For archival purposes - Whisper
CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Analysis of Michael Jackson's Arrest
Aired November 20, 2003 - 21:00 ET
..........
GRACE: Joining us also, everyone, is a Jackson family friend, Steve Manning is with us tonight. Steve, I know you heard that bit from the district attorney.
STEVE MANNING, JACKSON FAMILY FRIEND: Hi, Nancy. How are you?
GRACE: Hi. Thank you for being with us.
MANNING: Thank you.
GRACE: Do you think this is a grudge match between a D.A. robbed of a conviction 10 years ago?
MANNING: Seems really strange. The cd came out yesterday. The timing seems very coincidental. I can talk about the Neverland situation. Anybody that goes to Neverland wouldn't want to leave. So, why would they be held kidnapped? That is ridiculous to say he was holding people by kidnapping. It doesn't make sense. Neverland, it's a truly fantasy place. If you get an opportunity to go to Neverland one day, you don't want to leave. I had the opportunity to be there many, many times. And it's a wonderful place to stay there as a vacation.
GRACE: As a matter of fact, Steve, Jermiane Jackson, of course, family member, the brother of Michael Jackson and of course his advocate called in to CNN today. Take a listen to this, Steve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Not esentric. He had an incredible, wonderful childhood. And what they're doing is bringing him down with the very thing he loveed, his children and family. My brother is about peace. They don't know us. But this will reveal itself. But I'm sick and [bleep] of everybody saying these things about my family. We will fight and we will stand up. And everybody that knows this family around the world will support us because at the end of the day, this is nothing but a modern day lynching.
(END VIDEO CLIP) GRACE: And Steve, I've got to agree. If this young boy is not telling the truth, this is a modern day lynching. However, if he is telling the truth, this is one of the most heinous crimes on the law books. But please, give this much, Steve. When Jermaine says his brother is not eccentric, hello, do you agree that Michael isn't a tiny bit ecentric?
MANNING: Of course, he's a creative person. All creative people are eccentric.
GRACE: Well, I agree with you and doesn't make him a child molesters. I agree with you.
MANNING: Of course not. Let me say something about that. Let say, first of all, Jermaine was very, very upset today. There have been many people have been coming on the TV shows over the last couple of days and been a frenzy of press that don't know the family. They don't know Michael. That's why he's upset about people speaking about the family
First of all..
GRACE: That's a point well taken. We are going to explore that and a lot more when we come back. Everyone, Steve Manning has spent time with Michael Jackson over the past 48 hours. He was with him the entire day yesterday when this entire story broke. Also, with us on the scene is Court TV's Diane Dimond. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: 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.
If I am guilty of anything, it is of believing what God said about children. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for such is the kingdom of heaven. And no way do I think I am God, but I do try to be God-like in my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Michael Jackson speaking out and that was before this latest search warrant and arrest. Welcome back to LARRY KING LIVE. I'm Nancy Grace from Court TV in for Larry tonight. Thank you for being with us.
Diane Dimond has been on the case from the get go. Diane, response to that comment?
DIMOND: Well, you know, it's the same old song from Michael Jackson. You know, I try to see both sides of every story. I try to talk to as many people as I can, but I am kind of tired of feeling sorry for Michael Jackson and his bad childhood.
According to Jermaine Jackson, today, on CNN, he didn't have a bad childhood. I mean, let's face it, he's a little weird. You know? He's just a little weird and anybody...
GRACE: I know that Steve...
DIMOND: ...over and over again. You know.
GRACE: I know that Steve Manning wants to respond to that. Steve?
MANNING: What's that, Nancy? I'm sorry.
GRACE: Well, Diane was pointing out several of the eccentricities of Michael Jackson over the past few years in response to that bite from him. Do you care to respond? And also, you were with him the entire day yesterday. How was he responding to the news?
MANNING: He was, Nancy, he was completely upbeat. He was jovial. I was shocked. He was in a good spirit. I was really surprised to see him in a good mood and the family there to support him. Jermaine was there, his parents, his other brothers and sisters. He feels that he's innocent and he is innocent, my personal opinion. And he feels that every time a project comes out, it's a situation, something -- a roadblock in his career.
GRACE: Let me got to you Jan?
DIMOND: You know, Nancy, I wonder...
GRACE: Go ahead, Diane.
DIMOND: Can I ask Steve a quick question?
GRACE: Yes.
MANNING: Hi, Diane, how are you?
