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American Morning

Formal Charges Expected Against Michael Jackson Today

Aired December 18, 2003 - 07:15   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.


SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Almost a month after Michael Jackson's arrest in a child molestation case, details of the allegations will be revealed today for the first time when Jackson is formally charged in Santa Barbara County, California.
Here's CNN's Gary Tuchman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson turned himself in on allegations of child molestation, but he still has not been officially charged. However, that's about to change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be charges filed against Mr. Jackson, multiple counts.

TUCHMAN: CNN has been told it will happen today. The official criminal complaint will likely include just how many counts have been filed against Jackson and when the alleged crimes occurred. It's unlikely there will be much more detail about the allegations, which are currently under seal.

MARK GERAGOS, MICHAEL JACKSON'S ATTORNEY: He's come back specifically to confront these charges head on. He is greatly outraged by the bringing of these charges.

TUCHMAN: When Michael Jackson was arrested, his mug shot was taken, he was fingerprinted, he gave up his passport, and he was released on $3 million bond. It didn't take long for his attorney to offer his theory about the king of pop was arrested.

GERAGOS: If anybody doesn't think, based upon what's happened so far, that the true motivation of these charges and these allegations is anything but money and the seeking of money, then they're living in their own Neverland.

TUCHMAN: But the district attorney has told CNN he has the goods, despite a report by California child welfare officials that the child was not a molestation victim.

TOM SNEDDON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It just doesn't make any sense that the sheriff and I would do something that is doomed in the long run to fail. We have a responsibility. We didn't go looking for this case. It came to us.

(END VIDEOTAPE) TUCHMAN: With that in mind, authorities tell us they will file the legal documents at this courthouse in Santa Maria, California, at around 4:00 Eastern Time this afternoon. That's 1:00 Pacific Time.

Now, some interesting information. We told that you Michael Jackson's passport has been taken away, but authorities have cut a deal with Michael Jackson. They will give it back to him, at least temporarily, so he can go on a trip to Great Britain this Saturday for two and a half weeks. Where he's going and why he's going to Great Britain, we don't know. But it is being allowed, and that means the arraignment will be pushed back at his courthouse. It was supposed to be January 9. Instead, Michael Jackson will issue his plea on January 16.

Soledad -- back to you.

O'BRIEN: Gary, a quick question for you. We heard earlier and previously D.A. Sneddon saying that everything will become clear when the charges are made public. How detailed do you expect these allegations to be when we finally actually know them?

TUCHMAN: Well, all that's legally required in these charging documents is for us to learn what the charges are and when the alleged crimes occurred. There could be more in these charging documents. It could have a lot of information, but it's not legally required.

As far as more information legally required to be released to the public, it's been sealed for 45 days. So, we expect at the very latest around January 3rd or 4th, which would be about a week and a half before the arraignment, more information will be released.

O'BRIEN: Gary Tuchman for us this morning. Gary, thanks for that update.

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 - 07:15   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Almost a month after Michael Jackson's arrest in a child molestation case, details of the allegations will be revealed today for the first time when Jackson is formally charged in Santa Barbara County, California.
Here's CNN's Gary Tuchman.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Michael Jackson turned himself in on allegations of child molestation, but he still has not been officially charged. However, that's about to change.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There will be charges filed against Mr. Jackson, multiple counts.

TUCHMAN: CNN has been told it will happen today. The official criminal complaint will likely include just how many counts have been filed against Jackson and when the alleged crimes occurred. It's unlikely there will be much more detail about the allegations, which are currently under seal.

MARK GERAGOS, MICHAEL JACKSON'S ATTORNEY: He's come back specifically to confront these charges head on. He is greatly outraged by the bringing of these charges.

TUCHMAN: When Michael Jackson was arrested, his mug shot was taken, he was fingerprinted, he gave up his passport, and he was released on $3 million bond. It didn't take long for his attorney to offer his theory about the king of pop was arrested.

GERAGOS: If anybody doesn't think, based upon what's happened so far, that the true motivation of these charges and these allegations is anything but money and the seeking of money, then they're living in their own Neverland.

TUCHMAN: But the district attorney has told CNN he has the goods, despite a report by California child welfare officials that the child was not a molestation victim.

TOM SNEDDON, DISTRICT ATTORNEY: It just doesn't make any sense that the sheriff and I would do something that is doomed in the long run to fail. We have a responsibility. We didn't go looking for this case. It came to us.

(END VIDEOTAPE) TUCHMAN: With that in mind, authorities tell us they will file the legal documents at this courthouse in Santa Maria, California, at around 4:00 Eastern Time this afternoon. That's 1:00 Pacific Time.

Now, some interesting information. We told that you Michael Jackson's passport has been taken away, but authorities have cut a deal with Michael Jackson. They will give it back to him, at least temporarily, so he can go on a trip to Great Britain this Saturday for two and a half weeks. Where he's going and why he's going to Great Britain, we don't know. But it is being allowed, and that means the arraignment will be pushed back at his courthouse. It was supposed to be January 9. Instead, Michael Jackson will issue his plea on January 16.

Soledad -- back to you.

O'BRIEN: Gary, a quick question for you. We heard earlier and previously D.A. Sneddon saying that everything will become clear when the charges are made public. How detailed do you expect these allegations to be when we finally actually know them?

TUCHMAN: Well, all that's legally required in these charging documents is for us to learn what the charges are and when the alleged crimes occurred. There could be more in these charging documents. It could have a lot of information, but it's not legally required.

As far as more information legally required to be released to the public, it's been sealed for 45 days. So, we expect at the very latest around January 3rd or 4th, which would be about a week and a half before the arraignment, more information will be released.

O'BRIEN: Gary Tuchman for us this morning. Gary, thanks for that update.

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