It seems like most of you wanted to see Jackson fry

[johnnie]

From the things I have read and heard, the accuser's parents are money hungry freaks. Do you really think that because Jackson had a lot of cash, that's why he was found innocent? Did you really want to see him spend time in prison because he is rich?
Two times the investigation has found him innocent and people still want to see blood. This is not a baseball game people, it's reality. It's not a win or lose situation, it is a person's life. Get over it and concentrate on something that can make our world better.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

1. Yes.

Yay for you and your words. Enough of this bread and circuses bullshit. There is a country crumbling out there.

[BikeWriter]

2. Uh, the last alleged victim was paid off...

[johnnie]

5. I personally think it's bullshit

I think a lot of people want to see famous people burn. Sure Jackson is a bit strange, but that doesn't make him a child molester.

[BikeWriter]

17. A bit strange? A forty year old man with boys in his bed?

[samplegirl]

24. Yeah lets move on to the real criminals

like Ken Lay...who keeps getting his trial delayed.

[kanrok]

29. Sure it does.

[JimmyJazz]

30. Would you let your children spend the night at his ranch and sleep

in his bed? If not, why not?

[johnnie]

32. I don't have kids

I doubt I would have let them stay there if I had children. I guess that is one of the things that makes me think this is all bullshit. He has been accused of molestation many times, and these "parents" still let their children go there. Their "case" seems to be a bit transparent to me. Heh, I said trans-parent.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

6. No, the last victim's parents asked for money BEFORE they reported

a crime..then the victim received a settlement..whether it was to silence him or simply to overcome the bad PR to a top star is a matter of conjecture

[BikeWriter]

19. So you think he paid tens of millions in extortion and he's innocent?

[Kraklen]

22. Yes.

Would you accept a cash settlement if you thought your kid was molested?

No, you'd take it to trial.

[ComerPerro]

34. Well, and consider what this trial has cost him

Seems to me that if he had the money, the settlement would just have seemed easier and better for him at the time.

[BikeWriter]

36. No, I'd kill the asshole.

[Kraklen]

37. Exactly my point.

It was extortion. And the problem with paying extortion is that it attracts other sharks. And that's exactly what happened to MJ.

[BikeWriter]

39. If so, he's the stupidest person on the planet. I watched..

the TV special where he talked of all the children in his bedroom.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

25. Prove he paid TENS of millions

The amount IIRC was ten million and if you are worth half a billion, then yes, you have a portfolio to protect that might be worth ten million in order to buy your peace

[BikeWriter]

38. "Jackson did not admit guilt in the settlement, which Court TV"

later reported was more than $20 million.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/27/jackson/

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

40. The settlement was confidential so any reporting was speculative

you proved nothing

[BikeWriter]

41. "document states that $15,331,250 was put into a trust fund for Jordan"

http://www.mj-case.net/settlement.html

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

44. So..it's a web site with no actual documents

[BikeWriter]

48. Dozens of websites...

"who settled a related civil lawsuit for more than $15 million)."
http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/0328051jacksonpast1.html

[Zuni]

46. not true at all

read "All that Glitters" by Raymond Chandler---the 1993 boys uncle.

They reported MJ to the cops. MJ went on the offensive, and the kid was having enough emotional problems, so they didn't want to subject him to any more abuse so they decided to make MJ pay a large amount so it would hurt him and make him think twice, but wouldn't force the kid to have to endure a trial

[BikeWriter]

50. I can believe that. Unfortunately, it didn't stop him.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

54. Nope..they asked for money FIRST then went to the cops

THEN made the settlement. The book rewrites the history of the case.

[Zuni]

55. what is your source?

I have seen no reason to believe Mr. Chandler is lying

[Zuni]

3. I honestly, truly believe he is guilty

the jury essentially said that all his victims were lying. 3 seperate victims testified as witnesses here---

[johnnie]

9. There is a lot of cash to be won

Money makes a lot of people do some fucked up things. Probably thousands of kids that Jackson came in contact with and there are 3 that accuse him? And thousands that don't?

[Maddy McCall]

4. Even the children of despicable parents can be molested.

[qnr]

8. Precisely n/t

[Debi]

12. Even really weird former rock starts that act in a bizarre manner

can be innocent of molesting children.

[NoSheep]

49. Ditto.

[SOteric]

7. I try to refrain from making judgements about other people's

guilt or innocence. I likely wasn't there when the alleged acts were committed. Moreover, I've actually done quite a lot of service on juries. (Probably because I vote in all the elections.) In my experience the details divulged for a juror's consideration are rarely anything like the rampant speculation and character assassination set out in the mainstream mass media.

[Bullwinkle925]

11. You're correct. I also have served on juries and what you read in

the papers or hear on the news may not exactly reflect what is taking place in the courtroom.