DIMOND: How are you, Steve? I'm interested to hear you viewpoints. And I wonder about the people close to Michael who talk about how wonderful he is and whatnot. Do they ever sit him down and say, hey, this sleeping with kids in your bed has got to stop? You need like an intervention here, buddy, because it's looking kind of weird?
MANNING: Diane, if you remember his interview last year with the guy from London, he said that he had slept with -- a lot of times the kids sleep on the floor I was told, before. Many, many times with his own nieces and nephews at the ranch and other places in the hotels when he's on the road and kids sleep on the floor. He loves children.
DIMOND: He said they slept in his bed with him, though. MANNING: Yes, I understand that. But I would honestly say nothing sexual or any kind of inappropriate behavior happened, I can tell you that.
DIMOND: How are you so sure?
MANNING: Because I have known him over...
DIMOND: Child molesters are our next door neighbors. They're everywhere. There the priests in the parish. They're the butcher down the block.
MANNING: But Diane, I've known Michael for 30 years and other members of the family. He really loves children. I couldn't imagine him doing something like that would be inappropriate.
.....
GRACE: Let me go to Steve Manning. I've heard that bandied about, as well. Steve Manning, everyone, is a dear friend of other Jackson family. Speaking of the money motive that a lot of people are alleging the day after, do you think it's all about money, Steve?
MANNING: You know, Nancy, it's always about money. Let me say something. I'd really like to say that Michael, last year, during that Martin Bashir special -- the cancer victim -- cancer's a horrible, dreadful disease, as we know. The boy admitted that he was healed from going to the range. Michael opened his home to his parents, to the boy. He traveled with the parents. I mean, the boy was healed. Thank God for that.
But let me tell you something about -- about children with Michael. Michael's own nieces and nephews, from a very large family, the kids have been embarrassed to go to school. The media has turned into a frenzy. The kids are afraid to go to school. The kids have been teased, just like allegedly this boy was teased. It's been horrible on the Jackson grandkids.
......
GRACE: You know, very rarely do you see the attack on alleged victims this early in the game.
PIXLEY: Well, this kid...
GRACE: We haven't even been in this 48 hours!
MANNING: Nancy...
PIXLEY: This poor child's going to face...
GRACE: Yes, quickly...
PIXLEY: ... the biggest PR machine in the world.
GRACE: ... Steve.
MANNING: You know what, Nancy, again? People -- of course, again, the boy has cancer. He's healed now, thank God. But listen, the parents, whoever's behind this whole thing -- this is like a war going on. And when someone's at war...
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: Hold on one second.
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: Hold on one second.
HAMMER: ... telling the truth and he was molested by this...
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: When someone's at war, you use every weapon you have to get to the line and get the war over with.
......
MANNING: Nancy, may I join in now again, please?
HAMMER: To follow up -- to follow up on what you were saying, I think one of the most convincing things, potentially, about the case is going to be if this complaint came up in the context of talking to his therapist, as opposed to going to a lawyer to try to get money...
GRACE: Good point.
HAMMER: ... and it was a therapist who turned it on. Then how can you say that was for a money motive?
GRACE: Steve Manning.
MANNING: Well, first of all, kids are manipulated. You know what? Let me say something. Law enforcement people are laughing. These are very serious charges. That's not talked about. And also, you know, there's a certain actor in Hollywood who went into a precinct in a certain film and shot up the whole precinct. And we're talking about one gunshot. That's not talked about.
GRACE: We are taking your calls, everyone. Joining us tonight, Steve Manning, a Jackson family friend.
......
MANNING: You know what?
CARL: Compared to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) base, no.
GRACE: Go ahead, Steve.
MANNING: Nancy, you know, if certain journalists would leave Michael alone and not base their career on attacking him. He would be fine. He will come back. You know, this man has sold over 100 million CDs. And it's always saying in the press the so-called proclaimed king of pop. He is the king of pop, just based on his record sales.
.....
GRACE: Everyone, Steve Manning is with us. He is a Jackson family friend.
Steve, with the district attorney calling for other potential victims, do you think that is opening the floodgates for anybody and their brother and sister to ride into the DA's office for money?
MANNING: Well, you know, Nancy, the media is making it very alluring for people to do this. I mean, for the last two days, it's been a circus atmosphere, I mean, a fever-pitch frenzy of the press. And I think also, people like Brian Oxman, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Gordon out of the woodworks. I mean, they're pulling people out of the woodworks (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Source: http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/20/lkl.00.html</a
CNN LARRY KING LIVE
Analysis of Michael Jackson's Arrest
Aired November 20, 2003 - 21:00 ET
..........
