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American Morning
Formal Charges
Aired December 19, 2003 - 09:33 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: The attorney for Michael Jackson, Mark Geragos, says his client is unequivocally innocent. Police yesterday charged the superstar with nine counts related to child molestation. District Attorney Tom Sneddon says the alleged victim will testify at the trial. Geragos is accusing the victim's family of going after money. Geragos also accuses prosecutors of playing the race card, saying that a firm hired by the D.A. is putting out stories, saying that Jackson joined Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and also that Johnnie Cochran would take over the case. The firm is denying that. Geragos also last night revealed an incident where someone allegedly placed a pipe bomb outside of his home. Jackson's to be arraigned on January 16th.
CNN's senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin is with us this morning with all of this legally charges, and countercharges and mudslinging that's in full force now.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Defense attorney 101: attack the prosecution, attack the victim. That's exactly what we're seeing from Mark Geragos yesterday.
O'BRIEN: Not only attack the prosecution, but attack the prosecution's hiring of a PR firm and say that they're playing the race card. Weigh in on that.
TOOBIN: It was pretty attenuated. It was not clear to me that the the -- that this firm is even -- it is even true that they put out this Nation of Islam story or the Johnnie Cochran story both of which have been denied. But it is an example of how a figure who is not associated with the civil rights movement, but who is African- American, how race can't help but figure in the case.
O'BRIEN: Jermaine Jackson said on "LARRY KING" that his brother was mistreated. And he said that there will be repercussions. He talked about a shoulder dislocation, that he had to be handcuffed. He said my brother weighs 120 pounds, he turned himself in, he didn't really need to be handcuffed.
TOOBIN: You know what, in my experience in the criminal justice system, no one likes to be handcuffed. But that's the rule. We had earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, the former chief, said it's standard operating procedure for everyone who's brought in. Every suspect who's brought in is handcuffed behind their back. I don't think there's an issue there.
O'BRIEN: There are claims that he was sort of taunted when he had to use the bathroom, they locked him in there for 30 minutes. One thing that was said, as well this was a case, you have to imagine that so many people were watching this happen as it unfolded, that would seem to be a little unlikely.
TOOBIN: It seems to me unlikely, as well. But the issue of, did Michael Jackson get special treatment, specially good treatment, specially bad treatment? That is going to be present throughout this case.
O'BRIEN: Ten seconds or less, boy on the stand. The boy claims he was molested. That surprise you?
TOOBIN: Absolutely not. You could not try this case without his testimony. And it looks like he will be the only accuser, so the testimony of this child will be the central part of this trial.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jeff Toobin, thank you.
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 19, 2003 - 09:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The attorney for Michael Jackson, Mark Geragos, says his client is unequivocally innocent. Police yesterday charged the superstar with nine counts related to child molestation. District Attorney Tom Sneddon says the alleged victim will testify at the trial. Geragos is accusing the victim's family of going after money. Geragos also accuses prosecutors of playing the race card, saying that a firm hired by the D.A. is putting out stories, saying that Jackson joined Louis Farrakhan's Nation of Islam, and also that Johnnie Cochran would take over the case. The firm is denying that. Geragos also last night revealed an incident where someone allegedly placed a pipe bomb outside of his home. Jackson's to be arraigned on January 16th.
CNN's senior legal analyst Jeff Toobin is with us this morning with all of this legally charges, and countercharges and mudslinging that's in full force now.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Defense attorney 101: attack the prosecution, attack the victim. That's exactly what we're seeing from Mark Geragos yesterday.
O'BRIEN: Not only attack the prosecution, but attack the prosecution's hiring of a PR firm and say that they're playing the race card. Weigh in on that.
TOOBIN: It was pretty attenuated. It was not clear to me that the the -- that this firm is even -- it is even true that they put out this Nation of Islam story or the Johnnie Cochran story both of which have been denied. But it is an example of how a figure who is not associated with the civil rights movement, but who is African- American, how race can't help but figure in the case.
O'BRIEN: Jermaine Jackson said on "LARRY KING" that his brother was mistreated. And he said that there will be repercussions. He talked about a shoulder dislocation, that he had to be handcuffed. He said my brother weighs 120 pounds, he turned himself in, he didn't really need to be handcuffed.
TOOBIN: You know what, in my experience in the criminal justice system, no one likes to be handcuffed. But that's the rule. We had earlier on AMERICAN MORNING, the former chief, said it's standard operating procedure for everyone who's brought in. Every suspect who's brought in is handcuffed behind their back. I don't think there's an issue there.
O'BRIEN: There are claims that he was sort of taunted when he had to use the bathroom, they locked him in there for 30 minutes. One thing that was said, as well this was a case, you have to imagine that so many people were watching this happen as it unfolded, that would seem to be a little unlikely.
TOOBIN: It seems to me unlikely, as well. But the issue of, did Michael Jackson get special treatment, specially good treatment, specially bad treatment? That is going to be present throughout this case.
O'BRIEN: Ten seconds or less, boy on the stand. The boy claims he was molested. That surprise you?
TOOBIN: Absolutely not. You could not try this case without his testimony. And it looks like he will be the only accuser, so the testimony of this child will be the central part of this trial.
O'BRIEN: All right, Jeff Toobin, thank you.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
