Following allegations of sexual abuse of a 12-year old boy, police raided Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch 7 years ago today. What the police found was bizarre.
After a controversial documentary titled Living with Michael Jackson was aired in February 2003, people have filed child molestation lawsuits against the pop singer. The documentary revealed that Michael slept with children on his bed and one 13-year old boy Gavin Arvizo was seen holding hands with Michael and resting his head on his shoulder.
People were concerned about the fact that children were sharing a bed with a then-44 year old man. When journalist Martin Bashir asked Michael if he could see why some people might disapprove, Michael said, "See, when you say 'bed,' you're thinking sexual. They make that sexual. It's not sexual; we're just going to sleep."
Michael was later charged in a criminal complaint by the Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office. Michael was indicted for conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, extortion, child molestation, attempted child molestation and providing alcohol to an underage person. Gavin Arvizo’s parents also filed charges against Michael after Gavin was teased by his friends who saw him holding hands with Michael in the documentary.
The Raid
In November 2003, police raided Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch and uncovered bizarre items that include collection of pornography, dolls, and photographs featuring naked young boys.
The police raided almost all of Michael's home, from the arcade room to his bedroom and the many life-size mannequins he had throughout his Neverland Ranch. Many of which were superheroes like Superman and Lara Croft.
The raid also revealed for the first time the King of Pop's secret closet, hidden in the back of his bedroom and kept closed with three deadlocks.
It was in there that he kept memorabilia like a signed photograph of Macaulay Culkin, stuffed animals and games, and naked photos. Culkin signed his photo with the message: 'Don't leave me alone in the house.'
There were also racing cars, Disney merchandise and a shocking number of dolls
The police report claims that in Jackson's bedroom and bathroom alone there were at least seven collections of work found by investigators that show boys in their teenage years - and in some cases younger - fully nude or partially clothed.
One of the collections is described in court papers as: 'Nude photos of teenage boys from late 1800s.'
In 2005, Michael was not found guilty on the charges against him. He was acquitted of all charges, However, he stated he would never live at Neverland ranch again as he no longer considered the ranch a home. He stated he felt the 70 police officers had "violated" the property in their searches. In 2006, the facilities were closed and most of the staff were dismissed, with a spokesperson stating that this was the reflection of the fact that Jackson no longer lived there.
Peter Pan Syndrome
Michael Jackson suffered from Peter Pan Syndrome, a disorder in which an adult experiences an emotional life that remains in adolescent level. When Michael bought a 2,700-acre property in the 80s, he named it Neverland Ranch after Neverland, the fantasy island on which Peter Pan lives. He said that it was his way of claiming a childhood he never had, having started early as a performing artist with his family.
He had built there numerous statues of children, a floral clock, a petting zoo, a movie theater, and a private amusement park containing cotton candy stands, two railroads, a Ferris wheel, carousel, Zipper, Octopus, Pirate Ship, Wave Swinger, Super Slide, roller coaster, go-karts, bumper cars, a tipi village, and an amusement arcade.
As The New York Daily News staff writer, Carrie Melago, reported on 26 June 2009: "On Jackson's dime, thousands of schoolchildren visited over the years, from local kids to sick youngsters from far away." Visitors "often recalled it as dreamlike", she observed.
A preschool teacher visiting the site told USA Today in 2003, Neverland "smells like cinnamon rolls, vanilla and candy and sounds like children laughing".
If reading this article makes you miss Michael Jackson more, then ask Y101’s rhythm crew to play the classic MJ hits! Friday Gold Rush is the day when Y101 plays all the greatest hits from the past! So enjoy your Friday, only here on the rhythm of the city, Y101, ALWAYS FIRST.
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