Original subtitles

In 1993, after being accused of child

molestation and becoming the subject of

a criminal investigation, Michael

Jackson publicly declared his innocence

with a pain that was impossible to hide.

Don't treat me like a criminal cuz I am

innocent. I have been forced to submit

to a dehumanizing

and humiliating examination by the Santa

Barbara County Sheriff Department and

the Los Angeles Police Department

earlier this week. They served a search

warrant on me which allowed them to view

and photograph my body including my

penis, my buttocks, my lower torso,

thighs, and any other error that they

wanted. They were supposedly looking for

any discoloration, spotting blotches, or

other evidence of a skin color disorder

called vitiligo, which I have previously

spoken about. The warrant also directed

me to cooperate in any examination of my

body by their physician to determine the

condition of my skin, including whether

I have vitiligo or any other skin

disorder. The warrant further stated

that I had no right to refuse the

examination or photographs, and if I

failed to cooperate with them, they

would introduce that refusal at any

trial as an indication of my guilt.

It was the most humiliating ordeal of my

life.

one that no person should ever have to

suffer.

>> Throughout his career, Michael Jackson

faced constant criticism and

humiliation, which led to deep

insecurities that had been instilled in

him since childhood. Although in

reality, he never truly had a childhood

at all.

>> And I remember uh going to the recording

studio, there was a park across the

street and I'd see all the children

playing and they'd be rooting and making

noise and I would cry. It make me sad

that I would have to go and work

instead.

>> As a child, Michael had no time for fun.

He spent most of his days in the studio

under the strict supervision of his

father, Joseph Jackson, who was

determined to push his children toward

success in the music industry. Joseph's

methods were extremely harsh, and it

left a lasting impact, one that Michael

was never able to fully forgive.

>> How often would he beat you?

M too much.

>> Would he only use a belt?

>> Why do you do this to me?

>> Michael Jackson was born on August 29th,

1958 into a working-class family. His

mother, Catherine, was a homemaker who

occasionally worked as a sales clerk,

while his father, Joseph, a former

boxer, worked at a steel plant. There

were 10 children in the family and

Michael was the eighth. At some point,

his father noticed the musical talent of

his children and decided to form a group

with them. Joseph was driven by an

intense desire for success. And in his

children, he saw a way to fulfill his

own unrealized dreams of becoming a

great musician. At first, only the older

brothers perform, but young Michael

Jackson joined them at around the age of

five. The group was initially called

Jackson Brothers and later became known

as the Jackson 5. They performed in

small clubs, cheap venues, and sometimes

even strip clubs. Soon the group began

winning vocal talent shows one after

another, largely thanks to Michael.

Interestingly, at one of these

competitions, their rivals seriously

discussed that the Jacksons should be

feared because they supposedly had a

dwarf lead singer whom they were passing

off as a child.

and bring it back.

>> Their popularity began to go rapidly by

the late 1960s. Michael, who was around

10 years old at the time, firmly

established himself as the lead vocalist

and the main star.

But behind the curtain of success, there

was a heavy price that young Michael had

to pay. During the first half of the

day, he attended school, then spent

hours rehearsing, leaving him no time

for anything else.

>> Dear Michael from Long Beach, Diana

Carol, who 16, what school do you go to?

Do you go to a school?

>> Yeah, I go to private school in the

valley.

>> Do the kids stare at you because you're

so rich and famous?

Do they

>> do they stare at you? Not because of it.

>> It's kind of a school like um the kids

already in the business like

>> there are other singers, dancers, and

aerialists and jugglers and tumblers and

so

>> and these rehearsals were often brutal,

causing Michael to hate his father more

and more each time. And if you miss a

step,

expect to be uh

>> just let me go back. You just said that

you would practice the dance steps and

your father would be holding a belt in

his hand. Is that what you just said?

>> Yes. And he would tear you up if you

missed.

>> How often would he beat you?

>> Too much.

Would he only use a belt?

>> Why do you do this to me?

No more than a belt.

>> What else would he use to hit you with?

>> Ernie courts,

whatever is around.

Throw you up against the wall hard as he

could. When he was beating you, did you

hate him?

>> Yeah.

Strong hate.

That's why to this day I don't lay a

finger on my children. I don't want them

to ever feel that way about me

ever. And he didn't allow us to call him

daddy. And I wanted to call him daddy so

bad.

He said, "I'm not daddy. I'm Joseph to

you." You know,

>> Michael didn't want to be like his

father. He wanted to be like James

Brown.

