CLEVELAND - Legendary entertainer Michael Jackson never ceases to amaze me. He has faced trouble off and on with the law for the past 15 years but time and time again, he slithers out of it like a pro.Call him The Master of the Escape.
Jackson, 50 just found his way out of his most recent jam. A Bahraini sheik was set to sue the reclusive singer for $7 million, money he is supposedly owed by Jackson. Lo and behold, Jackson and the sheik reached a settlement yesterday which rendered Jackson's scheduled court appearance today pointless.
According to the sheik, Jackson reneged on a few promises he made, most notably recording new music in exchange for the sheik's financial help. Jackson had fallen on hard times from a cash flow standpoint and the sheik was there to essentially "save the day."
Following Jackson's surprising acquittal of child molestation charges on June 13, 2005, the former megastar had relocated to Bahrain in an attempt to lay low from the media spotlight. The '05 trial was the culmination of a near catastrophic situation he had gotten himself involved in. A 13-year old boy accused Jackson of molesting him while he roomed at Jackson's amusement park styled home, The Neverland Ranch.
Jackson was arrested in November 2003 and his ranch was raided. It took a year and a half for the case to go to trial, in which he, as previously mentioned was acquitted.
In 2002, Jackson was taken to task for dangling his baby over a hotel balcony to rabid fans below. This took place in Britain while filming a documentary with journalist Martin Bashir, which is what led to the '03 allegations.
Prior to 1993, Jackson had been known only as a musical genius, albeit bizarre and "weird" by most people. Beginning in late '93, reports surfaced of potential child molestation, i.e. Jackson having young boys over to his estate, plying them with alcohol and molesting them. That first public allegation changed the consensus opinion of the man and caused him to categorically deny all charges on national television in December 1993 after law enforcement made him submit to a full body search.
Jackson settled out of court early in 1994 but never recovered his image prior to the accusations. He has also been named in numerous lawsuits by an endless variety of people from former employees to banks to former business partners.
He just continues to escape.
I personally love Michael Jackson. He will always be a brilliant, innovative genius in my mind and his indelible achievements will take center stage in my memories of him. Always.
I just hope he stays away from trouble before his luck runs out.
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