Jackson declares innocence in interview
Entertainer speaks with Jesse Jackson on live Internet show
LOS ANGELES - Declaring himself “completely innocent” of child molestation charges, Michael Jackson said Sunday that he is the victim of a conspiracy and asked fans around the world to pray for him.
In an interview with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the entertainer would not elaborate on his conspiracy belief, citing the court-imposed gag order that prevents him from discussing his trial in detail.
However, he said he believes he is just the latest of several “black luminaries” to be unjustly accused, citing former South African President Nelson Mandela and former heavyweight boxing champions Muhammad Ali and Jack Johnson as others.
Conspiracy theory
“I just want to say to fans in every corner of the Earth, every nationality, every race, every language, I love you from the bottom of my heart,” Jackson said toward the end of the hourlong interview broadcast live on the Internet.
“I would love your prayers and your goodwill, and please be patient and be with me and believe in me because I am completely, completely innocent. But please know a lot of conspiracy is going on as we speak,” he said.
Jackson also said he is in “intense pain” since falling in the shower earlier this month, although he said at another point that his health was perfect. He arrived late to court on March 10, wearing pajama bottoms, a T-shirt and walking stiffly, and his representatives said at the time he had been treated at a hospital for a serious back injury.
“I was coming out of the shower and I fell and all my body weight — I’m pretty fragile — all my body weight fell against my rib cage,” Jackson said. “And I bruised my lung very badly.”
He said the injury has caused him to cough up blood and was so painful that it brought him to tears in court one day when he was seen wiping his eyes with a tissue. He said he remains under a doctor’s care.
'My health is perfect'
When Jesse Jackson noted how thin he is, the pop star replied that he has never been a big eater, something he said has always concerned his mother and others, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, a friend.
“Elizabeth Taylor used to feed me, to hand-feed me, at times,” he said.
“Please, I don’t want anybody to think I’m starving, I’m not.” he quickly added. “My health is perfect, actually.”
The entertainer also denied recent rumors that he is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.
“That’s not true at all. It’s just one of their many schemes to embarrass me. It’s to drag me through the mud,” he said.
To read rest of article, go here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7309363
Entertainer speaks with Jesse Jackson on live Internet show
LOS ANGELES - Declaring himself “completely innocent” of child molestation charges, Michael Jackson said Sunday that he is the victim of a conspiracy and asked fans around the world to pray for him.
In an interview with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the entertainer would not elaborate on his conspiracy belief, citing the court-imposed gag order that prevents him from discussing his trial in detail.
However, he said he believes he is just the latest of several “black luminaries” to be unjustly accused, citing former South African President Nelson Mandela and former heavyweight boxing champions Muhammad Ali and Jack Johnson as others.
Conspiracy theory
“I just want to say to fans in every corner of the Earth, every nationality, every race, every language, I love you from the bottom of my heart,” Jackson said toward the end of the hourlong interview broadcast live on the Internet.
“I would love your prayers and your goodwill, and please be patient and be with me and believe in me because I am completely, completely innocent. But please know a lot of conspiracy is going on as we speak,” he said.
Jackson also said he is in “intense pain” since falling in the shower earlier this month, although he said at another point that his health was perfect. He arrived late to court on March 10, wearing pajama bottoms, a T-shirt and walking stiffly, and his representatives said at the time he had been treated at a hospital for a serious back injury.
“I was coming out of the shower and I fell and all my body weight — I’m pretty fragile — all my body weight fell against my rib cage,” Jackson said. “And I bruised my lung very badly.”
He said the injury has caused him to cough up blood and was so painful that it brought him to tears in court one day when he was seen wiping his eyes with a tissue. He said he remains under a doctor’s care.
'My health is perfect'
When Jesse Jackson noted how thin he is, the pop star replied that he has never been a big eater, something he said has always concerned his mother and others, including actress Elizabeth Taylor, a friend.
“Elizabeth Taylor used to feed me, to hand-feed me, at times,” he said.
“Please, I don’t want anybody to think I’m starving, I’m not.” he quickly added. “My health is perfect, actually.”
The entertainer also denied recent rumors that he is teetering on the verge of bankruptcy.
“That’s not true at all. It’s just one of their many schemes to embarrass me. It’s to drag me through the mud,” he said.
To read rest of article, go here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7309363
