“The Verdict” aims to take a comprehensive look at the 2005 abuse trial. The first moving material is now available.
Netflix has released the first trailer for “Michael Jackson: The Verdict.” The three-part documentary starts on June 3rd on the streaming platform and deals with the trial against Michael Jackson in 2005.
“We will finally get answers”
The series comes from showrunner David Herman and director Nick Green. All three episodes should have a running time of around 50 minutes each. The focus is on statements and perspectives from people who were right there in the courtroom at the time. According to Netflix, jurors, witnesses, prosecutors and defense attorneys, among others, have their say.
In the trailer, those involved remember statements made during the trial. One voice says, “When the alleged victim testified, I thought, ‘He’s just a kid.'” Another person describes the testimony as “moving.” At the end of the clip it says: “Finally we will get answers.”
Click here for the trailer for “Michael Jackson: The Verdict”:
Old accusations, new processing
Michael Jackson was indicted in 2003 on seven counts of alleged child molestation and allegedly giving alcohol to minors. The trial began in January 2005 and ended in June with an acquittal on all counts.
Jackson had already reached an out-of-court settlement with Jordan Chandler in 1994. The then 13-year-old had made allegations of abuse. According to media reports, the sum was $23 million. The settlement ended an earlier case without leading to a criminal trial.
Even after Jackson’s death in 2009, there were further legal disputes with several plaintiffs and the musician’s estate team.
Editorial recommendations
In an official statement, Netflix said it wanted to comprehensively reconstruct the process for the first time. Since no cameras were allowed during the trial, public perception at the time was heavily influenced by commentators and excerpts from the reporting. The documentation therefore aims to look at the entire process in context once again.
Contrast to the biopic
The biopic “Michael” was only released in cinemas on April 22nd. The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Jaafar Jackson, a nephew of the singer, received mixed reviews. Especially because the allegations against the star are not mentioned there. The story ends with the “Bad” tour in 1988.
