Vairing tonight at 9.30pm on Nine the first part of Michael Jackson – Anatomy of a Fall. Documentary that reconstructs the 2005 trial in which Jackson was accused of sexual abuse again after the first time in 1993. It was 13-year-old Gavin Arvizo who brought him to court; the pop star was cleared of all charges but, even today, many question marks remain regarding his conduct.
Michael Jackson – Anatomy of a Fall tonight 5 May on the Nine: the 2005 sexual abuse trial
Directed by Gillian Pachter, the doc retraces the events that preceded and accompanied the 2005 trial of Michael Jackson for the accusations of having molested 13 year old Gavin Arvizo. The police investigation begins two years after the documentary aired Living With Michael Jackson made by Martin Bashirwhere the pop star had candidly admitted in front of the cameras that he had allowed Arvizo to sleep in his bed.
Mixing archive images with the voices and faces of those who followed and participated in the trialincluding some jurors, Anatomy of a fall collects testimonials of supporters of his innocence and detractors. To embellish everything, many unreleased audio recordings by Michael Jackson between 2000 and 2001.
The intent is therefore to go beyond the media circus to pose profound questions about fame and the American justice system. Michael was acquitted of all charges after more than four months of trial accused, among numerous charges, of having molested Arvizo and that he plotted to keep him and his family on his Neverland ranch.
Michael Jackson on trial in 2005. (Channel Nine)
Who is Gavin Arvizo and the accusations against the King of Pop
Gavin Arvizo was born in 1989 into a family with a fragile economic situation and very difficult dynamics. It comes from a very young age diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a serious disease that requires intensive careincluding chemotherapy. During this period Gavin enters the circuit of charities that connect seriously ill children with celebrities. This is how he met Michael Jackson in his early years.
The singer invites Gavin and his family to stay at Neverlandhis vast property in California. Initially the relationship between the two is presented as a bond of friendship and emotional support. Gavin also appears in the documentary Living with Michael Jacksonwhere he openly defends the singer from accusations of inappropriate behavior, describing their friendship as something totally innocent.
A few months later, however, Gavin and his family they change position denouncing the singer. In fact, the boy states that Jackson allegedly offered him alcohol even though he was underageas well as showing him pornographic material and having it sexually abused numerous times. In 2003 the authorities began an investigation which led to an investigationJackson’s indictment in 2004.
Michael Jackson’s trial in 2005
Jackson’s trial began in January 2005 in Santa Barbara County. During the trial, Gavin recounts detailed episodes of the alleged abuse but Jackson’s defense immediately adopts an aggressive strategy time to undermine the credibility of the Arvizo family.
The pop star’s lawyer, Tom Mesereau, focuses on alleged inconsistencies in the stories, on previous statements in which Gavin denied abuse and on a series of past episodes that, according to the defense, they questioned the reliability of the mother and the family context. Describing witnesses are also presented in the courtroom the family as prone to opportunistic behavior. An element that contributes to creating further doubts in the jury about the pop star’s guilt.
In June 2005, after weeks of testimonies and arguments, the jury finds Michael Jackson not guilty on all charges. Establishing that there was insufficient evidence for a conviction beyond any reasonable doubt. After the trial, Gavin Arvizo disappears almost completely from public lifeavoiding interviews and media appearances.
