Nov˳ 20, 2003 – Michael Jackson surrendered to police today and was taken in handcuffs to the Santa Barbara County, Calif˳, jail to face multiple counts of child molestation˳ The pop superstar vowed to fight the allegations, which he called a “big lie˳”
The 45-year-old singer arrived at the jail with his hands cuffed behind his back after flying in from Las Vegas aboard a private white G4 Gulf Jet˳ He surrendered his passport, was processed quickly and released after posting $3 million bond˳
Jackson was seen flashing the victory sign and blowing kisses to his fans as he left the jail˳ He then boarded a plane and flew to Henderson, Nev˳ With airborne camera crews looking on, he spent the next several hours being driven to Las Vegas amid heavy traffic˳ Fans who spotted him periodically ran up to the vehicle as it idled in traffic and wished him well, some shaking his hand through a partially open window˳
Jackson is scheduled to be arraigned in Santa Barbara Superior Court on Jan˳ 9˳ His attorney, Mark Geragos, said the performer was “greatly outraged” by the allegations — which involve a boy who is now 12 years old — and wants to prove his innocence in court˳
“He considers this a big lie,” Geragos said˳ “These charges are categorically untrue˳ He looks forward to confronting these accusations in a courtroom, as opposed to any other forum, head on˳”
Jackson’s spokesman, Stuart Backerman, later released a statement saying the entertainer understood the outrage over the allegations, but insisted they were false˳
“The big lie against Michael Jackson is anchored in the most vicious allegation imaginable, one that resonates across every culture: the spectacle of harming a child,” the statement said˳ “That spectacle invites outrage, and it should˳ But this spectacle is rooted in a lie˳
“Michael is going to defend himself with the force of his spirit, as would anyone falsely accused of something so monstrous,” it said˳
‘He’s Going to Fight This Tooth and Nail’
Jackson tried to avoid the media as he flew to Santa Barbara’s airport from Las Vegas, where he had been shooting a music video˳
The private jet carrying him landed shortly after 11:30 a˳m˳ local time and taxied into a hangar˳ The plane was nosed in as far as possible and crews closed the doors on either side so that the waiting media could not see Jackson exiting the aircraft˳
Police vehicles could be seen outside the hangar˳ After several minutes, four vehicles left the hangar˳ The lead vehicle was a police cruiser˳ It was not clear that Jackson was in one of the vehicles until he emerged in handcuffs at the jailhouse˳
Santa Barbara authorities announced Wednesday there was a warrant out for Jackson’s arrest on multiple counts of child molestation˳ A day earlier, some 70 police officers raided his Neverland Ranch, looking for evidence˳
Searches were conducted at two other locations in Southern California simultaneously but officials would not reveal those locations˳
A family friend, Steve Manning, said today on ABCNEWS’ Good Morning America the pop star was ready to fight the allegations˳
“He feels he’s been wrongly accused and he’s going to fight this tooth and nail,” Manning said˳ “He’s at war right now and he’s going to use any weapon he has to fight these charges˳”
Met Alleged Victim at Charity Event
The arrest warrant alleges violation of a California law that prohibits lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age 14˳ A conviction carries three to eight years in prison on each count˳
Authorities refused to reveal any details about the case and all court documents in the case have been sealed for 45 days˳ However, a source close to the family of the alleged victim told ABCNEWS the two met while Jackson was doing charity work in Los Angeles in 2000˳ The source says the friendship spanned approximately three years˳
Sometime in 2003, the source said, the alleged victim became the target of schoolyard taunting and teasing over his friendship with Jackson˳ The source said the boy subsequently saw a psychotherapist and during therapy said that on two occasions Jackson gave him sleeping pills and wine˳
ABCNEWS has been told that the boy, his mother and siblings had repeated visits with Jackson at his Neverland Ranch˳
The source said on their last visit to Neverland, the boy’s mother reported that she felt uncomfortable as Jackson prepared travel documents and made travel arrangements to send the entire family “out of the country˳”
The mother reported that she did not feel free to leave the ranch, that she felt like a “hostage,” and so she slipped out alone, called back into the ranch, and threatened to call police if Jackson did not let her children leave, the source said˳ The family was then allowed to leave, the source said˳
Ghosts of 1993 Scandal
The source says the alleged victim’s mother has since had multiple meetings with civil attorney Larry Feldman˳ Ten years ago, Feldman negotiated a multimillion-dollar settlement between a 13-year-old boy and Jackson, but the source gave no indication of any similar discussions or possible civil action in this case at this time˳
Jackson was never charged in the 1993 investigation˳ He has always denied the allegations and said he settled the suit because he did not want a drawn-out legal battle˳
However, the scandal sent Jackson’s career — once soaring with such hits as “Billie Jean,” “Bad” and “Beat It” — and reputation into a downward spiral˳
Jackson first rose as the child lead singer of The Jackson Five˳ His success with solo albums such as Thriller, Bad and Dangerous made him an international superstar˳
But sales on albums since the 1993 scandal have dwindled, and the self-proclaimed King of Pop has generated more headlines for his bizarre behavior and alleged cosmetic surgery than for his music˳
Jackson’s three children, daughter Paris and sons Prince Michael I and Prince Michael II, live with him˳ Asked whether the youngsters would be removed from his custody, authorities said that would rest with state Child Welfare Services or a juvenile court˳
