Michael Jackson’s 1994 settlement with the Chandlers has always been under a cloud of misconceptions and untruths. The tabloid “he paid the Chandlers off to silence them” narrative needs to end.
We noticed an excellent Twitter thread by the user @deboleena_ that addresses the case and decided to turn it into a post for our visitors.
Many thanks to @deboleena_ for allowing us to use it, and for creating it! This is important information, so please read and share!
Michael Jackson and the Chandlers reached an out of court settlement in January, 1994, which only resolved the CIVIL SUIT and to proceed with the criminal case; to preserve a fair criminal trial in court!
Firstly, one cannot settle a criminal case. So people, stop using the vague argument ‘he paid his way out of prison’. A criminal proceeding, and a trial, only can send a perpetrator to jail, not a civil trial, which only results in a monetary restitution.
From the very beginning, it was the Chandlers who demanded the settlement, not Michael Jackson. People are quick to question that why an innocent man would settle, but not that why the parents of an alleged victim would seek for money instead of justice.
In their book ‘All that Glitters’, they admitted that they were never even remotely interested to pursue the criminal case from the get go. Almost horrified by the idea that the criminal proceeding may go ahead before the civil one.
The Chandlers demanded $20 million dollars from Michael, which he refused to pay. They even, at one point, agreed to go away for 1 million, chump change for MJ. He didn’t comply with any of their monetary demands or to pay for Evan’s script writing deals.
The Chandlers’ Monetary Demands
Michael Jackson had an excellent opportunity to prevent the accusations from going public in August 1993. Had he paid them $20 million, the Chandlers wouldn’t have made allegations against him in the first place, which they again admitted in their own book!
What the media and folks refer to as ‘HUSH MONEY’ would have been true if Michael Jackson had paid them millions, when they themselves were willing to be silenced. The fact he refused to pay them even $1 million despite Evan Chandler threatened to destroy him screams #MJInnocent.
It’s ridiculous to even suggest that the LEGAL CIVIL SETTLEMENT was hush money when the entire world knows about it, including the prying eyes of the media and tabloids; the allegations already being made public and an overzealous media that sensationalized it.
It was Michael Jackson and his legal team who tried relentlessly to get the criminal trial ahead of the civil trial by filing motions, all of which were rejected by the Judge David Rothman. The California law allowed the civil trial to go ahead of the criminal trial.
Michael and his team had lost all four motions in their attempt to postpone the civil suit until the criminal proceeding was completed, where he would’ve testified and cleared his name. His right to a fair criminal trial was violated. Any person would have settled in a situation as such.
Michael Jackson’s constitutional rights were violated at every point. Media and authorities were 100% against him and favoured the Chandlers. Saying he was powerful is not a valid and logical argument.
Eventually he was forced to settle the suit for $15,331,250 in order to proceed with the criminal case. The settlement wasn’t even for claims of molestation and clearly stated that Michael Jackson was innocent and this must not be considered as an admission of guilt in any way!
The criminal investigation continued. DA Gil Garcetti, right after the settlement, said that the Chandlers had every right to testify and will not affect the ongoing criminal proceeding in any way.
Jackson Settles Abuse Suit but Insists He Is Innocent
Larry Feldman, the Chandlers’ own attorney, announced that the settlement was no way for silence. In fact, he announced that his clients were indeed very happy with the settlement.
The criminal investigation continued and was convened before TWO GRAND JURIES. After months of investigation by the DAs, multiple searches including the strip search, unannounced raids, interviews with children and witnesses, there was not a scrap of evidence to even indict MJ!
Both Grand Juries declared that there wasn’t any evidence to secure an indictment after months of investigation and searches across countries. The prosecution couldn’t provide any incriminating evidence against Michael Jackson.
The settlement in the 1993 CIVIL suit did NOT end the CRIMINAL investigation – it ended because there was absolutely NO EVIDENCE! pic.twitter.com/l832CCQFzk
— MJJLegion ♕ (@MJJLegion) June 14, 2017
The Chandlers could have taken the money and still testified as any parent or victim will do: throw the abuser behind bars. They never did. They took the settlement money and refused to corroborate with the authorities or pursue for a criminal case again. They got what they needed: $$$$
So if y’all question why would an innocent man settle, but not why would a parent choose money over justice? Only when the accusations are guided by a money driven agenda.
THE SETTLEMENT DID NOT PROHIBIT CHANDLER FROM TESTIFYING AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON! If justice was the object and not money, why not testify? pic.twitter.com/tPLhRnbKtE
— MJJLegion ♕ (@MJJLegion) June 14, 2017
The FBI files proves that the District Attorney was still considering to file charges months after the settlement. The settlement was never a reason, but sheer lack of evidence to even indict Michael Jackson was.
Often misinformed people suggest that the settlement was made because the description of MJ’s genitals by the Chandlers was a match. It wasn’t a match and is a ridiculous excuse because Larry Feldman himself tried to bar the photos from the civil trial!
LOS ANGELES : Boy’s Lawyer Seeks Photos of Michael Jackson’s Body
Larry Feldman filed a motion to bar the photos from the civil trial and that the copies of the photographs be provided to them and Michael Jackson be stripped searched for the second time!
How convenient!
Michael Jackson was exonerated of both the 1993 and 2005 allegations as DA Tom Sneddon requested to introduce in court evidences of prior bad acts! The jury also heard the 1993 allegations where June Chandler testified and was discredited.
The FBI approached Jordan Chandler in 2004 to testify in the trial. Not only he refused, but threatened to go to any lengths to prevent himself from being subpoenaed and testify; also to take legal action against the prosecution saying ‘he had done his part’. He fled the country.
Also, Sneddon even tried to introduce the settlement in court and the jury looked into it. Had there been any attempts to silence accusers, Michael would have been charged with obstruction of justice. To date, every accuser of Michael Jackson has spoken.
So the argument of ‘silencing victims’ is unrealistic and has no legs to stand on.
The Chandlers were so desperate to prevent the criminal case from going ahead the civil trial that they even fired Gloria Allred, who, amid much fanfare in the media, announced that Jordan was ready to testify in the criminal trial. Larry Feldman took over.
2. Why Gloria Allred abandoned the Chandlers’ case
More about the Chandler’s allegations…
More about the CIVIL SETTLEMENT…
The DA, however, made an excuse that the reason why they wouldn’t file charges was due to the fact that Jordan or the Chandlers’ had refused to cooperate with the authorities. They almost had a year to bring charges against MJ.
After the settlement in January, 1994, they had ample time to charge him since the Chandlers refused to cooperate from July 6, 1994. So even after vigorous investigation for months (almost a year), they had no evidence. Simple. #MJInnocent
This tape from July 8, 1993, between Evan Chandler and David Schwartz itself speaks volumes.
“If I go through with this, I win a big time, I’ll get everything I want.”
“This attorney I’ve found is a nastier son of a bitch. Once I make the phone call, he’ll destroy everybody in sight.”
“It would be a massacre if I don’t get what I want”
Excellent! This is exactly what we need to combat the lies of Maureen Orth!