Trial of Michael Jackson

People v. Jackson (full title: 1133603: The People of the State of California v. Michael Joe Jackson) was a 2004–2005 criminal trial held in Santa Barbara County Superior Court in which American recording artist Michael Jackson was charged with molesting Gavin Arvizo, a 13-year-old boy. Jackson was indicted for four counts of molesting a minor, four counts of intoxicating a minor to molest him, one count of attempted child molestation, one count of conspiring to hold the boy and his family captive, and conspiring to commit extortion and child abduction. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. The trial spanned approximately 18 months, from Jackson's arraignment on January 16, 2004 to June 13, 2005. The jury delivered a verdict of not guilty on all charges, including four lesser misdemeanour counts. Jackson had previously been accused of child sexual abuse in 1993; he denied the allegations and settled out of court. Like the previous allegations, Jackson was accused of abusing Arvizo in his home, Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County, California, where he often brought children and their families. A 2003 documentary, Living with Michael Jackson, showed Jackson holding hands with Arvizo and discussing sharing a bed with children, triggering a new investigation led by District Attorney Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. With no physical evidence, the prosecution relied on testimonies from witness including the Arvizo family and Neverland employees, painting Jackson as a predator with a history of child sexual abuse. The defense, led by Thomas Mesereau, argued that the witnesses were unreliable, with histories of perjury and fraud. Celebrities including former child star Macaulay Culkin testified in Jackson's defense. The trial drew international media attention and created a media circus. In later years, more men alleged that Jackson had abused them, including Wade Robson, who had testified at the trial that Jackson had not molested him. wrote: