Posted by Prosecutors STILL Senselessly Searching for evidence? MJEOL Bullet #152 The Santa Barbara News-Press recently reported (June.5.2004) that prosecutors are still being granted search warrants to seize phone records in the Michael Jackson case. What the hell do phone records have to do with a molestation case, you may ask? Some say that prosecutors arent looking for evidence of molestation, but rather theyre trying to find dirt on Jacksons personal life or the personal lives of those around Jackson; possibly those alleged unnamed co-conspirators (ha!). The reports states that as late as May 20 2004, prosecutors were issued search warrants for 17 different companies including Verizon in California, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New Jersey. As with most things in this case, the documents didnt provide details as to why the records were requested, according to the paper. Another baffling and possibly sinister search warrant was issued on May 14 allowing prosecutors to seize credit reports from Transunion, Equifax and Experian, and bank records from Bank of America. Again, how the hell does this prove molestation or conspiracy? Its anyones guess at this time. But it does seem extremely suspicious that prosecutors are getting access to credit reports and bank records. Much ado has been made about Jacksons finances over the past 10 years. Erroneous information has surfaced and been published by reporters on the wrong track, hoping to forecast the financial downfall of Michael Jackson. These forecasts have made a number of people look like idiots in the wake of so many of the doomsday predictions not coming true; and just like much of the erroneous information about Jackson which has been passed onto the public slapped with a Breaking News label on it: Jackson becoming a member of the Nation of Islam (false), Jackson about to file for bankruptcy (false), Jacksons 93 accuser testifying in front of the grand jury (false), Jackson not being in control of his life (false), Jackson may flee the country (false), ETC. ETC. ETC. What is most disturbing about this information, however, is the fact that they are still trying to find something that they obviously should have already had before taking this “case” this far. They received an indictment from allegedly unbiased grand jurors. So, why the need to search financial and credit records months after the indictment? Shouldnt this information have already been gathered and presented to a grand jury if there was anything incriminating? And if this info is just now being gathered, what exactly did prosecutors present to an allegedly unbiased grand jury to convince them of a conspiracy or molestation? Do prosecutors STILL only have the word of the grifting family?? As far back as March 26 2004, lawyers were decrying the prosecutions desperate search for info they should have had before they even arrested Jackson. Loyola University Law Professor Laurie Levenson says that the seizure of info isnt usual, but the timing is:
What is different, she said, is that its being done after the arrest rather than before. (see articles)
A Fox news report from Roger Friedman (shocker) on Feb 2 2004 quoted a source supposedly at the heart of the “case” as saying that these fishing expeditions are indicative of a lack of evidence:
Another source — and I mean, these people are right in the middle of this thing, not just bystanders or outsiders — told me with great confidence: “It means the D.A. has no case. He’s gone from the top down, instead of the bottom up, looking for stuff. He obviously hasn’t found anything.” (see article).
That report also says that insiders were amused by the raid on Marc Schaffels house at the behest of prosecutors. If you listen to media reports, Schaffels allegedly one of the people named in the Jackson indictment as an unnamed co-conspirator (ha!) But why the search warrants seeking personal bank records and credit reports by prosecutors? If you think for one minute that the molestation case is strong and the prosecution is just trying to cover their bases, you better think again. In fact, some observers say that prosecutors may be at their wits-end because theyve turned up nothing indisputable to confirm/prove Jacksons guilt in any way on either the changing molestation counts, the changing alcohol counts, or the added conspiracy charge. I guess it never crossed their minds that the familyclaiming those 28 over acts of alleged conspiracywould lie about things so obviously checkable. And we are all left to wonder why prosecutors are scrambling at this date to put together a case that may not have ever existed. -MJEOL