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Was Michael Jackson Framed?: The Untold Story That Brought Down a Superstar
This is it!
The original GQ story that became an international sensation by exploring, for the first time in the media, the other sidethe defense side-- of the 1993 Michael Jackson scandal. Today, it remains a sought-after story by the superstars fans around the world.
Until now, the original, unedited version of the GQ article has not been available. Now, two years after Michael Jacksons death, in the midst of a resurgence of his music and popularity, the official GQ story is being released, with a new cover and foreword written by the author, award-winning journalist Mary A. Fischer.
As the media rushed to judgment about the 93 allegationsthat Jackson had molested a 13-year-old boyno one bothered to look in depth at Jacksons adult accusers. GQ senior writer Mary A. Fischer, known for investigating controversial, under-reported stories, took on the assignment.
She spent months delving into the backgrounds of Evan Chandler and his attorney Barry K. Rothman, Jacksons main accusers. What emerged from Fischers examination, based on court documents, business records and scores of interviews, some with confidential sources who would only meet in out of the way places, was a persuasive argument that Jackson molested no one and that he himself may have been the victim of a well-conceived plan to extract money from him.
More than that, it was a classic story of greed, ambition, misconceptions on the part of police and prosecutors, a lazy and sensation-seeking media and the use of a powerful, hypnotic drug.
Today, it remains an important, relevant story about how a case was simply invented. And now, for the first time in over a decade, it is available to Michael Jackson fans everywhere.
The original GQ story that became an international sensation by exploring, for the first time in the media, the other sidethe defense side-- of the 1993 Michael Jackson scandal. Today, it remains a sought-after story by the superstars fans around the world.
Until now, the original, unedited version of the GQ article has not been available. Now, two years after Michael Jacksons death, in the midst of a resurgence of his music and popularity, the official GQ story is being released, with a new cover and foreword written by the author, award-winning journalist Mary A. Fischer.
As the media rushed to judgment about the 93 allegationsthat Jackson had molested a 13-year-old boyno one bothered to look in depth at Jacksons adult accusers. GQ senior writer Mary A. Fischer, known for investigating controversial, under-reported stories, took on the assignment.
She spent months delving into the backgrounds of Evan Chandler and his attorney Barry K. Rothman, Jacksons main accusers. What emerged from Fischers examination, based on court documents, business records and scores of interviews, some with confidential sources who would only meet in out of the way places, was a persuasive argument that Jackson molested no one and that he himself may have been the victim of a well-conceived plan to extract money from him.
More than that, it was a classic story of greed, ambition, misconceptions on the part of police and prosecutors, a lazy and sensation-seeking media and the use of a powerful, hypnotic drug.
Today, it remains an important, relevant story about how a case was simply invented. And now, for the first time in over a decade, it is available to Michael Jackson fans everywhere.
42 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 21, 2014
Along with some explanation from the author, an investigative reporter, this is a reprint of an article originally published in GQ magazine in 1994. Like many of us, Mary Fischer had her curiosity piqued by lurid newspaper headlines. Having already been involved in another investigation, where false allegations of abuse could be made public all too easily, she decided to look at the case from another angle and investigate the main accusers – Evan Chandler, the father of the thirteen year old Jordan Chandler, and his attorney Barry Rothman.
This , then, is as in-depth a look as is possible within a single article at those who made the initial allegations against Michael Jackson – allegations swept up with glee by a sensation seeking media. The picture is of a father no longer living with the mother of his child, who saw the chance to exert power over his ex-wife and exhort money from a celebrity and a lawyer with a lot of enemies. It was a chance encounter which led to June Chandler Schwartz, her son and her younger daughter, become regular visitors at Neverland. Certainly, most – if not all - of the adults in this sorry case seem to have lacked judgement (and I include Jackson in this) and this makes sad and sorry reading, involving a custody battle, a fascination with celebrity and greed.
However, it is a fascinating article and, having read it, you can’t help but feel Jackson was not well served by his legal team in making a settlement, rather than going to trial in a case in which there was a lack of evidence and which was always about money and which, by making a financial settlement, left Jackson vulnerable to future accusations.
