ImHere

Aaah indeedy. Did Jeb sign it yet or are we still waiting do you know?

franc111s

Lizzi, this is America. This is why there is a bill trying to go through support no win no fee. Jacksons advice at the time was probably pay $20m or pay $200m in court costs. It's a circus.

There is no evidence to his guilt - in 15 years this is the *BEST* the DA can come up with and that's with 20 times more resources looking into it that look into a typical street murder case.... And this BEST is trying to say that Jackson molested the boy AFTER the bashir video. Yeah, right!!

Franklin

From my Bar studying days, the felon's case would be dismissed under summary judgment motion. The case would not even get to court. A criminal in someone's home engaged in a criminal act that the house owner or occupier believes poses a grave threat to his/her family can use lethal force. In fact, the cynical among us might think lethal force would avoid civil litigation for, e.g., medical costs of treating the felon should the felon survive.

A jury would buy into the argument that an intruder (particularly one that has previous criminal convictions of entering and stealing or otherwise committing a felony act in someone's else’s house/apartment/abode) is up to no good and was not inside the owner's house to provide comfort and charity to the mother/father/children in the household. An intruder who gets shot insides someone's house/apartment is not going to get much sympathy from a jury, unless the facts speak clearly to a reckless act on the part of the shooter, e.g. a woman party guest who re-enters a property to pick up her coat having left the property momentarily and remembers she doesn't have her coat and re-enters to get shot by the house-owner. Clearly in such circumstances the house owner should be cognizant of the obvious possibility that someone might come back while the party is ongoing to pick up their forgotten coat.

Each case is decided on the facts, fact-pattern as explained to the Jury (if it gets that far). No sane jury would convict a father or mother protecting their kids against an intruder so long as there was a reasonable belief that the there was risk of serious harm to the members of the family. No sane jury would convict, no sane Sheriff would argue against such a father or mother shooting in their own home to protect their kids in their own home against an intruder.

ImHere

What about him?

Franklin

... what about him? Didn't he fall from a third floor window? Or was he thrown from a third floor window to cover up a severe beating! Oh, the cynical among us ...

franc111s

Hey Frankie, what evidence ? I guess that's what the Jury decides right. So far, I've seen the defence virtually dismiss all the evidence easily since most of the prosecution is from pathalogial liars (like the women with the finger in the chilli). THey even put evidence up that's pathetic - i.e. it's not even evidence but they have so little, they have to put anything forward as a possibility. Even the Air Stewardess that was on more flights than each or any of the "kids" put together - testified she NEVER saw ANYTHING inappropriate and it was HER idea to put win in coke cans (good idea to me when drinking around kids)....

Still, after the $20m pay-out, Jackson has sold more records than ever - and will continue to do so - strange world....

The Mother should go to jail after this. JC - Penny should throw the book at her and THEY SHOULD NEVER HAVE PAID HER EITHER - America pays to settle because COURT costs (laywers costs) are WAY TO HIGH.... IMHO...

Franklin

Unfortunately the most damming evidence is from MJ's own mouth and actions. He said he shares his bed with boys. He would like the Jury to believe nothing happened when he shared his bed with boys, but that is up to the Jury to decide. The evidence thus far presented gives ample support to the prosecution argument that MJ carefully selected boys from damaged families, particularly from families who lacked a strong protective father figure, to share his bed.

MJ paid out $20 million while there is ample evidence to support the prosecution's argument that MJ is not easily persuaded to give up money when he doesn't want to.

It is down to the Jury who will hear all the evidence and witness testimony to sort through what is credible and not credible to arrive at a verdict on each count. Maybe the Jury will not be able to reach a verdict on every count, but the Jury only has to find MJ guilty on one count for MJ to go to jail.

The Judge is not going to conclude that there is a lack of evidence to convict, since there’s not much chance of that happening, such arguments that speak to the contrary are blowing smoke.

Leslie

I thought it was a nice segue with the discussion having turned to the use of deadly force in cases of self defense.

Besides that photo is hideous and should be seen by as many people as possible.

CaliforniaBride

Segue on this.....http://www.alexanderband.dk/dragson/

Franklin

Not as bad as some of those face photos one used to see in newspapers back home ... of old ladies with faces beaten to a pulp by some insane young man looking for pension money in the old dear's flat. Those pictures are far more revolting, face smashed to pulp, black bulges where the eyes should be. Tragically, these smashed up old ladies are so traumatized that they often die.

Lizzi

I would think that after this case is over JCPenney will seek to get its $150,000 back from the mother..

fatbrit

He doesn't seem to be answering you. Have you upset him or something?

Anyway, I always find Wikipedia good for cutting through lawyer BS. There's a nice, easy explanation here.

Sarah

Are you a huge Michael Jackson fan or are you just passionate about the case?
If he's found guilty will you feel differently?
Also I read on the BBC news website about the stewardess and there was no report of her ever saying it was her idea to put the booze in coke cans just that she did it for him. However, like so many have said what we can take as gospel from the media and what we aren't being told we will never know.

franc111s

The BBC passes on snippets - Heres the facts. CNN reported the same on TV that night ; Remember - this was a prosecution witness - http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,151900,00.html

I am definately NOT a huge fan. I think some of his music is good. I definately feel sorry for him. I have read in the past about how young he was and how his child-hood was stolen from him. I can relate to that a little. However I confess that I believe Jackson to be stuck in a time warp - still as a child and hardly an adult. Just some of his actions to the crowd, the chimp, neverland - all of this seems like what a child would do. Heck what I wanted at a young age. My 16 year old kids share beds on sleep-overs, I figure Michael at about 12 and believe his sleep-overs are nothing more than that - is it wrong - yes in today's society - definately. Is it illegal - not when 95% of the time they don't share with you that the rest of the family all "hang out in the bedroom" (his play house) too. Parents, the lot. It's the parents who choose to leave their kids alone on "sleep-overs" (that MUST be what they THOUGHT too - right else they would have ALL said NO).

When he rides on the rides at Neverland - he doesn't lok for one second likes he's "getting off on kids" - most of his money goes to help 1000's of underprivalidged kids at Neverland - but of course, you rarely see that. If you think Jackson is smart and pulling the wool over everyones eyes then that to me makes him even less guilty because if he was THIS smart - do YOU think he would molest a kid - 2 days after the Bashir Video. Last but not least, McCauly Caulkin who spent so much time (as a kid with Jackson) will testify and end this farce.

I truly believe JACKSON is not guilty but I TRULY believe ALL PEADOPHILES should be locked up for life - Now aren't I strange !!

evoal2003

he's innocent

http://media.ebaumsworld.com/nevercoppedafeel.swf

sorry to all that have already seen it.