Juror Resurfaces To Explain Her Reasons

ELANOR COOK, the juror who fought to have MICHAEL JACKSON jailed, has reiterated claims she was forced to agree with her fellow jurors and let the pop star walk free on US TV.

Cook appeared on Tuesday night’s (15NOV05) BIG IDEA news show to hit back at claims she deceived the authorities by failing to declare her relationship with Jackson’s former maid, but she took the opportunity to blast her fellow jurors for helping the singer escape a jail term.

Cook, who has become known as Juror Number Five, accepts there was no firm evidence to find Jackson guilty of molestation, but she fought to sway the jury to jail the pop star on lesser kidnapping and conspiracy charges.

She told talk show host DONNY DEUTSCH, “Every time I would try to explain, they all (fellow jurors) would shout me down, and finally the foreman (of the jury) said that the judge told him that if I couldn’t change my mind, I would be kicked off.

“I just shut down. I said, ‘I didn’t really care. I was 79 years old, I’d given six months of my life to this and I didn’t need any more.’ So I thought, ‘Who cares? I’m not going to fight the world.’”

But Cook admits she was weakened by her best friend’s death during the trial earlier this year (05) and if she could have her time on the jury again, she’d have fought harder to put Jackson behind bars.

She fumed, “If I could be then as I am now I would hang in there and let the judge kick me off.”

Source: Contact Music

NB: Exclusive MJ would like to state for the record that we do not condone or agree with the views portrayed in the above statements, and are simply republishing this article in order the help keep the fans informed.

Michael Jackson has not bought an island estate off Bahrain, isn’t selling his California haven Neverland Ranch and is not recording songs with his children, his spokeswoman said Tuesday.

The unusual quiver of denials was aimed at setting the record straight amid a flurry of media reports about the entertainer, who has moved to the Gulf state of Bahrain since being exonerated in his child sex trial five months ago.

Jackson’s US spokeswoman Raymone Bain’s comments came amid reports that the star had bought a 1.5 million-dollar property on one of Bahrain’s manmade Amwaj Islands that he intended to make his permanent home.

Other media have quoted sources close to the star as saying he was recording songs with his three young children, while some have said he will shed the California home where he was alleged at trial to have abused a 13-year-old boy, allegations, claims dismissed by jurors who acquitted him.

“Contrary to published reports, Michael Jackson has not purchased acreage on Bahrain’s Amwaj Islands, his children have not participated on any studio recordings and Mr Jackson has not put Neverland up for sale,” Bain said.

Bain also dismissed a bizarre report that the androgynous star had been spotted applying his make-up in a ladies’ lavatory in a Dubai shopping mall, saying he had accidentally walked into the wrong bathroom but immediately turned around and walked out

“Mr Jackson mistakenly entered a ladies room in Dubai, labeled in Arabic, during an outing with friends,” Bain said in a statement.

“Upon realizing his mistake, he quickly exited. Upon his exit, he was recognized and a crowd ensued. He had to wait in a nearby bookstore until police arrived to escort him through the crowd,” she added.

The spokeswoman, who represented 47-year-old Jackson during his grueling five-month child molestation trial that ended in his acquittal in June, also urged reporters to check with her before filing erroneous reports.

“Please contact this office with regards to any inquiries regarding Mr Jackson in order to clarify any misinformation reported by sources,” she said in the terse statement.

The physically- and mentally-exhausted Jackson, who according to his relatives does not intend to live permanently in the United States again, holed up in Bahrain about two weeks after the dramatic end of his trial.

The Jackson family is believed to be close to Gulf kingdom’s ruling family and the 1980s pop sensation is reportedly in Bahrain as a guest of the royal family.

The singer has also been wrapping up work on his charity single to benefit victims of Hurricane Katrina.

Source: Political Gateway

THE Michael Jackson child molestation trial should have ended in a mistrial if the judge had been paying more attention to the jurors, author Diane Dimond claims in her new book.
In “Be Careful Who You Love: Inside the Michael Jackson Case,” in stores today, Dimond exposes improprieties of juror No. 5, a gray-haired widow named Elanor Cook.

Dimond writes, “Toward the end of the trial, it was revealed that 79-year-old Elanor Cook already had a book deal in the works” — a no-no in California for 90 days after the end of a trial.

In addition, after court one day, Cook “went to the local JC Penney store . . . and sought out her pal [former Neverland maid] Adrian McManus, who worked at the store for many years.

“Cook took McManus aside in the store, in full view of others, and praised her friend for doing well when she had testified for the prosecution on April 7 and 8,” the book says.

Although Cook admitted knowing McManus during jury selection, McManus told Dimond that “she and the widow would take drives together, eat a meal on occasion, and once Cook had counseled her about an attorney she might want to hire.”

“If the judge had known about her actions, there would have been a mistrial,” Dimond told PAGE SIX’s Lisa Marsh. Rules regarding jurors knowing witnesses were bent, she says. “We had the celebrity spotlight and people were blinded by it.”

As for the pubescent victim in the case, Gavin Arvizo, he’s thriving even after all he’s been through. “That boy went through more than we’ll ever go through — the stage-four cancer, his father beating him, and this trial — and he’s getting on with his life, playing football,” Dimond said. The author didn’t have a problem using his name in the book because, she said, “the family lives under an assumed name in the Witness Protection Program.”

Arvizo’s stepfather, Jay Jackson, “shipped out for Iraq six weeks ago and will be gone for about a year. His mother is due to have a [new baby] girl in January.”

Michael Jackson, however, is not faring as well. “He’s completely broke,” Dimond said, and will face the music in December when a balloon payment is due on one of his loans.

In addition, Neverland is up for sale. But, Dimond added, “Who’s going to buy it, Ronald McDonald House? I don’t think so.”

Source: NY Post

You could never accuse Michael Jackson of being dull.

From his Neverland ranch to his child abuse trial, from his spending habits to recent reports that he has been spotted in Dubai wearing women’s clothes, everything about him is larger-than-life.

Indeed, “Michael Jackson” is now better known for his bizarre habits than he is for his musical talents, which seem to have waned over the years.

Jackson’s offbeat personality seems to be a turn-off for many UAE residents since in a Gulf News online poll yesterday 47.4 per cent said they didn’t want him moving to the country.

A mere 34.3 per cent would like him to set up home here while 18.3 per cent did not care either way.

Briton Ruth Burrows, who runs an art and design gallery, spoke for many when she said simply: “He’s a weirdo. I don’t like him.”

Jackson was first seen in Dubai at the end of August when he enjoyed a meal at the Hard Rock Café and visited the offices of developer Nakheel. He went for a trip to see The World and The Palm projects and this sparked speculation he was looking to buy a place here.

More recently, Jackson was reportedly in Ibn Battuta shopping mall - wearing an abaya and a traditional woman’s headscarf.

If these visits signal that Jackson is thinking of moving to Dubai - or has moved here already - there are some who would welcome him, despite the poll findings.

Monika Cabaj, 21, from Germany, said: “He’s a star and I don’t believe the accusations against him.”

Source: Gulf News

Michael Jackson, the king of pop, is in town on a private visit, according to confirmed sources. The superstar singer arrived in Oman yesterday and the visit is said to be of a short duration.

This is believed to be Jackson’s first visit to Oman. His appearance at the Seeb International Airport stunned many. The city has been buzzing with excitement ever since with people making calls to media offices to confirm the news.

Source: Times Oman

The following statement was recently released by Michael Jackson’s spokesperson, Ms. Raymone Bain:

Contrary to published reports, Michael Jackson has not purchased acreage on Bahrain’s Amwaj Islands; his children have not participated on any studio recordings; and, Mr. Jackson has not put Neverland up for sale.

Also contrary to published and broadcast reports today, Mr. Jackson mistakenly entered a ladies room in Dubai, labeled in Arabic, during an outing with friends.

Upon realizing his mistake, he quickly exited. Upon his exit, he was recognized and a crowd ensued. He had to wait in a nearby bookstore until police arrived to escort him through the crowd.

U.S. pop star Michael Jackson and Chairman of United Arab Emirates Desert Challenge and former rally driver Mohammed Ben Sulayem pose with Desert Challenge rally driver Jose Luis Monterde of Spain in a Dubai hotel, November 14, 2005. Jackson attended the gala dinner marking the end of the rally. Monterde placed second in the car category behind Stephane Peterhansel of France.

Source: Reuters

Just when you think things can’t get any weirder, Jackson is said to have authorized a new Web site to take over from his shut-down mjjsource.com.

The new site is run by 20-year-old B.J. Hickman of Knoxville, Tenn. — the fan who haunted the trial all last spring.

That’s the same Hickman who was served with a temporary restraining order by former Court TV reporter Diane Dimond, about whom he made many loud and inappropriate comments through a mesh fence for four months.

Jackson, according to sources, thinks Hickman is just great and has been in contact with him a lot all year.

Source: Roger Friedman

Believe it or not, acquitted child molestation defendant Michael Jackson isn’t as creepy as he seems, Fox News’ Geraldo Rivera insists in the upcoming issue of Steppin’ Out. “He’s got a bizarre lifestyle and he looks so wacky,” Rivera concedes. But he adds: “He’s a lot more normal in person. And more normal as a dad than you would ever, ever expect. He’s really just a normal person once you get past the packaging.”

Source: NY Daily News

As Michael Jackson’s official website closes, Jackson’s spokesperson has released the following statement:

At the appropriate time, I am certain that Mr. Jackson will make his decisions known with regards to the status of MJJSource. Until he does, everything is speculation. It would be appropriate for individuals to allow him the courtesy to do so w/out creating havoc and confusion. It does them no good to do so.

Thank you.

Raymone K. Bain

Source: Raymone Bain