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Anderson Cooper 360 Degrees
Michael Jackson Acquitted
Aired June 13, 2005 - 23:00 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.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not guilty. Not guilty.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): Michael Jackson was acquitted of all 10 charges. As the news sank in, his staunchest supporters finally had a reason to celebrate. They cheered, hugged, released doves into the crowd.
By 5:38 p.m., Michael Jackson, looking shaken and worn, but a free man, left the courthouse, gesturing his thanks to his fans as he headed back to Neverland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, cameras were not allowed in the courtroom for the Michael Jackson trial, but reporters were, including CNN's Rusty Dornin. She joins us to describe what happened the moment the verdicts were announced.
Rusty, a remarkable day.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Incredible moments, Anderson. As you described, you have all this stress, all this tension over 60 days, all these witnesses. Michael Jackson's problems, his health problems.
And as you could see him coming into court, that very somber, haggard looking face, that's what we saw when he came into that courtroom. I was sitting directly behind Katherine and Joe Jackson, his parents, and a few of his brothers and sisters were sitting there.
She was already crying, his mother, before anything every happened. And his brother, Tito, had his arm around his mother. The jurors came in. They did not look at Jackson. Jackson was staring straight ahead, looking over at the clerk.
And before she even read the verdict, the judge had to look at them. So all you could hear for probably four minutes was him ripping the envelopes, open each envelope and pulling it out. And you could hear a pin drop in that courtroom. The tension was so intense. It's hard to describe. It's almost an electricity in the air.
And then when she began reading the non-guilty verdicts, the family in particular -- we were all told, don't show any jubilation, don't show any unhappiness -- by the judge -- or you'll be thrown out of the court room.
But the family, the relief. His mother began to cry. LaToya turned around, and Randy turned around, his brother, and put his hands on their mother. They all wanted to sort of join together there by touching each other.
Michael Jackson stared straight ahead. I was right behind him. Ramrod straight. Apparently some folks that could see a camera, that are in the listening room, said he did dab his eyes a couple of times. But he was -- whether he was shaken, shocked, stunned, whatever, he did show very, very little emotion.
At the end, he simply turned to his attorney, Robert Sanger, on the left, gave him a very weak hug, then turned to Thomas Mesereau on the right and gave him another hug. And that was it. We were taken out of the court room.
But just an incredible moment -- Anderson.
COOPER: Rusty, does he look as bad in person as he does lately in the pictures? I've just seen him coming to and from the courtroom, and that shot we just saw of him leaving today. I mean, he looks dazed, confused and gaunt.
DORNIN: Very -- that is exactly the words that I would use to describe him. And when I first came and first saw him here and watching this progression, I mean, just over the past few weeks, the color of his skin, his pallor, the gaze that he just -- he barely, lately, it seems, can wave at fans and that sort of thing. And couldn't today as he came into the courtroom. You could just see, he had this very sort of empty look on his face, which has become more common lately.
So yes, he in person looks just like you see him on the video.
COOPER: And was there a moment -- I mean, you've been covering this case from the beginning. Was there a particular moment you think things changed for the jury, changed for the prosecution and the defense?
DORNIN: Well, at least for the jurors, and unfortunately, I wasn't here for much of the beginning of the case. But you know, from what I have heard from the folks here, as well as our Ted Rowlands and the jurors today, many of the jurors saying it was the accuser's mother. When she got up on that stand, and the antics, the acting, the behavior, snapping her hands, speaking in German, just the sort of hysterical, crazy behavior. Some people described it, that that was the point the credibility just wasn't there.
And as the foreman of the jury told me tonight, he said -- you know, I said, "What about the accuser?"
And he said, "I really felt that his mother had programmed him, that he was saying things that his mother told him to say." He said, "For me, that was the most difficult part." COOPER: We're going to talk to a prosecution witness a little bit later on who testified in this trial who knows the mother very well, and we'll find out her perspective on why the mother was acting the way she was.
Rusty Dornin, thanks for your perspective this evening.
Michael Jackson, of course, owes his freedom to 12 people, the jurors. Among them, Melissa Herard, who served as juror No. 11 at the trial. She's 42 years old. She's the mother of four. She has a 4- year-old child is her youngest child. Her 20-year-old child is her oldest. She's been in the Air Force, as had her husband. She has extensive -- she's spent extensive time on the jury.
She decided Jackson was not guilty of every charge against him. I talked to her earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: What was the hardest part about coming up with the verdict you came up with? And was there one thing in particular that you had to overcome in order to -- to make the decisions you did?
MELISSA HERARD, JACKSON JUROR: It's hard to say. There is -- there is, you know -- just as a mother, I wouldn't -- you know, me personally, I wouldn't allow my children to -- to sleep with a, you know, anybody that, you know, is a lot older than them, you know?
COOPER: So that raised red flags for you. But clearly, you didn't think that was a smoking gun?
HERARD: No. No.
COOPER: Do you think, in the future, if kids are sleeping over with Michael Jackson at Neverland, if boys are sleeping in his bedroom, would you have concerns about that? Would you have fears for their safety?
HERARD: Well, you know, I can only say what I would feel for myself and, you know, and my family. But that's, you know -- actually, it's up to individual people. I mean, I'm not -- I'm not going to say...
COOPER: But do you -- you wouldn't want your kids -- you wouldn't want your kids sleeping at Neverland?
HERARD: Well, it's not that, per se. I would know where my kids were. My kids are usually with me, you know? And they're with me, and that's -- you know, I would want them to be with me.
COOPER: How much harm did the prosecution...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: How much harm did the prosecution do to their case by putting the mother of the accuser on the stand? HERARD: You know, I really don't think I can comment about that right now. Everything is just happening so fast.
COOPER: Some on the jury said that they found her testimony -- they were uncomfortable by the eye contact she kept making, the way she presented what she was saying.
HERARD: Yes, I mean, sitting right there across from her, and her, like, staring right -- it feels like she was staring right at me. And when she was testifying and stuff like that. And it did make me uncomfortable. And it did make me feel like, you know, "Why is she doing that," you know?
COOPER: Did she seem credible, or did you -- did you believe anything she said or anything that the young man said?
HERARD: I don't know if I can comment on that yet. I really haven't really, you know, processed everything. You know, everything's so fast right now. But...
COOPER: But clearly, by your "not guilty" verdict...
HERARD: Right.
COOPER: ... you don't believe molestation occurred with this young man?
HERARD: That's right. We -- we did what the court instructed us to do. And that's what we came to believe there.
COOPER: How -- how much did the fact that this was Michael Jackson play a role in your thought process in any way? I'm not saying -- I don't know how it would play a role. But I'd imagine it's a hard thing to...
HERARD: Well, I know for me, it didn't really play that much into it. After sitting there for all that time and being there with him in the room, he's human. And he's like everybody else.
COOPER: Melissa, thanks very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: A little bit later on in the program, you're going to hear from a juror who said that he thinks Michael Jackson probably has molested boys in the past but just the proof was not there for this case. That's a little bit later on 360.
When Michael Jackson's motorcade left for the courthouse today, there was no guarantee he'd be back at his ranch tonight and as a free man. He is both of those things right now.
Brooke Anderson joins us from outside Neverland. Brooke, what's the scene there?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Anderson. Well, the crowd has thinned considerably since I spoke with you a few hours ago. It swelled to close to 300 people earlier, but the reason a lot of people aren't here right now is because the security detail told everyone to leave. Some security guards approached the gate about half an hour ago and said Michael Jackson is requesting you, respectfully, to please go home.
They said Michael's not feeling well, that he's going to rest tonight, rest maybe tomorrow. He may come out tomorrow and speak to the fans, they said, may invite people into Neverland. There could be a party. But they did not have any specifics, any details, more on that.
But as we've seen throughout the trial, when Michael Jackson speaks, when anyone close to him speaks, the fans listen. As you see to my right, you can see some of the fans, walking to their car. They're leaving Neverland.
Earlier today, this street was packed, fans coming to Neverland. Over on my left, here we do have a group of fans still hanging out. They have some balloons. They're here to catch any glimpse of anyone they can see.
Earlier, Joe Jackson, Michael's dad, did make his way to the gate. He shook hands with the fans. He thanked everyone for being here.
And then, as you see, the gates still decorated, still ribbons, balloons. Some fans still out here waving flags. People still hanging out. Some people just don't want to leave. But again, considerably less, fewer people out here than there were before.
The big headlines today, not guilty on all counts. Many of the fans carrying the "Santa Maria Times" around with them. You see Michael Jackson exiting court.
But Anderson, the crowd has considerably thinned. We will keep you updated on if we hear from Michael Jackson.
COOPER: All right, Brooke. Thanks very much for that.
And next on this special edition of 360, the losing team, the prosecution, was there something, anything they could have done better? We're going to talk with one of their witnesses, as well as our own legal analyst.
Also ahead tonight, the trial is over. Michael Jackson's troubles are not. The question is, will he be able to get past his massive debt? We'll look at the bottom line, the money trail.
Plus, what about his image? What can you do? Can he come back? Not guilty in a court of law, but is he still guilty in the court of public opinion? We'll find out how it cane be done, if it can be done?
All that ahead, but first, here's a look at what you think about today's verdict.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the first things we decided, that we had to look at him just like any other individual, not just as a celebrity. And once we got that established, we could go beyond that. We were able to deal with it just as fairly as we could with anybody else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Those are some of the jurors, talking about how they came to the decision they did. They said they weren't blinded by Michael Jackson's celebrity, but they were certainly turned off by the accuser's mother. I'm joined by somebody who knows both the accuser and his mother. Louise Palanker was a prosecution witness, called in to testify about the boy and his family's plight. She joins us from Los Angeles.
