Michael Jackson Found Not Guilty of Child Molestation

'King of Pop' also cleared of other charges against him

June 13, 2005

After approximately 32 hour of deliberations the eight-woman, four-man jury in the trial of Michael Jackson has reached a verdict of not guilty of the following charges against him (Counts):

- Conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, extortion (1)

- Lewd act on a child under 14 (4)

- Attempted lewd act on a child under 14 (1)

- Administering alcohol to enable child molestation (also a lesser charge of furnishing alcohol to a minor) (4)

Lead Defense Attorney, Thomas Mesereau's statement following the acquital: “Justice is done. The man’s innocent. He always was.”

Michael Jackson, 46, had been accused of molesting a 13-year-old cancer survivor, providing the boy with alcohol, and conspiring to abduct, extort, and falsely imprison the child and his family. The verdict was read to the court on Monday afternoon. Had he been vound guilty he could have been sentence to up to 16 years in prison and beem required to register as a sex offender.

Additional news and background information to be posted later.