[johnnie]

13. That's my point..I think..LOL

Most people who are judging Jackson are doing so through "Entertainment Tonight".

[NoSheep]

52. Thanks for your post johnnie. n/t

[NoSheep]

51. There's a sane response!

:headbang:

[4_Legs_Good]

66. Very good point - I think most of the court hysteria is utter BS

Yes, sometimes a jury gets something wrong, but from Jackson to McDonald's coffee, I think the judicial system usually works well, and the Mind Control Media and water cooler chats don't have all the facts and feed us into this "we live in a litigious society" BS.

david

[qnr]

10. No, I wanted him to stop taking up valuable air time that could be applied

to something useful. So, you're jumping on people for making judgements about Jackson by ... um... making judgements about them?

[johnnie]

15. He isn't taking up air time

Or do you think he is buying "spots" on CNN?
And yes, I am judging based on what I am reading here, not by what the media is telling me.

[qnr]

20. You're judging. I could give a rats ass about him or the trial, yet you

say "most of you" get a clue

Edit: Never mind, I've saved you the trouble.

[elperromagico]

14. Aside from a rubbernecking sort of interest,

I really don't care about the case.

Nor do I need to. The jury made its decision and that is what counts.

[johnnie]

16. I didn't follow it

I saw a bit here and there, and had no idea that the verdict was reached until I checked in here to DU.
I think, the jury's verdict is what counts.

[On the Road]

18. If You've Been Sued Under False Pretenses

you would give more credence to the possibility that the accusers may not be playing straight. Personally, I haven't had that experience, but my girlfriend has been sued twice in three years. She's a landlord, and yes, I'm convinced both cases were absolutely bogus.

I really don't know if Jackson was guilty. However, the accusers seem to be tainted. If I were on the jury, there would certainly be some doubt in my mind.

[sniffa]

21. fuck that

i spit on him and every other fucking pedophiLe. :mad:

[johnnie]

23. Were you in the courtroom?

Or are you finding him guilty because you watch a lot of TV?

[sniffa]

26. no, because i'm racist

because he used to be african american.

[johnnie]

31. But he is white now

Since when can't a bleach job assure your innocence?

[mondo joe]

43. We consider Bush guilty of a lot of things too. Did we have to be in the

oval office at the time?

[johnnie]

58. No

georgie said his shit right out in the open. It's apples and oranges.

[mondo joe]

72. Said it out in the open? Like MJ admitted to sleeping with kids.

Yet DU is pretty confident he was a cokehead, might be drugged now, had a wire for the debates and so on. And all without benefit of conviction.

Mind you I am confident he did those things too, just as I'm confident that MJ is a danger to children.

[tigereye]

35. hmm

I guess I hoped the evidence would be enough to keep him away from children.

[Debi]

53. Parents who don't approve of his behavior should be enough

to keep him away from their children.

[tigereye]

73. yes

but it saddens me that he preys on the gullible, vulnerable, foolish ( and greedy?). I don't even know if that is what he means to do, but that seems to be what occurs.

[NoSheep]

56. I spit on pedophiles too, sniffa. I'm living proof that they can really

screw you up, but I think it is important that someone as strange as MJ gets a damn fair trial. I never read, heard or saw the proof that he was guilty of anything other than maybe being from another planet!!!( the man is a bit odd) Seriously, I respect your posts and enjoy your company here on DU. No offense intended. I'm surprised that the jury was open minded enough to see that there was no conclusive proof of the crime. We live in a world that persecutes those who don't "fit in". The repukes are trying to say that Democrats aren't patriotic because we don't want to kill for money, or make bullying a significant feature of our foreign policy. I often feel like the religious right is trying to marginalize anyone from those who don't dress modestly to people who believe in science. Hell, not to mention those of us who are gay, lesbian, people with tatoos....see what I mean? Now I'd be willing to read anything you have to say about why you are so convinced that he is guilty. But I just haven't seen it. Don't get mad...enlighten me. Here, I'll buy you a beer. :toast: :beer:

[JimmyJazz]

27. Correction: He was not found "innocent" - he was found

"not guilty." Sorry to nit pick, but there is a difference. No one is found "innocent" as a result of a trial.

[johnnie]

33. Sorry

I didn't read the stories. I was just going on what was said here at DU. You nit-picker!!!

[NoSheep]

57. hmmm. That's a good point Jimmy Jazz.

What's your opinion? Hell, no one knows for sure and I'm not even a fan. I'm just kinda weird and feel somewhat persecuted by folks who call themselves normal. Never saw any conclusive evidence. Extortion looks possible. I've done some things that would baffle the hell out of some people but are not evidence of anything that might hurt another person.
I think this shit is fascinating, especially as a topic for discussion on DU, because we are all weird according to the neo-cons. Labeled traitors, etc.

