Neverland bust: Police search Michael Jackson's ranch

[Tony_Montana]

Nov. 18, 2003 | LOS OLIVOS, Calif. (AP) -- Investigators conducting a criminal probe swarmed Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Tuesday, a sheriff's spokesman said. The purpose of the search was not disclosed.

 

Authorities from the Santa Barbara County sheriff's and district attorney's offices served a warrant about 8:30 a.m. as part of an "ongoing criminal investigation," Sgt. Chris Pappas said in a recorded statement on a media information line.

 

 

The district attorney's office had no comment, said legal secretary Debbie Popp.

 

It was not known whether Jackson or his children were at the Santa Ynez Valley property, which has its own zoo and amusement park with bumper cars, a merry-go-round and Ferris wheel.

 

Nearly 10 years have passed since the 45-year-old singing superstar faced a child-molestation investigation in a case that never resulted in criminal charges.

 

The singer who had international hits with the albums "Thriller" (1982), "Bad" (1987) and "Dangerous" (1991), saw his career begin to collapse in 1993 amid allegations he molested a boy. Jackson maintained his innocence, and charges were never filed. He reportedly paid a multimillion-dollar settlement.

 

Jackson is also connected to Hollywood private eye Anthony Pellicano, who has begun serving federal prison time for possessing illegal explosives, and is being investigated about whether he secretly taped conversations of celebrities and their lawyers.

 

Pellicano, 59, reportedly worked for Jackson while the singer was under investigation for child molestation in the early 1990s.

 

As the raid was under way, Court TV reported that the warrant was tied to allegations brought by a 12-year-old boy. That could not immediately be confirmed by The Associated Press.

 

Jackson's spokesman, Stuart Backerman, did not answer his cell phone and did not immediately return messages Tuesday.

 

In a television documentary broadcast on ABC earlier this year, Jackson said he had slept in a bed with many children. "When you say bed you're thinking sexual," the singer said. "It's not sexual, we're going to sleep. I tuck them in. ... It's very charming, it's very sweet."

 

The search came on the same day Epic Records released ``Number Ones,'' a greatest hits collection featuring Jackson's new single, ``One More Chance.'' On Nov. 26, CBS is scheduled to air a Jackson special consisting mainly of old concert footage.

 

Jackson has three children, and caused an international uproar last year when he displayed his baby, Prince Michael II, to fans by dangling him briefly from a fourth-floor balcony in Germany, where he had gone to accept an award.

 

Jackson called the incident a "terrible mistake," and Berlin authorities said the actions were not punishable.

 

Not much is known about Prince Michael II, whose mother has not been identified. The singer's 6-year-old son, Prince Michael I, and 5-year-old daughter, Paris, were born during his marriage to Debbie Rowe, his plastic surgeon's nurse, which ended in 1999.

 

He was also married to Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis's daughter, between 1994 and 1996.

 

Jackson routinely keeps the children's heads covered with cloth while escorting them in public -- and he usually sports a surgical mask himself when out and about. He has said he wants to protect them from the public eye.

 

 

[Liqaye]

I hope that soma b!tch rots in jail.

This is the THIRD time.

The first thing you learn in criminology class.

 

Sex offenders never ever change.

Period.

 

I spit on that bastid

[Tony_Montana]

Report: Jackson accused of molestation

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

By Robert Jablon

 

 

Nov. 19, 2003 | LOS OLIVOS, Calif. (AP) -- A raid on Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch was linked to a child molestation allegation against the pop superstar, a Jackson family attorney said Wednesday.

 

"We know that a search warrant was executed at Neverland Ranch early yesterday morning and that the warrant stated that it was in response to a complaint of a male child, 12 years old, who claims that there was sexual molestation that took place at Neverland Ranch," attorney Brian Oxman, who said he had represented the Jackson family for 14 years, told CBS' "The Early Show."

 

 

Oxman is not representing Michael Jackson, though he said he had spoken with members of Jackson's family.

 

"It is very upsetting to them," he said on ABC's "Good Morning America" Wednesday. "They are just really very shocked by this entire incident and they go, 'Here we go again. Michael is just a sitting target for people to take potshots at him.'"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today's Daypass sponsored by PBS's "Oklahoma"

 

 

PBS presents Hugh Jackman in OKLAHOMA!

 

 

 

 

 

 

As many as 70 law enforcement officials served a search warrant at Jackson's ranch Tuesday and searched for evidence through the night as part of an ongoing criminal investigation, Sgt. Chris Pappas said. He said no warrant had been issued for Jackson's arrest.

 

The district attorney and sheriff planned to provide more details at a press conference Wednesday. The Santa Barbara News-Press reported in Wednesday's editions that a county source confirmed the search stemmed from a child molestation allegation.

 

Jackson, who reportedly was in Las Vegas when the search warrant was served, denounced media coverage in a statement released to The Associated Press by spokesman Stuart Backerman.

 

"I've seen lawyers who don't represent me and spokespeople who do not know me speaking for me. These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released," the Jackson statement said, referring to Tuesday's release of a greatest hits album, "Number Ones."

 

Backerman refused to comment on any allegations and said neither he nor Jackson knew the details of the investigation.

 

The 45-year-old singing superstar faced a child molestation investigation in 1993 in a case that never resulted in criminal charges. Jackson reportedly paid a multimillion dollar settlement in that case but maintained his innocence.

 

The $12.3 million Neverland Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley has a mansion, its own zoo and amusement park, and has often been the site of children's parties.

 

Steve Manning, a Jackson family spokesman, briefly talked to reporters outside a Las Vegas recording studio and said Jackson was "holding up" and had his family's support.

 

In a television documentary broadcast on ABC earlier this year, Jackson said he had slept in a bed with many children. "When you say bed you're thinking sexual," the singer said during the interview. "It's not sexual, we're going to sleep. I tuck them in. ... It's very charming, it's very sweet."

 

Jackson caused an international uproar last year when he displayed his baby, Prince Michael II, to fans by dangling him briefly from a fourth-floor balcony in Germany. Jackson called the incident a "terrible mistake," and Berlin authorities said the actions were not punishable.

 

The singer had international hits with the albums "Thriller" (1982), "Bad" (1987) and "Dangerous" (1991) saw his career begin to collapse after the 1993 allegations.

 

His last studio album, "Invincible," sold about 2 million copies in the United States - great for most artists, especially veteran stars, but only so-so for the man who bills himself as the King of Pop.

 

:mad: