On Monday, Radar Online claimed to have obtained documents from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department about Michael Jackson and his alleged pornography collection, which they claimed included images of children's faces superimposed on adult bodies and materials of nude young adults and adolescents, among other alleged disturbing evidence. Well, on Tuesday a representative from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department released a statement to Vanity Fair stating the alleged reports and materials detailed by Radar Online seem to be copies of reports from the Sheriff's Office and were obtained in an unofficial capacity, rather than through official channels.
The statement reads in its entirety:
Some of the documents appear to be copies of reports that were authored by Sheriff’s Office personnel as well as evidentiary photographs taken by Sheriff’s Office personnel interspersed with content that appears to be obtained off the Internet or through unknown sources. The Sheriff’s Office did not release any of the documents and/or photographs to the media. The Sheriff’s Office released all of its reports and the photographs as part of the required discovery process to the prosecution and the defense.
Bustle has reached out to Jackson's estate for comment, but has not yet heard back.
Update: Jackson's estate has released a statement to E! News, which reads in part:
Everything in these reports, including what the County of Santa Barbara calls "content that appears to be obtained off the Internet or through unknown sources" is false, no doubt timed to the anniversary of Michael's passing. Those who continue to shamelessly exploit Michael via sleazy internet "click bait" ignore that he was acquitted by a jury in 2005 on every one of the 14 salacious charges brought against him in a failed witch hunt.
Earlier: In 2003, police began investigating Jackson after he was accused of molesting and intoxicating a 13-year-old boy. That same year, Jackson's Neverland Ranch home was raided by police as part of an ongoing investigation following the accusations. Per Radar Online, the above mentioned documents were recorded by police after the 2003 raid.
In June 2005, Jackson was acquitted of the molestation claims against him after a jury found him not guilty of four charges of child molestation, one charge of attempted child molesting, one conspiracy charge, and eight possible counts of providing alcohol to minors. He could have faced 20 years in prison.