There would be many parallels between

Jackson's life and career and that of

the legendary artist. Brown's music

broke all the traditional rules of

popular music in the 1950s and60s.

Melody and softness were replaced by

rhythm and groove. James Brown was the

second most famous performer of his

time, second only to Elvis Presley. His

stage presence, performance style, and

musical approach became major

inspirations for Michael.

>> I couldn't I couldn't refuse to give

this award tonight because nobody has

influenced me more than this man right

here.

>> 1968 became a breakthrough year for the

Jackson 5. They were discovered by

Mottown Records. And after years of hard

work, the boys, who had barely

experienced childhood, finally began to

see what they had been working toward.

However, the contract was far from

ideal. The label had full control over

the group's repertoire, and they were

only paid for music that was officially

released. They could spend months in the

studio without releasing anything and

earn nothing in return. But this was the

reality for young artists at the time.

So, the Jacksons didn't complain. For

them, it was a chance to become stars.

After long struggles and disagreements,

they finally released their first single

a year later.

>> Then they released their first album,

Diana Ross presents the Jackson 5. The

label created a promotional narrative

claiming that Diana Ross had discovered

them, which is why the album carried her

name. In the years that followed, they

released several more successful albums

with some songs climbing high on the

charts.

tonight.

>> I'll be there.

>> However, just as quickly as the Jacksons

rose to fame, they began to lose it.

Around the same time in 1971, Joseph

Jackson learned that their main

competitors, the family group, The

Osman's had released a solo single by

one of their members, which

significantly boosted the popularity of

Donnie Osman. Joseph decided they needed

to do the same with their own lead

singer, Michael. In 1972, the single Got

to Be There was released. That marked

the beginning of the solo career of The

Man at the Center of Our Story.

Over the next few years, several solo

albums followed. One song in particular

stood out and became a major hit.

>> As the Jacksons began earning more from

both group and solo projects, Joseph

decided to take a closer look at where

the money was going. Despite their

success, it was clear they were earning

very little compared to what they were

generating for the label. Eventually,

Joseph quietly negotiated a more

profitable deal with CBS Records.

Mottown Records was not happy about

this, seeing it as a betrayal. After

all, they had made the Jackson's famous.

But regardless, for the Jackson family,

it was a much better opportunity.

By this time, Michael Jackson was

already widely known. He could no longer

walk down the street like a normal child

and simply enjoy life. At just 9 years

old, he was already performing in strip

clubs. And by 15, he had been

deliberately introduced to sex with a

prostitute, an experience Michael later

described as traumatic.

There was money, but CBS Records was

dissatisfied with their next two albums,

which underperformed commercially. The

Jacksons asked the label to give them

full creative control over their next

record. Reluctantly, the label agreed

and it paid off. The album Destiny,

released in 1978, became a success. The

biggest hit was Blame It on the Boogie.

Its

blame on the Boogie.

>> Around the same time, Michael suffered a

fall on stage and broke his nose. He

required surgery, but the initial

procedure was unsuccessful, leaving him

with breathing problems. This led to a

second rhinoplasty. The surgeon was

Steven Heftlin, who would later become

Jackson's personal plastic surgeon and

performed several more procedures. As

you know, this became one of the most

discussed topics in the media, although

in reality, the number of surgeries was

often exaggerated.

One of Michael Jackson's biggest

insecurities was his nose. His brothers

teased him with the nickname Big Nose,

even though he had inherited it from his

father. Ironically, Joseph Jackson

himself denied that the nose came from

him, which Michael clearly understood

was absurd.

>> Is it true that your father used to say

you had a fat nose?

>> Yeah.

>> What did he say? What did he actually

say?

>> God, your nose is big. You didn't get it

from me.

>> Joseph also consistently denied ever

abusing or mistreating him.

>> You never physically harmed him?

>> Never. Never have. And and I I raised

him just like you would raise your kids,

you know. But harm Michael for what? I

have no reason. That's my son. I loved

him. Say, uh, let's get into this

beating thing. There's no such thing as

beating a kid. You whipped them and

punished them for something they did and

they will remember that. So they

remembered in such a way they wouldn't

do it again. That's the way I was.

>> I wouldn't want to look in the mirror.

And my father teased me and I just hated

it. I cried every day because of it. It

made me

>> Your father would tease you about your

>> He would tell me I'm ugly.

>> Your father would say.

>> Yes, he would. Sorry, Joseph.

>> Yeah.

