Martin Bashir, the Root of Michael Jackson's Molestation Trial
Living with Michael Jackson Documentary
At the heart of the controversy was 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo, who Bashir interviewed without his mother's knowledge. Arvizo had been sentenced to two months to live back in 2001, and attributed Michael Jackson's friendship to his miraculous recovery. When Bashir asked if Arvizo had ever slept in Michael Jackson's bedroom, Arvizo recalled a time when he'd asked Michael if he could stay in his room. Michael joined the conversation, saying that Arvizo had slept in the bed with his brother, while Michael slept in a sleeping bag on the floor. During a narration of the video, Bashir claimed, "I'd found this easily the most disturbing moment of the past eight months."
Despite Michael Jackson's repeated explanations that the incidents were not sexual and Arvizo's statements that nothing improper ever happened between him and Jackson, Bashir and others contended that it wasn't right for a man, then 44 years old, to sleep in the same room or bed as children. Arvizo denied accusations of inappropriate behavior on the part of Michael Jackson until November 2003. He changed his story, deciding that Michael Jackson had molested him twice between February and March 2003, after the airing of the Bashir documentary and filming of the rebuttal video.
It is unclear why, if the allegations had been true, that Michael Jackson had known Arvizo for two years, but chose to molest him only after the airing of a documentary, which practically accused Jackson of molestation. When Gavin went to school, he was teased by children, who'd seen the "Living with Michael Jackson" documentary. His teacher asked him if he had been molested by Michael Jackson, which he vehemently denied. A concerned teacher, not necessarily the one before mentioned, asked the courts to look into Gavin's sleeping in Michael Jackson's bed claims, but officials said there was nothing illegal about the act.
If Martin Bashir would have practiced responsible journalism from the beginning, the Michael Jackson molestation trial might never have even happened. Firstly, Bashir should never have interviewed Gavin Arvizo without his mother's express, written permission. Secondly, his company never should have aired that footage, showing Arvizo's face without express, written permission. Thirdly, Bashir never should have given his personal opinions any weight whatsoever in the documentary. His reporting caused several media sources to bombard DA Tom Sneddon's office with claims of Michael Jackson's alleged child molestation. To which, Sneddon responded in a press release:
Many of the media inquiries suggest there has already been a mental leap of misbehavior suggested by this unusual conduct. Mental leaps of misbehavior are not acceptable as legal substitutes for credible, cooperative victims or percipient witnesses... As I indicated at the beginning of this press release, I am attempting to balance the public's interest in this situation with this office's ability to fulfill its other important responsibilities to this county. I am asking that you please not waste your time, your money and my staff's time calling. If it is deemed appropriate at some future date to hold a press conference, the notice like any other releases or further developments in this case, will be posted on our website.
Bashir knew fool well that airing these kinds of accusations would stir up a media storm, yet he flippantly let the juggernaut out of the bottle without taking an ounce of responsibility for the fallout. At Michael's death, Bashir said that he never saw Michael Jackson do anything criminal. His documentary was then rebroadcast, omitting the bed controversy that never should have been in the documentary in the first place. Had Bashir and his production company been responsible journalist instead of tabloid mongers, they could have saved the L.A. courts hundreds of thousands of dollars and Michael Jackson six months of his life. Ironically, in the interview, Michael Jackson admonished Bashir for harping on salacious rumors, stating, "This is tabloid stuff. You're beyond this. "
Sources:
People vs. Michael Jackson Encylopedia. allexperts.com
Tom Sneddon, Press Release. countyofsb.org
Michael Jackson. Living With Michael Jackson Take Two.
Published by Pop Intervention
I'm a freelance writer, who enjoys developing thought provoking discourse for the soul. View profile
- Michael Jackson to Make a Comeback AnnouncementMichael Jackson is in the news for planning a series of comeback concerts.
On-line Links to Information About Real Michael JacksonMichael Jackson was more than a singer, dancer, actor and that guy on the stage. See some home videos and the funny side of this man.- Book Review: 'Lost Boy' (Michael Jackson) by Kit Culkin with Jeanette KrylowskiKit Culkin's biography of Michael Jackson offers a refreshingly knowledgeable and informative view of the King of Pop and the charges against him.
- People Who Maligned Jacko Should Not Try to Escape by Shifting Responsibilty on to...One mistake cannot be washed away by committing another mistake. Jacko left without any complaints against anybody. So nobody need to feel any pressure to shift their responsibility in maligning him while he was alive.
