March 10, 2020
The release of FBI files related to Michael Jackson has led to widespread misinterpretation and a notable exaggeration of its significance. One prevailing misunderstanding is the belief in a prolonged 10+ year investigation of Michael Jackson by the FBI. However, a straightforward review of the introductory paragraph on the FBI's official page can effectively debunk this myth.
"Michael Jackson (1958-2009) was a famous singer and entertainer. Between 1993 and 1994, and separately between 2004 and 2005, Jackson was investigated by California law enforcement agencies for possible sexual abuse of minors. He was acquitted of all charges. The FBI provided technical and investigative assistance to these agencies during the cases. The Bureau also investigated threats made against Mr. Jackson and others, by an individual who was later imprisoned for these crimes. These investigations occurred between 1992 and 2005."
Source: FBI.com
Drawing from this introductory paragraph, we can ascertain the following three key conclusions:
1. Investigations into allegations of sexual abuse were limited to a period of about two years, precisely between 1993 and 1994, with a brief inquiry in 1995 related to a VHS recording, and a decade later between 2004 and 2005, thus contradicting the prolonged 10+ year narrative.
2. The FBI's role did not involve leading an independent investigation into the matter. Instead, the agency provided technical and investigative assistance to the California Police Departments, particularly the Santa Barbara County Police Department, as and when requested, due to jurisdictional issues and the requirement for specialized expertise. This collaborative support function is underscored by a statement from retired FBI agent Brad Garrett in a ABC News 2009 interview, where he elucidated that the FBI's involvement was at the behest of the police to aid with specific aspects of the case, rather than constituting an operational investigation.
3. The confusion surrounding the 10-year timeframe may stem from the concluding sentence of the paragraph, which delineates the timeline of the FBI's involvement. The FBI's earliest file traces back to 1992, stemming from an investigation into an individual who had made threats against Michael Jackson. However, it's crucial to note that this particular case holds no relevance to the subsequent allegations of sexual abuse. The final archived document dates back to 2005, marking the announcement of the verdict in the trial of Gavin Arvizo.
It's important to clarify that the FBI does not have the authority to acquit or render a verdict of not guilty, despite common misconceptions. As part of the executive branch, the FBI lacks judicial powers, including issuing judgments. In the context of the paragraph, the FBI simply communicated the ruling from Gavin's 2005 trial. Additionally, it's crucial to note that sexual abuse is typically not a federal crime, and thus, the FBI does not usually open federal cases for such offenses. These cases are generally handled by local authorities, unless there are specific circumstances such as an adult taking a child across state lines with the intent of sexual abuse. In such cases, the FBI would be involved.
Therefore, it's inaccurate to suggest that the FBI investigated the charges of sexual abuse for a decade, as their involvement was limited to a two-year period. For further clarification, Jim Clemente a retired FBI agent has addressed and dispelled this misunderstanding.
Only a fraction of the released documentation, specifically 145 pages (42%), pertains to child sex abuse allegations. Surprisingly, the majority of the files, comprising 199 pages (58%), are dedicated to an investigation into Frank Paul Jones, a man accused of issuing death threats against Jackson and other prominent figures, including former President Bush. It's important to emphasize that this particular case is entirely unrelated to the allegations of child sexual abuse.
Furthermore, the remaining files are categorized into segments related to the 1993 case (first and third folders), the 2003 case (second, fifth, and seventh folders), and a brief 1995 investigation pertaining to a VHS (fourth folder). While some may wonder about the depth and significance of these investigations, it is noteworthy that they were, in fact, superficial.
It is crucial to highlight that not all of the FBI's documents concerning Michael Jackson are accessible to the public. With approximately 600 pages of research in existence, only half of these have been released by the FBI, adhering to privacy regulations and safeguarding investigative methodologies. As a result, speculating about the undisclosed files is purely conjectural. Assuming their similarity to the publicly available content, it can be reasonably surmised that they may not contain any groundbreaking revelations.
In summary, a mere 145 out of 334 pages are centered on investigations related to cases of sexual abuse. However, upon discounting the 18 pages addressing concerns of a terrorist attack during the 2005 trial, and acknowledging the presence of repeated pages in the first and third folders, the substantive content dwindles to a mere 117 pages.
It's easy to interpret the fact that the FBI have a page on Michael Jackson, and invision a Mulder and Scully type investigation were they tracked his movements, intercepted his calls, utilised surveillance cameras, and employed other advanced techniques. However, the reality is quite different. The FBI's involvement was limited to specific cases wherein their assistance was sought by the police.
Upon examining the contents of the files, it becomes evident that they are rather superficial in nature. A considerable portion of the documents are procedural, leaving a substantial number of pages, almost half, with content that ranges from letters requesting orders or issuing press releases, newspaper scans, miscellaneous letters, blank pages, pages featuring only numbers or stamps, and numerous illegible notes. Furthermore, certain sections contain redacted text, particularly names, rendering them somewhat challenging to decipher.
What, then, are the specific points of the files that are at least readable?
Upon thorough examination, the question arises: can these investigations serve as an indication of innocence? The answer is nuanced. Strictly speaking, only the examination of hard drives can be considered evidence that Jackson had nothing illegal on those devices. In other instances, the FBI primarily conducted witness interviews (or attempted to do so in the latter case), pursued certain allegations that yielded no substantive leads, and subsequently closed the cases due to a lack of actionable evidence.
It is concerning that many fans label these files, which they have seemingly not perused, as comprehensive, detailed, and definitive evidence of his innocence.
In reality, the FBI's involvement should be viewed for what it truly was: technical support—neither confirming nor dismissing the allegations outright. Each investigation, while shedding light on certain aspects, does not conclusively exonerate Michael Jackson.
With permission, the following article was translated and enhanced from The Truth about Michael Jackson.