>> However, despite all of this, one event

would change Michael Jackson's life. He

starred in the film The Whiz. The

leading role was played by Diana Ross,

while Michael played the scarecrow. The

film was a box office failure, but for

Michael that didn't matter because it

was there that he met Quincy Jones, a

musician, composer, and producer who

would soon have a massive impact on his

career. Quincy saw something in the

young artist that went beyond just a

talented vocalist. After the film,

Michael returned to performing with his

brothers, but he no longer felt the same

connection. He began to realize that his

brothers, his father, and even the label

were holding him back rather than

helping him. Secretly, he reached out to

Quincy Jones and asked him to help

produce a solo album. Although this

didn't mean he was leaving the group,

his brothers reacted coldly. After all,

the group's popularity largely depended

on Michael. The industry also doubted

the collaboration. Quincy Jones was

respected but seen as more traditional

and few believed he could produce a

modern R&B album. Soon enough, however,

he and Jackson would go on to win

multiple Grammy awards. Together, they

created the breakthrough album

Offthe-Wall, which achieved massive

commercial success.

>> On the surface, everything looked

perfect. A young, energetic performer

dominating the charts. But behind the

scenes, Michael Jackson was deeply

lonely, struggling with agony,

insecurities about his appearance, and

constantly avoiding journalists, afraid

of uncomfortable questions. And he still

wanted to break free from the control of

his father, who continued to demand

complete obedience and refused to accept

any resistance. Once again, in secret,

Jackson met with attorney John Brana. He

told him he had only two goals. To

become the biggest star in show business

and the richest one. Brana's job was to

make that happen. And he did. Brana also

secured a deal allowing Michael to leave

the family group at any time without

penalties and legally ensured that he

would never have to record with his

brothers again if he didn't want to.

What Michael truly wanted was something

much simpler, to walk through a park

like a normal person. The lack of

freedom weighed on him so heavily that

in the early 1980s he developed a

strange routine. He would glue on a fake

beard, wear an old hat, dress like a

homeless man, and wander around Los

Angeles unnoticed. But it didn't last

long. One day, he entered an antique

shop, and the owner assumed he was a

thief and called the police. Jackson was

terrified. He tried to explain to the

officers that he was Michael Jackson.

They didn't believe him and took him to

the station. After that, he never

attempted anything like it again.

In 1981, Michael once again reached out

to Quincy Jones to begin work on a new

album, one that would surpass everything

he had done before.

This decision created tension within the

family. His brothers continued releasing

music as the Jacksons, but their

commercial success was nowhere near the

level Michael was already achieving as a

solo artist. Quincy assembled a team of

top musicians and songwriters around

Michael. But unlike the rigid studio

system he had experienced at Mottown,

here he was given far more creative

freedom. Quincy didn't see Jackson as

just a performer. He treated him as a

collaborator and partner. Michael could

spend hours debating harmonies, tempos,

and vocal delivery. And his opinion

mattered.

A new vision began to take shape to

expand the danced-driven sound of

Off-the-Wall, adding a harder edge,

elements of rock, and a broader sonic

pallet. Some songs Michael created from

scratch, while others he selected from

dozens of demos sent by songwriters.

Hundreds of ideas were reviewed and

rejected. He had one goal, to create a

great album.

Michael Jackson wanted his music to be

universal, to resonate with children,

teenagers, and adults regardless of race

or gender. That vision became Thriller.

And it wasn't just another breakthrough.

It was a cultural explosion.

This album made Michael Jackson the

biggest artist in the world.

Then came the legendary music video

thriller. In it, Michael walks his

girlfriend home only to transform into a

zombie and dance alongside creatures

rising from the grave. The production

cost a record-breaking $500,000.

And the impact was enormous.

The video essentially created a new

format, the cinematic music short film.

Michael broke down a barrier that had

long divided audience by race. The idea

of black music versus white music began

to fade. There was just music that

everyone could enjoy. And one of the key

songs that helped shatter that divide

was Billy Jean.

Billy Jean became the most important

song of Michael's career. The

inspiration came from letters he

received in 1981 from a woman claiming

he was the father of one of her twins.

Jackson received many such letters and

had never even met her. So he ignored

the claims. But she kept writing,

expressing her love for him and

questioning how he could ignore his own

flesh and blood.

The situation disturbed him so deeply

that he began having nightmares.

Eventually, Jackson received a package

containing a photograph of the woman, a

gun, and a letter demanding that he take

his own life at a specific time. She

claimed she would do the same after

killing their child so they could be

together in the afterlife. Later, the

Jackson family learned that the woman

had been admitted to a psychiatric

hospital.

The creation of the song itself is just

as striking. Michael would often hear

melodies in his head and become

completely absorbed in them. Once he was

so focused on a musical idea that he

didn't notice his car had caught fire

until a passing motorcyclist alerted

him. He would also sometimes build

melodies using beatboxing.