Louise, good to have you on the program tonight. You met Jackson's accuser at a comedy camp for underprivileged kids. You've know the boy since he was 9 years old. Why do you believe he was molested by Michael Jackson? The jury didn't seem to.
LOUISE PALANKER, FRIEND OF ACCUSER: I just -- I choose to believe the boy. I've known him for a long time. I watched him survive a devastating illness with grace and dignity and strength of character. I believe that he's a spectacular boy and I choose to believe what he's been telling me.
COOPER: If the jury were watching that Bashir documentary, the boy's picture on the left. We're not showing his face. The jurors seemed to think he had been spoon-fed answers by his mother. They, in many cases, seemed to view her as basically a professional grifter who had, you know, lied under oath in past circumstances.
In your interactions with her, do you think she's a grifter?
PALANKER: I certainly never had that experience with her. With her former husband, it wasn't so much that he was a grifter. It was just that he was consistently asking me for money.
COOPER: And you gave him money?
PALANKER: I did give him money initially on my own volition when I found out how ill the boy was.
COOPER: You gave, what, $10,000?
PALANKER: Yes. And then he consistently continued to ask for more money.
COOPER: And did you give him more money? PALANKER: I gave $10,000 more. And I told him that's where I was going to have to draw a boundary and that he was going to have to get his life back in the balance. And he just continued to ask for money.
His wife never asked me for a penny. She would just say, "I just want your friendship and your prayers."
COOPER: But they asked for this $10,000 for -- to build a germ- free room for the boy in his home. And I understand when you actually saw the room, they'd actually just bought DVDs and TV equipment. Is that correct?
PALANKER: Well, they had fixed up the room. They never paid the contractor that I sent over there. There were all kinds of inconsistencies within this family, and I was always just kind of baffled and wondering what exactly it was that was going on.
And then when I found out that the mother was taking the father to court for spousal abuse and abuse of the children and had gained a restraining order against him, some things fell into place for me and began to make sense. She was obviously a battered, an abused woman who was just desperately seeking help from anybody in the world that might reach out a hand to her. And that she can be very confused and very scattered.
COOPER: The jury -- I've talked to a couple of the jurors. They actually found her creepy, that she was constantly making eye contact with them, that she was snapping her fingers. It offended, actually, some of them. Did that surprise you? I mean, what is she like in personal interactions?
PALANKER: She -- in personal interactions, she's not as agitated. She's -- she's calmer and she's sweeter. And -- and she's fairly easy to be around, when there's no crisis.
However, it appears that when she's in the middle of a crisis, she can come off as being almost frightening in how over the top her behavior is.
COOPER: Have you talked to either the boy or his mom since this verdict has come down?
PALANKER: No, I have no working phone number on them currently, because they've been in -- they've been in a witness relocation program. And we've exchanged cards and letters, and that's the extent of what -- how we are allowed to -- or suggested we would interact during the course of the trial.
COOPER: Well, I know your concern continues to lay with this young boy and all he's been through. And we hope you can talk -- contact with him soon.
Louise, it was good talking to you. Thanks very much.
PALANKER: Good talking to you, Anderson. COOPER: All right. You take care. Louise Palanker.
Michael Jackson should be all smiles. At this point, his defense team can congratulate themselves in a way it handled the child molestation case. To talk about strategy, what works in the courtroom and what did not, we're joined with CNN senior legal analyst, Jeffrey, in Washington. And Defense attorney, Anne Bremner, is Santa Maria, California.
Good to see both of you.
Jeff, let's start off with you, since I stated off before with Anne.
Any -- what today surprised you the most? I mean, clearly, the mother was not credible to this jury.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I guess, you know, the across the board nature of -- of the acquittal. I wasn't at all surprised that he was acquitted of the conspiracy. You know, that was just a terrible town.
You know, sometimes you think, "Well, he may be guilty but they couldn't prove it." I really believe he had no role in any conspiracy to kidnap this family. They just -- that count was preposterous from the start.
As for the molestation count, which was the heart of the case, you know, they just didn't believe this boy's testimony, period. And that, I have to say, somewhat surprised me, especially when he was largely corroborated by several other boys, or testimony about several other boys who's been -- who had allegedly been molested by Jackson in years earlier.
COOPER: Well, I want to hit on that point with Anne, because one of the jurors, who spoke to Larry King earlier, juror No. 1, said that he basically thinks that there had been molestation in the past, but couldn't necessarily prove it with this case.
Let's play this tape, what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYMOND HULTMAN, MICHAEL JACKSON JUROR: I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that, after some of the testimony that was offered, I can't believe that -- that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn. I mean, that doesn't make sense to me.
But that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case. And that's where we had to make our decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: And when you hear that, Anne, you know, wow. That's -- and that's a man who voted not guilty for Michael Jackson.
ANNE BREMNER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, it's that old saying, where there's smoke there's fire. But this jury understood reasonable doubt. And so just smoke is not enough to convict.
And there's actually a Scottish verdict, which is not proven, Anderson, as opposed to saying "innocent." And that may well be where some of these jurors, at least Juror No. 1, felt.
COOPER: Jeffrey, District Attorney Tom Sneddon made it clear he wouldn't shy away from trying Jackson again, given the chance.
They certainly have a long history...
TOOBIN: Oh, my.
COOPER: Yes. I know.
TOOBIN: Say it ain't so.
COOPER: So you know, it is legally possible if Jackson, you know, do you think of that? I mean, A, is that even possible? And what is it with these two? I mean, is there really something to this idea that, you know, he has some sort of personal vendetta against Michael Jackson?
TOOBIN: Well, I thought one preposterous thing he said at his news conference was that there was no connection between the '93 accusations and the 2003 accusations.
That can't be true. The '93 incident was part -- was part of this case. You know, it is legally possible, if Jackson gets in trouble with some other boy, that would be a separate crime. He could be charged again.
You know, the thing you just want to scream about is, you know, someone grabbing Michael Jackson by -- by the lapels and saying, "Stop doing this. Stop hanging around young boys. But people said that to him in the mid '90s, and he did it again. And maybe he'll start doing it again as well.
COOPER: I asked that question to Reverend Jackson. We're going to play that a little bit later on 360. I said that to him. And he's, you know, the spiritual adviser, whatever that exactly means.
And the question is, can Michael Jackson stop sleeping with boys? I mean, he had plenty of advisers back in '93 who said, "Look, don't do this any more." He continued to do it.
And what happens to the accuser now and his family? I mean, can they file a civil suit, or is that -- is that no way.
TOOBIN: Legally, they could, but -- but I mean, they'd have no chance of winning. If -- if he'd been convicted, they would have won automatically, because the burden of proof is harder in a criminal case than a civil case. I can't imagine...
COOPER: Well, Anne, what do you think, because -- what do you think, Anne, because O.J. Simpson was not guilty.
BREMNER: That's right.
Cooper: And then there was a civil case against him.
BREMNER: That's right. And look at what the defense argued in this case, it's about the money, the money and more money. It's about her mother, the mother and, you know, wacky Wilson, as Larry King has referred to her.
So will they go forward with the civil case? You bet they could. You know, and if they're liars, grifters and actors, then you bet they may.
And can they win? You know, after this it's going to be a real uphill battle, Anderson. But the fact remains that they have that right. It happened in the O.J. Simpson case.
And if you believe the defense in this case, if they were motivated by money, then why wouldn't they now?"
COOPER: Anne Bremner, Jeffrey Toobin, I appreciate you joining us.
TOOBIN: Not another case. Anderson, just make sure it doesn't happen, Anderson. You're responsible for...
COOPER: All right. (INAUDIBLE). Thanks both of us. Appreciate it.
And coming up next on this special edition of 360: Michael Jackson's money problems. The King of Pop will not go to jail, but will he go broke? Will he have to sell what you're looking at right there, Neverland? Where would you sell? Who would you sell Neverland to, by the way? That's another question.
Anyway, we'll look at his financial troubles that lie ahead. Also, Jackson's friend and spiritual adviser. We'll talk to the Reverend Jesse Jackson about whether or not Michael Jackson actually can stop sleeping with boys. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: That's Michael Jackson's Web site, which now compares today's acquittal to historical events, like the fall of the Berlin Wall and Nelson Mandela walking tall out of prison a free man. It's really all about perspective.
Where does Michael Jackson go from here? Innocent of all charges brought against him, found not guilty. He is weakened physically and certainly financially. The trial has cost him dearly. His lavish lifestyle is a steady drain on an income which has been hurt by declining music sales, or nonexistent sales in some cases.
CNN's Ali Velshi looks at what Michael Jackson has and what he owes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The verdict's in. He...
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER (singing): Beat it, beat it.
VELSHI: Michael Jackson's biggest problem just disappeared. His second biggest problem may be on the way out, too. That problem is cash flow. And if he's smart, Jackson will dive head first into dealing with that crisis.
BRETT PULLEY, SR. EDITOR, FORBES MAGAZINE: This guy's been cash- strapped for some time, but he's still asset rich.
VELSHI: Those assets are music catalogs. One of them contains his tunes. He calls it affectionately, my Jack. It's worth about $150 million. Another big asset, the Sony/ATV catalog, which controls more than 200,000 songs, including Beatles' and Elvis' hits. It's worth about a billion, and Jackson owns half of it. We're already over $600 million, and those songs he owns, well, every time they are played, Jackson gets paid. Recent estimates say he earns about $10 million a year from the catalogs.