- An Unusual RantFacts and opinions on the Michael Jackson child molestation charges.
- Is Michael Jackson Still a Thriller 25 Years Later?
- Michael Jackson Mourned Worldwide: Bizzare Behavior Excused, Amazing Talent Recogn...
- Peter King, New York Congressman, Calls Michael Jackson a 'Pervert' and 'Child Mol...
- MoonChyld's Entertainment News - Michael Jackson
- What Will $3,500 Buy? 30 Seconds with Michael Jackson!
- Michael Jackson Dies, Reports Say
- Michael Jackson Dies. King of Pop on Prescription Meds? Michael Jackson Death Shoc...
8 Comments
Post a CommentThis mockumentary is used in some journalism classes as an example of how not to conduct an interview. It is something that should no longer be aired because it is full of lies and innuendo. Bashir was totally inappropriate in speaking to and having Gavin Arvizo as a part of it when he did not have parental consent. He is an unethical, devious, lying, little twerp who is not man enough to admit that the piece of crap he produced is garbage. He and the company stand by their work. How ridiculous is that?
Join forces to get Bashir fired!
mjtruthnow(dot)com
Sign up for newsletter and let's get it done!
BASHIR YOU ARE AN INDIAN COCKROACH. A GOOD INDIAN IS A DEAD INDIAN.
Yes, It's an interesting study to undertake. Stars have often been incredibly influenital over the decades. they've also been big philanthropists.
Government fears around the influence of superstars, once led the House Committee on Un-American Activities to launch a strident attack on Hollywood's rank and file by circulating a blacklist. Similar methods were used by the FBI (under J. Edgar Hoover) during the student-led Civil Rights and pro-Peace Movements of the 1960s and 1970s. John Lennon was the target of illegal measures to neutralize his influence along with celebrity allies of these movements. Angst about the world's two most influential international stars, by far, John Lennon and Michael Jackson, present a fascinating case study that warrant further study and investigative research. As part of legendary singing-sensations the mega-stars garnered international acclaim unlike any before or after. Lennon boldly addressed citizens of the world as part of a highly visible interracial couple, actively opposed to racial injustice, labor inequality, and war against an Asian enemy. From the date of its release, his hit song Im
Yes, Mr. Bashir, the man with the foreig accent, is the most dishonest man and a shame to other reporters that give fair and honest information. YOU SR. BASHIR, took advantage of an artist who naivelly, just like the child he was inside, trusted you and opened his house and life to you.
Yes, you showed just what you filmed BUT you added your destructive malicios commentaries when you aired it. Were you not good enough that you had to destroy someones life and reputation in order to get some extra money and fame?
Even after Michael Jackson's death,Bashir had again the greatest dishonesty and irrespect to the viewers when he said in an interview that it was the Public, (trying to wash his own hands) not him, that focuased on the few negative parts of his report. What else could the public have seen after the poisonous commentaries he had? making look bad even positive and harmless things?
Pray mr. bashir (if you know how to do it) that one day soon, you will not fall under the sc
Yes, it was a travisty. I watched the trial every day and I was so upset about seeing what it was doing to Michael Jackson. The lies were outrageous, really. Anyone with common sense could figure out that Michael Jackson did not go and molest that boy AFTER the Martin Bashir interview aired, yet that's what the boy contended. He knew Michael for 2-3 BEFORE that interview, yet claimed he was molestated AFTER the topic of sleeping in the same room and bed with boys was brought to the international forefront. I don't know chid molesters, but I figure they aren't THAT stupid.
I will have to live with the fact that after all the joy and wonderment Michael Jackson gave me, my grief for his passing has been been more acute in the knowledge I could have done more during his trial. Those fans who stood outside the courts, far from being insane devotees were the only people, apart from Geraldo and his family who really made their support physical. Geraldo's support was palpable and humane and it is in hindsight we can see the huge professional risk he took, in light of the widespread hostile court of public opinion prevalent at the time. Geraldo allowed the issue of reasonable doubt to at least have some air-time. What people fail to realize is that the level of defence Jackson's team was required to provide was actually higher than most ordinary cases. Jackson was proved to be innocent, yet still Bill Reilly and King deride Michael's memory while his children survive him . Their actions, contemptible and indecent, echo the bias Michael faced while alive.