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Michael Jackson Juror Speaks; World Reacts to Michael Jackson Verdict; Search for Natalee Continues; Jackson's Future

Aired June 14, 2005 - 07:29   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.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. Good to have you along with us today. It's 7:30 here in New York, a busy morning. This, the day after the verdict of yesterday.
More in a moment with juror number one. He's our guest here.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, more from Aruba this morning. Natalee Holloway's mother is our guest. Of course, she's exhausted, still frantically searching for her daughter. We're going to talk about the investigation with her this morning as well.

HEMMER: The first check of the headlines. Here's Carol Costello with us.

Good morning to you.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

A deadly suicide bombing in Iraq. The attack taking place outside of a bank in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. At least 19 were killed, dozens more injured. And a coordinated car bomb and mortar attack targeted a police station near Baquba. At least five people were killed in that attack.

Potential trouble at the FBI terrorist screening center. An internal audit shows the 18-month-old center has incomplete and inaccurate information on its terror watch list. That list is used to screen visa applicants and other travelers. The center is the single point of contact for law enforcement seeking help in identifying people with possible links to terrorism.

At least eight people are dead after a powerful earthquake rocked northern Chile. The 7.9 quake was centered in a rural mountain area near the Bolivian border. Several villages were damaged. Dozens of homes destroyed. Officials say there may be more victims in some isolated communities. This is the third strongest quake since the one that triggered the Asian tsunami in December of last year.

And the House of Representatives takes up the issue of medical marijuana today in a move that's seen as largely political. The proposal being considered would block the Justice Department from prosecuting medical marijuana users. Last week, a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for federal authorities to prosecute users. The measure, however, has been easily defeated in the House in the past two years. Of course, we'll keep you posted.

HEMMER: All right, thanks, Carol.

O'BRIEN: Well, even though the jury acquitted Michael Jackson of all charges, at least one juror says he thinks Jackson is probably guilty of child molestation.

Raymond Hultman, also known as juror number one, is in Santa Maria, California, this morning.

It's nice to see you, Mr. Hultman. And thanks for talking with us. Why did you find Michael Jackson not guilty?

RAYMOND HULTMAN, JUROR NO. ONE: Well, Soledad, we were asked to consider 10 specific counts in this case, and we needed to decide guilty or not guilty, based on the evidence relating to those counts. And after the jury spent a good deal of time weighing the evidence, we came to the conclusion that there was reasonable doubt, and that Michael Jackson was not guilty of the charges.

O'BRIEN: After the verdict yesterday, you said that you thought Michael Jackson was probably -- had molested boys in the past. To some degree that sounds very contradictory to the not guilty finding.

HULTMAN: Well, you know, you have to consider the evidence. You have to consider the instructions that we were given in this case. When the 1993-'94 cases were introduced into the trial, the jury was told that we were to weigh the evidence in those cases and determine if there was a possible pattern that would indicate that Michael Jackson had molested children. And I, for one, could determine from that evidence that I thought that that had occurred. Could I be certain that Michael Jackson had molested this particular accuser in the end? We couldn't. There was reasonable doubt, based on a number of considerations.

O'BRIEN: In light of that then, do you have any second thoughts in both letting a man, whom you believe may have molested boys, go free?

HULTMAN: I don't have a problem with the decision that I made in this particular case. I have a problem with Michael Jackson's behavior. And all I can say at this point is that I hope that he recognizes that this is a serious problem, and that his behavior is going to be affected in some way by it. I've learned a lot from this case, and I hope he does as well.

O'BRIEN: Last week, the jury wanted read-backs of certain parts of the accuser's testimony. What parts did you want read back?

HULTMAN: Well, of course, the accuser's testimony was very central in the whole case. And to be quite honest with you, we intended to have his entire testimony read back. At one point in our deliberation and discussion, we decided that it wasn't necessary to read back the entire testimony. But so much of the case revolved around his credibility and his family's credibility that we wanted to make sure that we weren't only relying on our own recollection and notes, but that we could actually rehear his testimony to be sure that we didn't miss something that was important.

O'BRIEN: Of the 10 charges, was there any time where you felt personally close to finding him guilty of one of those charges, not as a jury all together, but you, personally, said, on this particular charge I feel that he might be guilty, before you changed your mind?

