Like him or hate him, Mikey walked away a free man this afternoon. I won't speculate on my thoughts about him being guilty/innocent but rather, I would like to ask a question. Do you think this will drive a stake into the heart of his already failing career? My case is this, Martha Stewart faced her sentence and is now reportedly worth 3X's what she was before going to prison. Elvis Presley had his share of "quirks" but died, and is still known for being the King of rock (rightfully so). OJ Simpson got off of his charge of double murder and will never be rememberred for his great football career but only that he got away with murder. Now, back to Michael. The king of weirdness in my opinion will now be rememberred for his totally outrageous life style ( sleeping with little boys, the grotesque plastic surgery etc.) and soon his career will be gone and his talent forgotten. What do you think?

He did it to himself. His career started to fail when he started the surgeries and skin changes !

The king of weirdness in my opinion will now be rememberred for his totally outrageous life style ( sleeping with little boys, the grotesque plastic surgery etc.) and soon his career will be gone and his talent forgotten. What do you think?

Well, yes and no. Depends on his future plans now that the trial is over with. I was reading an interesting CNN poll where they were asking the public if they felt that a NOT GUILTY veredict would restore Michael Jackson's reputation. 85% said NO. 15% said YES.

However, I don't think his talent will be forgotten, despite of his odd lifestyle.

Since he's been overspending by 30 million/year, I could see him attempting a comeback for financial reasons. Time will tell I guess. In any case, he's now free to move on with his life.

Well...whatever he is...this only sends a message that Justice is blind.....aaaaaaahhh yeah!!! :laugh: blind just for the rich. :duh: ....had he been a normal "Joe"...the man would be in Jail awaiting his beating from other inmates and being "Punked" :spankin: ...so....no justice for the wicked....victims we become of "The rich"....

The verdict did not surprise me at all. This was merely this year's acquittal. Stay tuned for Michael Jackson Trial # Umpteen next year. It'll be the same stupid shite all over again, and yet we can't stop watching. I stopped caring about this trial even before it began. I could really give a damn if this boosts his carreer or accelerates its demise. I'm so tired of hearing about him I wouldn't mind if he vanished into obscurity. :dammit:

Wow, I havent had the TV on in a week so I didn't hear until now. I wasnt really sure what would happen so I suppose I'm not totally surprised either way. This will be interesting to see what it does to him....

The verdict did not surprise me at all. This was merely this year's acquittal. Stay tuned for Michael Jackson Trial # Umpteen next year. It'll be the same stupid shite all over again, and yet we can't stop watching. I stopped caring about this trial even before it began. I could really give a damn if this boosts his carreer or accelerates its demise. I'm so tired of hearing about him I wouldn't mind if he vanished into obscurity. :dammit:

That what I think too!! Although my friend seems to think he will make an amazing comeback!! Its like someone else in this thread siad, IF he was Mr Joe Average, he would have been locked up!! I stated on another board that he probably bought he way out of it!!

Hmm, they say no publicity is bad publicity, but I can't see how this could be considered good!!!

He must wear the same cologne as OJ & Robert Blake because it smells alot like bullshit. :)

Do I believe he is guilty? YES

Do I believe he should have been found guilty in this case? NO

The prosecution did a piss poor job of proving their case. They had very unreliable witnesses, they had no actual proof, and I'm sorry, but even though the new legislation allows"past acts" to be brought into the case, this wasnt about his PAST, it was about this boy specifically. If gut feelings were legal, then yeah, he would have been found guilty, but the legalities state they had to go on evidence and there just wasnt enough to support a guilty verdict.
As for his career, I doubt he will EVER recover from this. His die hard fans will support him, but he has lost so much respect and standing in the eyes of so many. It's sad, too, I always looked past the odd behavior and could see him for the talented performer he was.

Well...whatever he is...this only sends a message that Justice is blind.....aaaaaaahhh yeah!!! :laugh: blind just for the rich. :duh: ....had he been a normal "Joe"...the man would be in Jail awaiting his beating from other inmates and being "Punked" :spankin: ...so....no justice for the wicked....victims we become of "The rich"....
Yes, that is the popular version of what people are saying....but ask yourself this Solar, where was it blind in this case? Where was the smoking gun that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that he touched this kid? Where were the credible witnesses? Where was the evidence?

Answer? There was none. So in THIS particular case, justice was right on the money and Michael's money had nothing to do with it.

