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CNN Live Today

Trouble in Neverland

Aired December 01, 2003 - 10:45   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The media madness surrounding the Michael Jackson child molestation case seems to have reached a new level. Police in Santa Barbara say that someone planted several wireless microphones just outside their headquarters. They believe it's the work of reporters trying to secretly obtain private information about the case.
So, who might be doing that mike check? Some possible answers. We brought in Harvey Levin, executive producer of "Celebrity Justice."

Harvey, are they "Celebrity Justice" microphones, tell us that?

HARVEY LEVIN, EXEC. PROD., "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": You know what, I knew you were going to try to finger us. No. You know what, it's funny, it's like there is suddenly a grassy knoll theory now to the Michael Jackson case. It's crazy. You know, the notion here is maybe while the sheriffs were out taking a smoke break that they might be chatting about the case and some reporters might get -- secretly get information. To me, it's beyond preposterous because I mean, what are you going to do run a 24 hour loop on a tape and hope that somebody is going to spill their guts outside by the bushes? It just does not sound real to me.

O'BRIEN: You're not saying that because your reporters didn't think to do that.

LEVIN: I swear to you, Daryn. I will not exercise my Miranda rights even.

O'BRIEN: OK. Well, this is turning out to be a very hidden case, because you had the hidden microphones, and then there was the hidden tape that was aboard the airplane. What's the latest on that?

LEVIN: Well, I think XtraJet is in real trouble, and you know, especially if there was audio tape, as well as videotape, because this is the attorney-client privilege we're talking about.

The bottom line is, Michael Jackson, in a weird way, he could say, you know, I'm not paranoid, I really do have enemies. That might be on an airplane with his lawyer and still recorded it really is kind of an outrageous act. And I have a feeling you are going to see official actions here and the civil lawsuit is going to run its course, as well. They're in trouble.

O'BRIEN: What about the latest on the case itself?

LEVIN: Well, you know, here's what has been going on over the last couple of days, a lot of people are suggesting that the boy and his family were motivated by money, and that the evidence of that is they settled a lawsuit against JCPenney, and that they went to a civil lawyer, and I cannot tell you what the motivation of these people are nor am I going to say whether Michael Jackson is guilty or innocent.

But what I will say is that you know, because somebody sues somebody, for example, in this case the family sued JCPenney, because the boy's arm was broken. JCPenney settled this case for $150,000. That's more than a nuisance lawsuit. Sometimes people really do have valid legal claims they want to exercise, and they collected a lot of money, and they are not going to be penalized for this. This will not be admissible in court. And the other thing is, the family went to a very famous lawyer, Larry Feldman, who represented the boy 10 years ago. And, again, that's not going to be admissible in court. No lawsuit has been filed, and just because you go to a lawyer doesn't mean suddenly you're making up a charge against somebody. It doesn't mean the charge is true, but it doesn't mean it's false, either.

O'BRIEN: Harvey, I have one more question for you. But if you can hang with us for one second. I want to show the pictures we are getting in from Washington, D.C.

Laura bush receiving a Christmas tree. It is from a family-run farm in Wisconsin. They were actually given three trees. The one you see there is going in the Blue Room of the White House. There's another run that will be going in the Oval Office, and then the family farm is giving a third tree that will go for the first family's private residence. The next time we see that tree, it will be upright and most probably decorated beautifully.

So from those pictures, I don't even know how you do the first family Christmas tree to Michael Jackson, so I'm going to bring you back, Harvey.

LEVIN: That's your job.

O'BRIEN: OK, that puts me in the hot seat. We're talking civil, but what about criminally. He's been arrested, but charges haven't been filed.

LEVIN: Right, it's almost certain charges will be filed. We're told one of the things the D.A. is doing is he's reviewing the evidence in the case to determine exactly how many charges will be filed. But the D.A. has made it very clear, we've heard privately that he is resolute to file these charges, and clearly, Michael Jackson equally resolute to fight them.

O'BRIEN: Harvey Levin in L.A. Harvey, thank you for that.

LEVIN: Great seeing you, Daryn.