HULTMAN: Well, quite honestly, going into the deliberation, after seeing the sheriff's interview with the accuser, I felt that that interview was quite compelling and that the accuser may be, in fact, telling the truth, even though we were supposed to be evaluating the sheriff's interview for demeanor only. It did appear to me that he was being sincere. But after discussing the case with the other jurors, it was obvious that there were those that were seeing things that I wasn't seeing.

And the jurors are instructed to go in to deliberations with an open mind, and you can't -- you can't have your decision already made up before you've even deliberated.

So, after reviewing the evidence and discussing the facts with the other jurors, it was obvious because of the timeline and because of the fact that there were identified lies by the accuser and the accuser's family that it left it open for reasonable doubt.

O'BRIEN: You've acquitted him. But do you have any concerns that someone who, in your own words, probably has molested children is walking free?

HULTMAN: Yes. I think I already answered that, that yes, I have a concern. And I hope that something results from this, and that Michael Jackson receives his wakeup call and decides that things are going to be different. Whether this happens or not, I mean, that's totally out of my control. But based on the charges that were filed in this case, I feel comfortable that we made the correct decision, based on those charges.

O'BRIEN: Raymond Hultman, juror number one in the Michael Jackson case, thanks for talking with us about the case this morning. Appreciate your insight.

HULTMAN: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Eyes and ears of the world focused on Santa Maria Monday. Though his popularity has waned here in the U.S. in recent years, Jackson is still a huge hit overseas.

To London now live with Paula Hancocks.

Paula, what kind of a reaction are you picking up there throughout Britain?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, there are certainly international fans of Michael Jackson. So, inevitably, the reaction to his acquitted has been internationally felt as well. Many of the European news networks actually took the verdict live last week, and the newspapers this is morning are full of information about it.

This is "The Sun" tabloid, the most popular tabloid here in Britain. And it has the headline, "He Beat It," a play on words of one of his big hits. And if you don't get enough information on the front page, you can see there it says, "The full sensational story on pages two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine."

So, there's a tremendous amount of information and coverage of Michael Jackson here in Britain. But the reaction is not just restricted to Britain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning. Michael Jackson has been found not guilty of molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch.

HANCOCKS (voice over): Michael Jackson's acquittal hits headlines across the world. The freed king of pop spread on most front pages. Many newspapers dedicating several more pages to analysis and fan reaction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say the percentage rate, I'd say 70/30, 30 says yes he's innocent and 70 percent says no he's not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's a wonderful man. And I guess the jury made the right decision, didn't they?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The funny thing is, I never really liked him, musically anyway, until all of this case started and he started doing shows and his musical ability. And I'm like, yes, the guy is kind of cool.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a bit surprised that he didn't get a lesser offense of some sort.

HANCOCKS: Murztaza Arif has been a Michael Jackson fan for 19 years.

MURZTAZA ARIF, BRITISH JACKSON FAN: Every count they said not guilty of every charge, everyone just screamed outside the courthouse in Santa Maria. And it was a very dramatic moment, and it was a very emotional moment as well.

HANCOCKS: Michael Nathan has made his living out of looking like Michael Jackson for 19 years. He says he was cheering and tearing when he heard the news, but never once doubted Jackson would be found not guilty.

MICHAEL NATHAN, BRITISH JACKSON FAN: Michael is the most amazing star we've had this century, and there's no one really you can compare him to. He's just an all-around superstar. HANCOCKS: Online fan clubs are being inundated with messages of congratulations from all over the world, many of them pushing for a musical comeback from the king of pop.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And I've been in touch with many of these Michael Jackson fans over the past few months, and many of them actually went to Santa Maria as well to try and show their support in person for their idol -- Bill.

HEMMER: Paula Hancocks live from London -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Another story we've been following for awhile now. In Aruba, they've released two of the men first arrested in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The 18-year-old from Alabama hasn't been seen since May 30, and there have not been any significant developments since the arrest of three other men on Thursday. Those men pointed the finger of suspicion at Abraham Jones and Mickey John.

When they were set free last night, John told CNN that one of the other three admitted he lied to police.

Natalee's mom, Beth Holloway Twitty, has been in Aruba searching for any sign of her daughter.

Ms. Twitty, it's nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning. How are you holding up? How are you doing?

