Now available to watch on demand at Channel 5, The Trial of Michael Jackson.
After the release of Martin Bashir’s 2003 documentary, “Living with Michael Jackson,” Jackson’s relationships with children came under intense scrutiny. Renowned for both his eccentricity and originality, Jackson built his California Estate, Neverland Ranch, to bring joy to underprivileged children.
Two years later, in 2005, Jackson stood trial for the alleged molestation of a 13-year-old boy at Santa Barbara County Courthouse. Facing ten counts and twenty years in prison, The People v. Michael Jackson became a global spectacle that suspended millions for four months in anticipation of a verdict.
In this 90-minute special, directed by Richard Macer, featuring insights from journalists, former staff members, and legal experts, we reconstruct one of the most controversial moments in pop culture history using the court transcript: The Trial of Michael Jackson.