Share a bed in the USA. Is it OK?

[tanyavee]

Does it mean that any male in the USA can give a child alcohol and share a bed with that child without fear of charges? Now that Michael Jackson has bean cleared of all charges.

[MargeB]

What is it about the jury that makes you confident of their decision?

Now that he has been shown to be 'innocent' as you say, would you let your kids sleep in his bed with him? After all, as you say, this jury has shown him to be innocent, so he must just be flicking through his porn collection on his own, playing with his Martin Bashir dartboard. I'm sure, as you say, all is fine.

[Gevs1966]

The fact that they got to see all the evidence relating to the charges and we haven't is a start MargeB. Are you saying that we shouldn't trust or accept any jury decision about any case anywhere in the world if it differs from our own opinions or contradicts our own prejudices?

Can you please stop asking stupid rhetorical questions about whether I would let my kids sleep in MJ's bed with him. They have no relevance to this debate whatsoever as of course I wouldn't! By saying that, I am not accusing MJ of anything as I wouldn't let my kids sleep in a bed with anyone who wasn't close and trusted family. I trust my best mate with my life but would find it uncomfortable if he was in bed with my child. By your logic, does that make him a paedophile?

Why do you feel it is your right to accuse people of such horrible things even after they have been cleared? You don't know all the evidence, only what you have read in the newspapers and seen on tv (and we all know that they are the most trusted source of information don't we!!).

[MargeB]

Yeah, you're spot on.

Would feel a bit weird having my kids in his bed though, wouldn't it. I mean, I had my suspicions when he said on TV that he just loved kids, but then I saw it was only young boys in his bed. Then he was accused, there was a payoff, but still he let young boys share his bed. Then there was the expert testimony of various psychologists who said that the way in which he interacted with young boys gave rise to suspicions, allegedly.

As for the jury trial, of course, absolutely delighted that everything was going to be thrashed out. Then we find out that MJ is able to manipulate public opinion even though he is told not to. Then the jury are all getting megabux book and TV deals, which is surely going to affect their judgement. And then (and this is very technical legal speak) we see them interviewed on TV, and they come across as the wildest bunch of thick inbred trailer trash that I have ever seen, all asked to make a decision on delicate argument.

And I never saw all of that argument, but I'm confident that what was widely reported verbatim by the press gave a very good indication of the evidence presented to the jury.

So if all this shows to you that he is definitely innocent, and that he is definitely not a paedophile, can you just clarify what it is specifically that would make you unwilling to let your kids share his bed?

[MargeB]

Or put it this way: would you leave your kids alone in a house overnight with MJ, if he promised to you that they would all be sleeping in their own beds?

[Gevs1966]

That is another stupid question. I wouldn't leave my kids alone with anyone I did not know or trust.

I wouldn't leave my kids alone for the night with cliff richard and he is about the cleanest cut celebrity you could get. You have no point

[MargeB]

How do you know this about Cliff Richard?

[Gevs1966]

I don't know for sure. I chose Cliff Richard as an example of using your logic of beileving how the media/press decide to portray him.

I still wouldn't leave my kids with him and that is my point.

[LeMarchand]

Giving alcohol to a child is (AFAIK) illegal in the US - possibly only with a view to getting the child intoxicated. Sleeping with a child is not illegal, but certainly unusual.

I'd lay good money that if I was to go to the US and hang around outside their equivalent of a high school offering money to parents to allow me to sleep with their children, I'd be in prison quicker than you can say "Michael Jackson". It certainly seems that if you have money and/or celebrity you can do what you want.

The original question doesn't enquire as to MJ's innocence, but points out that a dangerous precedent has been set.