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: Well, Soledad, some days are -- they are agonizing. They are so difficult. And some days, Soledad, I have the deepest hurt that anyone could ever imagine.

O'BRIEN: Well, we cannot imagine that at all. The news, of course, is that two of the security guards who had been held have been released. And that was something that you were pushing for. Do you feel that the government has been forthcoming with you with the information they have about the others who are being held?

TWITTY: Well, I think that they're giving me -- I think what I'd like to say, Soledad, is, you know, I can't go back. I don't want to go back in the past into, you know, where we've been. I really want to share with everyone that this moment, right now, I feel like that we are working in a collaborative effort. And I feel like now -- I say that from the family to the FBI to the local authorities to the Aruba government to the United States government, I feel like we are now all in this investigation. And I do feel like we are beginning to proceed forward. And that's what I want to look at, and that's where I want to go, because that will help us find our daughter.

O'BRIEN: I'm really glad to hear that, because I know you have been incredibly frustrated and voiced some of that frustration, frankly, over the last few days. One of the guards who was released said this upon his release to the journalists who were gathered outside. Let's listen for a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He told me he's innocent, because he dropped the Dutch guy with the missing girl close to the Marriott.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: That's one of the security guards. And what he is saying is one of the three who is being held told him that he and his brother dropped off the Dutch guy, as we heard him say, with your daughter, near the Marriott. Have you heard this story before? Or is this the first time you're hearing that?

TWITTY: I have not, Soledad. This is the first time I'm hearing this. But I have not been told that before.

O'BRIEN: I know you've screened a lot of the security tapes. Is there any evidence or any indication that, in fact, that happened?

TWITTY: Well, Soledad, there is absolutely no way I could comment on that.

O'BRIEN: What specifically happens now? What moves forward as of today?

TWITTY: Well, I think the most thing -- I think the best thing that we have to do is to allow the proper authorities now to, you know, do their investigation. And this is their expertise. And I feel the assurance and trust that we are moving in the right direction.

O'BRIEN: Well, we are very happy to hear that. Thanks for talking with us. Of course, as you well know, we're keeping our fingers crossed, and we are praying very hard for the safe return of your daughter. And hopefully we'll be able to hear some good news from you really soon. Beth Holloway Twitty joining us from Palm Beach in Aruba. Thanks.

TWITTY: Thank you.

HEMMER: Thanks, Soledad.

It's 16 minutes now before the hour. A check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, flight delays will soon pay off for passengers on one airline. We're going to explain ahead on "Minding Your Business."

HEMMER: Also, Michael Jackson is moving from one problem to another. Now that the trial is behind him, can he now rebuild his bank account? A look at the Michael Jackson brand and where it stands today. That's next after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Reaction from outside the courthouse yesterday in Santa Maria, California.

Michael Jackson's career has been on hold ever since these charges were brought against him. But now the singer is free to get back in business and get back on to the next move in his life. The question we're asking this morning, though, is what is that next move?

Ali Velshi has a look this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The verdict's in. He...

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER (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 has been cash strapped for some time, but he's still asset rich.

VELSHI: Those assets are music catalogues. One of them contains his tunes. He calls it, affectionately, MiJack (ph). It's worth about $150 million.

Another big asset, the Sony ATV catalogue 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 play, Jackson gets paid. Recent estimates say he earns about $10 million a year from the catalogues.

But he's got debts, too, roughly $300 million in loans that are backed by those music catalogues 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: Well, 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're 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. You know, look at Madonna how many millions she made on her former tour. PULLEY: And then there's another option that may seem like a comedown for the king of pop, and that's to do something ala Celine Dion in Las Vegas and have a show that's there four, five, six nights a week.

VELSHI (on camera): Well, the idea of a Vegas show might seem outlandish, but rumors were circulating about conversations between Jackson's people and his old acquaintance, Vegas mogul Steve Wynn. Wynn's organization issued a strongly-worded denial. But think about this: For someone like Jackson, even a tiny comeback could be bigger than most performers ever get.

Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Thank you, Ali.

Jackson has won 13 Grammys in total. He was also awarded the living legend Grammy back in 1993.

In a moment, hear one airline that manages to turn delays into rewards for passengers. We'll explain that in "Minding Your Business" next here after a break on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

Frequent fliers are finding out it pays to be late. And an extension that many returning military members will welcome.