Jackson had disagreements with Quincy

Jones over this song, even though

Michael was convinced it would be a

major hit. According to some sources,

Jones considered it too weak for the

album, although he later denied this

himself. Jones didn't like the demo

version of the track and wasn't

impressed with the baseline. He also

wanted to cut the 29-second intro that

Jackson had created. However, Michael

insisted that the intro remain.

According to Jones, he gave in when

Michael said that the music made him

want to dance. And when Michael Jackson

tells you, "This is what makes me

dance." Well, there's nothing left to

say.

>> His signature move became the moonwalk,

which had originally been invented back

in the 1930s and later performed by

several dancers. Michael even paid one

of them $1,000 to teach him the move.

>> Wait,

it's like it's pushing. And

his concerts reached a whole new level.

The crowd would go completely crazy when

Michael appeared on stage. It was during

the Mottown 25th anniversary special

that the image of Michael Jackson we

know today was born. the glittering

jacket, the sparkling glove, and the

moonwalk.

>> When I did Mottown 25 and I did the

moonwalk for the first time, I was

backstage crying afterwards cuz I was

unhappy.

>> You cried after Mottown 25? But then as

I was walking to the car, there was this

little boy. He was like 12, was a little

Jewish kid. And he said, "You're

amazing. Who taught you to ever dance

like that?" And for the first time, I

felt I did a good job because I know

children don't lie. And I just felt so

good about it. Ben, you wanted to You

felt so good. You probably wanted to

say, "Hey, hey."

>> In 1984, Pepsi offered a massive

contract. Michael and his brothers were

supposed to appear in a commercial and

receive a huge amount of money. Although

the singer himself wasn't very

enthusiastic about the offer, he didn't

like Pepsi and he already had enough

money. But his managers, including his

father and representatives from the

label, insisted that it would bring in

millions and further strengthen his

image. In the end, Michael gave into the

pressure and signed the deal, even

though he felt like he shouldn't. It was

as if his intuition was warning him not

to do it.

During the filming of the commercial, a

pyrochnic effect malfunctioned, and

Michael's hair caught fire. He was

rushed to the hospital with second and

third degree burns to his scalp. The

incident instantly made headlines around

the world. Pepsi issued an apology,

promised to cover all medical expenses,

and offered Jackson substantial

compensation. At first, there were

rumors that he would sue Pepsi, but the

situation was ultimately resolved

peacefully. Michael publicly announced

that he donated the entire $ 1.5 million

settlement to Burn Centers.

At the same time, the media claimed that

Michael wanted to become white in order

to achieve greater success, that he was

undergoing skin treatments, bleaching

his skin, and so on. And

>> I have a skin disorder that destroys the

pigmentation of the skin is something

that I cannot help. Okay? But when

people make up stories that I don't want

to be who I am, it hurts me.

>> In reality, Jackson had a rare genetic

condition called vitiligo. As the

disease progresses, the skin loses

melanin, causing white patches to

appear. Over time, these patches grow,

merge, and eventually the skin becomes

extremely pale, almost translucent.

Vitiligo can worsen due to stress and

certain medications, which is why the

condition became more noticeable after

the burn incident. Unfortunately,

Michael struggled to look at himself in

the mirror.

And so when you look in the mirror now

and the image that looks back at you, do

you are there days when you say, "Wow, I

kind of like this or I like my hair

today."

>> I think I'm pretty cute today.

>> No, I'm No, I'm pretty cute today.

>> Um,

>> no. I try not to look in the mirror. I

really do because I'm never happy with

what I see. So, I go in with my work and

get it done. His brothers didn't want to

leave Michael on his own and pushed for

joint performances even though he was no

longer interested in them, especially

because it meant close involvement with

his father again who would be organizing

the shows. In the end, Michael agreed.

And it turned out to be a mistake

because his father came up with a scheme

that even today, 40 years later, sounds

unbelievable.

