Neverland
Michael Jackson was arrested on November 20 after police searched Neverland Ranch with a search warrant on Nov 18.
Jackson and his three children were in Las Vegas, where Jackson was shooting a video for “One More Chance”. He was released an hour after his arrest, posting a $3 million bond.
Jackson issued a statement saying the claims were "predicated on a big lie". In an interview with 60 Minutes, Jackson said police mistreated him and dislocated his shoulder. He acclaimed his innocence and said that he would not to settle out of court as he had done in the past. In August 2004, the California attorney general's office concluded that Jackson was neither not mistreated when he was taken into custody.
Dec 18, 2003, Jackson was charged with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent for the purpose of committing a felony. On April 21, a grand jury indicted Jackson on several additional related charges, including conspiracy involving child abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion. Jackson plead not guilty and faced a sentence of up to eighteen years in prison if convicted.
The jury deliberated for about 32 hours over seven days. On the initial vote, nine jurors voted to acquit Jackson, while three voted guilty. On June 13, 2005, they returned a verdict of not guilty on all charges.
Jurors found the prosecution's case timeline of accusations problematic because they claimed the molestation occurred after the broadcast of the documentary. One juror believed the mother was a scam artist. In a news conference held after the trial, a juror said, "We expected better evidence, something that was a little more convincing. It just wasn't there."