury convicting this man even if he were guilty.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/3 "2005-02-01T05:36:48Z")
Of course he’s guilty.
They have love letters from Michael to this kid. They have porno mags with both his and the kid’s fingerprints on them.
MJ paid another kid a reported $20 million dollars to make him go away. The city of LA never exonerated Jackson in that case and still thinks he’s guilty.
He fits the profile of a pedophile right down to the ground.
Of course he’s going to try to slime the family, and of course the family is going to have problems. Pedophiles always prey on kids from bad families. Kids from perfect families don’t make good victims.
Stevie Wonder can see this guy is a pedophile.
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### Author:  [@2\_click\_twiddle\_flare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2_click_twiddle_flare)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/4 "2005-02-01T05:45:23Z")
I was hoping it might be untrue and the family are just greedy… but you have to admit, porno mags with the alleged victims finger prints does seem pretty damn dodgy!
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### Author:  [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/5 "2005-02-01T06:05:53Z")
> [@2 click twiddle flare](#):
>
> I was hoping it might be untrue and the family are just greedy… but you have to admit, porno mags with the alleged victims finger prints does seem pretty damn dodgy!
Well, the kid stayed in his bedroom. Just because it has both their fingerpirnts doesnt’t mean they used the material at the same time. It is highly suspect, but I don’t think it means that he molested the kid.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/6 "2005-02-01T06:07:54Z")
[Profile of a pedophile](http://crime.about.com/od/sex/p/pedophile.htm)
> [@](#):
>
> Characteristics of a Pedophile :
> Often the pedophile is male and over 30 years of age.
> Single or with few friends in his age group.
> If married, the relationship is more “companion” based with no sexual relations.
> He is often vague about time gaps in employment which may indicate a loss in employment for questionable reasons or possible past incarceration.
>
> Pedophiles Like Child-like Activities:
> He is often fascinated with children and child activities appearing to prefer those activities to adult oriented activities.
> He will often refer to children in pure or angelic terms using descriptives like innocent, heavenly, divine, pure, and other words that describe children but seem inappropriate and exaggerated.
> He has hobbies that are child-like such as collecting popular expensive toys, keeping reptiles or exotic pets, or building plane and car models.
> Pedophiles Often Prefer Children Close to Puberty:
> Pedophiles often have a specific age of child they target. Some prefer younger children, some older.
> Often his environment or a special room will be decorated in child-like decor and will appeal to the age and sex of the child he is trying to entice.
> Many pedophiles often prefer children close to puberty who are sexually inexperienced, but curious about sex.
Is there anything Jackson misses here besides the unemploment gaps?
From [The Smoking Gun](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/010605jackson.html) (which contains all kinds of lurid details)
> [@](#):
>
> If the harrowing and deeply disturbing allegations in these documents are true, Jackson is a textbook pedophile, a 46-year-old predator who plied children with wine, vodka, tequila, Jim Beam whiskey, and Bacardi rum. A man who gave boys nicknames like Doo Doo Head and Blowhole and then quizzed them about whether they masturbated and if “white stuff” came out. A man who conducted drinking games with minors and surfed porn with them on a laptop in his Neverland Ranch bedroom, noting that if anyone asked what they were looking at, the kids should just say they were watching “The Simpsons.” A man who frequently talked sex with his little companions and explained that “boys have to masturbate or they go crazy.” A man who told one pajama-clad boy that he wanted to show him how to “jack off.” When the tipsy child declined the demonstration, Jackson announced, “I’ll do it for you,” and buried his hand in the boy’s Hanes briefs, size small. And a man who emphasized to his little friends that these activities were “their little secret” and should not be disclosed to anyone, even if a gun was at their head.
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### Author:  [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/7 "2005-02-01T06:14:28Z")
Michael Jackson’s [House of porn](http://www.thesmokinggun.com/michaeljackson/010605jacksonhouse.html)
> [@](#):
>
> A raid of Michael Jackson’s bedroom suite turned up porn galore–including books of photographs of nude women **and boys** –and many items related to the 13-year-old boy who has accused the singer of molestation.
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### Author:  [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/8 "2005-02-01T06:15:44Z")
They found the kid’s underwear in his house.
And the first kid to accuse him described what Michael looked like naked-down to a T, I believe.
He’s guilty. Guilty, guilty, guilty.
And of course he’d be stupid enough to do it-the man is seriously deluded. He’s out of touch with reality, and I truly believe he thinks of himself as some kind of god.
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### Author:  [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/9 "2005-02-01T07:03:34Z")
I’ll wait until the evidence actually gets trotted out in court, thankyouverymuch.
Though I have to say I was rather pissed that the local radio news devoted 20 minutes this morning to cover Jackson’s arrival in court. Geez louise, aren’t there more _important_ things to cover than this?
