California courts
mercphoto
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This seals it for me. Jackson not guilty of everything? California has Disneyland handling their court system.
Bill Jurasz - Mercury Photography - Cedar Park, TX
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A former sports shooter
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No disrepect, but a view like that does little to solve the problem of a poor criminal justice system. "Oh well, they'll pay, sometime... somewhere..."
In my belief system, the courts are the highest power anyone answers to. And he's off. Best I can hope for now is nobody buys his albums, music, books. That nobody buys any books written by jurors (and you just know some jurors are going to try to get rich off this).
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Just sad to see a former great performer fall onto the crazy train. :crazy
Even if they found him guilty, prison would be a cake walk to where he's going when he meets his maker.
January 20 Nine-year-old Elizabeth Parris and eleven-year-old Abigail Williams began to exhibit strange behavior, such as blasphemous screaming, convulsive seizures, trance-like states and mysterious spells. Within a short time, several other Salem girls began to demonstrate similar behavior. Mid-February Unable to determine any physical cause for the symptoms and dreadful behavior, physicians concluded that the girls were under the influence of Satan. Late February Prayer services and community fasting were conducted by Reverend Samuel Parris in hopes of relieving the evil forces that plagued them. In an effort to expose the "witches", John Indian baked a witch cake made with rye meal and the afflicted girls' urine. This counter-magic was meant to reveal the identities of the "witches" to the afflicted girls. Pressured to identify the source of their affliction, the girls named three women, including Tituba, Parris' Carib Indian slave, as witches. On February 29, warrants were issued for the arrests of Tituba, Sarah Good and Sarah Osborne.
Although Osborne and Good maintained innocence, Tituba confessed to seeing the devil who appeared to her "sometimes like a hog and sometimes like a great dog". What's more, Tituba testified that there was a conspiracy of witches at work in Salem.
March 1 Magistrates John Hathorne and Jonathan Corwin examined Tituba, Sarah Good, and Sarah Osborne in the meeting house in Salem Village. Tituba confessed to practicing witchcraft. Over the next weeks, other townspeople came forward and testified that they, too, had been harmed by or had seen strange apparitions of some of the community members. As the witch hunt continued, accusations were made against many different people.
Frequently denounced were women whose behavior or economic circumstances were somehow disturbing to the social order and conventions of the time. Some of the accused had previous records of criminal activity, including witchcraft, but others were faithful churchgoers and people of high standing in the community.
March 12 Martha Corey is accused of witchcraft. March 19 Rebecca Nurse was denounced as a witch. March 21 Martha Corey was examined before Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin. March 24 Rebecca Nurse was examined before Magistrates Hathorne and Corwin. March 28 Elizabeth Proctor was denounced as a witch. April 3 Sarah Cloyce, Rebecca Nurse's sister, was accused of witchcraft. April 11 Elizabeth Proctor and Sarah Cloyce were examined before Hathorne, Corwin, Deputy Governor Thomas Danforth, and Captain Samuel Sewall. During this examination, John Proctor was also accused and imprisoned. April 19 Abigail Hobbs, Bridget Bishop, Giles Corey, and Mary Warren were examined. Only Abigail Hobbs confessed. William Hobbs
"I can deny it to my dying day."
April 22 Nehemiah Abbott, William and Deliverance Hobbs, Edward and Sarah Bishop, Mary Easty, Mary Black, Sarah Wildes, and Mary English were examined before Hathorne and Corwin. Only Nehemiah Abbott was cleared of charges. May 2 Sarah Morey, Lydia Dustin, Susannah Martin, and Dorcas Hoar were examined by Hathorne and Corwin. Dorcas Hoar
"I will speak the truth as long as I live."
May 4 George Burroughs was arrested in Wells, Maine. May 9 Burroughs was examined by Hathorne, Corwin, Sewall, and William Stoughton. One of the afflicted girls, Sarah Churchill, was also examined. May 10 George Jacobs, Sr. and his granddaughter Margaret were examined before Hathorne and Corwin. Margaret confessed and testified that her grandfather and George Burroughs were both witches. Sarah Osborne died in prison in Boston.
Margaret Jacobs
"... They told me if I would not confess I should be put down into the dungeon and would be hanged, but if I would confess I should save my life."
