Report: Michael Jackson Paid Another Accuser

[BERIGAN]

Report: Michael Jackson Paid Another Accuser

Allegedly Paid $2 Million To Son Of Neverland Employee

Sep 2, 2004 4:28 pm US/Eastern

LOS ANGELES (AP) The former sheriff of Santa Barbara County says that Michael Jackson paid $2 million to the son of an employee at his Neverland Ranch in 1990 to stave off an accusation of child molestation, according to a broadcast report.

In a segment set for broadcast Friday night, retired Sheriff Jim Thomas, now an NBC news analyst, said his office investigated Jackson in 1993 in connection with one boy's claim and came upon the second accusation.

The first boy reportedly was paid $15 to $20 million by Jackson to avoid charges he thought would damage his career even if proved untrue.

Jackson has denied ever harming any child and is currently fighting charges that he molested a boy in 2003.

Jackson's lawyer, Thomas Mesereau Jr., did not immediately return a call Thursday from The Associated Press. Lawyers in the case are under a gag order.

"We always believed there were eight to 10 other children out there," Thomas said in the Dateline piece.

But during interviews, he said, "Many of them said that they had spent time with Michael Jackson. They had spent time in his bedroom, but that nothing had happened. Some wouldn't talk to us at all."

Thomas said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press that the employee's son did not file charges and didn't want to testify "because he was afraid his friends would think he was homosexual."

Thomas said he has discussed the boy's claim before but could not confirm until now that Jackson had paid the boy $2 million. He did not say how it was confirmed.

Dateline said the settlement contained a clause providing it could never be discussed publicly.

Thomas said in the Dateline report the 12-year-old accused Jackson of "fondling him through his clothes" which would be considered "inappropriate touching" and could be the basis of misdemeanor charges. No charges were ever lodged.

Both boys who accused Jackson in the 1990s are now in their 20s and are not expected to testify in the current case.

Jackson, 45, has pleaded not guilty to committing a lewd act upon a child, administering an intoxicating agent and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. His trial is set to start on Jan. 31.

http://cbsnewyork.com/topstories/topstorie..._246172933.html

[Tjazz]

Michael should just move to France.

[PHILLYQ]

...and there may be others? QUEL SURPRISE!