I'll address the settlement.

he paid one settlement, in the '93 case. this was done because the court granted the accusers the preference of a civil trial. without it, MJ would not have been able to have a fair criminal trial; in fact, the conditions (leaked to the tabloid press) stipulated the money was not being paid as an admission of guilt.

It did not half the proceeding of the criminal case, because you can't "settle" a criminal case. the investigation proceeded, went to grand jury in 2 counties, both declined to indict after having seen the evidence collected (including the pictures taken of Mike that Maureen Orth claims matched accuser's description). the accusers also refused to cooperate w/the prosecution.

one thing that is also true (you won't click but I want everyone else reading this reply to do so): the stepfather of the accuser secretly recorded a conversation with the accuser's father (the architect of the allegations) basically detailing his plans to extort Jackson. he gave it to MJ's private investigator, who leaked it to the media.

but as you admit below, you believed it immediately upon accusation (which is something that I don't fault you for completely) but likely rolled with the "he did it because he paid" narrative that came after that settlement; MJ himself could not speak about it to the press as per stipulation, neither could the accusers.


The tape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tx8Z9fxxw-U