Gerri Willis is in for Andy Serwer, who has got a little time off. She's "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good morning, Soledad. Good to see you.

Guess what? United Airlines has a great idea to improve its relationship with customers. It's going to award fliers who sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes or more 500 frequent flier points. So, if you're late, there's a benefit if you fly United.

Remember, United is in bankruptcy right now. It's expected to emerge this fall. The offer is only good, though, if you're flying in and out of its hub, Chicago O'Hare, to one of the big cities -- Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis.

O'BRIEN: Not weather related? There are no exceptions?

WILLIS: No exceptions.

O'BRIEN: You have to be sitting on the tarmac as opposed -- so you've pulled away from the gate. WILLIS: Just delayed. If your plane is delayed 30 minutes.

O'BRIEN: I'm always looking for the fine print.

WILLIS: Well, no, absolutely. If your plane is delayed 30 minutes or more, you get 500 frequent flier points.

O'BRIEN: That's a good deal.

WILLIS: It is. It is a great deal.

O'BRIEN: All right, finally someone is paying us back for our times that's wasted.

You also have got some news on military personnel kind of getting a break.

WILLIS: Yes. This is a really interesting story. Freddie Mac is saying that they'll give returning military personnel a break if they're late paying their mortgage. Get this: They're requiring lenders to extend a sort of grace period of 90 days to people who are returning from military service, 90 days. So, they'll get this 90-day window in which to come up to date on their mortgage payments. It's a nice thing for people who have been in the military who maybe have some financial issues.

O'BRIEN: That's terrific. All right, Gerri, thanks very much.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Soledad. In a moment, hear the man responsible for Michael Jackson's huge legal victory in court. Defense attorney Tom Mesereau will join us live ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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 14, 2005 - 07:29   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning, everybody. Good to have you along with us today. It's 7:30 here in New York, a busy morning. This, the day after the verdict of yesterday.
More in a moment with juror number one. He's our guest here.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Also, more from Aruba this morning. Natalee Holloway's mother is our guest. Of course, she's exhausted, still frantically searching for her daughter. We're going to talk about the investigation with her this morning as well.

HEMMER: The first check of the headlines. Here's Carol Costello with us.

Good morning to you.

CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning. Good morning to all of you.

"Now in the News."

A deadly suicide bombing in Iraq. The attack taking place outside of a bank in the northern Iraqi city of Kirkuk. At least 19 were killed, dozens more injured. And a coordinated car bomb and mortar attack targeted a police station near Baquba. At least five people were killed in that attack.

Potential trouble at the FBI terrorist screening center. An internal audit shows the 18-month-old center has incomplete and inaccurate information on its terror watch list. That list is used to screen visa applicants and other travelers. The center is the single point of contact for law enforcement seeking help in identifying people with possible links to terrorism.

At least eight people are dead after a powerful earthquake rocked northern Chile. The 7.9 quake was centered in a rural mountain area near the Bolivian border. Several villages were damaged. Dozens of homes destroyed. Officials say there may be more victims in some isolated communities. This is the third strongest quake since the one that triggered the Asian tsunami in December of last year.

And the House of Representatives takes up the issue of medical marijuana today in a move that's seen as largely political. The proposal being considered would block the Justice Department from prosecuting medical marijuana users. Last week, a Supreme Court ruling cleared the way for federal authorities to prosecute users. The measure, however, has been easily defeated in the House in the past two years. Of course, we'll keep you posted.

HEMMER: All right, thanks, Carol.

O'BRIEN: Well, even though the jury acquitted Michael Jackson of all charges, at least one juror says he thinks Jackson is probably guilty of child molestation.

Raymond Hultman, also known as juror number one, is in Santa Maria, California, this morning.

It's nice to see you, Mr. Hultman. And thanks for talking with us. Why did you find Michael Jackson not guilty?

RAYMOND HULTMAN, JUROR NO. ONE: Well, Soledad, we were asked to consider 10 specific counts in this case, and we needed to decide guilty or not guilty, based on the evidence relating to those counts. And after the jury spent a good deal of time weighing the evidence, we came to the conclusion that there was reasonable doubt, and that Michael Jackson was not guilty of the charges.

O'BRIEN: After the verdict yesterday, you said that you thought Michael Jackson was probably -- had molested boys in the past. To some degree that sounds very contradictory to the not guilty finding.