But he's got debts, too, roughly $300 million in loans that are backed by those music catalogs and by his ranch. He's run up those loans with legal fees, upkeep at Neverland and his notoriously lavish lifestyle. A conviction would have meant no new sources of income, but now Jackson is free to resurrect himself and to generate new money, if he can.
PULLEY: Let's not forget, this is an immensely talented guy. So he can still release new music. Will he ever be the King of Pop again? I don't think we are going to see this guy earning $75, $80, $90 million a year.
VELSHI: Or he can go on tour, something he hasn't done in years.
ZENA BURNS, MUSIC EDITOR, TEEN PEOPLE: One of Michael Jackson's strengths throughout his entire career is that he has always been a really incredible and compelling live artist. And touring is so lucrative for so many artists, especially of his era. Look at Madonna, how many millions she made on her former tour.
PULLEY: And then there is another option that may seem like a come down for the King of Pop, and that's to do something a la Celine Dion in Las Vegas and have a show that's there, four, five, six nights a week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI: He's not making that up. A couple weeks ago, rumors started swirling, Anderson, that Michael Jackson's people were actually talking to an old associate, Vegas mogul Steve Wynn.
COOPER: And he likes Vegas. We know he spends a lot of time there.
VELSHI: He likes Vegas. Now I should say Wynn's people were very fast to issue a very strong denial, saying they're not talking to him. But stranger things have happened. And if Michael Jackson just comes back a little bit, he could be bigger...
COOPER: So if he just controlled his spending -- I mean, if he sold the ranch...
VELSHI: Yes.
COOPER: Get rid of the Neverland and just live...
VELSHI: Well, he's got the legal fees, and he's got -- the ranch has got to go, because -- unless he makes more money, because that's taking up a lot. But he's got those legal fees.
But generally speaking, yes. If he could reign it in a little bit -- maybe he can make some money. Maybe he can go on tour and show people he still has a bit of the old Michael in him.
COOPER: We'll see. Ali Velshi, thanks very much. Fascinating.
Besides the financial mess, Michael Jackson's biggest future headache may be his image problem. Extensive news coverage of his trial, its lurid bedroom details, may have left a devastating imprint on the general public, even some fans. The question is, what is Michael Jackson's next move? Can he make a comeback?
Celebrity image consultant Marvet Britto has some answers. She joins us now from Los Angeles.
Is it possible for him to make a comeback?
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY IMAGE CONSULTANT: Absolutely. I think that Michael needs to tell a story. He needs to give the public a better understanding of his lifestyle. I don't think we really fully understand Michael's life inside Neverland.
COOPER: But wasn't that part of -- isn't that how we kind of got in this mess in the first place by him giving that documentary, access to Neverland and him talking about justifying why he's sleeping with little boys?
BRITTO: Quite possibly but clearly at this point now that lifestyle has to -- has to completely change, you know. It has to change. He can't continue the life that he lived, you know, when he was a child and I think that has definitely led to all of the problems that he's faced and all of the, you know, accusations that people have placed against him.
COOPER: There's been some talk of him moving to another country, moving overseas. Do you think he needs to stay in the United States? I mean is this where the money is to be made or is for him, you know, his best days lay in Japan and Europe and elsewhere where he's still, you know, selling probably more albums than he does in the U.S.?
BRITTO: Well, Michael Jackson is a relevant part of the musical landscape, so I think he should stay. I think he should, you know, tell his story once and he should move on with his life, do you know what I mean? America is very sympathetic and I think running or moving to another country is definitely sending the wrong message.
Even though he's an international global superstar he's an American and I think he should continue to stay and live in America and, you know, we're a very sympathetic and very forgiving country. So, I think he'll get past this.
COOPER: There's not just second acts but there are third acts and fourth acts and fifth acts in the United States.
BRITTO: Absolutely. Absolutely.
COOPER: Marvet Britto, good to talk to you, thanks very much, another perspective.
BRITTO: You're welcome.
COOPER: 360 next, home sweet home the celebrations go on at Neverland Ranch. We'll take you there live with the latest.
Also later tonight, the fans, some are as eccentric as their idol and tonight they are all just relieved. Did you see the woman who released the doves? I talked to her earlier. That guy I didn't talk to but he's clearly happy.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back to this special edition of 360.
We also want to welcome our international viewers watching us from around the world. This truly is a global story today.
One member of Jackson's inner circle who is not at the Neverland Ranch tonight is the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Throughout the trial he served as the singer's spiritual adviser, praying with him for an acquittal.
Today those prayers were certainly answered. Jackson spoke with Michael Jackson earlier today and I spoke with the Reverend Jesse Jackson just a short time ago from Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Reverend Jackson, can Michael Jackson now go back to his old lifestyle? Can he ever invite young boys into his bedroom again?
REV. JESSE JACKSON, JACKSON SPIRITUAL ADVISER: I don't think he can, not and survive the appearance of impropriety. In this case, the appearance was not the fact. It was not the evidence and so he survived this one but he must never subject himself again to this circumstance or the appearance thereof.
COOPER: Do you think he can do that? I mean clearly this fills some sort of need or desire or whatever that may be. Is it your sense he can just simply stop?
JACKSON: Well, I think he can. I think he must. I think this time Michael came close enough to the valley of the shadow of death to be able to see death, to almost touch hell and he chooses to go another way. Tonight, Michael Jackson could be in a 10x10 jail cell and instead he is at home. He came just that close.
When I talked with him earlier today, he called me early this morning and I could feel the anxiety and the stress and the pressure of it all. So, Michael I think has learned some sobering lessons from this ordeal.
He always maintains his innocence. He maintained faith in this jury's capacity to be fair. He felt there was a financial conspiracy involved and that the credibility of the accusers under cross- examination exposed how weak and how vulnerable they were. So, he had the confidence but he also had -- he also had the fear. I think he will never go this way again. I certainly hope not.
COOPER: But after, I mean there were those who said that after 1993, after he paid, you know, millions and millions of dollars to a young man who was making accusations, there were those who said, well look, he obviously is going to learn his lesson and not to do this again. And yet it seemed to have really just continued, not just with this last former accuser but many other boys as well. So, you think somehow...
JACKSON: I can only hope that he will now focus on physical rehabilitation. His back has been severely injured. Those are really not fake pains. They were not fake spasms or some emotional relief and if necessary some other kind of help because clearly Michael now needs to face his life options of change because while he survived this scare, he was acquitted, he's also in many ways still suspected.
Indeed, the question that you are raising now puts him on the kind of suspect list, so he got away based upon his own declaration of innocence and what the jurors found but he must never give this appearance again.
Nothing ever -- in the settlements before they never got this close, this exposed, this ugly but I think Michael will rebound and hopefully go on with his career, which right now is really his intent and his ambition.
COOPER: I want to read you something that one of the jurors said this evening, Juror No. 1, who we should point out said not guilty ten times, so believed that Michael Jackson was not guilty of this incident. But this juror said and I quote, "I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that after some of the testimony was offered, I can't believe that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn. I mean that doesn't make sense to me. But that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case and that's where we had to make our decision."
Do you question why Michael Jackson sleeps with boys?
JACKSON: Well, I only know that it is not right and that it is improper but not illegal. He should not do it ever again and I hope and pray that Michael will gain several lessons from this ordeal because his interest now, of course, is in reviving his career, going on with his work and he cannot do that if he cannot get -- if he cannot overcome these personal challenges.
COOPER: Reverend Jackson, it's always good to talk to you. We appreciate you joining us tonight.
JACKSON: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, we've heard about what's next for Michael Jackson. What about his accuser and his family?
For that we turn to Ted Rowlands who joins us from Santa Maria -- Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, clearly for the accuser and the accuser's family this was a big day as well. If you believe the accuser and the accuser's family, then this was a day that had to be a crushing day for them on many levels.
We have not heard from them. They have not been to the courthouse since they testified. They have not made any public statements. Presumably, according to the prosecutor, they are living out their lives in Southern California.
The young man, his brother and his sister are attending school and doing extracurricular activities, including playing football. This is what Tom Sneddon has said to the jurors.
And, as far as the accuser's mother, you know, who knows what she's going through tonight and what her thoughts are. She is now living with another man and they are married. This is an individual who is in the United States Army.
When she testified she had a very short haircut and looked much different than she was back in the days that she was around Michael Jackson and the people at Neverland Ranch.
So, clearly that is a mystery how they will live their lives, whether we will see them surface now or not and I'm sure that this verdict will go a long way in any decisions they make in the future.
COOPER: The question, of course, is will they file a civil suit? They in the past have indicated that wasn't in their plans. Obviously this would throw a big monkey wrench into a plan to file one if there was.
ROWLANDS: And they do have that option. The children have the option to file a suit and they have a couple of years to mull that over. But, let's face it, this was the testing ground. If the verdict would have come back guilty, clearly it would have been an option that one would think would be too tempting not to take.
Now, it's a much different story. Not only did the jury come back with the not guilty verdicts but they have talked extensively about their feelings around the family, the accuser, the accuser's mother, saying that they just did not believe that these people were forthright and honest on the witness stand. I think they would be -- who knows what's going to happen in the future but at this point I don't think they're thinking lawsuits.
COOPER: All right, Ted Rowlands, thanks very much live from Santa Maria this hour.
