In this episode, you'll hear about how Tom Sneddon takes his criminal case against Michael Jackson to 2 grand juries, and both fail to indict Jackson. Despite the lack of evidence and failing to get an indictment, Sneddon doesn't close the case against Jackson, and continues to make media appearances where he lets it be known that all he needs is a willing victim to come forward. Hard copy reporter Diane Dimond and Victor Gutierrez are involved in promoting the scandal that there is a secret tape where Jackson abuses a boy. Evan Chandler continues to try and litigate against his own family members and Michael Jackson.
She describes this proposal by Ray Chandler as opportunistic and unethical, as it comes immediately after the settlement whereby the Chandlers are forbidden from speaking publicly about the case.
This article addreses why prosecutors choose to bring charges through a grand jury.
Grand Jury disbands on April 29th 1994
Both the Santa Barbara and Los Angeles grand juries fail to indict Jackson.
One juror reveals that there was no damaging testimony brought forward in the hearings.
Jackson lawyer Howard Weitzman on harassment of bringing Jackson's mother as a witness
Weitzman criticizes how Sneddon brought Jackson's mother to the grand jury as a witness, reportedly to inquire if Jackson altered the appearance of his privates because it didn't match the accuser's description.
Mary Fischer quote from GQ in 1994
She states that, "After over 200 witnesses questioned during the Grand Jury proceedings, including 30 children, no corroborating witnesses could be found."
Source quoting Mary Fischer's article
Evan Chandler divorce documents from second marriage
The documents show that Evan left his second wife with a $22,000 tax bill. They also reveal Evan's connection to Ray Chandler in seeing profits from the All That Glitters book.
This lawsuit raises public awareness about the unreliability of statements made under sodium amytal's influence. It's this growing awareness that I believe led to Evan Chandler leaving out sodium amytal in his book published in 2004. What remains is a strange story about Evan putting his son under anesthesia that was "dangerous" for children, but not mentioning the agent.
Dave Schwartz vs Evan Chandler lawsuit
Prosecutor press conference in September 1994
LA District Attorney Garcetti says that Jackson should be considered innocent. "Michael Jackson is presumed to be innocent as any citizen in this room is if they are not convicted of a crime. We are not charging Michael Jackson with a crime." However, Santa Barbara DA Tom Sneddon insists that he is ready to reopen the case at any time, and misleadingly says that there are 2 more victims. (Referring to Brett Barnes who has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and to Jason Francia, for whom Sneddon never brought forward charges.)
Prosecutors still considering filing criminal charges as of August 8, 1994
See page 55 of this FBI file document
Sneddon gets nicknamed "Mad Dog"
This moniker come from legal colleagues because of his tendency to allow himself to get emotionally invested in his cases, and his tendency not to let go.
Neverland 5 lawsuit is found to be fraudulent
The judge leaves the bench in disgust. The plaintiffs were found to have stolen from Michael Jackson, sold stories to tabloids, hold employment grudges against Jackson, and, in the case of Adrian McManus, have a history of fraud.
Analysis of 2005 testimony by Neverland 5 lawsuit plaintiffs Ralph Chacon and Adrian McManus
Jury rejects Neverland 5 lawsuit against Jackson
Ralph Chacon and Adrian McManus 2005 testimony reveals deceptive behavior
Ralph Chacon’s testimony at Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial
Kassim Abdool’s testimony at Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial
Apellate Briefs in the Neverland 5 lawsuit
2005 trial testimony from Jason Francia and his lawyer:
Information about the settlement terms with Jackson are brought up during their testimony. It's established that in the agreement, which Francia and his mother signed, Jackson admitted no wrongdoing, and said in the document that he was settling to avoid bad publicity, not because he committed any offense.
Diane Dimond KABC interview about the Gutierrez sex tape
Excerpts:
Q: "This is a recent video, or something[.]"
Dimond: "Yes. . . . It was taken right before Christmas as the story goes and it was recorded by one of Michael Jackson's own security cameras. He likes, everybody knows that he likes to bug rooms and put cameras up and the whole 9 yards[.]"
Q: "How do they know about this?"
Dimond: "Well, it's kind of a convoluted story but the bottom line as I understand it is: someone close to . . . Michael Jackson knew of the existence of this tape. It is an x-rated tape, I must tell you and [—]
Q: "It is an x-rated tape?"
Dimond: "It is . . . yes."
Q: "Of Michael Jackson[?]"
Dimond: "Truly explicit."
Q: "It's what? Michael Jackson and little boy. Are you 100% sure that this tape exists?"
Dimond: "I am as sure as I can possibly be."
Article describing Dimond-Gutierrez relationship from the Michael Jackson allegations website
Jackson sues Hard Copy and Diane Dimond over sex tape story
Jackson slander suit against Diane Dimond and Victor Gutierrez
Police were not involved in Gutierrez videotape search, despite Dimond's claims to the contrary
Guitierrez and Dimond slander suit documents
Tom Sneddon declaration in support of Diane Dimond in Jackson slander suit
Further background on Dimond and Gutierrez, especially relating to the sex tape story
Background analysis of Victor Gutierrez
Declaration of Investigator Eric Mason regarding Victor Gutierrez
Here is an excerpt from Mason's declaration provided in the slander lawsuit, describing his interview with tabloid broker Ken Wells:
"Mr. Wells told me that on July 2, 1997, Mr. Gutierrez and his attorney, Mr. Goldman came to Mr. Wells’s home unannounced to discuss production of the supposed photographs. During their discussions on July 2, 1997, Mr. Gutierrez told Wells about all of Mr. Gutierrez’s connections in the tabloid business, and that he had sold many stories, some of which had been “B.S.” and simply made up. According to Mr. Wells, Gutierrez said that money in the tabloid business was easy, even for false stories. Mr. Wells told me that he asked Mr. Gutierrez about the videotape issue in this case. According to Mr. Wells, Mr. Gutierrez said that 'The judge told me to produce the tape and I couldn’t produce it.' Wells asked Gutierrez whether he ever had or saw the tape and, according to Wells, Gutierrez smiled and said, 'Well, you know how that is. You know how these things are.' Wells told me that he believed Guiterrez was telling him, without saying so explicitly, that he had lied about the existence of the tape.”
