Jackson Launches New Site
Michael Jackson has established a new Web site as a line of
communication between him and his fans about his arrest last week
on charges of child molestation.
The site, mjnews.us, includes statements from Jackson’s
attorneys from late last week addressing the search of his
Neverland ranch, the District Attorney’s press conference and the
actual arrest. Jackson said he established the site as the only
official source of news and information from his camp. “Any
statement that does not appear on this Web site must be considered
unauthorized,” he wrote. An open latter from Jackson to his fans,
friends and family is viewable on the homepage.
“The charges against me are terribly serious,” he wrote, “They
are, however, predicated on a big lie. This will be shown in court,
and we will be able to put this horrible time behind us.”
Though Jackson said that on the advice of his counsel, he could
only offer limited information, he did take a moment to address the
frenzy that surrounded his arrest. “You are right to be skeptical
of some of the individuals who are being identified in the mass
media as my friends, spokespeople and attorneys,” he wrote. “With
few exceptions, most of them are simply filling a desperate void in
our culture that equates visibility with insight. We will not
engage in speculation. We will not provide running commentary on
every new development or allegation du jour. We intend to try our
case in the courtroom, not in the public or the media.”
After last week’s media blitz, Jackson’s supporters have become
more vocal. He recently received a comment of support from his
longtime friend Elizabeth Taylor, who issued a statement reading,
“I believe Michael is absolutely innocent and that he will be
vindicated.” Jackson’s brother Jermaine referred to the arrest as a
“modern-day lynching” in a TV interview. And fans held candlelight
vigils in more than a dozen cities around the world, including New
York, Los Angeles and Paris.
Jackson surrendered to Santa Barbara police last week and was
released on $3 million bail. A conviction could carry a prison term
of three to eight years.