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### Author:  [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/10 "2005-02-01T07:53:40Z")
> [@rjung](#):
>
> I’ll wait until the evidence actually gets trotted out in court, thankyouverymuch.
>
> Though I have to say I was rather pissed that the local radio news devoted 20 minutes this morning to cover Jackson’s arrival in court. Geez louise, aren’t there more _important_ things to cover than this?
I have a sinking feeling that this is going to make the Laci Peterson case look like an overnight wonder. Gah. Someday, these endless public trials will stop being a fad, right? Someone tell me I’m right.
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### Author:  [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/11 "2005-02-01T09:24:15Z")
Yes.
And Yes.
And very much yes.
And it’s so incredibly sad all around…
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### Author:  [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/12 "2005-02-01T09:47:34Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> Of course he’s guilty.
>
> They have love letters from Michael to this kid. They have porno mags with both his and the kid’s fingerprints on them.
>
> MJ paid another kid a reported $20 million dollars to make him go away. The city of LA never exonerated Jackson in that case and still thinks he’s guilty.
>
> He fits the profile of a pedophile right down to the ground.
>
> Of course he’s going to try to slime the family, and of course the family is going to have problems. Pedophiles always prey on kids from bad families. Kids from perfect families don’t make good victims.
>
> Stevie Wonder can see this guy is a pedophile.
Wow, wow, wow.
If this is true, then I fully recommend life.
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### Author:  [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/13 "2005-02-01T09:50:44Z")
More specifically, if this is true, then I recommend conviction.
If he is convicted, then I recommend life.
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/14 "2005-02-01T10:21:19Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#):
>
> I have a sinking feeling that this is going to make the Laci Peterson case look like an overnight wonder.
Yes.
> [@](#):
>
> Gah. Someday, these endless public trials will stop being a fad, right? Someone tell me I’m right.
Are they a fad, though? ISTM that heavily publicized trials are as old as print journalism. And before that, word of mouth. People love drama.
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### Author:  [@Oregon\_sunshine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oregon_sunshine)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/15 "2005-02-01T10:32:30Z")
> [@Eleusis](#):
>
> If he is convicted, then I recommend life.
Thinking realistically, wouldn’t this actually be a pretty short sentence? Once he got to prison, I mean?
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### Author:  [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 11:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/16 "2005-02-01T11:36:17Z")
I’m a 45-year old bachelor. Adult women are all that float my boat sexually. But I do love children very much – I’m a doting uncle to the kids of various family and friends. As such, I was willing to cut MJ some slack.
Where he lost me was the interview where he claimed it was perfectly OK for a grown man to share a bed with a child not related to him.
I’m still giving him the benefit of the doubt because he hasn’t been proven guilty. But I admit that it doesn’t look good.
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### Author:  [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/17 "2005-02-01T11:38:56Z")
> [@ggurl](#):
>
> Thinking realistically, wouldn’t this actually be a pretty short sentence? Once he got to prison, I mean?
They’d never put him in gen. pop.
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### Author:  [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/18 "2005-02-01T14:03:09Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#):
>
> Of course he’s guilty.
>
> They have love letters from Michael to this kid. They have porno mags with both his and the kid’s fingerprints on them.
I haven’t been following details of the case that closely.
If what you claim is true, then I don’t need to know any additional details to make a decision. Case closed.
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### Author:  [@brickbacon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brickbacon)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/19 "2005-02-01T14:27:33Z")
First, we have no idea what those “love” letters say, or if they were actually written by him. Second, how do all of you overlook all of the irrational behavior on the part of the accuser and his family. I know the fact that his family is messed up doesn’t mean he wasn’t victimized. But, when your own [father](http://www.nbc4.tv/entertainment/2654978/detail.html) thinks you might have been encouraged to make it up, I have view you with more suspicion. Also, just because you may have thought he did it last time doesn’t mean it happened this time.
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### Author:  [@Futile\_Gesture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Futile_Gesture)
#### Post date: [February 1, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-trial-has-begun-so-the-question-must-be-asked-did-michael-do-it/287739/20 "2005-02-01T14:42:18Z")
> [@aahala](#):
>
> I haven’t been following details of the case that closely.
Well that’d be because there **are** no details of the case yet. At least not officially. All the above is currently not much more than gossip.
The American legal system is strange. If this had been a UK case anyone leaking this kind of stuff prior to the trial would probably be summond on a contempt of court charge. It’s bound to cause prejudice and how on earth can they then find a jury who hasn’t been already exposed to it?
It’s also kind of worrying that it’s already getting reported in terms of a media event/trial of the century/celeb circus. This is about alleged child abuse. It’s not a film premier.
My _opinion_; MJ lacks any grounding in reality and is almost certainly emotionaly disturbed. Anything’s possible.
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