May 14 Increase Mather returned from England, bringing with him a new charter and the new governor, Sir William Phips. May 18 Mary Easty was released from prison. Yet, due to the outcries and protests of her accusers, she was arrested a second time. May 27 Governor Phips set up a special Court of Oyer and Terminer comprised of seven judges to try the witchcraft cases. Appointed were Lieutenant Governor William Stoughton, Nathaniel Saltonstall, Bartholomew Gedney, Peter Sergeant, Samuel Sewall, Wait Still Winthrop, John Richards, John Hathorne, and Jonathan Corwin. These magistrates based their judgments and evaluations on various kinds of intangible evidence, including direct confessions, supernatural attributes (such as "witchmarks"), and reactions of the afflicted girls. Spectral evidence, based on the assumption that the Devil could assume the "specter" of an innocent person, was relied upon despite its controversial nature.
May 31 Martha Carrier, John Alden, Wilmott Redd, Elizabeth Howe, and Phillip English were examined before Hathorne, Corwin, and Gedney. June 2 Initial session of the Court of Oyer and Terminer. Bridget Bishop was the first to be pronounced guilty of witchcraft and condemned to death. Early June Soon after Bridget Bishop's trial, Nathaniel Saltonstall resigned from the court, dissatisfied with its proceedings. June 10 Bridget Bishop was hanged in Salem, the first official execution of the Salem witch trials. Bridget Bishop
"I am no witch. I am innocent. I know nothing of it."
Following her death, accusations of witchcraft escalated, but the trials were not unopposed. Several townspeople signed petitions on behalf of accused people they believed to be innocent.
June 29-30 Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Sarah Wildes, Sarah Good and Elizabeth Howe were tried for witchcraft and condemned. Rebecca Nurse
"Oh Lord, help me! It is false. I am clear. For my life now lies in your hands...."
Mid-July In an effort to expose the witches afflicting his life, Joseph Ballard of nearby Andover enlisted the aid of the accusing girls of Salem. This action marked the beginning of the Andover witch hunt. July 19 Rebecca Nurse, Susannah Martin, Elizabeth Howe, Sarah Good, and Sarah Wildes were executed. Elizabeth Howe
"If it was the last moment I was to live, God knows I am innocent..."
Susannah Martin
"I have no hand in witchcraft."
August 2-6 George Jacobs, Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John and Elizabeth Proctor, and John Willard were tried for witchcraft and condemned. Martha Carrier
"...I am wronged. It is a shameful thing that you should mind these folks that are out of their wits."
August 19 George Jacobs, Sr., Martha Carrier, George Burroughs, John Proctor, and John Willard were hanged on Gallows Hill. George Jacobs
"Because I am falsely accused. I never did it."
September 9 Martha Corey, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Dorcas Hoar, and Mary Bradbury were tried and condemned. Mary Bradbury
"I do plead not guilty. I am wholly innocent of such wickedness."
September 17 Margaret Scott, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, Mary Parker, Abigail Faulkner, Rebecca Eames, Mary Lacy, Ann Foster, and Abigail Hobbs were tried and condemned. September 19 Giles Corey was pressed to death for refusing a trial. September 21 Dorcas Hoar was the first of those pleading innocent to confess. Her execution was delayed. September 22 Martha Corey, Margaret Scott, Mary Easty, Alice Parker, Ann Pudeator, Wilmott Redd, Samuel Wardwell, and Mary Parker were hanged. October 8 After 20 people had been executed in the Salem witch hunt, Thomas Brattle wrote a letter criticizing the witchcraft trials. This letter had great impact on Governor Phips, who ordered that reliance on spectral and intangible evidence no longer be allowed in trials. October 29 Governor Phips dissolved the Court of Oyer and Terminer. November 25 The General Court of the colony created the Superior Court to try the remaining witchcraft cases which took place in May, 1693. This time no one was convicted. Mary Easty
"...if it be possible no more innocent blood be shed...
...I am clear of this sin."
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I am not a fan of MJ - but - this is a very conservative town where the trial happened - and the jury was ideal for the prosecution. If they did not convict, there is a pretty good likelihood that there was not enough evidence.
The jury is made of people like you and me!
Best,
Michel
Well, several things cause me to withhold judgement (in addition to the fact that I wasn't there)-
I think that Michael Jackson is a very strange person, and a victim of fame, fortune, and unfortunately, a family history that doesn't seem very conducive to growing up 'normal'. I honestly think that it is possible that he is 'wierd' enough that he is innocent of child molestation.
Is he guilty of something? Yes-even if *nothing* physical happened between him and these kids, he is guilty of very poor judgement at least.
