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CELEBRITY JUSTICE
CONCERT: Jackson family, fans gather at Chumash Casino
By NORA K. WALLACE
NEWS-PRESS STAFF WRITER
Celebration was in the air Friday night for Michael Jackson and his defenders as the singer's family and fans gathered at the Chumash Casino & Resort to mark his acquittal and his lead defense attorney joked with Jay Leno on the "Tonight Show."
The shindig at the Chumash drew hundreds of the self-proclaimed King of Pop's true believers, but notably absent was Michael Jackson himself.
Although the pop star was absent -- a fact that bitterly disappointed a crowd that was just certain he'd make the trip over from his nearby Neverland Valley Ranch -- the arrival of his parents Joe and Katherine prompted raucous cheers and an ovation before the evening's concert began.
Fans serenaded their arrival by breaking into an impromptu a cappella version of "I'll Be There."
Chumash officials said the event was sponsored by the Jackson family, although Mr. Jackson's Web site denied that the singer himself was responsible. "To clarify, currently, Michael Jackson has not made any plans for a party," according to the site. "However, if, in the future, Mr. Jackson chooses to host or participate in a celebration, the details will be posted on MJJsource.com.
"As always, the love and support extended by Mr. Jackson's friends and fans is deeply appreciated."
When Mr. Jackson's older brother Tito took the stage at 9 p.m., he bellowed, "Are you ready to have a good time?" before launching into a bluesy rendition of "Let Your Hair Down Baby."
The audience was mixture of Chumash tribal members, high rollers from the casino and faithful fans of Michael. Despite the excitement and the crush to get in, the 1,328-seat Samala Showroom was only about two-thirds full at its peak, and when the Gloved One failed to show a sprinkling of people left before the end of Tito's performance.
One guest, a Santa Maria woman, recounting that she had faithfully supported the singer at the courtroom, said she'd received the color bracelet that gained her admittance to the victory celebration by going to Neverland in the afternoon.
"I just have to be here," she said.
Katherine Jackson concluded the night's festivities with a acknowledgement of her son's partisans.
"I just had to come up here and say thank you so very much. All the fans from all over the world -- thank you so much for your love and suuport. We couldn't have done it without you."
The crowd responded by by chanting, "Innocent, innocent."
and Mrs. jackson added, "From the bottom of my heart I thank you all" as the lights went up.
Security was exceptionally tight at the venue, and the press was not invited. When it was learned that Linda Deutsch, the legendary court reporter for The Associated Press, had gotten inside, Chumash security tracked her down and kicked her out.
Telling signs are arranged in trash cans on Friday in what was the media area outside the Santa Maria courthouse for Michael Jackson's child molestation trial. On Monday, a jury found him not guilty on all counts.
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The News-Press was invited, however, and allowed to report -- with one proviso that people inside the showroom not be quoted by name.
Other fans heard about the event but were denied access. Clumps of them stationed themselves throughout the casino and near the venue's entrance. One women in her 20s left her job as an engineering assistant in Hong Kong as soon as she heard the verdict Monday. She came to the casino on Friday and eagerly asked anyone with access if she could go inside with them.
"Always in Hong Kong, I say Michael Jackson innocent, innocent," she said.
Many present saw themselves as a secret weapon helping Mr. Jackson beat all charges brought against him in the child molestation case.
"It was the collective power of the positive thought that got him off," said one woman drinking at the bar at the casino's restaurant, The Willows, before the show.
And while local attorney Robert Sanger, one of those at the Chumash celebration, might have suggested that legal acuity helped, too, lead attorney Thomas Mesereau was making the same point with Mr. Leno -- himself a defense witness in the Jackson trial.
Dressed in black and rarely smiling, Mr. Mesereau mostly played straight man to Mr. Leno.
Referring to a rumor that Mr. Jackson could start a show in Las Vegas, Mr. Leno joked in his "Tonight Show" monologue, "He's going to be playing Diana Ross in the 'Legends' show."
"Michael Jackson is an artist. He's a creative spirit. He likes to sit in a tree and compose music," said Mr. Mesereau.
He attacked District Attorney Tom Sneddon, saying "he had a personal vendetta" and "mischaracterized the case from day one." He said Mr. Sneddon had been searching for accusers since a previous case fell apart after the boy's family accepted a multimillion dollar settlement from Mr. Jackson.
Mr. Mesereau praised the jury as "strong willed, independent and open minded."
"We got some very honorable, courageous people, and they did the right thing," he said.
Mr. Leno asked Mr. Mesereau why Mr. Jackson needed to be rushed to a hospital emergency room several times during the trial despite his seemingly large number of aides.
"There's the umbrella guy, there's the magician. Why isn't there a doctor?" he joked. Mr. Mesereau said he didn't know, adding that his client had a serious stress-related back problem.
"Michael was not emotionally built for this type of process: month after month, sitting in the courtroom, listening to this nonsense being thrown at him," he said.
This story includes reports from Burbank by The Associated Press. E-mail Nora Wallace at nwallace@newspress.com
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