Next in our special edition of 360, at the beginning of the trial we showed you Michael Jackson dancing for his fans on top of his limo. At the end of the trial the dove lady made an appearance. Where is the dove lady? There she is. We'll tell you what that is all about. We'll talk to her ahead.
Plus, the ups and downs in the public life of Michael Jackson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Do you see that guy in the red? He was actually wearing a Thriller jacket I think back in the '80s. Cheering and screaming Jackson's throngs of fans celebrating the news of his acquittal earlier this afternoon.
Thanks for joining us in this special edition of 360, as well as to our international viewers, who are watching around the world.
We profiled some of his fans but we never had a chance to talk to the one fan they call the dove lady. Today, she released a flock of white doves, ten of them for each non guilty verdict. She'd done it before in the past. Her name is Farida Garmani. She joined me earlier from Santa Maria.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: What drew you to be outside that courtroom every day? What drew you to rent homing doves and show up for Michael Jackson what about him?
FARIDA GARMANI, MICHAEL JACKSON SUPPORTER: Well, he's such a dear person to me and to lots of his fans. He's so innocent and it was so sad to see him being taken advantage and being so misunderstood.
COOPER: So is it...
GARMANI: To show how much...
COOPER: Is it just, I mean is it...
GARMANI: I'm sorry.
COOPER: ...his -- I'm sorry. Is it his music or I mean is there something that you see in him? I mean you talk about his innocence?
GARMANI: Yes, it is more than his music. It is the kind love that he has in his heart. It is his generosity, the beautiful personality that he has that he always wants to be there for people to help them and children. So, it's...
COOPER: So you see him as a victim through all of this? And in the past allegations you see him as essentially a victim under threat, pressure from the rest of the world is that it?
GARMANI: Absolutely, absolutely. Unfortunately when you have fame and money people do take advantage of you and on the top of that when you have a great, good heart, yes, that would be the number one goal for people to go after (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: And when people say -- and when people say to you, you know, why is he sleeping with children? Why is he having children in his bed, little boys in his bedroom you say what?
GARMANI: You know, we all have a child within ourselves and he really missed his childhood and in our culture Middle East, Far East this is really not abnormal. There's nothing wrong with that. He perhaps doesn't want to grow up and that is what he chooses. There is nothing wrong with that. And the way he has always shown his love to people, to children.
COOPER: Would you advise him not to sleep with little boys anymore?
GARMANI: I'm sure he doesn't need anybody's advice. I'm sure that Michael is not going to just go through this ever again. I'm sure he's just going to change his lifestyle and perhaps just stop helping people because it's causing him nothing but pain.
COOPER: Well, Farida Garmani, I know it's been a great day for you. The person that you admire so much has been vindicated, not guilty on ten counts.
GARMANI: Thank you.
COOPER: And we appreciate you joining us. Thank you very much.
GARMANI: Absolutely thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Just one of the many fans who have been out at that trial.
Next on our special edition of 360, Michael Jackson, he keeps saying he's trying to relive a childhood he never had. Coming up, we're going to look at his childhood. What happened to him? What did he not have that he is so desperately searching for now and can he return to the music that made him famous and rich in the first place?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: It takes one person to tell the truth but it takes many to concoct a lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That was Jermaine Jackson talking to Larry King earlier this evening.
Before the acquittal, before the trial, before the celebrity, Michael Jackson was a boy from Indiana with a tremendous talent that would one day take the world by storm.
Michael Jackson likes to compare himself now to Peter Pan and there are those who say his refusal to grow up is a symptom of a very troubled childhood, a childhood they insist he never had the chance to live.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): This is how Michael Jackson first burst onto the music scene, an adorable child, a precocious pop prodigy set to become a big star. He was born Michael Joe Jackson in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. His father, Joe, was a retired steelworker, who turned his sons into the original boy band the Jackson Five, with 5-year-old Michael taking the lead.
PETER CASTRO, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: He was a symbol for the consummate entertainer, you know. Not since Sammy Davis, Jr. had someone come along with such a diverse range of talents.
COOPER: He was just 11 when the group's first single "I Want you Back" made it to number one on the Billboard charts. Two more hits would quickly follow, "ABC" and "The Love you Save." It was clear from the start that Michael would outshine his singing siblings, the young boy being groomed for life as a superstar.
RANDY TARABORRELLI, MICHAEL JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: From the time that most kids were building tree houses, Michael Jackson was building an image and Michael was happy to play along with that because he understood at a very early age that image making and public relations was very important.
COOPER: But even then there were rumors that behind the happy family facade stood a secret, stories of violence, of a father driven, riding his children hard, pushing them to succeed.
TARABORRELLI: When Michael discusses these beatings today he gets very emotional. It's clear that he hasn't come to terms with any of that yet.
COOPER: Michael still made music with his brothers throughout the 1970s but managed to move ahead on his own at the same time. He released his first solo album "Got to be There" in 1972. The first solo number one hit was a romantic ballad about a rat named Ben.
Five years later, the album "Off the Wall" put Jackson solo career over the top. It sold seven million copies and produced four top ten singles. That would be nothing to compare with what was to come in 1982 and the release of "Thriller."
It was this album which sold 26 million copies and sat at number one on the charts for 37 weeks that transformed the child singing sensation into a superstar.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Michael was not a phenomenon with "Thriller." He was beyond phenomenon. I mean the record flew out of stores. It could not be stopped.
COOPER: And with his skyrocketing stardom came the trademark touches now so much a part of his persona.
JOHN NORRIS, MTV: From the iconic look to the moonwalk to the glove, the red jacket and the zippers and glasses and the white socks.
COOPER: But they were also the first signs that something wasn't right. In 1984, Jackson carried home a cartload of Grammys, seven in all. He arrived at the ceremony with two dates, Brook Shields and Emmanuel Lewis. It was also the start of his obsession with cosmetic surgery, an obsession that would change his face forever.
TOURE: Every few months you would see him and you'd go, whoa. You're looking weird dude. But I think it was about '85, '86, I was like wow, he's not going to be able to get any weirder than this. And then two years later I was like, I was wrong.
COOPER: A 1986 photo showed Michael asleep in an anti-aging chamber. In 1987, he reportedly tried to buy the bones of elephant man John Merrick. Then, of course, there was Bubbles the chimp and an odd array of disguises.
If life seemed strange, at least the music still mattered. Jackson's album "Bad" hit the shelves in 1987 and sold eight million copies. And in 1988 he bought a 2,700-acre ranch for $28 million and he called it Neverland.
NORRIS: There's a reason it's called Neverland Valley, you know, his fixation on the "I won't grow up. I'm a lost boy. I'm Peter Pan."
COOPER: With the ranch came the rumors. TARABORRELLI: Michael began to sort of surround himself with young boys and much to I remember the chagrin of people who were working for him.
COOPER: 1991 brought another album, "Dangerous," another number one single, "Black or White" and more speculation about Michael's mental state. His skin seemed to be getting lighter. Jackson said it was caused by a congenital skin condition.
CASTRO: But a lot of people think that he has bleached his skin. With Michael Jackson you never know what the truth is.
COOPER: He became more reclusive and in 1993 faced his first allegation of child molestation. Jackson denied the charges but settled the case for $20 million. Less than a year later he married rock and roll royalty, Lisa Marie Presley.
TOURE: It was quite obvious to all of us from the beginning that it was a sham that it was a publicity stunt and it was just kind of disgusting and silly.
COOPER: And it lasted just two years but Jackson would marry again later the same year. This time the bride was Debbie Rowe, nurse to his dermatologist. She gave him children of his own, Prince Michael born in 1997 and Paris Michael Katherine born in 1998. They divorced in 1999 and Jackson got full custody of their kids. But a third child from a surrogate mother put Jackson back in the headlines when he dangled the newborn from the balcony of a Berlin hotel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of like the anti-King Midas like everything he wants to do just gets screwed up.
COOPER: And the tabloid tales were starting to take a toll on the music. Michael's 2001 album "Invincible" sold a mere 2.1 million copies. His troubles quite clearly were far from over.
In 2002, he fought publicly with Sony Chairman Tommy Mottola, calling him a racist. A 2003 "Vanity Fair" article said he was financially strapped and stated that he bought the silence of other potential molestation victims.
In January, 2004, Michael Jackson stood before a judge and pleaded not guilty to child molestation charges and even his friends can only guess at what brought the self-proclaimed King of Pop to this moment.
URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: No one knows Michael Jackson really but Michael Jackson himself. I once asked Michael here in this house. I looked into his eyes and I said to him, "Michael, are you lonely?" And he looked up at me. It was like a ten second stare and then he said "Uri Geller, I'm a very lonely man," and I think that said it all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So sad when you see those great pictures of him as a little boy.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: CNN's extensive coverage of the Michael Jackson verdict continues tomorrow, on "AMERICAN MORNING" Juror No. 1, Raymond Hultman.
And at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on "LARRY KING LIVE" Jackson's lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau. That should be a fascinating interview.
Of course tune in tomorrow, 7:00 Eastern time for 360. I'm Anderson Cooper. To our friends around the world, thanks for watching us. Good night.
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 June 13, 2005 - 23:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Not guilty. Not guilty.
ANDERSON COOPER, HOST (voice-over): Michael Jackson was acquitted of all 10 charges. As the news sank in, his staunchest supporters finally had a reason to celebrate. They cheered, hugged, released doves into the crowd.
By 5:38 p.m., Michael Jackson, looking shaken and worn, but a free man, left the courthouse, gesturing his thanks to his fans as he headed back to Neverland.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, cameras were not allowed in the courtroom for the Michael Jackson trial, but reporters were, including CNN's Rusty Dornin. She joins us to describe what happened the moment the verdicts were announced.
