Michael Jackson stands trial on trumped up charges of child molestation.
Before the trial against Michael Jackson started, his prosecutors, with the aid of an eager media, promised the world damning evidence against the superstar. Finally, we were led to believe, the allegations that “Wacko Jacko” shopped for partners in the junior section would morph into facts. After the prosecution was done with him, the whole world would see him for the child molester he supposedly was, and he’d be going to jail for a very long time.
Reality has developed differently.
After a trial that has lasted a few months and elicited the testimony of hundreds of witnesses, all Jackson opponents have to go on is still a pack of vague allegations. They have wild and inconsistent rambling from the accuser’s mom, who has tried to bilk celebrities and institutions from their money before. They have contradictory stories from the accuser’s siblings and the accuser himself. They have unsubstantiated claims and hearsay from former Jackson employees resentful of their old boss. What they don’t have is any physical evidence that Jackson abused anyone. They don’t have the trustworthy word of any reliable witness. In essence, the prosecutors and their allies would have people believe Jackson is a molester simply because they say so. Never mind that we have no reason to believe them.
After the prosecution’s shoddy presentation of their case against Jackson, the defense’s effort was just a formality. The prosecutors hadn’t remotely proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Still, Jackson’s defenders put in more than a perfunctory effort as they presented witnesses who opposed everything the accusers had said. Certainly, the defense witnesses didn’t offer much proof of their contentions, either. But the burden of proving that something sinister happened at Neverland, thereby discrediting the witnesses’ claims, was on the prosecution. And the prosecution didn’t meet that burden. Also, the testimony of the defense witnesses had the benefit of being more plausible.
Consider this: Over the course of his adult career, from the early 1980′s to the present, Michael Jackson has had access to thousands of children. Many of these kids were guests at his Neverland ranch; he could’ve had them to himself and did whatever dastardly things he wanted to them, if he were so inclined. Despite that, however, only a few dubious allegations of wrongdoing have arisen. This tells us straightaway that Jackson is probably not a pedophile. If he actually did molest children, a lot more victims and families would be accusing him of evil acts. His wealth wouldn’t awe into silence many parents whose children had really faced molestation. (Parents who are reading this, think about what you’d do if your own kids faced abuse. I’d bet no amount of money could stem your fury.)
I hope the jury deliberating in California now reaches an honorable verdict of, “Not guilty.” That could be the only just conclusion to this kangaroo trial.
About the Author
I'm Jason Vines, a web developer at a research institution in Washington, DC. I graduated from George Washington University with a bachelor's degree in political science, with a minor in journalism. I enjoy philosophy and web scripting, as well as reading, writing, history, video games, travel, and photography.