Is he guilty of touching kids? Who knows? Everyone that's saying yes, were you there? Have you been to Neverland? You're painting someone with a horrible label when there - so far - has not been a shred of tangible evidence to prove this has happened.

Like I've said before, if he is guilty of these things and it's proven, fry him. But frying him based on the popular public sentiment is just going along with the crowd. Michael is definitely a little strange but unless it's proven that he's a child molestor, last I heard in America it's not illegal to be different.

In my own personal opinion, he's likely guilty. But my opinion does not make it so. Pagan is none the less correct on his assessment. There was no Reasonable doubt as to MJ's guilt.
In the USA you are presumed innocent until Proven Guilty.

MJ was not proven Guilty. Therefore the legal system did it's job.

I thought he'd get off on the big charges, but I thought for sure he'd get busted for something, but it's over and we should all remember the difference between Innocent and Not Guilty.
As for his career, I don't think he'll ever get back to King of Pop status. Sure, he'll tour and millions will go to see him, and he'll make a whole lot more money, but he'll never get back to Thriller sales, conspiracy or not.
I heard he's thinking of a victory tour with his brothers.

I thought he'd get off on the big charges, but I thought for sure he'd get busted for something, but it's over and we should all remember the difference between Innocent and Not Guilty.
Exactly....just as we should all remember the difference between a pedophile and an alleged pedophile. ;)

Unfortunately the media does not do this. They're still branding him one by making headlines like "Boy, oh boy" for the front page. :6ohboy:

I think it's very easy to be cynical and say he got off because he was a celebrity. But we don't know that for sure. In fact to say that is implying there is a conspiracy here. It's just as likely he got off because there was no real evidence as already stated.

Letterman's Top 10 things overheard at the Jackson Verdict
6/14/05


10. "A celebrity acquitted in L.A.? Stunning."

9. "Of course he's nervous -- look how pale he is"

8. "Oh finally, I can go back to my normal life of Ferris wheels, pet monkeys and sleeping in oxygen chambers"

7. "No, I think he'll do fine in prison"

6. "Are those tears of joy, or are his cheek implants leaking?"

5. "Do you think this'll be on the news tonight?"

4. "We the jury find the defendant creepy"

3. "Michael, good news -- I just saved 15 percent on my car insurance by switching to Geico"

2. "I'm glad we live in a country where prison is reserved for dangerous outlaws like Martha Stewart"

1. "Another case of a white guy getting preferential treatment"


Dan

Like Pagan said there was no true smoking gun, and no credible witnesses to raise a resonable doubt in the jury's mind. I think even if he was an average Joe and have the same evidence presented he MAY have of gotten off. I personally think he did do what they said he did but there was nothing there to prove it.

Tacoma middle school teacher facing rape charges
12:25 PM PDT on Tuesday, June 14, 2005

By CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News


TACOMA, Wash. - Mason Middle School sent a letter home with students on Monday, telling parents that a teacher at the school had been arrested for alleged inappropriate behavior with one of his students.

The 46-year-old teacher faces four felony counts of third degree child rape.

Tacoma Police and the Tacoma School District confirm the allegations concern an inappropriate relationship between the veteran teacher and a 14-year-old student.

"We heard about it Friday and immediately called police and the teacher in question was arrested that day," said Patti Holmgren of the Tacoma School District.



KING


The district says the investigation started after another teacher came forward to tell school leaders about student rumors and other claims.

"There might be something inappropriate or that didn't seem right to them, just some things that they observed," said Homgren.

The district told KING 5 News the Mason Middle School teacher was investigated by the district 10 years ago for inappropriate behavior while he taught at another Tacoma middle school and coached tennis at Lincoln High. A girl on the tennis team complained the teacher made inappropriate sexual remarks to her, among other allegations.

The teacher denied the claims, but was given a written reprimand.

"The discipline that was given was deemed appropriate at the time," said Holmgren.

There was no answer at the teacher's door Tuesday morning, but his next door neighbor defended his friend.

"It's a terrible allegation and he's a wonderful man, his family is great, we've known him for years," said Phil Westberg.

Parents at the school reserved judgement, but also expressed concern.

"I do hope that this teacher, if he is found guilty, doesn't teach again," said Barbara Hanson.

The suspect is a language arts teacher at the middle school. He has taught at three other district middle schools, and is currently the district chess coordinator.

He's on paid leave.