Rusty, a remarkable day.
RUSTY DORNIN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Incredible moments, Anderson. As you described, you have all this stress, all this tension over 60 days, all these witnesses. Michael Jackson's problems, his health problems.
And as you could see him coming into court, that very somber, haggard looking face, that's what we saw when he came into that courtroom. I was sitting directly behind Katherine and Joe Jackson, his parents, and a few of his brothers and sisters were sitting there.
She was already crying, his mother, before anything every happened. And his brother, Tito, had his arm around his mother. The jurors came in. They did not look at Jackson. Jackson was staring straight ahead, looking over at the clerk.
And before she even read the verdict, the judge had to look at them. So all you could hear for probably four minutes was him ripping the envelopes, open each envelope and pulling it out. And you could hear a pin drop in that courtroom. The tension was so intense. It's hard to describe. It's almost an electricity in the air.
And then when she began reading the non-guilty verdicts, the family in particular -- we were all told, don't show any jubilation, don't show any unhappiness -- by the judge -- or you'll be thrown out of the court room.
But the family, the relief. His mother began to cry. LaToya turned around, and Randy turned around, his brother, and put his hands on their mother. They all wanted to sort of join together there by touching each other.
Michael Jackson stared straight ahead. I was right behind him. Ramrod straight. Apparently some folks that could see a camera, that are in the listening room, said he did dab his eyes a couple of times. But he was -- whether he was shaken, shocked, stunned, whatever, he did show very, very little emotion.
At the end, he simply turned to his attorney, Robert Sanger, on the left, gave him a very weak hug, then turned to Thomas Mesereau on the right and gave him another hug. And that was it. We were taken out of the court room.
But just an incredible moment -- Anderson.
COOPER: Rusty, does he look as bad in person as he does lately in the pictures? I've just seen him coming to and from the courtroom, and that shot we just saw of him leaving today. I mean, he looks dazed, confused and gaunt.
DORNIN: Very -- that is exactly the words that I would use to describe him. And when I first came and first saw him here and watching this progression, I mean, just over the past few weeks, the color of his skin, his pallor, the gaze that he just -- he barely, lately, it seems, can wave at fans and that sort of thing. And couldn't today as he came into the courtroom. You could just see, he had this very sort of empty look on his face, which has become more common lately.
So yes, he in person looks just like you see him on the video.
COOPER: And was there a moment -- I mean, you've been covering this case from the beginning. Was there a particular moment you think things changed for the jury, changed for the prosecution and the defense?
DORNIN: Well, at least for the jurors, and unfortunately, I wasn't here for much of the beginning of the case. But you know, from what I have heard from the folks here, as well as our Ted Rowlands and the jurors today, many of the jurors saying it was the accuser's mother. When she got up on that stand, and the antics, the acting, the behavior, snapping her hands, speaking in German, just the sort of hysterical, crazy behavior. Some people described it, that that was the point the credibility just wasn't there.
And as the foreman of the jury told me tonight, he said -- you know, I said, "What about the accuser?"
And he said, "I really felt that his mother had programmed him, that he was saying things that his mother told him to say." He said, "For me, that was the most difficult part." COOPER: We're going to talk to a prosecution witness a little bit later on who testified in this trial who knows the mother very well, and we'll find out her perspective on why the mother was acting the way she was.
Rusty Dornin, thanks for your perspective this evening.
Michael Jackson, of course, owes his freedom to 12 people, the jurors. Among them, Melissa Herard, who served as juror No. 11 at the trial. She's 42 years old. She's the mother of four. She has a 4- year-old child is her youngest child. Her 20-year-old child is her oldest. She's been in the Air Force, as had her husband. She has extensive -- she's spent extensive time on the jury.
She decided Jackson was not guilty of every charge against him. I talked to her earlier.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: What was the hardest part about coming up with the verdict you came up with? And was there one thing in particular that you had to overcome in order to -- to make the decisions you did?
MELISSA HERARD, JACKSON JUROR: It's hard to say. There is -- there is, you know -- just as a mother, I wouldn't -- you know, me personally, I wouldn't allow my children to -- to sleep with a, you know, anybody that, you know, is a lot older than them, you know?
COOPER: So that raised red flags for you. But clearly, you didn't think that was a smoking gun?
HERARD: No. No.
COOPER: Do you think, in the future, if kids are sleeping over with Michael Jackson at Neverland, if boys are sleeping in his bedroom, would you have concerns about that? Would you have fears for their safety?
HERARD: Well, you know, I can only say what I would feel for myself and, you know, and my family. But that's, you know -- actually, it's up to individual people. I mean, I'm not -- I'm not going to say...
COOPER: But do you -- you wouldn't want your kids -- you wouldn't want your kids sleeping at Neverland?
HERARD: Well, it's not that, per se. I would know where my kids were. My kids are usually with me, you know? And they're with me, and that's -- you know, I would want them to be with me.
COOPER: How much harm did the prosecution...
(CROSSTALK)
COOPER: How much harm did the prosecution do to their case by putting the mother of the accuser on the stand? HERARD: You know, I really don't think I can comment about that right now. Everything is just happening so fast.
COOPER: Some on the jury said that they found her testimony -- they were uncomfortable by the eye contact she kept making, the way she presented what she was saying.
HERARD: Yes, I mean, sitting right there across from her, and her, like, staring right -- it feels like she was staring right at me. And when she was testifying and stuff like that. And it did make me uncomfortable. And it did make me feel like, you know, "Why is she doing that," you know?
COOPER: Did she seem credible, or did you -- did you believe anything she said or anything that the young man said?
HERARD: I don't know if I can comment on that yet. I really haven't really, you know, processed everything. You know, everything's so fast right now. But...
COOPER: But clearly, by your "not guilty" verdict...
HERARD: Right.
COOPER: ... you don't believe molestation occurred with this young man?
HERARD: That's right. We -- we did what the court instructed us to do. And that's what we came to believe there.
COOPER: How -- how much did the fact that this was Michael Jackson play a role in your thought process in any way? I'm not saying -- I don't know how it would play a role. But I'd imagine it's a hard thing to...
HERARD: Well, I know for me, it didn't really play that much into it. After sitting there for all that time and being there with him in the room, he's human. And he's like everybody else.
COOPER: Melissa, thanks very much.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: A little bit later on in the program, you're going to hear from a juror who said that he thinks Michael Jackson probably has molested boys in the past but just the proof was not there for this case. That's a little bit later on 360.
When Michael Jackson's motorcade left for the courthouse today, there was no guarantee he'd be back at his ranch tonight and as a free man. He is both of those things right now.
Brooke Anderson joins us from outside Neverland. Brooke, what's the scene there?
BROOKE ANDERSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, there, Anderson. Well, the crowd has thinned considerably since I spoke with you a few hours ago. It swelled to close to 300 people earlier, but the reason a lot of people aren't here right now is because the security detail told everyone to leave. Some security guards approached the gate about half an hour ago and said Michael Jackson is requesting you, respectfully, to please go home.
They said Michael's not feeling well, that he's going to rest tonight, rest maybe tomorrow. He may come out tomorrow and speak to the fans, they said, may invite people into Neverland. There could be a party. But they did not have any specifics, any details, more on that.
But as we've seen throughout the trial, when Michael Jackson speaks, when anyone close to him speaks, the fans listen. As you see to my right, you can see some of the fans, walking to their car. They're leaving Neverland.
Earlier today, this street was packed, fans coming to Neverland. Over on my left, here we do have a group of fans still hanging out. They have some balloons. They're here to catch any glimpse of anyone they can see.
Earlier, Joe Jackson, Michael's dad, did make his way to the gate. He shook hands with the fans. He thanked everyone for being here.
And then, as you see, the gates still decorated, still ribbons, balloons. Some fans still out here waving flags. People still hanging out. Some people just don't want to leave. But again, considerably less, fewer people out here than there were before.
The big headlines today, not guilty on all counts. Many of the fans carrying the "Santa Maria Times" around with them. You see Michael Jackson exiting court.
But Anderson, the crowd has considerably thinned. We will keep you updated on if we hear from Michael Jackson.
COOPER: All right, Brooke. Thanks very much for that.
And next on this special edition of 360, the losing team, the prosecution, was there something, anything they could have done better? We're going to talk with one of their witnesses, as well as our own legal analyst.
Also ahead tonight, the trial is over. Michael Jackson's troubles are not. The question is, will he be able to get past his massive debt? We'll look at the bottom line, the money trail.
Plus, what about his image? What can you do? Can he come back? Not guilty in a court of law, but is he still guilty in the court of public opinion? We'll find out how it cane be done, if it can be done?
All that ahead, but first, here's a look at what you think about today's verdict.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: One of the first things we decided, that we had to look at him just like any other individual, not just as a celebrity. And once we got that established, we could go beyond that. We were able to deal with it just as fairly as we could with anybody else.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: Those are some of the jurors, talking about how they came to the decision they did. They said they weren't blinded by Michael Jackson's celebrity, but they were certainly turned off by the accuser's mother. I'm joined by somebody who knows both the accuser and his mother. Louise Palanker was a prosecution witness, called in to testify about the boy and his family's plight. She joins us from Los Angeles.
Louise, good to have you on the program tonight. You met Jackson's accuser at a comedy camp for underprivileged kids. You've know the boy since he was 9 years old. Why do you believe he was molested by Michael Jackson? The jury didn't seem to.
