Michael Jackson's estate slams those 'false' child porn rumours

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ANI Washington D.C
Last Updated : Jun 24 2016 | 3:57 PM IST

Seven years after his death, Michael Jackson is in the news once again but this time for a wrong reason and this is what is making his estate go on the offensive.

While denying a recent report tying the King of Pop to pedophilia, his estate said that it is nothing but "tabloid trash" and that "enough is enough."

According to new reports published by Radar Online this week, "never-before-seen" papers allegedly filed by the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office after the ranch raid in November 2003 claimed that Jackson stockpiled pornography.

However, Kelly Hoover, a public information officer for the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, told E! Online in a statement that they did not provide the website with any of the documents and that the photos that are interspersed appear to be some evidentiary photos taken by Sheriff's investigators and others are clearly obtained from the internet.

She also said, "We can confirm the video footage posted on-line was taken by Sheriff's Office personnel during our service of a search warrant at Neverland Ranch in 2003. There is no indication that any of the material came from the Sheriff's Office and we are unsure of the source."

Slamming the allegations, the estate said in a statement to E! News, "Seven years ago this coming Saturday, the world lost an amazing artist and humanitarian devoted to helping children in need in all corners of the world. Michael Jackson's fans, including the Executors of his estate, prefer to remember the wonderful gifts Michael left behind instead of having to once again see his good name dragged through the mud by tabloid trash."

"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. Michael remains just as innocent of these smears in death as he was in life even though he isn't here to defend himself. Enough is enough," the statement further read.

During his 2005 trial, authorities discovered Jackson owned conventional adult magazines like Playboy and Penthouse, but assert there was no child pornography among his belongings.

According to Jackson's defense attorney Thomas Mesereau, "The information is dated, exaggerated and irrelevant. It was all litigated in 2005. It was completely rejected by a jury 11 years ago. Prosecutors at Jackson's trial got their asses kicked."

His only daughter, 18-year-old Paris Jackson, took to her Twitter page to say, "Unfortunately negativity will always sell. I urge you all to ignore the trash & the parasites who make a career trying to slander my father. The most pure people are always torn down.. It will continue to be proven that my beloved dad has always been and forever will be innocent."

His older brother Jermaine Jackson echoed the sentiments of his family, saying "Let Michael rest in peace. Leave. Him. Alone," he tweeted Wednesday. "All available evidence, reports & exhibits shown to jurors in 2005. Found him not guilty. Unanimously.

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First Published: Jun 24 2016 | 3:57 PM IST

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