O'BRIEN: I appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 1, 2003 - 10:45   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The media madness surrounding the Michael Jackson child molestation case seems to have reached a new level. Police in Santa Barbara say that someone planted several wireless microphones just outside their headquarters. They believe it's the work of reporters trying to secretly obtain private information about the case.
So, who might be doing that mike check? Some possible answers. We brought in Harvey Levin, executive producer of "Celebrity Justice."

Harvey, are they "Celebrity Justice" microphones, tell us that?

HARVEY LEVIN, EXEC. PROD., "CELEBRITY JUSTICE": You know what, I knew you were going to try to finger us. No. You know what, it's funny, it's like there is suddenly a grassy knoll theory now to the Michael Jackson case. It's crazy. You know, the notion here is maybe while the sheriffs were out taking a smoke break that they might be chatting about the case and some reporters might get -- secretly get information. To me, it's beyond preposterous because I mean, what are you going to do run a 24 hour loop on a tape and hope that somebody is going to spill their guts outside by the bushes? It just does not sound real to me.

O'BRIEN: You're not saying that because your reporters didn't think to do that.

LEVIN: I swear to you, Daryn. I will not exercise my Miranda rights even.

O'BRIEN: OK. Well, this is turning out to be a very hidden case, because you had the hidden microphones, and then there was the hidden tape that was aboard the airplane. What's the latest on that?

LEVIN: Well, I think XtraJet is in real trouble, and you know, especially if there was audio tape, as well as videotape, because this is the attorney-client privilege we're talking about.

The bottom line is, Michael Jackson, in a weird way, he could say, you know, I'm not paranoid, I really do have enemies. That might be on an airplane with his lawyer and still recorded it really is kind of an outrageous act. And I have a feeling you are going to see official actions here and the civil lawsuit is going to run its course, as well. They're in trouble.

O'BRIEN: What about the latest on the case itself?

LEVIN: Well, you know, here's what has been going on over the last couple of days, a lot of people are suggesting that the boy and his family were motivated by money, and that the evidence of that is they settled a lawsuit against JCPenney, and that they went to a civil lawyer, and I cannot tell you what the motivation of these people are nor am I going to say whether Michael Jackson is guilty or innocent.

But what I will say is that you know, because somebody sues somebody, for example, in this case the family sued JCPenney, because the boy's arm was broken. JCPenney settled this case for $150,000. That's more than a nuisance lawsuit. Sometimes people really do have valid legal claims they want to exercise, and they collected a lot of money, and they are not going to be penalized for this. This will not be admissible in court. And the other thing is, the family went to a very famous lawyer, Larry Feldman, who represented the boy 10 years ago. And, again, that's not going to be admissible in court. No lawsuit has been filed, and just because you go to a lawyer doesn't mean suddenly you're making up a charge against somebody. It doesn't mean the charge is true, but it doesn't mean it's false, either.

O'BRIEN: Harvey, I have one more question for you. But if you can hang with us for one second. I want to show the pictures we are getting in from Washington, D.C.

Laura bush receiving a Christmas tree. It is from a family-run farm in Wisconsin. They were actually given three trees. The one you see there is going in the Blue Room of the White House. There's another run that will be going in the Oval Office, and then the family farm is giving a third tree that will go for the first family's private residence. The next time we see that tree, it will be upright and most probably decorated beautifully.

So from those pictures, I don't even know how you do the first family Christmas tree to Michael Jackson, so I'm going to bring you back, Harvey.

LEVIN: That's your job.

O'BRIEN: OK, that puts me in the hot seat. We're talking civil, but what about criminally. He's been arrested, but charges haven't been filed.

LEVIN: Right, it's almost certain charges will be filed. We're told one of the things the D.A. is doing is he's reviewing the evidence in the case to determine exactly how many charges will be filed. But the D.A. has made it very clear, we've heard privately that he is resolute to file these charges, and clearly, Michael Jackson equally resolute to fight them.

O'BRIEN: Harvey Levin in L.A. Harvey, thank you for that.

LEVIN: Great seeing you, Daryn.

O'BRIEN: I appreciate it.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com