Joseph proposed turning ticket sales for

the victory tour into a lottery. Months

in advance, anyone who wanted a ticket

had to send a check by mail. One ticket

cost $30, and the more tickets you

bought, the higher your chances with a

limit of four. So, you could pay $120

and simply wait for the results. Only

about 25% would win while the rest would

be left watching from home. At best,

Joseph planned to put all the money into

the bank and earn a substantial amount

of interest from it. Michael was against

this scheme, but he couldn't stand up to

the family on his own. When the scheme

became public, all the accusations were

directed at Michael Jackson, not at his

father or his brothers. In response, he

stated that he had opposed this model

from the very beginning. That starting

from the third concert, they would

change the system and that he personally

would donate all his earnings to

charity. At that moment, he promised

himself that he would never perform with

his brothers again. A few years later,

the situation would repeat itself. At

the same time, there were numerous legal

battles. Different people filed lawsuits

claiming that Jackson owed them

percentages from previous contracts or

that they had been producers of certain

concerts. It was a constant and chaotic

flow of money everywhere. Michael

increasingly realized that he needed a

strong lawyer and manager, someone who

could filter out accusations and

demands. That's when Frank Deo joined

his team, an experienced manager who

would take control of Jackson's affairs

for several years. Together, they

developed a PR strategy for the

tabloids. One day, Michael heard about a

hyperbaric chamber, supposedly very

beneficial for health. He briefly

mentioned it in an interview. The

tabloids immediately picked it up and

reported that Jackson had already bought

one for $200,000.

Jackson and Deo decided to use it and

created an entire story that he was

planning to sleep in the chamber and

lived to 150 years old. He was even

photographed inside it and through

various indirect channels, the story was

fed to the press. The effect was

enormous. In the late 1980s, exactly

when the wildest rumors about Jackson

began to spread. Countless plastic

surgeries, skin bleaching, and even

stories that he wanted to buy the

skeleton of the elephant man. At first,

he enjoyed these rumors, but soon he

grew tired of them because Jackson had

become an easy target for the tabloids.

People could make up absolutely anything

about him, publish it, and someone would

believe it simply because it was Michael

Jackson.

By the time Bad was released, Michael

had slightly changed his image. He began

wearing black outfits, belts with

buckles, and metal details, creating a

more aggressive and edgy style. This

also became the last album he worked on

with Quincy Jones.

man.

>> In 1991, Dangerous was released. By that

time, his dominance in music had started

to decline as rock was rising in the

industry and new youth idols were

emerging. Never mind overtook Dangerous

on the charts, which was of course

unpleasant for Michael even though the

album still produced major hits.

It don't matter if you're black or

white.

I remember the time I fell in love. At

the time, Michael Jackson was not

focused on music at all. The early 1990s

were extremely difficult for him. In

June 1990, he was hospitalized due to

severe chest pain during one of his

intense dance rehearsals, which were

part of his weekly routine. When he was

brought to the hospital, he was holding

his chest and looked pale, weak, and

seriously ill. Numerous tests were

immediately conducted, but everything

came back normal. However, experienced

doctors understood that it wasn't a

physical condition. It was a panic

attack.

After leaving the hospital, Jackson once

again decided to completely restructure

his affairs, firing his main manager. He

did the same with his lawyer, John

Brana, who had spent years securing

highly profitable deals for Jackson

began producing films about himself

where his friends and acquaintances

would talk at length about what an

amazing person he was. He also

criticized other musicians, claiming

they couldn't sing, including Madonna.

The only bright moment during that

period was his performance at the Super

Bowl, which became one of the most

iconic in history. It is especially

remembered for its powerful finale where

he stood surrounded by children and

performed Heal the World.

>> In one of his interviews, Michael said

there was something more important to

him than music, helping sick and

underprivileged children. Every 3 weeks,

groups of children with serious

illnesses or from difficult backgrounds

would come to Neverland Ranch. because I

didn't have it thin. I compensate for

that really.

>> I mean, people wonder why I always have

children around because I I find the

thing that I never had through them, you

know, Disneyland, amusement parks, uh,

arcade games.

>> In the 1980s, Michael met a 12-year-old

actor, Emanuel Lewis. At Michael's

mansion, they would play games,

pretending to be animals or cowboys,

rolling around in the grass like little

kids. The story reached its peak when

Michael and Emanuel checked into a

luxury hotel registered as father and

son. What exactly happened there is

unknown, but shortly after that, they

stopped seeing each other. Notably,

Emanuel never made any accusations

against Michael Jackson and defended him

during all future scandals, even after

the artist's death.

A major scandal erupted in 1993.

Dentist and screenwriter Evan Chandler

filed a police report claiming that

Michael Jackson had mole his 13-year-old

son, Jordan Chandler. At the time,

Chandler was at the peak of his career

and had written a screenplay for a 1993

Robin Hood project. At the same time, a

former Jackson employee told a

sensational story to newspapers claiming

that Jackson had reached into the

underwear of McCauley Kulkin, star of

Home Alone. Kulkin himself had visited

Neverland multiple times and always

denied that Jackson had ever touched him

inappropriately.