LOUISE PALANKER, FRIEND OF ACCUSER: I just -- I choose to believe the boy. I've known him for a long time. I watched him survive a devastating illness with grace and dignity and strength of character. I believe that he's a spectacular boy and I choose to believe what he's been telling me.
COOPER: If the jury were watching that Bashir documentary, the boy's picture on the left. We're not showing his face. The jurors seemed to think he had been spoon-fed answers by his mother. They, in many cases, seemed to view her as basically a professional grifter who had, you know, lied under oath in past circumstances.
In your interactions with her, do you think she's a grifter?
PALANKER: I certainly never had that experience with her. With her former husband, it wasn't so much that he was a grifter. It was just that he was consistently asking me for money.
COOPER: And you gave him money?
PALANKER: I did give him money initially on my own volition when I found out how ill the boy was.
COOPER: You gave, what, $10,000?
PALANKER: Yes. And then he consistently continued to ask for more money.
COOPER: And did you give him more money? PALANKER: I gave $10,000 more. And I told him that's where I was going to have to draw a boundary and that he was going to have to get his life back in the balance. And he just continued to ask for money.
His wife never asked me for a penny. She would just say, "I just want your friendship and your prayers."
COOPER: But they asked for this $10,000 for -- to build a germ- free room for the boy in his home. And I understand when you actually saw the room, they'd actually just bought DVDs and TV equipment. Is that correct?
PALANKER: Well, they had fixed up the room. They never paid the contractor that I sent over there. There were all kinds of inconsistencies within this family, and I was always just kind of baffled and wondering what exactly it was that was going on.
And then when I found out that the mother was taking the father to court for spousal abuse and abuse of the children and had gained a restraining order against him, some things fell into place for me and began to make sense. She was obviously a battered, an abused woman who was just desperately seeking help from anybody in the world that might reach out a hand to her. And that she can be very confused and very scattered.
COOPER: The jury -- I've talked to a couple of the jurors. They actually found her creepy, that she was constantly making eye contact with them, that she was snapping her fingers. It offended, actually, some of them. Did that surprise you? I mean, what is she like in personal interactions?
PALANKER: She -- in personal interactions, she's not as agitated. She's -- she's calmer and she's sweeter. And -- and she's fairly easy to be around, when there's no crisis.
However, it appears that when she's in the middle of a crisis, she can come off as being almost frightening in how over the top her behavior is.
COOPER: Have you talked to either the boy or his mom since this verdict has come down?
PALANKER: No, I have no working phone number on them currently, because they've been in -- they've been in a witness relocation program. And we've exchanged cards and letters, and that's the extent of what -- how we are allowed to -- or suggested we would interact during the course of the trial.
COOPER: Well, I know your concern continues to lay with this young boy and all he's been through. And we hope you can talk -- contact with him soon.
Louise, it was good talking to you. Thanks very much.
PALANKER: Good talking to you, Anderson. COOPER: All right. You take care. Louise Palanker.
Michael Jackson should be all smiles. At this point, his defense team can congratulate themselves in a way it handled the child molestation case. To talk about strategy, what works in the courtroom and what did not, we're joined with CNN senior legal analyst, Jeffrey, in Washington. And Defense attorney, Anne Bremner, is Santa Maria, California.
Good to see both of you.
Jeff, let's start off with you, since I stated off before with Anne.
Any -- what today surprised you the most? I mean, clearly, the mother was not credible to this jury.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: I guess, you know, the across the board nature of -- of the acquittal. I wasn't at all surprised that he was acquitted of the conspiracy. You know, that was just a terrible town.
You know, sometimes you think, "Well, he may be guilty but they couldn't prove it." I really believe he had no role in any conspiracy to kidnap this family. They just -- that count was preposterous from the start.
As for the molestation count, which was the heart of the case, you know, they just didn't believe this boy's testimony, period. And that, I have to say, somewhat surprised me, especially when he was largely corroborated by several other boys, or testimony about several other boys who's been -- who had allegedly been molested by Jackson in years earlier.
COOPER: Well, I want to hit on that point with Anne, because one of the jurors, who spoke to Larry King earlier, juror No. 1, said that he basically thinks that there had been molestation in the past, but couldn't necessarily prove it with this case.
Let's play this tape, what he said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
RAYMOND HULTMAN, MICHAEL JACKSON JUROR: I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that, after some of the testimony that was offered, I can't believe that -- that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn. I mean, that doesn't make sense to me.
But that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case. And that's where we had to make our decision.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: And when you hear that, Anne, you know, wow. That's -- and that's a man who voted not guilty for Michael Jackson.
ANNE BREMNER, DEFENSE ATTORNEY: You know, it's that old saying, where there's smoke there's fire. But this jury understood reasonable doubt. And so just smoke is not enough to convict.
And there's actually a Scottish verdict, which is not proven, Anderson, as opposed to saying "innocent." And that may well be where some of these jurors, at least Juror No. 1, felt.
COOPER: Jeffrey, District Attorney Tom Sneddon made it clear he wouldn't shy away from trying Jackson again, given the chance.
They certainly have a long history...
TOOBIN: Oh, my.
COOPER: Yes. I know.
TOOBIN: Say it ain't so.
COOPER: So you know, it is legally possible if Jackson, you know, do you think of that? I mean, A, is that even possible? And what is it with these two? I mean, is there really something to this idea that, you know, he has some sort of personal vendetta against Michael Jackson?
TOOBIN: Well, I thought one preposterous thing he said at his news conference was that there was no connection between the '93 accusations and the 2003 accusations.
That can't be true. The '93 incident was part -- was part of this case. You know, it is legally possible, if Jackson gets in trouble with some other boy, that would be a separate crime. He could be charged again.
You know, the thing you just want to scream about is, you know, someone grabbing Michael Jackson by -- by the lapels and saying, "Stop doing this. Stop hanging around young boys. But people said that to him in the mid '90s, and he did it again. And maybe he'll start doing it again as well.
COOPER: I asked that question to Reverend Jackson. We're going to play that a little bit later on 360. I said that to him. And he's, you know, the spiritual adviser, whatever that exactly means.
And the question is, can Michael Jackson stop sleeping with boys? I mean, he had plenty of advisers back in '93 who said, "Look, don't do this any more." He continued to do it.
And what happens to the accuser now and his family? I mean, can they file a civil suit, or is that -- is that no way.
TOOBIN: Legally, they could, but -- but I mean, they'd have no chance of winning. If -- if he'd been convicted, they would have won automatically, because the burden of proof is harder in a criminal case than a civil case. I can't imagine...
COOPER: Well, Anne, what do you think, because -- what do you think, Anne, because O.J. Simpson was not guilty.
BREMNER: That's right.
Cooper: And then there was a civil case against him.
BREMNER: That's right. And look at what the defense argued in this case, it's about the money, the money and more money. It's about her mother, the mother and, you know, wacky Wilson, as Larry King has referred to her.
So will they go forward with the civil case? You bet they could. You know, and if they're liars, grifters and actors, then you bet they may.
And can they win? You know, after this it's going to be a real uphill battle, Anderson. But the fact remains that they have that right. It happened in the O.J. Simpson case.
And if you believe the defense in this case, if they were motivated by money, then why wouldn't they now?"
COOPER: Anne Bremner, Jeffrey Toobin, I appreciate you joining us.
TOOBIN: Not another case. Anderson, just make sure it doesn't happen, Anderson. You're responsible for...
COOPER: All right. (INAUDIBLE). Thanks both of us. Appreciate it.
And coming up next on this special edition of 360: Michael Jackson's money problems. The King of Pop will not go to jail, but will he go broke? Will he have to sell what you're looking at right there, Neverland? Where would you sell? Who would you sell Neverland to, by the way? That's another question.
Anyway, we'll look at his financial troubles that lie ahead. Also, Jackson's friend and spiritual adviser. We'll talk to the Reverend Jesse Jackson about whether or not Michael Jackson actually can stop sleeping with boys. We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: That's Michael Jackson's Web site, which now compares today's acquittal to historical events, like the fall of the Berlin Wall and Nelson Mandela walking tall out of prison a free man. It's really all about perspective.
Where does Michael Jackson go from here? Innocent of all charges brought against him, found not guilty. He is weakened physically and certainly financially. The trial has cost him dearly. His lavish lifestyle is a steady drain on an income which has been hurt by declining music sales, or nonexistent sales in some cases.
CNN's Ali Velshi looks at what Michael Jackson has and what he owes.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The verdict's in. He...
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER (singing): Beat it, beat it.
VELSHI: Michael Jackson's biggest problem just disappeared. His second biggest problem may be on the way out, too. That problem is cash flow. And if he's smart, Jackson will dive head first into dealing with that crisis.
BRETT PULLEY, SR. EDITOR, FORBES MAGAZINE: This guy's been cash- strapped for some time, but he's still asset rich.
VELSHI: Those assets are music catalogs. One of them contains his tunes. He calls it affectionately, my Jack. It's worth about $150 million. Another big asset, the Sony/ATV catalog, which controls more than 200,000 songs, including Beatles' and Elvis' hits. It's worth about a billion, and Jackson owns half of it. We're already over $600 million, and those songs he owns, well, every time they are played, Jackson gets paid. Recent estimates say he earns about $10 million a year from the catalogs.
But he's got debts, too, roughly $300 million in loans that are backed by those music catalogs and by his ranch. He's run up those loans with legal fees, upkeep at Neverland and his notoriously lavish lifestyle. A conviction would have meant no new sources of income, but now Jackson is free to resurrect himself and to generate new money, if he can.
