Ok, let's assume that Michael Jackson is guilty...

[Taxman]

Doesn’t' the parents of the victim hold some sort of responsibility for what happened? I don't know about you, but there's no way that I'd let my kid spend the night with someone who paid off another family ten years ago to avoid prosecution...

[bradedit]

The last family prostituted their child, maybe this one is looking for a handout too, The parents should be held responsible for something, what where they thinking?? Its like letting my teenage daughter alone with a man who is an alleged rapist, I wouldn't take that chance.

[angusmcgee]

neither would I.. Hannity talked about this case yesterday.. To the point where I turned his show off.

He said that California law changed after the last case. If you come forth with allegations (like what happened in 1993) you can't not continue with the prosection. What happened in '93 was the family came forth, and when they got their cash, refused to press charges and the DA dropped the charges for lack of evidence. That's all changed now.

Getting back to your original point.. assuming he is guilty, the parents shoud certainly be investigated. There may have been extenuating circumstances..

[ShainaT]

I remember when I saw that MJ interview with the British guy and there were two kids practically living with MJ. I don't think these kids have typical parents who are very involved in their kids lives.

Why would a 44 yr old man sleep in a bed with children? There is just something wrong with that.

Have they located MJ yet today? Last I heard there were reporters staking out the Santa Barbara airport waiting for his private plane to arrive from Vegas.

[bradedit]

Do you wonder if as much press would be happening if they were young girls instead of boys?

Not that I think 12 year olds are mature enough to know better BUT we put these kids away for life if they commit a murder so obviously they do know right from wrong! So why do they do it?

[bwsmom]

For some reason that I am at a loss to explain, I think he's innocent. Sure, he looks creepy! And I'm definitely not a fan... still, something about this situation doesn't sit well with me. I really think this is another set of greedy parents trying to soak Michael for everything he's got, and using their kid as a pawn to do it.

[freesurfer]

He's been the talk of this sort of thing for years. I think he is as his name used to be to me growing up...wacko jacko!!!

[Nightowl69]

I think that the parents SHOULD be accountable
My God i would NEVER let my kids go over to
MJ's house! not in a million years!!

[bradedit]

bwsmom,
Part of me wonders the same thing, I thought the press conference was rather strange with all the laughter and such, it just seemed inappropriate by the prosecuters and police to laugh and joke about such a serious matter.

[chippers21]

I do not think the parents should be included in the issue. I think it should be- did Michael Jackson take advantage of innocent children for his own gratification? That's it for me. If he did, lock him up.
Why do I take this stand? I do not think the parents will go unaffected by this. They have to feel guilty, as any parents would if their child was abused by someone and they somehow "let it happen" That burden of guilt is enough for me.
I feel strongly that those who take advantage of children should be punished. I do not muddy the waters in my mind with blaming those who let the abuser do it. For me that is a separate issue.

[freesurfer]

I lost my original post here....dang it!!

BUT...if your son is a "friend" to a millionaire do you really think as a parent you would try and stop that?

[bradedit]

Only if I were looking to cash in on the fame!

[sunsheyen]

I think the parents should be held accountable (if these allegations turn out to be true/conviction made). Honestly, as a parent, I would not send my child to any adult person's house to spend the night, unsupervised for fun and recreation. This is not a family member, close personal friend, someone who has kids the same age (i.e. supervising a sleepover, etc) or anything that would seem reasonably normal as a reason for a kid to spend the night at another adult's home. This would hold doubly true for ANYONE about whom there had been allegations/whispers/rumors of inappropriate behavior with children.
I will admit, yes, I would be starstruck if my family was invited to a star of this magnitude's home, escpecially someone whose music I had enjoyed since my own childhood. However, risking my childs safety and emotional well being would not even be considered for a chance to be around a star. Where are the parents? To me this is something along the lines of at least reckless indifference or neglect or something!

[CagedTroll]

I'm tempted to start the "Let's Assume He's Not Guilty" thread.

I still think he's a freak. He shouldn't be allowed near children, nor should he be presented as any sort of a role model. He's living in a very bizarre world, where the people that he's closest to never tell him he's gone to far. They tell him whatever he's doing is brilliant, GENIUS, until it shows up in the tabloids, then they start looking for ways to cover him..., because if he goes down they go down. They'll actually have to go out and get real jobs that don't pay anywhere near what they've been spending.

In retrospect, Michael Jackson and Prince kind of took off (careerwise) at the same time. I was a Prince fan, and he was all kinds of controversial, downfall of western civilization type. While Michael was such the socially acceptable role-model. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, comin' up!!!

[luvmetender]

Well, here is what I have heard, and I don't have a solid news source to substantiate it YET..

The boy who is accusing MJ was living in his home with his mother and his sister. MJ got to the point where he asked them all to leave (not sure why), and that is when the mother went to a lawyer and all of this crap came out in the media. I have also heard that it's the same kid that was seen in a video tape that was played on the BBC interview.

I agree with bwsmom... I don't think he did anything sexual. I do think he never had a real childhood and will forever be trying to have one because of that. He likes to hang out with young boys. Weird, but not against the law.