GRACE: Joining us also, everyone, is a Jackson family friend, Steve Manning is with us tonight. Steve, I know you heard that bit from the district attorney.
STEVE MANNING, JACKSON FAMILY FRIEND: Hi, Nancy. How are you?
GRACE: Hi. Thank you for being with us.
MANNING: Thank you.
GRACE: Do you think this is a grudge match between a D.A. robbed of a conviction 10 years ago?
MANNING: Seems really strange. The cd came out yesterday. The timing seems very coincidental. I can talk about the Neverland situation. Anybody that goes to Neverland wouldn't want to leave. So, why would they be held kidnapped? That is ridiculous to say he was holding people by kidnapping. It doesn't make sense. Neverland, it's a truly fantasy place. If you get an opportunity to go to Neverland one day, you don't want to leave. I had the opportunity to be there many, many times. And it's a wonderful place to stay there as a vacation.
GRACE: As a matter of fact, Steve, Jermiane Jackson, of course, family member, the brother of Michael Jackson and of course his advocate called in to CNN today. Take a listen to this, Steve.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JERMAINE JACKSON, BROTHER OF MICHAEL JACKSON: Not esentric. He had an incredible, wonderful childhood. And what they're doing is bringing him down with the very thing he loveed, his children and family. My brother is about peace. They don't know us. But this will reveal itself. But I'm sick and [bleep] of everybody saying these things about my family. We will fight and we will stand up. And everybody that knows this family around the world will support us because at the end of the day, this is nothing but a modern day lynching.
(END VIDEO CLIP) GRACE: And Steve, I've got to agree. If this young boy is not telling the truth, this is a modern day lynching. However, if he is telling the truth, this is one of the most heinous crimes on the law books. But please, give this much, Steve. When Jermaine says his brother is not eccentric, hello, do you agree that Michael isn't a tiny bit ecentric?
MANNING: Of course, he's a creative person. All creative people are eccentric.
GRACE: Well, I agree with you and doesn't make him a child molesters. I agree with you.
MANNING: Of course not. Let me say something about that. Let say, first of all, Jermaine was very, very upset today. There have been many people have been coming on the TV shows over the last couple of days and been a frenzy of press that don't know the family. They don't know Michael. That's why he's upset about people speaking about the family
First of all..
GRACE: That's a point well taken. We are going to explore that and a lot more when we come back. Everyone, Steve Manning has spent time with Michael Jackson over the past 48 hours. He was with him the entire day yesterday when this entire story broke. Also, with us on the scene is Court TV's Diane Dimond. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MICHAEL JACKSON, ENTERTAINER: 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.
If I am guilty of anything, it is of believing what God said about children. Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not for such is the kingdom of heaven. And no way do I think I am God, but I do try to be God-like in my heart.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
GRACE: Michael Jackson speaking out and that was before this latest search warrant and arrest. Welcome back to LARRY KING LIVE. I'm Nancy Grace from Court TV in for Larry tonight. Thank you for being with us.
Diane Dimond has been on the case from the get go. Diane, response to that comment?
DIMOND: Well, you know, it's the same old song from Michael Jackson. You know, I try to see both sides of every story. I try to talk to as many people as I can, but I am kind of tired of feeling sorry for Michael Jackson and his bad childhood.
According to Jermaine Jackson, today, on CNN, he didn't have a bad childhood. I mean, let's face it, he's a little weird. You know? He's just a little weird and anybody...
GRACE: I know that Steve...
DIMOND: ...over and over again. You know.
GRACE: I know that Steve Manning wants to respond to that. Steve?
MANNING: What's that, Nancy? I'm sorry.
GRACE: Well, Diane was pointing out several of the eccentricities of Michael Jackson over the past few years in response to that bite from him. Do you care to respond? And also, you were with him the entire day yesterday. How was he responding to the news?
MANNING: He was, Nancy, he was completely upbeat. He was jovial. I was shocked. He was in a good spirit. I was really surprised to see him in a good mood and the family there to support him. Jermaine was there, his parents, his other brothers and sisters. He feels that he's innocent and he is innocent, my personal opinion. And he feels that every time a project comes out, it's a situation, something -- a roadblock in his career.
GRACE: Let me got to you Jan?
DIMOND: You know, Nancy, I wonder...
GRACE: Go ahead, Diane.
DIMOND: Can I ask Steve a quick question?
GRACE: Yes.
MANNING: Hi, Diane, how are you?