Jackson owned his own estate, Neverland

Ranch, where he spent time with

children. It featured an amusement park,

a zoo, and a movie theater inspired by

Peter Pan, a character Michael deeply

loved.

>> Childhood, never growing up, magic,

flying, everything. I think that

children and wonderment and magic what

it's all about and to me I just have

never ever grown out of loving that or

thinking that is very special.

>> Do you identify with him?

>> Totally.

>> You don't want to grow up.

>> No, I am Peter Pan.

>> Are you not your Michael Jackson?

>> I'm Peter Pan by heart.

Soon tabloids began publishing headlines

like Peter Pan ped similar accusations.

A police search was conducted at the

ranch. Detectives interviewed around 30

children, all of whom stated nothing of

a sexual nature had occurred.

Meanwhile, others continued to spread

rumors and damage Jackson's reputation

for money. A former security guard

claimed that Jackson had asked him to

dispose of a photograph of a naked boy.

However, he told this story to

newspapers, not the police, and was paid

$150,000.

A former housekeeper, Francia Blanca,

claimed that she had to quit out of

disgust for allegedly seeing Jackson in

the shower with a child. She received

$20,000 for this statement. However,

another maid later testified that Blanca

had not quit, but had actually been

fired for poor performance 2 years

before the alleged incident. When

Michael received a Grammy in 1993, he

delivered a very emotional speech

addressing the accusations. A bold move.

>> I wasn't aware that the world thought I

was so weird and bizarre.

>> The following year, details of the

accusations began to emerge, giving

Jackson's lawyers significant arguments.

First, it's important to note that

Jordan Chandler's parents were divorced.

Evan lived separately and was unhappy

that his son was spending far more time

with Jackson than with him. The breaking

point came when Evan once saw his son

and Jackson lying in the same bed fully

clothed. After that, he took action.

First, he cut off all contact between

his son and Jackson. Second, he

attempted to demand financial

compensation from the celebrity even

before going to the police.

Chandler called David Schwarz, the new

husband of his ex-wife and Jordan's

stepfather, and said he was going to

destroy Michael Jackson. Schwarz

recorded the call in which Chandler

claimed he would win big, get everything

he wanted, and referred to Jackson as a

son of a However, the person he

later referred to in that way was

actually private investigator Anthony

Pelicano. Pelicano met with Jordan the

next day and directly asked him about

abuse. The boy initially said that

nothing had happened. Chandler did not

stop. He contacted a psychiatrist and

described a hypothetical situation.

Without ever speaking to the boy, the

doctor wrote a two-page letter stating

that there were grounds to suspect

abuse. The next day, Chandler finally

obtained a statement from his son

claiming that Jackson had touched him

inappropriately. However, this statement

came shortly after a dental procedure

while the boy was under the influence of

medication, meaning he was not fully

conscious.

After that, Chandler approached lawyers

and demanded 20 million. Negotiations

failed and he then went to the police.

In late August 1993, a group of

detectives arrived at Neverland and

conducted a search while Jackson was on

tour. No evidence was found. Children

who stayed at the ranch stated that

nothing inappropriate had occurred.

Later, Jordan gave a detailed

description of Michael's genitalia.

Jackson was then subjected to a

humiliating procedure. He was forced to

undress in front of prosecutors,

lawyers, and doctors. Ultimately, the

description did not match.

>> It was a nightmare, a horrifying

nightmare. But if this is what I have to

endure to prove my innocence, my

complete innocence,

so be it. Throughout my life, I have

only tried to help thousands upon

thousands of children to live happy

lives. It brings tears to my eyes when I

see any child who suffers.

I am not guilty of these allegations.

But if I am guilty of anything, it is of

giving all that I have all that I have

to give to help children all over the

world. It is of loving children of all

ages and races. It is of gaining sheer

joy from seeing children with their

innocent and smiling faces. It is of

enjoying through them the childhood that

I missed myself.

>> All of this ended in a settlement with

Michael paying $15 million. However, as

one juror later said, he had not heard a

single substantiated piece of evidence

proving Jackson's guilt. Still, a large

portion of the public believed he was

guilty and trusted what was written in

the tabloids. And yet, there were many

other stories the media could have

written about. For example, in 1994 at a

hospital in Budapest, Michael Jackson

met a young boy named Bella Farcus who

had been born with a severe liver defect

and abandoned by his parents. He

urgently needed a transplant and Jackson

paid not only for the surgery but also

for the next 10 years of his treatment.

The boy eventually recovered, was

adopted and grew up healthy and happy.

Or the story of Daniel Paresi, a boy who

was infected with HIV due to a medical

error during a blood transfusion. In

1997, before a performance in Milan,

Jackson invited the boy and his mother

to his dressing room and spent time

talking with them. But the most touching

moment happened during the concert

itself when during one of his songs,

Jackson held the boy in his arms in

front of tens of thousands of people.

Later, the boy's mother wrote him a

letter. I will never forget what you did

for my son. After your meeting, doctors

spoke of a miracle, and for several

months, it felt as if he had never been

ill. My child is no longer with us, but

I know he is always watching over you

from above. He never forgot what you did

for him. God bless you.

And there were dozens of such stories.

Over his lifetime, Michael Jackson

donated approximately $300 million to

charity.

>> I I love to do things for children and I

try to imitate Jesus and not I'm not

saying I am Jesus. I'm not saying

>> Yeah, we're clear on that,

>> right? trying to imitate Jesus in the

fact that he said

>> to be like children, to love children,

to be as pure as children are

>> and to make yourselves as innocent and

see the world through eyes of wonderment

and the whole magical quality of it all.

And I love that. And we have the ch like

we'll have like a hundred ballheaded

children here who they all have cancer

>> and they're running around and they're

enjoying themselves and it just make me

cry happy tears that I was able to do

that for them. Most of these acts of

kindness Jackson kept hidden from the

public, not wanting to draw attention to

himself. Because true, heartfelt

compassion does not require recognition.

This kind, selfless, and compassionate

man, who helped thousands of children

around the world for decades, ultimately

received the label of a file.

>> I want to set the record straight that

if people hear a lie long enough, people

believe it. The people have lied on me.

I'm a black American and I'm proud of it

and I'm honored of it. The bleach skin

rumor, which is a rumor, I don't bleach

my skin. They they once said I wanted a

white kid to play me as a child, which

was a rumor.

Uh inauguration rumor, saying I didn't

want to do President Clinton's

inauguration. I'm not gay.

He says, "Don't judge a person unless

you have spoken to them one on one,

which which is true."

Uh cuz what you hear is a lie. Uh

untrue. I can't make out this part

there.

>> It is illegible in portions. That's

true.

>> And Jesus said to love the children and

be like children. Be youthful and be

innocent and be pure and honorable. He

was talking to his apostles and they

were fighting over who's the greatest

among themselves. And he said, "Whoever

humbled yourself like this child is the

greatest among me." And he always

surrounded himself like with children.

And that's how I was raised to believe

and to be like that and to imitate that.

>> During the scandal, he married Lisa

Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis

Presley, but they divorced a year and a

half later. During their marriage, they

were often asked inappropriate questions

that clearly irritated Jackson. We want

to know if you've done the thing.

>> Michael, I know that this is an intimate

question, but are you having sex

together with Lisa Marie?

>> Do you guys really love each other or

you're just doing this to satisfy the

media?

>> Are you guys intimate?

>> Again,

>> I can't believe it.

>> This is about the skepticism.

>> Yes. Yes. Yes.

>> Later, he married again. this time to

nurse Debbie Row who had cared for him

during his treatment for vitiligo. The

couple had two children but divorced in

2000. Later he had a third child through

a surrogate mother. Despite losing

endorsement deals, his albums continued

to sell well. His songs topped the

charts and thousands attended his

concerts. It began to seem as though the

scandal had been forgotten. He continued

living with his children at Neverland

Ranch and actively performing until 2003

when he once again faced allegations of

child molestation. This time even more

serious. It all began when he agreed to

let British journalist Martin Basher

film a documentary about his life.

Basher visited Neverland and openly

question Jackson's behavior, including

the idea of sharing a bed with children.

>> Is that right, Michael?

>> It's very right. It's very loving.

That's what the world needs now. More

love, more

>> The world needs the world needs a man

who's 44 sleeping in children. No, no,

you're making it all wrong.

>> After the documentary aired, a wave of

moral panic erupted. The media began

portraying him as a potential threat to

children. Once again, articles,

scandals, and heated debates flooded the

public space, quickly escalating into

chaos. Even Eminem decided to mock him

in his work. Jackson was deeply hurt by

the song and video just lose it.

>> I mean girl.

>> I've never met u Mr. Eminem and um I

I've always admired her and to have him

do something like that was was uh pretty

painful as as an artist to another

artist. And uh it it's sad because well

I think what Stevie Wonder said is true

and uh I just don't want to say too much

more than that but he he should be

ashamed of himself what he's doing.

>> Stevie said he's bull is what he said.

