7 Molest Charges Against Jackson
Michael Jackson was formally charged Thursday with repeatedly molesting a child at his Neverland Ranch, setting the stage for what could become one of the most sensational celebrity trials ever.
The nine-count felony complaint charged Jackson with seven counts alleging lewd or lascivious acts upon a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent.
No specific details of the alleged acts were included in the complaint, which repeatedly stated they were committed "with the intent of arousing, appealing to, and gratifying the lust, passions, and sexual desires" of Jackson and the child.
The complaint further alleged that Jackson had "substantial sexual conduct" with the child in February and March.
Jackson, who was not required to be present at the proceedings, has said the charges are "predicated on a big lie." His attorney, Mark Geragos, proclaimed Thursday: "Michael Jackson is unequivocally and absolutely innocent of these charges."
The charges could send Jackson to prison for years and destroy his already flagging career. The molestation counts each carry between three to eight years in prison.
The charges come nearly a month after authorities raided Jackson's Neverland Ranch and arrested him days later on suspicion of child molestation. He has been free on $3 million bail.
At a news conference, Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon dismissed the suggestion that the delay in filing charges signaled a weak case. "I want to categorically say that is false," he said.
Sneddon agreed to delay Jackson's arraignment a week to Jan. 16 and return Jackson's passport to allow him to travel to Britain from Dec. 20 to Jan. 6.
The allegations are believed to involve a boy, now 14, who spent nights in Jackson's bedroom at his estate, which gets its name from the Peter Pan story. The victim was identified in the charging documents as a "John Doe."
Ten months ago, the boy appeared in a British television documentary holding hands with Jackson, who said the two had slept in the same bedroom but not the same bed. Jackson defended his penchant for holding sleepovers with children, describing the practice as sweet and innocent.
The arrest came just as Jackson released a greatest-hits album, which has had disappointing sales. Jackson's record sales overall have slumped in recent years, and he has gained more attention for his bizarre behavior — dangling his infant son from a hotel balcony, radically altering his face through plastic surgery, sharing his bedroom with children — than for his music.
This week, the district attorney's office brought in a Hollywood public relations firm to handle the expected crush of media inquiries — a move criticized by the Jackson camp and others as unseemly.
A decade ago, Jackson thwarted Sneddon and escaped prosecution in another molestation case. He settled out of court with the accuser's family for a reported $15 million to $20 million, and the boy refused to testify. No charges were ever brought. Jackson later wrote a song attacking Sneddon.
Jackson's family attorney says the timeline of the accusations will be intensely scrutinized, reports CBS News Correspondent Chris Lawrence.
"When you take a look at that two-month period that is the same two-month period where this child signed an affidavit under penalty of perjury Michael Jackson never touched him," said attorney Brian Oxman.
Oxman was referring to a joint investigation into the allegations by LAPD and Social Services in February. Over two weeks, they interviewed the accuser and his family, and when all denied Jackson abused the boy, investigators declared the accusations unfounded.
Prosecutors said they were aware of the finding when they decided to arrest Jackson, and they dismissed its significance.
The boy's family also filed a lawsuit claiming that the boy, his brother and mother were beaten by shopping mall security guards in 1998 after the boy left a store carrying clothes that had not been paid for. The lawsuit also alleged the mother was sexually assaulted. The family received a $137,500 settlement.
In addition, the boy's father pleaded no contest to child cruelty in 2002 and spousal abuse in 2001. The couple are now divorced.