HULTMAN: Well, you know, you have to consider the evidence. You have to consider the instructions that we were given in this case. When the 1993-'94 cases were introduced into the trial, the jury was told that we were to weigh the evidence in those cases and determine if there was a possible pattern that would indicate that Michael Jackson had molested children. And I, for one, could determine from that evidence that I thought that that had occurred. Could I be certain that Michael Jackson had molested this particular accuser in the end? We couldn't. There was reasonable doubt, based on a number of considerations.

O'BRIEN: In light of that then, do you have any second thoughts in both letting a man, whom you believe may have molested boys, go free?

HULTMAN: I don't have a problem with the decision that I made in this particular case. I have a problem with Michael Jackson's behavior. And all I can say at this point is that I hope that he recognizes that this is a serious problem, and that his behavior is going to be affected in some way by it. I've learned a lot from this case, and I hope he does as well.

O'BRIEN: Last week, the jury wanted read-backs of certain parts of the accuser's testimony. What parts did you want read back?

HULTMAN: Well, of course, the accuser's testimony was very central in the whole case. And to be quite honest with you, we intended to have his entire testimony read back. At one point in our deliberation and discussion, we decided that it wasn't necessary to read back the entire testimony. But so much of the case revolved around his credibility and his family's credibility that we wanted to make sure that we weren't only relying on our own recollection and notes, but that we could actually rehear his testimony to be sure that we didn't miss something that was important.

O'BRIEN: Of the 10 charges, was there any time where you felt personally close to finding him guilty of one of those charges, not as a jury all together, but you, personally, said, on this particular charge I feel that he might be guilty, before you changed your mind?

HULTMAN: Well, quite honestly, going into the deliberation, after seeing the sheriff's interview with the accuser, I felt that that interview was quite compelling and that the accuser may be, in fact, telling the truth, even though we were supposed to be evaluating the sheriff's interview for demeanor only. It did appear to me that he was being sincere. But after discussing the case with the other jurors, it was obvious that there were those that were seeing things that I wasn't seeing.

And the jurors are instructed to go in to deliberations with an open mind, and you can't -- you can't have your decision already made up before you've even deliberated.

So, after reviewing the evidence and discussing the facts with the other jurors, it was obvious because of the timeline and because of the fact that there were identified lies by the accuser and the accuser's family that it left it open for reasonable doubt.

O'BRIEN: You've acquitted him. But do you have any concerns that someone who, in your own words, probably has molested children is walking free?

HULTMAN: Yes. I think I already answered that, that yes, I have a concern. And I hope that something results from this, and that Michael Jackson receives his wakeup call and decides that things are going to be different. Whether this happens or not, I mean, that's totally out of my control. But based on the charges that were filed in this case, I feel comfortable that we made the correct decision, based on those charges.

O'BRIEN: Raymond Hultman, juror number one in the Michael Jackson case, thanks for talking with us about the case this morning. Appreciate your insight.

HULTMAN: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: Eyes and ears of the world focused on Santa Maria Monday. Though his popularity has waned here in the U.S. in recent years, Jackson is still a huge hit overseas.

To London now live with Paula Hancocks.

Paula, what kind of a reaction are you picking up there throughout Britain?

PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Bill, there are certainly international fans of Michael Jackson. So, inevitably, the reaction to his acquitted has been internationally felt as well. Many of the European news networks actually took the verdict live last week, and the newspapers this is morning are full of information about it.

This is "The Sun" tabloid, the most popular tabloid here in Britain. And it has the headline, "He Beat It," a play on words of one of his big hits. And if you don't get enough information on the front page, you can see there it says, "The full sensational story on pages two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight and nine."

So, there's a tremendous amount of information and coverage of Michael Jackson here in Britain. But the reaction is not just restricted to Britain.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Good morning. Michael Jackson has been found not guilty of molesting a 13-year-old boy at his Neverland ranch.

HANCOCKS (voice over): Michael Jackson's acquittal hits headlines across the world. The freed king of pop spread on most front pages. Many newspapers dedicating several more pages to analysis and fan reaction.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'd say the percentage rate, I'd say 70/30, 30 says yes he's innocent and 70 percent says no he's not.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I think he's a wonderful man. And I guess the jury made the right decision, didn't they?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The funny thing is, I never really liked him, musically anyway, until all of this case started and he started doing shows and his musical ability. And I'm like, yes, the guy is kind of cool.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I was a bit surprised that he didn't get a lesser offense of some sort.