This , then, is as in-depth a look as is possible within a single article at those who made the initial allegations against Michael Jackson – allegations swept up with glee by a sensation seeking media. The picture is of a father no longer living with the mother of his child, who saw the chance to exert power over his ex-wife and exhort money from a celebrity and a lawyer with a lot of enemies. It was a chance encounter which led to June Chandler Schwartz, her son and her younger daughter, become regular visitors at Neverland. Certainly, most – if not all - of the adults in this sorry case seem to have lacked judgement (and I include Jackson in this) and this makes sad and sorry reading, involving a custody battle, a fascination with celebrity and greed.
However, it is a fascinating article and, having read it, you can’t help but feel Jackson was not well served by his legal team in making a settlement, rather than going to trial in a case in which there was a lack of evidence and which was always about money and which, by making a financial settlement, left Jackson vulnerable to future accusations.
November 6, 2012
This reprint of a GQ article by Mary Fischer is about the Chandler accusations against Michael Jackson in the 1990s... a sordid story of money grubbing greed that, despite the title of this book-format reprint, threatened to, but didn't, bring down a superstar.
However, that the accusations impacted Michael's career and, especially, his health is obvious in retrospect. The fact that they also paved the way for the 2005 court case based on similar accusations by another family who took advantage of MJ's generosity is another reason why the truth needs to be told. And having been told, it needs to be re-told, until the most doubting and sceptical of MJ's critics finally accepts it.
What is the truth? Merely, that Michael Jackson was an extremely generous man who loved and wanted to help children, but who also could be very naive in terms of who was deserving of his help and trust. He believed in the innocence of children, seemingly without, in some cases, taking into account the selfish motivations of their parents.
This is just one piece of the much larger story of how greedy adults ruined nurturing relationships Michael Jackson had with their children - the kind of nurturing that saw others he mentored go on to have successful careers for which they have gladly given MJ due credit.
We know now that karma appears to have exacted its price on those responsible for the Chandler scandal... sadly Michael Jackson is no longer here in person to receive due benefit of the media's revisiting of the matter. At least the reprinting of Ms Fischer's article will help even in a small way to right some of the wrongs suffered by him for the sake of his children and his legacy, and also his millions of fans throughout the world. I can only hope so.
(For a comprehensive account of the 2005 court case I recommend Michael Jackson Conspiracy by Aphrodite Jones.)
However, that the accusations impacted Michael's career and, especially, his health is obvious in retrospect. The fact that they also paved the way for the 2005 court case based on similar accusations by another family who took advantage of MJ's generosity is another reason why the truth needs to be told. And having been told, it needs to be re-told, until the most doubting and sceptical of MJ's critics finally accepts it.
What is the truth? Merely, that Michael Jackson was an extremely generous man who loved and wanted to help children, but who also could be very naive in terms of who was deserving of his help and trust. He believed in the innocence of children, seemingly without, in some cases, taking into account the selfish motivations of their parents.
This is just one piece of the much larger story of how greedy adults ruined nurturing relationships Michael Jackson had with their children - the kind of nurturing that saw others he mentored go on to have successful careers for which they have gladly given MJ due credit.
We know now that karma appears to have exacted its price on those responsible for the Chandler scandal... sadly Michael Jackson is no longer here in person to receive due benefit of the media's revisiting of the matter. At least the reprinting of Ms Fischer's article will help even in a small way to right some of the wrongs suffered by him for the sake of his children and his legacy, and also his millions of fans throughout the world. I can only hope so.
(For a comprehensive account of the 2005 court case I recommend Michael Jackson Conspiracy by Aphrodite Jones.)
June 26, 2024
it's a quick access to the background of the accusers. It tells you what you need to know to clear all the clouds that the media didn't support as much as they supported all the lies and spread them all out. it's quick but informative for those who care about real FACTS and seek the truth.
July 18, 2020
Horrendous
Horrendous, horrendous, horrendous! A total waste of money, thankfully it was no more than three dollars, I almost wasted an audible credit on this!
Horrendous, horrendous, horrendous! A total waste of money, thankfully it was no more than three dollars, I almost wasted an audible credit on this!
December 4, 2013
I think he was.... But there was really nothing new in this book.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews