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CNN Live Saturday
Michael Jackson's Friends Rally Around Singer
Aired December 20, 2003 - 18:25 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.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson's supporters are rallying around him in the face of adversity. Relatives and friends of the entertainer are at his Neverland Ranch today showing solidarity for him and his fight against child molestation charges. CNN's Miguel Marquez in Los Olivos, California, covering the festivities there. Miguel, who has turned out?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, quite a few people have turned out, about 600 friends and family say his publicist and spokesperson. They are behind me now. They are giving us a bit of an update as to what is going on in here. We have been here most of the day and seen hundreds of people, and dozens and dozens of cars blocking up the roadways here near Neverland, which is a very small, rural area near Santa Barbara, California I can tell you. Essentially, Neverland Ranch is open they say. And people are in there eating, having fun, seeing Michael Jackson who is there they say and has been there for some time kind of overwhelmed by the support, they are also saying. And they also that they explained a little bit about the -- how this party began and what it's all about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STUART BACKERMAN, SPOKESMAN FOR MICHAEL JACKSON: Firstly, the purpose of the event, which had wild speculation as what this is, why etcetera. Number one, this is a private gathering of friends and family to show support for Michael Jackson. This isn't a party so to speak. Normally a party is ha ha ha. This isn't what this is all about. This is what friends are all about, what friends often do, and that is come to the aid of and support and sorry to be so mushy but give love to people who have difficult or in some what difficult times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, that was Stuart Backerman Mr. Jackson's spokesperson. He also says that Mr. Jackson's parents are here. La Toya, his sister is here. Other stars like MC Hammer, singer Ryan Seacrest, Nick Carter. The list goes on and on. The other thing they said is that Mr. Jackson is not going to be deterred from going to London. He says he has contractual arrangements there that he has to attend to. He may spend some time there vacationing during the holiday season. And they are not concerned about members of Parliament calling for the trip to be blocked -- Carol.
LIN: Miguel, did his spokesperson address the questions of whether Michael Jackson might not actually return to the United States, might actually jump bail and stay overseas?
MARQUEZ: He did not say that. Although I do want to point out that this is Mark Geragos now arriving also at Neverland Ranch if we can get a picture of that. So it seems that he is now among the supporters for Mr. Jackson, has been hired by him since February, since this case started to become a case. He explained to us the other day. And as far as the concern of him jumping bail, of course, they didn't respond to anything in that regard, although the prosecutor for Santa Barbara County said the other day that he didn't consider Mr. Jackson anymore of a bail jumping prospect with his passport as opposed to not having his passport, because obviously the man has lots of means to run if he chooses to -- Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much Miguel Marquez, outside the Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired December 20, 2003 - 18:25 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson's supporters are rallying around him in the face of adversity. Relatives and friends of the entertainer are at his Neverland Ranch today showing solidarity for him and his fight against child molestation charges. CNN's Miguel Marquez in Los Olivos, California, covering the festivities there. Miguel, who has turned out?
MIGUEL MARQUEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, quite a few people have turned out, about 600 friends and family say his publicist and spokesperson. They are behind me now. They are giving us a bit of an update as to what is going on in here. We have been here most of the day and seen hundreds of people, and dozens and dozens of cars blocking up the roadways here near Neverland, which is a very small, rural area near Santa Barbara, California I can tell you. Essentially, Neverland Ranch is open they say. And people are in there eating, having fun, seeing Michael Jackson who is there they say and has been there for some time kind of overwhelmed by the support, they are also saying. And they also that they explained a little bit about the -- how this party began and what it's all about.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
STUART BACKERMAN, SPOKESMAN FOR MICHAEL JACKSON: Firstly, the purpose of the event, which had wild speculation as what this is, why etcetera. Number one, this is a private gathering of friends and family to show support for Michael Jackson. This isn't a party so to speak. Normally a party is ha ha ha. This isn't what this is all about. This is what friends are all about, what friends often do, and that is come to the aid of and support and sorry to be so mushy but give love to people who have difficult or in some what difficult times.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
MARQUEZ: Now, that was Stuart Backerman Mr. Jackson's spokesperson. He also says that Mr. Jackson's parents are here. La Toya, his sister is here. Other stars like MC Hammer, singer Ryan Seacrest, Nick Carter. The list goes on and on. The other thing they said is that Mr. Jackson is not going to be deterred from going to London. He says he has contractual arrangements there that he has to attend to. He may spend some time there vacationing during the holiday season. And they are not concerned about members of Parliament calling for the trip to be blocked -- Carol.
LIN: Miguel, did his spokesperson address the questions of whether Michael Jackson might not actually return to the United States, might actually jump bail and stay overseas?
MARQUEZ: He did not say that. Although I do want to point out that this is Mark Geragos now arriving also at Neverland Ranch if we can get a picture of that. So it seems that he is now among the supporters for Mr. Jackson, has been hired by him since February, since this case started to become a case. He explained to us the other day. And as far as the concern of him jumping bail, of course, they didn't respond to anything in that regard, although the prosecutor for Santa Barbara County said the other day that he didn't consider Mr. Jackson anymore of a bail jumping prospect with his passport as opposed to not having his passport, because obviously the man has lots of means to run if he chooses to -- Carol.
LIN: All right, thank you very much Miguel Marquez, outside the Neverland Ranch in Los Olivos.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