HANCOCKS: Murztaza Arif has been a Michael Jackson fan for 19 years.

MURZTAZA ARIF, BRITISH JACKSON FAN: Every count they said not guilty of every charge, everyone just screamed outside the courthouse in Santa Maria. And it was a very dramatic moment, and it was a very emotional moment as well.

HANCOCKS: Michael Nathan has made his living out of looking like Michael Jackson for 19 years. He says he was cheering and tearing when he heard the news, but never once doubted Jackson would be found not guilty.

MICHAEL NATHAN, BRITISH JACKSON FAN: Michael is the most amazing star we've had this century, and there's no one really you can compare him to. He's just an all-around superstar. HANCOCKS: Online fan clubs are being inundated with messages of congratulations from all over the world, many of them pushing for a musical comeback from the king of pop.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

And I've been in touch with many of these Michael Jackson fans over the past few months, and many of them actually went to Santa Maria as well to try and show their support in person for their idol -- Bill.

HEMMER: Paula Hancocks live from London -- Soledad.

O'BRIEN: Another story we've been following for awhile now. In Aruba, they've released two of the men first arrested in the disappearance of Natalee Holloway. The 18-year-old from Alabama hasn't been seen since May 30, and there have not been any significant developments since the arrest of three other men on Thursday. Those men pointed the finger of suspicion at Abraham Jones and Mickey John.

When they were set free last night, John told CNN that one of the other three admitted he lied to police.

Natalee's mom, Beth Holloway Twitty, has been in Aruba searching for any sign of her daughter.

Ms. Twitty, it's nice to see you. Thanks for talking with us this morning. How are you holding up? How are you doing?

BETH HOLLOWAY TWITTY, NATALEE'S MOTHER: Well, Soledad, some days are -- they are agonizing. They are so difficult. And some days, Soledad, I have the deepest hurt that anyone could ever imagine.

O'BRIEN: Well, we cannot imagine that at all. The news, of course, is that two of the security guards who had been held have been released. And that was something that you were pushing for. Do you feel that the government has been forthcoming with you with the information they have about the others who are being held?

TWITTY: Well, I think that they're giving me -- I think what I'd like to say, Soledad, is, you know, I can't go back. I don't want to go back in the past into, you know, where we've been. I really want to share with everyone that this moment, right now, I feel like that we are working in a collaborative effort. And I feel like now -- I say that from the family to the FBI to the local authorities to the Aruba government to the United States government, I feel like we are now all in this investigation. And I do feel like we are beginning to proceed forward. And that's what I want to look at, and that's where I want to go, because that will help us find our daughter.

O'BRIEN: I'm really glad to hear that, because I know you have been incredibly frustrated and voiced some of that frustration, frankly, over the last few days. One of the guards who was released said this upon his release to the journalists who were gathered outside. Let's listen for a second.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He told me he's innocent, because he dropped the Dutch guy with the missing girl close to the Marriott.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'BRIEN: That's one of the security guards. And what he is saying is one of the three who is being held told him that he and his brother dropped off the Dutch guy, as we heard him say, with your daughter, near the Marriott. Have you heard this story before? Or is this the first time you're hearing that?

TWITTY: I have not, Soledad. This is the first time I'm hearing this. But I have not been told that before.

O'BRIEN: I know you've screened a lot of the security tapes. Is there any evidence or any indication that, in fact, that happened?

TWITTY: Well, Soledad, there is absolutely no way I could comment on that.

O'BRIEN: What specifically happens now? What moves forward as of today?

TWITTY: Well, I think the most thing -- I think the best thing that we have to do is to allow the proper authorities now to, you know, do their investigation. And this is their expertise. And I feel the assurance and trust that we are moving in the right direction.

O'BRIEN: Well, we are very happy to hear that. Thanks for talking with us. Of course, as you well know, we're keeping our fingers crossed, and we are praying very hard for the safe return of your daughter. And hopefully we'll be able to hear some good news from you really soon. Beth Holloway Twitty joining us from Palm Beach in Aruba. Thanks.

TWITTY: Thank you.

HEMMER: Thanks, Soledad.

It's 16 minutes now before the hour. A check of the weather.

(WEATHER REPORT)

O'BRIEN: Well, flight delays will soon pay off for passengers on one airline. We're going to explain ahead on "Minding Your Business."

HEMMER: Also, Michael Jackson is moving from one problem to another. Now that the trial is behind him, can he now rebuild his bank account? A look at the Michael Jackson brand and where it stands today. That's next after a break.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

HEMMER: Reaction from outside the courthouse yesterday in Santa Maria, California.

Michael Jackson's career has been on hold ever since these charges were brought against him. But now the singer is free to get back in business and get back on to the next move in his life. The question we're asking this morning, though, is what is that next move?

Ali Velshi has a look this morning.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

ALI VELSHI, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice over): The verdict's in. He...

MICHAEL JACKSON, SINGER (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 has been cash strapped for some time, but he's still asset rich.

VELSHI: Those assets are music catalogues. One of them contains his tunes. He calls it, affectionately, MiJack (ph). It's worth about $150 million.

Another big asset, the Sony ATV catalogue 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 play, Jackson gets paid. Recent estimates say he earns about $10 million a year from the catalogues.

But he's got debts, too, roughly $300 million in loans that are backed by those music catalogues 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: Well, 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're 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. You know, look at Madonna how many millions she made on her former tour. PULLEY: And then there's another option that may seem like a comedown for the king of pop, and that's to do something ala Celine Dion in Las Vegas and have a show that's there four, five, six nights a week.

VELSHI (on camera): Well, the idea of a Vegas show might seem outlandish, but rumors were circulating about conversations between Jackson's people and his old acquaintance, Vegas mogul Steve Wynn. Wynn's organization issued a strongly-worded denial. But think about this: For someone like Jackson, even a tiny comeback could be bigger than most performers ever get.

Ali Velshi, CNN, New York.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

HEMMER: Thank you, Ali.

Jackson has won 13 Grammys in total. He was also awarded the living legend Grammy back in 1993.

In a moment, hear one airline that manages to turn delays into rewards for passengers. We'll explain that in "Minding Your Business" next here after a break on AMERICAN MORNING.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

O'BRIEN: Welcome back, everybody.

Frequent fliers are finding out it pays to be late. And an extension that many returning military members will welcome.

Gerri Willis is in for Andy Serwer, who has got a little time off. She's "Minding Your Business" this morning.

Good morning.

GERRI WILLIS, CNN PERSONAL FINANCE EDITOR: Good morning, Soledad. Good to see you.

Guess what? United Airlines has a great idea to improve its relationship with customers. It's going to award fliers who sit on the tarmac for 30 minutes or more 500 frequent flier points. So, if you're late, there's a benefit if you fly United.

Remember, United is in bankruptcy right now. It's expected to emerge this fall. The offer is only good, though, if you're flying in and out of its hub, Chicago O'Hare, to one of the big cities -- Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis.

O'BRIEN: Not weather related? There are no exceptions?

WILLIS: No exceptions.

O'BRIEN: You have to be sitting on the tarmac as opposed -- so you've pulled away from the gate. WILLIS: Just delayed. If your plane is delayed 30 minutes.

O'BRIEN: I'm always looking for the fine print.

WILLIS: Well, no, absolutely. If your plane is delayed 30 minutes or more, you get 500 frequent flier points.

O'BRIEN: That's a good deal.

WILLIS: It is. It is a great deal.

O'BRIEN: All right, finally someone is paying us back for our times that's wasted.

You also have got some news on military personnel kind of getting a break.

WILLIS: Yes. This is a really interesting story. Freddie Mac is saying that they'll give returning military personnel a break if they're late paying their mortgage. Get this: They're requiring lenders to extend a sort of grace period of 90 days to people who are returning from military service, 90 days. So, they'll get this 90-day window in which to come up to date on their mortgage payments. It's a nice thing for people who have been in the military who maybe have some financial issues.

O'BRIEN: That's terrific. All right, Gerri, thanks very much.

WILLIS: You're welcome.

O'BRIEN: Bill.

HEMMER: All right, Soledad. In a moment, hear the man responsible for Michael Jackson's huge legal victory in court. Defense attorney Tom Mesereau will join us live ahead on AMERICAN MORNING.

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