PULLEY: Let's not forget, this is an immensely talented guy. So he can still release new music. Will he ever be the King of Pop again? I don't think we are going to see this guy earning $75, $80, $90 million a year.
VELSHI: Or he can go on tour, something he hasn't done in years.
ZENA BURNS, MUSIC EDITOR, TEEN PEOPLE: One of Michael Jackson's strengths throughout his entire career is that he has always been a really incredible and compelling live artist. And touring is so lucrative for so many artists, especially of his era. Look at Madonna, how many millions she made on her former tour.
PULLEY: And then there is another option that may seem like a come down for the King of Pop, and that's to do something a la Celine Dion in Las Vegas and have a show that's there, four, five, six nights a week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
VELSHI: He's not making that up. A couple weeks ago, rumors started swirling, Anderson, that Michael Jackson's people were actually talking to an old associate, Vegas mogul Steve Wynn.
COOPER: And he likes Vegas. We know he spends a lot of time there.
VELSHI: He likes Vegas. Now I should say Wynn's people were very fast to issue a very strong denial, saying they're not talking to him. But stranger things have happened. And if Michael Jackson just comes back a little bit, he could be bigger...
COOPER: So if he just controlled his spending -- I mean, if he sold the ranch...
VELSHI: Yes.
COOPER: Get rid of the Neverland and just live...
VELSHI: Well, he's got the legal fees, and he's got -- the ranch has got to go, because -- unless he makes more money, because that's taking up a lot. But he's got those legal fees.
But generally speaking, yes. If he could reign it in a little bit -- maybe he can make some money. Maybe he can go on tour and show people he still has a bit of the old Michael in him.
COOPER: We'll see. Ali Velshi, thanks very much. Fascinating.
Besides the financial mess, Michael Jackson's biggest future headache may be his image problem. Extensive news coverage of his trial, its lurid bedroom details, may have left a devastating imprint on the general public, even some fans. The question is, what is Michael Jackson's next move? Can he make a comeback?
Celebrity image consultant Marvet Britto has some answers. She joins us now from Los Angeles.
Is it possible for him to make a comeback?
MARVET BRITTO, CELEBRITY IMAGE CONSULTANT: Absolutely. I think that Michael needs to tell a story. He needs to give the public a better understanding of his lifestyle. I don't think we really fully understand Michael's life inside Neverland.
COOPER: But wasn't that part of -- isn't that how we kind of got in this mess in the first place by him giving that documentary, access to Neverland and him talking about justifying why he's sleeping with little boys?
BRITTO: Quite possibly but clearly at this point now that lifestyle has to -- has to completely change, you know. It has to change. He can't continue the life that he lived, you know, when he was a child and I think that has definitely led to all of the problems that he's faced and all of the, you know, accusations that people have placed against him.
COOPER: There's been some talk of him moving to another country, moving overseas. Do you think he needs to stay in the United States? I mean is this where the money is to be made or is for him, you know, his best days lay in Japan and Europe and elsewhere where he's still, you know, selling probably more albums than he does in the U.S.?
BRITTO: Well, Michael Jackson is a relevant part of the musical landscape, so I think he should stay. I think he should, you know, tell his story once and he should move on with his life, do you know what I mean? America is very sympathetic and I think running or moving to another country is definitely sending the wrong message.
Even though he's an international global superstar he's an American and I think he should continue to stay and live in America and, you know, we're a very sympathetic and very forgiving country. So, I think he'll get past this.
COOPER: There's not just second acts but there are third acts and fourth acts and fifth acts in the United States.
BRITTO: Absolutely. Absolutely.
COOPER: Marvet Britto, good to talk to you, thanks very much, another perspective.
BRITTO: You're welcome.
COOPER: 360 next, home sweet home the celebrations go on at Neverland Ranch. We'll take you there live with the latest.
Also later tonight, the fans, some are as eccentric as their idol and tonight they are all just relieved. Did you see the woman who released the doves? I talked to her earlier. That guy I didn't talk to but he's clearly happy.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Welcome back to this special edition of 360.
We also want to welcome our international viewers watching us from around the world. This truly is a global story today.
One member of Jackson's inner circle who is not at the Neverland Ranch tonight is the Reverend Jesse Jackson. Throughout the trial he served as the singer's spiritual adviser, praying with him for an acquittal.
Today those prayers were certainly answered. Jackson spoke with Michael Jackson earlier today and I spoke with the Reverend Jesse Jackson just a short time ago from Chicago.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Reverend Jackson, can Michael Jackson now go back to his old lifestyle? Can he ever invite young boys into his bedroom again?
REV. JESSE JACKSON, JACKSON SPIRITUAL ADVISER: I don't think he can, not and survive the appearance of impropriety. In this case, the appearance was not the fact. It was not the evidence and so he survived this one but he must never subject himself again to this circumstance or the appearance thereof.
COOPER: Do you think he can do that? I mean clearly this fills some sort of need or desire or whatever that may be. Is it your sense he can just simply stop?
JACKSON: Well, I think he can. I think he must. I think this time Michael came close enough to the valley of the shadow of death to be able to see death, to almost touch hell and he chooses to go another way. Tonight, Michael Jackson could be in a 10x10 jail cell and instead he is at home. He came just that close.
When I talked with him earlier today, he called me early this morning and I could feel the anxiety and the stress and the pressure of it all. So, Michael I think has learned some sobering lessons from this ordeal.
He always maintains his innocence. He maintained faith in this jury's capacity to be fair. He felt there was a financial conspiracy involved and that the credibility of the accusers under cross- examination exposed how weak and how vulnerable they were. So, he had the confidence but he also had -- he also had the fear. I think he will never go this way again. I certainly hope not.
COOPER: But after, I mean there were those who said that after 1993, after he paid, you know, millions and millions of dollars to a young man who was making accusations, there were those who said, well look, he obviously is going to learn his lesson and not to do this again. And yet it seemed to have really just continued, not just with this last former accuser but many other boys as well. So, you think somehow...
JACKSON: I can only hope that he will now focus on physical rehabilitation. His back has been severely injured. Those are really not fake pains. They were not fake spasms or some emotional relief and if necessary some other kind of help because clearly Michael now needs to face his life options of change because while he survived this scare, he was acquitted, he's also in many ways still suspected.
Indeed, the question that you are raising now puts him on the kind of suspect list, so he got away based upon his own declaration of innocence and what the jurors found but he must never give this appearance again.
Nothing ever -- in the settlements before they never got this close, this exposed, this ugly but I think Michael will rebound and hopefully go on with his career, which right now is really his intent and his ambition.
COOPER: I want to read you something that one of the jurors said this evening, Juror No. 1, who we should point out said not guilty ten times, so believed that Michael Jackson was not guilty of this incident. But this juror said and I quote, "I feel that Michael Jackson probably has molested boys. I cannot believe that after some of the testimony was offered, I can't believe that this man could sleep in the same bedroom for 365 straight days and not do something more than just watch television and eat popcorn. I mean that doesn't make sense to me. But that doesn't make him guilty of the charges that were presented in this case and that's where we had to make our decision."
Do you question why Michael Jackson sleeps with boys?
JACKSON: Well, I only know that it is not right and that it is improper but not illegal. He should not do it ever again and I hope and pray that Michael will gain several lessons from this ordeal because his interest now, of course, is in reviving his career, going on with his work and he cannot do that if he cannot get -- if he cannot overcome these personal challenges.
COOPER: Reverend Jackson, it's always good to talk to you. We appreciate you joining us tonight.
JACKSON: Thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: Well, we've heard about what's next for Michael Jackson. What about his accuser and his family?
For that we turn to Ted Rowlands who joins us from Santa Maria -- Ted.
TED ROWLANDS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Anderson, clearly for the accuser and the accuser's family this was a big day as well. If you believe the accuser and the accuser's family, then this was a day that had to be a crushing day for them on many levels.
We have not heard from them. They have not been to the courthouse since they testified. They have not made any public statements. Presumably, according to the prosecutor, they are living out their lives in Southern California.
The young man, his brother and his sister are attending school and doing extracurricular activities, including playing football. This is what Tom Sneddon has said to the jurors.
And, as far as the accuser's mother, you know, who knows what she's going through tonight and what her thoughts are. She is now living with another man and they are married. This is an individual who is in the United States Army.
When she testified she had a very short haircut and looked much different than she was back in the days that she was around Michael Jackson and the people at Neverland Ranch.
So, clearly that is a mystery how they will live their lives, whether we will see them surface now or not and I'm sure that this verdict will go a long way in any decisions they make in the future.
COOPER: The question, of course, is will they file a civil suit? They in the past have indicated that wasn't in their plans. Obviously this would throw a big monkey wrench into a plan to file one if there was.
ROWLANDS: And they do have that option. The children have the option to file a suit and they have a couple of years to mull that over. But, let's face it, this was the testing ground. If the verdict would have come back guilty, clearly it would have been an option that one would think would be too tempting not to take.
Now, it's a much different story. Not only did the jury come back with the not guilty verdicts but they have talked extensively about their feelings around the family, the accuser, the accuser's mother, saying that they just did not believe that these people were forthright and honest on the witness stand. I think they would be -- who knows what's going to happen in the future but at this point I don't think they're thinking lawsuits.
COOPER: All right, Ted Rowlands, thanks very much live from Santa Maria this hour.