Margaret Maldonaldo, on the false story by Gutierrez about the sex tape
This account is from her book Jackson Family Values. She refutes Gutierrez's claim that he met with Maldonado at a hotel to give her the sex tape. Despite Gutierrez's claims to police that he had met Maldonado in a hotel room and showed her the tape, the hotel had no record of him ever staying there. Gutierrez also alleged Maldonado called the LAPD, but there is not a record of her call. The alleged sex tape never materializes. Maldonado says, "The story was an outrageous lie. Not one part of it was true. I’d never met the man. There was no tape. Michael never paid me for my silence. He had never molested Jeremy. Period.”
Victor Gutierrez ordered to turn over source for sex tape story
Jackson wins his slander suit against Gutierrez
Gutierrez is ordered to pay Jackson $2.7 million in damages, which he never does:
Court documents for slander suit against Victor Gutierrez
Gutierrez fails to show up and his lawyer makes this statement: 'Mr. Gutierrez is required to be here, but he has chosen not to be here, and you may draw whatever inference you may from his non-appearance.'
Rodney Allen false sex abuse charges on Hard Copy
Rodney Allen history and interview
This article reveals Rodney Allen's potential connection to Victor Gutierrez and Evan Chandler.
In-depth analysis of the Rodney Allen story from Vindicating Michael
Diane Sawyer interview with Jackson and Presley in 1995
Evan Chandler will sue Jackson because of his statement that the prosecution found no evidence against him, contending it's in violation of the settlement agreement.
Background on Evan Chandler's lawsuit against Michael Jackson, Diane Sawyer and others
Evan Chandler’s lawsuit against CBS and others can be read in its entirety here
His case was thrown out of court in 2000.
Tom Sneddon interview in Vanity Fair, 1995
Sneddon declares that the Jackson investigation is only in suspension until somebody comes forward.
Jordan Chandler legally emancipates from his parents and goes on to live with his stepmother
Gutierrez's stories about Mexican boys
Stories from South American Press on Victor Guitierrez
Victor Gutierrez has to pay damages for allegations against Miss Universe
Tom Sneddon’s comments over the years after the Chandler case
After failing to get a grand jury indictment, Sneddon repeatedly speaks to the media about how the Jackson case can be opened at any time, and is only in suspension, not closed.
Victor Gutierrez book Michael Jackson Was My Lover
Tom Sneddon again states publicly that the case against Jackson is not closed
Jordan refuses to testify in 2005 trial against Michael Jackson
Victor Guitterez was used as a source in the media surrounding Jackson's trial in 2005
Gutierrez shows up as a consulting producer on an NBC Dateline special called, “Inside the Michael Jackson Case”, in 2005.
Declaration of Ray Chandler October 25, 2004
Chandler attempted and succeeding in quashing the subpoena from Jackson's lawyers. They wanted to bring Chandler to the stand to place before the jury his alleged evidence that he'd been talking about in his publicity interviews for his recently published book, All That Glitters.
Jackson's Opposition to Quash Chandler Subpoena
In this document, Chandler's website is mentioned where he says he has proof of Jackson's guilt.
Jordan gets temporary restraining order against Evan after attack on his son with a 12 1/2lb weight, which the judge found could cause serious bodily injury or death. The order is eventually vacated a year later:
https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2006/a0422-05-opn.html
Evan Chandler’s death, and reported bipolar disorder and other ailments:
Journalist J. Randy Taraborrelli writes about Evan Chandler threatening him
"I actually knew Evan Chandler. I met him several times in the 1990s. I had lots of secret meetings with Evan Chandler, trying to get to the bottom of what was going on. I was pretty young, sort of green and wish I had my present level of expertise to be able to have applied back then. I have stories about that guy that I have never published."
"He was about as inconsistent as they come. He was so determined to get me on his side, I thought he was just a tad scary. If you read my book you sort of get how I felt -- feel -- about him. When [the book] came out he called me screaming at me for not just buying his story 100%. He actually threatened me, and I thought... okay, pal, now I know who you really are."
Victor Gutierrez paid a minor to accuse politician of wrongdoing
This is reminiscent of Rodney Allen coaching the Canadian boy to falsely accuse Michael Jackson of child molestation. Allen has alleged that he was connected with Gutierrez and that the idea for the Canadian boy came from him and that Evan Chandler was supposed to pay him for it.
Square One documentary by Danny Wu
In this documentary that came out in 2019, you can hear several new witnesses who came forward to support Jackson's innocence. One of these witnesses went to college with Jordan Chandler and heard him saying that there's no way Jackson was a child molester.
Thanks to the following sources, which helped guide my research
These sources have collected documents and followed the sex abuse cases over many years:
The Michael Jackson Allegations
Turning the Tables on the Chandlers
(currently a private site)