[JimmyJazz]

63. My opinion. Thank you for asking. I am not going to jump up

and down and say he's guilty, but he does exhibit behaviors that raise red flags indicative of a child molester and I would not ever in a million years let my children spend any amount of time with the man alone given the opportunity.

[NoSheep]

65. Nor would I. He needs more adult friends, I'd say.

[JimmyJazz]

68. Unfortunately, he probably can't trust very many adults which

probably adds to his desire to be with children. :( It's a sad story all the way around.

[NoSheep]

69. Well said. Yes, it is.

[kanrok]

28. YES!!!!!

[mondo joe]

42. Yes, I did. And do. Because I disagree with your assessment.

I think he's guilty, and I'm tired of seeing rich powerful people get away with crimes.

[Seabiscuit]

45. Same problem with Jacko and OJ: We'll just never really know, will we?

[Left Is Write]

47. We'll never know for sure either way.

[johnnie]

60. It's our judicial system

We don't hear everything in both cases. As Americans, we like to see people fry for anything, and we bitch if they are found not guilty.
OJ and Jackson have been found not guilty in both cases, but yet people still want to see them burn.
I can be a total anarchist when it comes to the American way, but I will stand by out judicial process, it is one of the best so far. Until they find a better way of putting someone on trial, I will go with what we have. Sure, some things fall thru the cracks, but it is the best so far. I just wonder if anyone on DU has a better justice system?

[Seabiscuit]

71. I agree. Stand by the judicial system. Criticize it, question it, but

once someone's acquitted, let it go, no matter how convinced you are of someone's guilt.

I don't think we'll ever have a "better" judicial system - it will always of necessity be a human system full of many human flaws.

[Jamastiene]

59. I don't

Call me naive, but I don't think he's really guilty of child molestation. The mother had to plead the 5th to keep from perjuring herself and there were more "victims" taking the stand saying he didn't molest them and they were just more credible. If the prosecution had had evidence that was not circumstantial, I would be among the first to want to see him sentenced to a long prison term and castrated, but I just believe our system works for better or worse. I'm glad we have the innocent until proven guilty system and that a guilty verdict can't be made with it being "beyond a reasonable doubt". Granted, I wasn't inside the court room throughout the trial, Nancy Grace and her cackling spun to her heart's contenct and based on her best assessment, I have my reasonable doubts.

[johnnie]

61. You aren't naive

The people who are jumping to their own judgment based on "Entertainment Tonight" are naive.
I too would be the first in line to see any pedophile convicted and sentenced to castration (if that was a choice), but I see nothing but a load of crap here with Jackson.
And excuse my language but, Fuck Nancy Grace. What a despicable hunk of flesh.

[Jamastiene]

67. You got that right...

Nancy Grace is beyond obnoxious. And, yes, most people are basing their opinions on what they have heard in the media. Some people are just so convinced that they are going on pure emotion, which is forgiveable in a lot of ways. None of us on DU wants to see a child get molested and the perp get away with it. I honestly believe that if this jury had been convinced, there would a been at least one guilty verdict in the 10 felony list if not more... MJ should learn from his mistakes and either videotape his own every move or quit letting children in his bedroom at all. If it is causing that much of an uproar or gut reaction, maybe he'd be doing himself a favor. As far as his guilt or innocence, my personal take on this case is extortion. The last time, the people took a payoff. I cannot see any parents taking a payoff if their child had really been molested. From what I heard, this family took a payoff as well and the mother of the boys had to plead the 5th to keep from perjuring herself and at least one of the accusors admitted he lies quite a bit. Plus, there was no physical evidence. It was circumstantial from what I have heard.

I guarantee if we did a role playing test on DU, where someone who still wants MJ to fry played the role of accusee in a mock child molestation case, they'd start to see my point. Anyone can be accused and the public's gut reaction is fry the bastard and castrate them beforehand. Any defendent should be considered innocent until proven guilty. I'd agree with anyone who said that MJ is weird and incredibly stupid to let any children near him after the first allegation years ago, but neither weirdness nor stupidity are against the law.

[LisaL]

62. No, I wanted to see him go free. Not Fry, Fly. Fly little birdie, fly.

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[johnnie]

70. You are weird...

LOL, no, I think you are awesome!...but weird..LOL

[4_Legs_Good]

64. Our District Attorney (SB) has wanted a high profile celebrity conviction

for a while - the kind of thing that shines on a resume.

After wasting who the hell knows how much of Santa Barbara's tax money, I wonder if he'll have a job.

david

[elshiva]

74. Don't believe in the death penalty, so I don't want him to fry or

anyone else for that matter.

[autorank]

75. Not really, just life on a slow flame...get him ready for this.