>> District Attorney Tom Snedden who had

been involved in the 1993 case reopened

the investigation. He interviewed Gavin

Arzo, one of the boys featured in the

documentary along with his parents.

Gavin was a cancer patient. His father

had approached Jackson asking for

financial help for treatment. Jackson

personally met the boy in the hospital

and later invited him to Neverland. This

was in 2000 when Gavin was 10 years old.

The cancer went into remission after

which Jackson stopped inviting him to

the ranch until reconnecting again

shortly before the documentary was

filmed. He invited him to his ranch to

give an interview for British journalist

Martin Basher. Footage showed them

walking together, holding hands. Because

of this, the prosecutor focused on him

first. During questioning, Gavin claimed

that Michael Jackson had molested him

and his younger brother, offered them

wine disguised as soda, and publicly

masturbated. Moreover, all of this was

alleged to have happened after the

documentary was released.

On April 21st, 2004, Jackson was charged

with six counts, including conspiracy to

abduct children, extortion, false

imprisonment, and seven counts of child

molestation. He faced up to 18 years in

prison.

The situation almost perfectly mirrored

the events of 1993. The accusations were

largely supported by former Jackson

employees who first sold their stories

to tabloids and then appeared in court

along with the boy's family. While the

former employees motives were relatively

clear, the Gavin Arar Viso family was a

more complex case. During the trial, it

was revealed that years earlier, they

had already received $150,000 in

compensation from a supermarket chain

through deception. Gavin's mother, Janet

Arzo, had claimed she was beaten by a

security guard, but it later turned out

that the guard was not involved. It was

her own husband who had assaulted her.

Gavin's younger brother star claimed

that Jackson had shown them a

pornographic magazine. In court, the

defense attorney presented the magazine

and asked if he had seen it before. The

boy confidently said yes, that it was

the exact same one. The attorney then

pointed out that this would mean Star

could travel through time because the

magazine had been published months after

the boys had stopped visiting Neverland

Ranch.

Next, defense witnesses were heard. It

was revealed that during Gavin's

illness, his father had contacted many

celebrities, mostly stand-up comedians,

telling them about the family's

situation and asking for money. For

example, George Lopez initially provided

financial support for treatment.

However, he later concluded that the

father was more interested in money than

in his son's health and stopped paying.

In response, the father accused Lopez of

stealing $300 from his sick child and

threatened to go to the police. Lopez

called him an extortionist and cut off

all contact.

Among the witnesses were also teenagers

who had lived at Neverland at different

times. They continued to insist that no

abuse had ever occurred. McCauley Kulkin

testified in court and denied claims

that Jackson had behaved inappropriately

toward him. On June 13th, 2005, Jackson

was acquitted on all charges. After his

death in 2009, FBI files were

declassified, stating that the bureau

had found no evidence of criminal

behavior by the singer. After the trial,

Jackson became reclusive. He closed

Neverland and left the United States for

Bahrain. It later became clear that the

once immensely successful artist had

spent most of his fortune and was on the

verge of bankruptcy.

Jackson released no studio albums, sold

off assets, and largely disappeared from

public life. In early 2009, he held a

press conference, though he appeared

visibly exhausted. He announced a new

show titled This Is It. It was planned

as a series of 40 concerts, and all

tickets sold out on the very first day.

After years of absence, fans hoped to

see the King of Pop return in full

glory. and he had to deliver something

extraordinary because this was Michael

Jackson. That's what he always did.

According to those who worked with him,

he wanted the show to be perfect. He

pushed himself through intense

rehearsals, even at the age of 50,

already a demanding age for a dancer.

>> This is it and see you in July.

>> But sadly in July, we never saw him.

Less than 3 weeks before the first

concert on June 25th, 2009, Michael

Jackson died at his home in Los Angeles

from cardiac arrest. The cause was acute

intoxication from seditive medications

administered by his personal physician,

Conrad Murray. If there were any true

rumors about him, they concerned his

dependence on painkillers. He first

began using them after suffering severe

burns to his scalp in his youth. He

later continued during the 1993

allegations to cope with stress. Over

time, Jackson developed a dependency

which he attempted to treat, but the

treatment did not have lasting results.

In the final years of his life, he

regularly relied on powerful medications

to deal with insomnia and stress. Murray

was found guilty of involuntary

manslaughter and sentenced to 4 years in

prison.

If this were a fairy tale, I would say

the king lived happily ever after. But

our world is far from a fairy tale, and

the king spent much of his life

misunderstood,

unhappy, and alone.

Rest in peace, Michael Jackson.