Before the summer of 1993, Michael Jackson was sitting on top of the world of entertainment much like a king sits upon his throne. Surrounded by dedicated fans and fellow celebrities alike, Jackson had just been inducted into the Grammy Legends Hall of Fame in February of the same year. Just a few months later, Jackson sent tongues and ratings wagging when he did a primetime, sit-down interview with Oprah Winfrey that garnered a larger viewing audience than former President Bill Clinton’s televised town hall meeting. Then, in June 1993, all hell broke loose as news of child sex abuse allegations exploded around the world and life for Jackson has never been the same.
So began the saga that continues to drag on unmercifully today, particularly in the wake of Mr. Jackson’s arrest and indictment on child molestation and attempted kidnapping. Jackson could spend potentially the next twenty years in prison if convicted. If one were to judge the merits of both allegations against Mr. Jackson solely upon the sensationalized “exclusives” from the likes of Diane Dimond or NBC’s Dateline, one would logically conclude that the chickens have simply come home to roost for the beleaguered music legend. Perhaps justice would finally be served after eleven years of innuendo, accusation, and legal drama. Perhaps Mr. Jackson would finally be exposed for the cold, calculating child predator that a great deal of the media is determined to portray him as.
There is, however, one minor problem. We believe that based on what we have discovered after sifting through mounds of documents, articles, and interviews that the alleged abuse in 1993 and 2003 never happened.
Hence, the Veritas Project concerns itself with providing key commentary on what we perceive to be lies that have, for too long, been allowed to fester on the personal reputation of Mr. Jackson. In addition, the Veritas Project is particularly concerned with the unencumbered manner in which people of questionable character and motive have been allowed to peddle their fabrications and accusations against Mr. Jackson like crack dealers on a street corner.
Out of both a concern and quest for ultimate truth concerning the matter, the Veritas Project attempts to offer a detailed assessment of the “facts” presented by the tabloid media and by those who do the prosecution’s bidding.
Contributors to this project are not fanatical Jackson worshippers who blindly follow the whims of their master. On the contrary, we are mothers, fathers, students, spouses – everyday, ordinary citizens who refuse to drink from the toxic wells of tabloid media pollution. We invite readers to not only peruse the findings provided here but also to draw their own conclusion about the matter.
The Veritas Project
January 2005