........Hummmmmmm Geee I wonder how this guy would fair?.....we'll lets see ....he's not rich, not a celebrity nor does he Live in LA

Tacoma middle school teacher facing rape charges
12:25 PM PDT on Tuesday, June 14, 2005

By CHRIS DANIELS / KING 5 News


TACOMA, Wash. - Mason Middle School sent a letter home with students on Monday, telling parents that a teacher at the school had been arrested for alleged inappropriate behavior with one of his students.

The 46-year-old teacher faces four felony counts of third degree child rape.

Tacoma Police and the Tacoma School District confirm the allegations concern an inappropriate relationship between the veteran teacher and a 14-year-old student.

"We heard about it Friday and immediately called police and the teacher in question was arrested that day," said Patti Holmgren of the Tacoma School District.



KING


The district says the investigation started after another teacher came forward to tell school leaders about student rumors and other claims.

"There might be something inappropriate or that didn't seem right to them, just some things that they observed," said Homgren.

The district told KING 5 News the Mason Middle School teacher was investigated by the district 10 years ago for inappropriate behavior while he taught at another Tacoma middle school and coached tennis at Lincoln High. A girl on the tennis team complained the teacher made inappropriate sexual remarks to her, among other allegations.

The teacher denied the claims, but was given a written reprimand.

"The discipline that was given was deemed appropriate at the time," said Holmgren.

There was no answer at the teacher's door Tuesday morning, but his next door neighbor defended his friend.

"It's a terrible allegation and he's a wonderful man, his family is great, we've known him for years," said Phil Westberg.

Parents at the school reserved judgement, but also expressed concern.

"I do hope that this teacher, if he is found guilty, doesn't teach again," said Barbara Hanson.

The suspect is a language arts teacher at the middle school. He has taught at three other district middle schools, and is currently the district chess coordinator.

He's on paid leave.

........Hummmmmmm Geee I wonder how this guy would fair?.....we'll lets see ....he's not rich, not a celebrity nor does he Live in LA
That may be, but the burden of proof still remains on the side of the prosecution. They can't simply declare him guilty just because he's not rich, not famous and I don't know how LA even figures into the equation. While it is true that justice can be minimized for the rich and famous (after all, name me one rich person on Death Row) there's still a little thing called evidence, and the prosecution failed to come up with evidence that would suggest that Jackson touched that child.

The Jurors all stated that they were impartial to his celebrity status. These jurors were made up of normal people, not celebrities like Michael himself. The point I was trying to make is, if he would have done time on even one of the lesser charges, does anyone feel his career would have had a better chance of making a rebound? With all the media hype in the last few years about him, and let's not forget, the "career deadly" hype he himself created with that creepy interview he did (when he admitted to sleeping with little boys), does anyone think a little slap on the wrist would have made fans think he had atoned for his behavior? It certainly was a career boost for Martha Stewart.

Yeah, I guess we have kinda gotten off topic here...

I don't think jail time would have affected his career one bit. True fans of MJ won't abandon him for anything.

Well, if he can get his finances together, get a recordcontract and are serious about changing his lifestyle, I have no doubt that he'll be back.


I don't think Michael will ever be big in the USA again. He has'nt been in the last 15 years. However I'm pretty sure he will still be able to play stadiums in Europe and Asia.

He is wanted by the Live 8 organizers already.......................

He is wanted by the Live 8 organizers already.......................

So it IS true then!!

I have said it before and I will say it again. What has flushed his career down the toilet is NOT the pedophilia problems, but the surgeries and weird persona Michael has taken on ! I really liked his music (and still do) when he was a black man... Its really ashame a great talent wasted !

I think Michael will move out of the country soon and I say adios !

So it IS true then!!

Yes they are thinking of London or Philly, USA............................

However there is ofcourse a question of Michael's health and his willingness to go for it, in such short period of time.................

One can say a lot about the man. He is wierd and childlike, however he is a genious when it comes to music.


As far as I know, he has'nt toured the US since the BAD tour of the 80's ?

It's a real shame. I think a lot of Americans have ben missing out. The Dangerous tour in the beginning of the 90's was incredible. I think many Americans would have been amazed by his great performances of that tour............... 10 stars on that one.


When it comes to the recordsales, and the fact that a lot of people actually ecpect him to make another success like Thriller, I think is silly. That kind of thing comes once in a man's career. And he has'nt really been doing that bad since then either. it's just that, when he has sold a 50 million album, a lot of people expect him to do it again, and again, just like that..............It does'nt work that way.............

His latest album that was released at the start of his trial, has now sold 8 million. Not bad for a person not being able to do promo and having child abuse charges hanging over him.