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Trouble in Neverland

Aired December 18, 2003 - 13:50   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.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The charges are supposed to be filed against Michael Jackson today. 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time is about the time. We'll of course bring you live coverage.
Christopher Darden is our legal analyst in Los Angeles.

I just wonder, I just remember, Chris, the whole O.J. Simpson scenario, and having to deal with you in Los Angeles on that front. Are you having a bit of a flashback going on here?

CHRISTOPHER DARDEN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I'll tell you, I can hardly wait to see the charges this afternoon. And, you know, I've been looking at video feeds of the media circus out there in Santa Barbara County, and I don't envy those prosecutors.

PHILLIPS: Well, you know that media circus all too well. I think it all started with the O.J. Simpson scenario. On that note, what do you think about the fact that Tom Sneddon, now hiring a Hollywood public relations firm?

DARDEN: Well, I think there's probably a need for that. It's a small prosecuting agency. There are going to be thousands and thousands of media inquiries, inquiries from the public, and somebody has to handle those calls, and someone has to handle that media circus out there. You shouldn't expect that the D.A.'s office is going to try to put a spin on this case, however, I can imagine that they would need some help.

PHILLIPS: A number of interviews I had when all the news was breaking a few weeks ago, Christopher. Jermaine Jackson telling me he felt this was a modern day lynching. Rick James telling me that -- he's black and he's rich, that's why this is taking place. A lot of people bringing up this relationship between Michael Jackson -- or maybe this -- this dislike of each other, between Sneddon and Michael Jackson. What's your take on their relationship and the charges that are going to be filed?

DARDEN: Well, there does appear to be some dislike between both men, Sneddon and Michael Jackson. You know, however, Sneddon is held to a higher standard. He shouldn't be filing criminal charges unless there's sufficient evidence to prove those charges in front of an objective fact-finder. He doesn't have the luxury of not liking Michael Jackson and filing charges because of that.

PHILLIPS: So do you feel -- or I guess from a legal standpoint, from a lawyer's standpoint, there has to be something here in order for him to come forward and take it this far? DARDEN: Well, we know already that a judge signed a search warrant for Michael Jackson's ranch. And of course, the prosecution and police had to establish probable cause to believe that there was contraband or evidence that a felony had been committed on that property. An arrest warrant was issued for Michael Jackson, which also required some degree of probable cause. And so we have to assume there is something there, but whether or not that's enough to sustain a felony conviction or criminal prosecution remains to be seen.

PHILLIPS: Christopher Darden, our legal analyst, that is going to help us work our way through all this. We're going to ask you to hold tight. We'll see you back about 4:00, Christopher. Thank you so much.

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 18, 2003 - 13:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The charges are supposed to be filed against Michael Jackson today. 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time is about the time. We'll of course bring you live coverage.
Christopher Darden is our legal analyst in Los Angeles.

I just wonder, I just remember, Chris, the whole O.J. Simpson scenario, and having to deal with you in Los Angeles on that front. Are you having a bit of a flashback going on here?

CHRISTOPHER DARDEN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, I'll tell you, I can hardly wait to see the charges this afternoon. And, you know, I've been looking at video feeds of the media circus out there in Santa Barbara County, and I don't envy those prosecutors.

PHILLIPS: Well, you know that media circus all too well. I think it all started with the O.J. Simpson scenario. On that note, what do you think about the fact that Tom Sneddon, now hiring a Hollywood public relations firm?

DARDEN: Well, I think there's probably a need for that. It's a small prosecuting agency. There are going to be thousands and thousands of media inquiries, inquiries from the public, and somebody has to handle those calls, and someone has to handle that media circus out there. You shouldn't expect that the D.A.'s office is going to try to put a spin on this case, however, I can imagine that they would need some help.

PHILLIPS: A number of interviews I had when all the news was breaking a few weeks ago, Christopher. Jermaine Jackson telling me he felt this was a modern day lynching. Rick James telling me that -- he's black and he's rich, that's why this is taking place. A lot of people bringing up this relationship between Michael Jackson -- or maybe this -- this dislike of each other, between Sneddon and Michael Jackson. What's your take on their relationship and the charges that are going to be filed?

DARDEN: Well, there does appear to be some dislike between both men, Sneddon and Michael Jackson. You know, however, Sneddon is held to a higher standard. He shouldn't be filing criminal charges unless there's sufficient evidence to prove those charges in front of an objective fact-finder. He doesn't have the luxury of not liking Michael Jackson and filing charges because of that.

PHILLIPS: So do you feel -- or I guess from a legal standpoint, from a lawyer's standpoint, there has to be something here in order for him to come forward and take it this far? DARDEN: Well, we know already that a judge signed a search warrant for Michael Jackson's ranch. And of course, the prosecution and police had to establish probable cause to believe that there was contraband or evidence that a felony had been committed on that property. An arrest warrant was issued for Michael Jackson, which also required some degree of probable cause. And so we have to assume there is something there, but whether or not that's enough to sustain a felony conviction or criminal prosecution remains to be seen.

PHILLIPS: Christopher Darden, our legal analyst, that is going to help us work our way through all this. We're going to ask you to hold tight. We'll see you back about 4:00, Christopher. Thank you so much.

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