Authorities in California seem certain that, unlike 10 years ago when allegations about pop star Michael Jackson's fizzled out, this current case will be going to court. They've asked Jackson to surrender to police over allegations involving "multiple counts of child molestation."
An arrest warrant has been issued for the 45-year-old superstar. It cites a violation of the section of the California Penal Code that prohibits "lewd or lascivious acts" with a child under age 15, Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Anderson told a news conference Wednesday.
"Within a very short period of time, there will be charges filed against Mr. Jackson -- multiple counts," asserted Tom Sneddon, the county district attorney.
Jackson could face up to eight years in prison for each charge.
In 1993, police were investigating when a 14-year-old boy reached an out-of-court agreement to settle a lawsuit against Jackson. He had accused the singer of molesting him in 1992. No criminal charges were ever brought forward, after the boy made it clear he would not participate in any criminal prosecution.
Jackson always maintained his innocence.
Sneddon that this case is different from the previous allegation. For one, the victim is cooperating and charges will be laid, he said.
For another, the law in California has changed since 1994.
"The law was changed specifically because of the 1994 Michael Jackson allegation," Sneddon said. "The law at that time stated that a child victim could not be forced to testify in a child molestation proceeding without their consent and cooperation. That is no longer the law."
Sneddon later called Associated Press to clarify his comments, saying that prosecutors can now intervene in a civil action and stop it. That removes monetary incentive for someone to wait for the outcome of a civil case before they decide whether to testify in a criminal trial.
"The practical effect is that they cooperate" with prosecutors in the criminal case, he said.
And this time, he added, there has been no civil case filed and none is expected, unlike 1993.
Will Jackson surrender?
Jackson has been ordered to surrender to police. Police are negotiating with Jackson lawyers on the terms of his surrender and are advising him to give up his passport, Sheriff Anderson added. Bail in the arrest warrant has been set at $3 million US.
"I believe he's willing to cooperate with us," Anderson said.
After the charges were announced, spokesperson Stuart Backerman released a statement on Jackson's behalf, describing the pop star's intention to return to Santa Barbara to face the charges.
Jackson was believed to be in Las Vegas, where he was making a video.
According to Backerman, Jackson has no reason to avoid investigators.
"The outrageous allegations against Michael Jackson are false. Michael would never harm a child in any way. These scurrilous and totally unfounded allegations will be proven false in a courtroom," he said.
"When the evidence is presented and the allegations proven to be malicious and wholly unfounded, Michael will be able to put this nightmare behind him."
There have been numerous media reports that the allegations involve a 12-year-old boy who stayed at Jackson's Neverland Ranch about three months ago. Other reports say that the allegations were told to a therapist, who then contacted the police.
Jackson's California ranch, known as Neverland, was raided Tuesday by officers armed with a search warrant for a criminal investigation.
About 70 law enforcement officials searched for evidence at the ranch through the night. Two other locations in southern California were also searched for items that would "corroborate the victim's statement," the sheriff said.
Whereabouts a mystery
Police cars and media trucks were waiting Wednesday night at the Santa Barbara airport, in case Jackson returned.
Jackson denounced media coverage of the search in a statement on Tuesday.
"I've seen lawyers who don't represent me and spokespeople who do not know me speaking for me. These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released," the Jackson statement said.
The search came on the same day Epic Records released Number Ones, a greatest hits collection featuring Jackson's new single, One More Chance.
In February, Jackson revealed in a British television documentary that he shared his Neverland bedroom with young boys and made his children wear masks in public.
"Why can't you share your bed? It's the most loving thing to share your bed with somebody," Jackson said. "When you say bed you're thinking sexual. It's not sexual, we're going to sleep. I tuck them in... It's very charming, it's very sweet."
The frank revelations sparked calls for an investigation by California child welfare authorities at the Neverland ranch, where Jackson has built theme-park style rides, and a zoo and which he throws open to local children.
Jackson later complained that the documentary maker had violated his trust, adding that he had "never, and would never, treat a child inappropriately or expose them to any harm and totally refutes any suggestions to the contrary."
With files from CTV's Alan Fryer and the Associated Press