Next in our special edition of 360, at the beginning of the trial we showed you Michael Jackson dancing for his fans on top of his limo. At the end of the trial the dove lady made an appearance. Where is the dove lady? There she is. We'll tell you what that is all about. We'll talk to her ahead.
Plus, the ups and downs in the public life of Michael Jackson.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: Do you see that guy in the red? He was actually wearing a Thriller jacket I think back in the '80s. Cheering and screaming Jackson's throngs of fans celebrating the news of his acquittal earlier this afternoon.
Thanks for joining us in this special edition of 360, as well as to our international viewers, who are watching around the world.
We profiled some of his fans but we never had a chance to talk to the one fan they call the dove lady. Today, she released a flock of white doves, ten of them for each non guilty verdict. She'd done it before in the past. Her name is Farida Garmani. She joined me earlier from Santa Maria.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: What drew you to be outside that courtroom every day? What drew you to rent homing doves and show up for Michael Jackson what about him?
FARIDA GARMANI, MICHAEL JACKSON SUPPORTER: Well, he's such a dear person to me and to lots of his fans. He's so innocent and it was so sad to see him being taken advantage and being so misunderstood.
COOPER: So is it...
GARMANI: To show how much...
COOPER: Is it just, I mean is it...
GARMANI: I'm sorry.
COOPER: ...his -- I'm sorry. Is it his music or I mean is there something that you see in him? I mean you talk about his innocence?
GARMANI: Yes, it is more than his music. It is the kind love that he has in his heart. It is his generosity, the beautiful personality that he has that he always wants to be there for people to help them and children. So, it's...
COOPER: So you see him as a victim through all of this? And in the past allegations you see him as essentially a victim under threat, pressure from the rest of the world is that it?
GARMANI: Absolutely, absolutely. Unfortunately when you have fame and money people do take advantage of you and on the top of that when you have a great, good heart, yes, that would be the number one goal for people to go after (INAUDIBLE).
COOPER: And when people say -- and when people say to you, you know, why is he sleeping with children? Why is he having children in his bed, little boys in his bedroom you say what?
GARMANI: You know, we all have a child within ourselves and he really missed his childhood and in our culture Middle East, Far East this is really not abnormal. There's nothing wrong with that. He perhaps doesn't want to grow up and that is what he chooses. There is nothing wrong with that. And the way he has always shown his love to people, to children.
COOPER: Would you advise him not to sleep with little boys anymore?
GARMANI: I'm sure he doesn't need anybody's advice. I'm sure that Michael is not going to just go through this ever again. I'm sure he's just going to change his lifestyle and perhaps just stop helping people because it's causing him nothing but pain.
COOPER: Well, Farida Garmani, I know it's been a great day for you. The person that you admire so much has been vindicated, not guilty on ten counts.
GARMANI: Thank you.
COOPER: And we appreciate you joining us. Thank you very much.
GARMANI: Absolutely thank you.
(END VIDEOTAPE) COOPER: Just one of the many fans who have been out at that trial.
Next on our special edition of 360, Michael Jackson, he keeps saying he's trying to relive a childhood he never had. Coming up, we're going to look at his childhood. What happened to him? What did he not have that he is so desperately searching for now and can he return to the music that made him famous and rich in the first place?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: It takes one person to tell the truth but it takes many to concoct a lie.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
COOPER: That was Jermaine Jackson talking to Larry King earlier this evening.
Before the acquittal, before the trial, before the celebrity, Michael Jackson was a boy from Indiana with a tremendous talent that would one day take the world by storm.
Michael Jackson likes to compare himself now to Peter Pan and there are those who say his refusal to grow up is a symptom of a very troubled childhood, a childhood they insist he never had the chance to live.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER (voice-over): This is how Michael Jackson first burst onto the music scene, an adorable child, a precocious pop prodigy set to become a big star. He was born Michael Joe Jackson in 1958 in Gary, Indiana, the seventh of nine children. His father, Joe, was a retired steelworker, who turned his sons into the original boy band the Jackson Five, with 5-year-old Michael taking the lead.
PETER CASTRO, PEOPLE MAGAZINE: He was a symbol for the consummate entertainer, you know. Not since Sammy Davis, Jr. had someone come along with such a diverse range of talents.
COOPER: He was just 11 when the group's first single "I Want you Back" made it to number one on the Billboard charts. Two more hits would quickly follow, "ABC" and "The Love you Save." It was clear from the start that Michael would outshine his singing siblings, the young boy being groomed for life as a superstar.
RANDY TARABORRELLI, MICHAEL JACKSON BIOGRAPHER: From the time that most kids were building tree houses, Michael Jackson was building an image and Michael was happy to play along with that because he understood at a very early age that image making and public relations was very important.
COOPER: But even then there were rumors that behind the happy family facade stood a secret, stories of violence, of a father driven, riding his children hard, pushing them to succeed.
TARABORRELLI: When Michael discusses these beatings today he gets very emotional. It's clear that he hasn't come to terms with any of that yet.
COOPER: Michael still made music with his brothers throughout the 1970s but managed to move ahead on his own at the same time. He released his first solo album "Got to be There" in 1972. The first solo number one hit was a romantic ballad about a rat named Ben.
Five years later, the album "Off the Wall" put Jackson solo career over the top. It sold seven million copies and produced four top ten singles. That would be nothing to compare with what was to come in 1982 and the release of "Thriller."
It was this album which sold 26 million copies and sat at number one on the charts for 37 weeks that transformed the child singing sensation into a superstar.
TOURE, CNN POP CULTURE CORRESPONDENT: Michael was not a phenomenon with "Thriller." He was beyond phenomenon. I mean the record flew out of stores. It could not be stopped.
COOPER: And with his skyrocketing stardom came the trademark touches now so much a part of his persona.
JOHN NORRIS, MTV: From the iconic look to the moonwalk to the glove, the red jacket and the zippers and glasses and the white socks.
COOPER: But they were also the first signs that something wasn't right. In 1984, Jackson carried home a cartload of Grammys, seven in all. He arrived at the ceremony with two dates, Brook Shields and Emmanuel Lewis. It was also the start of his obsession with cosmetic surgery, an obsession that would change his face forever.
TOURE: Every few months you would see him and you'd go, whoa. You're looking weird dude. But I think it was about '85, '86, I was like wow, he's not going to be able to get any weirder than this. And then two years later I was like, I was wrong.
COOPER: A 1986 photo showed Michael asleep in an anti-aging chamber. In 1987, he reportedly tried to buy the bones of elephant man John Merrick. Then, of course, there was Bubbles the chimp and an odd array of disguises.
If life seemed strange, at least the music still mattered. Jackson's album "Bad" hit the shelves in 1987 and sold eight million copies. And in 1988 he bought a 2,700-acre ranch for $28 million and he called it Neverland.
NORRIS: There's a reason it's called Neverland Valley, you know, his fixation on the "I won't grow up. I'm a lost boy. I'm Peter Pan."
COOPER: With the ranch came the rumors. TARABORRELLI: Michael began to sort of surround himself with young boys and much to I remember the chagrin of people who were working for him.
COOPER: 1991 brought another album, "Dangerous," another number one single, "Black or White" and more speculation about Michael's mental state. His skin seemed to be getting lighter. Jackson said it was caused by a congenital skin condition.
CASTRO: But a lot of people think that he has bleached his skin. With Michael Jackson you never know what the truth is.
COOPER: He became more reclusive and in 1993 faced his first allegation of child molestation. Jackson denied the charges but settled the case for $20 million. Less than a year later he married rock and roll royalty, Lisa Marie Presley.
TOURE: It was quite obvious to all of us from the beginning that it was a sham that it was a publicity stunt and it was just kind of disgusting and silly.
COOPER: And it lasted just two years but Jackson would marry again later the same year. This time the bride was Debbie Rowe, nurse to his dermatologist. She gave him children of his own, Prince Michael born in 1997 and Paris Michael Katherine born in 1998. They divorced in 1999 and Jackson got full custody of their kids. But a third child from a surrogate mother put Jackson back in the headlines when he dangled the newborn from the balcony of a Berlin hotel.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It's sort of like the anti-King Midas like everything he wants to do just gets screwed up.
COOPER: And the tabloid tales were starting to take a toll on the music. Michael's 2001 album "Invincible" sold a mere 2.1 million copies. His troubles quite clearly were far from over.
In 2002, he fought publicly with Sony Chairman Tommy Mottola, calling him a racist. A 2003 "Vanity Fair" article said he was financially strapped and stated that he bought the silence of other potential molestation victims.
In January, 2004, Michael Jackson stood before a judge and pleaded not guilty to child molestation charges and even his friends can only guess at what brought the self-proclaimed King of Pop to this moment.
URI GELLER, FRIEND OF MICHAEL JACKSON: No one knows Michael Jackson really but Michael Jackson himself. I once asked Michael here in this house. I looked into his eyes and I said to him, "Michael, are you lonely?" And he looked up at me. It was like a ten second stare and then he said "Uri Geller, I'm a very lonely man," and I think that said it all.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
COOPER: So sad when you see those great pictures of him as a little boy.
We'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
COOPER: CNN's extensive coverage of the Michael Jackson verdict continues tomorrow, on "AMERICAN MORNING" Juror No. 1, Raymond Hultman.
And at 9:00 p.m. Eastern on "LARRY KING LIVE" Jackson's lead defense attorney Thomas Mesereau. That should be a fascinating interview.
Of course tune in tomorrow, 7:00 Eastern time for 360. I'm Anderson Cooper. To our friends around the world, thanks for watching us. Good night.
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