Jackson told to surrender
An arrest warrant had been issued for Michael Jackson in a child molestation case.
“There is an arrest warrant for Michael Jackson,” said senior Deputy Tim Gracey of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department in California.
Gracey said Jackson was in Las Vegas and authorities were negotiating with Jackson’s lawyer for his surrender.
Gracey said the arrest warrant was for a violation of Section 288 of the California Penal Code – which prohibits lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age 14.
He said further details would be released at a news conference in Santa Barbara.
Court TV, citing unidentified sources, reported that the allegations were brought by a 12- or 13-year-old boy. And the television program Celebrity Justice said a therapist reported disclosures by a boy who spent time at Neverland and began therapy several months ago.
Jackson noted the timing of the allegations in a statement:
“These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released,” the Jackson statement said, referring to Tuesday’s release of a greatest hits album, Number Ones.
As many as 70 law enforcement officials served a warrant at the compound yesterday and searched for evidence for more than 12 hours as part of an “ongoing criminal investigation,” said Sergeant Chris Pappas of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department.
A spokesman for Jackson, Stuart Backerman, the star was consulting with lawyers today.