DIMOND: How are you, Steve? I'm interested to hear you viewpoints. And I wonder about the people close to Michael who talk about how wonderful he is and whatnot. Do they ever sit him down and say, hey, this sleeping with kids in your bed has got to stop? You need like an intervention here, buddy, because it's looking kind of weird?
MANNING: Diane, if you remember his interview last year with the guy from London, he said that he had slept with -- a lot of times the kids sleep on the floor I was told, before. Many, many times with his own nieces and nephews at the ranch and other places in the hotels when he's on the road and kids sleep on the floor. He loves children.
DIMOND: He said they slept in his bed with him, though. MANNING: Yes, I understand that. But I would honestly say nothing sexual or any kind of inappropriate behavior happened, I can tell you that.
DIMOND: How are you so sure?
MANNING: Because I have known him over...
DIMOND: Child molesters are our next door neighbors. They're everywhere. There the priests in the parish. They're the butcher down the block.
MANNING: But Diane, I've known Michael for 30 years and other members of the family. He really loves children. I couldn't imagine him doing something like that would be inappropriate.
.....
GRACE: Let me go to Steve Manning. I've heard that bandied about, as well. Steve Manning, everyone, is a dear friend of other Jackson family. Speaking of the money motive that a lot of people are alleging the day after, do you think it's all about money, Steve?
MANNING: You know, Nancy, it's always about money. Let me say something. I'd really like to say that Michael, last year, during that Martin Bashir special -- the cancer victim -- cancer's a horrible, dreadful disease, as we know. The boy admitted that he was healed from going to the range. Michael opened his home to his parents, to the boy. He traveled with the parents. I mean, the boy was healed. Thank God for that.
But let me tell you something about -- about children with Michael. Michael's own nieces and nephews, from a very large family, the kids have been embarrassed to go to school. The media has turned into a frenzy. The kids are afraid to go to school. The kids have been teased, just like allegedly this boy was teased. It's been horrible on the Jackson grandkids.
......
GRACE: You know, very rarely do you see the attack on alleged victims this early in the game.
PIXLEY: Well, this kid...
GRACE: We haven't even been in this 48 hours!
MANNING: Nancy...
PIXLEY: This poor child's going to face...
GRACE: Yes, quickly...
PIXLEY: ... the biggest PR machine in the world.
GRACE: ... Steve.
MANNING: You know what, Nancy, again? People -- of course, again, the boy has cancer. He's healed now, thank God. But listen, the parents, whoever's behind this whole thing -- this is like a war going on. And when someone's at war...
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: Hold on one second.
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: Hold on one second.
HAMMER: ... telling the truth and he was molested by this...
(CROSSTALK)
MANNING: When someone's at war, you use every weapon you have to get to the line and get the war over with.
......
MANNING: Nancy, may I join in now again, please?
HAMMER: To follow up -- to follow up on what you were saying, I think one of the most convincing things, potentially, about the case is going to be if this complaint came up in the context of talking to his therapist, as opposed to going to a lawyer to try to get money...
GRACE: Good point.
HAMMER: ... and it was a therapist who turned it on. Then how can you say that was for a money motive?
GRACE: Steve Manning.
MANNING: Well, first of all, kids are manipulated. You know what? Let me say something. Law enforcement people are laughing. These are very serious charges. That's not talked about. And also, you know, there's a certain actor in Hollywood who went into a precinct in a certain film and shot up the whole precinct. And we're talking about one gunshot. That's not talked about.
GRACE: We are taking your calls, everyone. Joining us tonight, Steve Manning, a Jackson family friend.
......
MANNING: You know what?
CARL: Compared to (UNINTELLIGIBLE) base, no.
GRACE: Go ahead, Steve.
MANNING: Nancy, you know, if certain journalists would leave Michael alone and not base their career on attacking him. He would be fine. He will come back. You know, this man has sold over 100 million CDs. And it's always saying in the press the so-called proclaimed king of pop. He is the king of pop, just based on his record sales.
.....
GRACE: Everyone, Steve Manning is with us. He is a Jackson family friend.
Steve, with the district attorney calling for other potential victims, do you think that is opening the floodgates for anybody and their brother and sister to ride into the DA's office for money?
MANNING: Well, you know, Nancy, the media is making it very alluring for people to do this. I mean, for the last two days, it's been a circus atmosphere, I mean, a fever-pitch frenzy of the press. And I think also, people like Brian Oxman, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Gordon out of the woodworks. I mean, they're pulling people out of the woodworks (UNINTELLIGIBLE)
Source: http://www.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0311/20/lkl.00.html</a