He is also rich enough that it is very plausible that he would be a target for anyone he allows into close contact with him.
In the end, we can do little more than put our trust in the jury to sort this out.
I won't be losing sleep over it that's for sure.
you are jury material already
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Now common I didn't mention LA at all. Besides where I come from we drive in the rain and the snow and the ice so thats not a problem. I just don't like the politics in california (you guys do pay (as my friends would say) out your dark sides to register your cars, plus enviromental testing, and all that), or the court system there (you have to admit that the history of celebrity trials in california shows the celebs getting off more than they get convicted for).
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Jeff.... I'm ready to defend California with you anytime :toni
(oh hey, easy on the "friends going home"... I'm from NYC)
Moderator of: Location, Location, Location , Mind Your Own Business & Other Cool Shots
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I am glad he was not convicted: my reasons, don't have any, and I do not like his music, nor his lipstick, just am glad.
And the jurors, I am very impressed with their comments. Most of them seem to have thought things through thoroughly. Also, it took them a week, a whole week, I thought he was a goner then. So the California system, well, it worked again.:):
Also, it is well known, or thought, that people who can afford to hire good lawyers, in teams if possible, they usually do fare better than others. They also are the ones who make the headlines. That is why they get the lawyers: they can. Martha Stewart was an exception. Sure was good PR for her, though. Michael Jackson is not Martha Stewart, I do not think the outcome would have been the same. I am glad it went as it did.
Another, haha, is there another, liberal southerner.
ginger
sorry, just had to say that before this thread is shut down.
I listen to the jurors and reasons for their verdict and think "those guys are idiots". Sorry, I didn't see any well thought out reasons, just a bunch of hunches and emotion.
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Regardless of what one might think of Michael Jackson (you can add me to the top of the list of people who think the guy is loopy and needs help), there's something to be said about money-grubbing, coniving, illegal schemers amongst us too.
When we fall victim to mob mentality we all suffer a loss.
from the LA Times; 8/24/05:
Los Angeles County prosecutors on Tuesday filed fraud and perjury charges against Janet Arvizo, whose credibility problems were blamed for undermining pop star Michael Jackson's trial on charges that he molested her teenage son.
Prosecutors allege that Arvizo, 37, had fraudulently received more than $18,000 in government benefits after failing to disclose in her welfare application that she and her children had recently been paid $70,000 to resolve a civil lawsuit. (italics added)
The new allegations mark an unusual turn in the story, with Jackson, who was acquitted in June, now free of charges, and Arvizo facing a possible sentence of more than seven years in prison.
Defense attorney Thomas A. Mesereau Jr., who represented Jackson in the molestation case, said the allegations against Arvizo are further evidence that the Santa Barbara County jury returned the correct verdict.
"This helps confirm what we were saying through the trial, which was the accuser and his family lacked credibility and that the charges were false," Mesereau said. "It was a disgrace for the prosecutor to go forward with this case against Michael Jackson."
Santa Barbara County Dist. Atty. Tom Sneddon, who prosecuted the molestation case, did not return a call to his office Tuesday.
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I'll go with the jury system until somebody can come up with something better.
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"Do you want to be judged by a group of people who are not smart enough to get out of jury duty?"
I wonder what percentage of people actually serve on a jury. If you haven't done it, you probably cannot easily judge the position the people on the jury are in.
I served on a jury once, have been called three times, but only picked once.
I caused a hung jury. When we went in to deliberations, it was 8 guilty, 1 not. When I was done, it was 4 guilty, 5 not, but the other 4 would not be convinced. They figured the kid had a record, and the police would not have arrested him if he were not guilty. I hope those folks are never on the jury if I am getting tried.
The prosecuter did a bad job of proving his case, and did nothing to disprove the story told by the accused.
I think MJ is weird. I think he has bad judgment. I think any parent who lets their kids near him should be bludgened. That being said, I was not on the jury. I did not hear the case. I did not get the facts presented to me, or hear the witnesses speak. MJ was tried in the media long before there was a trial, and people are all upset because the jury did not decide the same thing as the media did.
I am very glad that here in this country the burden of proof is on the prosecution. You should be too.
Next time that jury notice letter comes in the mail, think about the people that get 4 million for spilling coffe in their own lap. Think about the people that walked that you thought were guilty. Think about all of the stories you have heard about the bad decisions made by the court. Dont make the call trying to get out of it.
Go in there and find out for yourself.