Quote from: Ulysses on March 04, 2019, 09:34:24 PM
Truly innocent people don't pay people off either. If he really wanted to clear his name, he could have let evidence and court prove him innocent. Seems as though he doubts he could win...
Michael's insurance company paid settlements to make accusers go away so that Michael could keep touring.
Michael didn't want to pay anyone. Ever. That was why the allegations in 1993 came out in the first place. Jordan Chandler's dad tried to blackmail Michael. He threatened to go public with allegations if Michael didn't give him $20M. Michael said no, so the boy's family sued him in a civil case (not cooperating with a criminal case) and the allegations were made public. If Michael wanted to pay people off, we would have never heard of Jordie Chandler in 1993.
It's all on record. Michael's lawyers fought for a CRIMINAL case to be tried against the first accuser so he wouldn't have to pay and could be vindicated in court. Meaning, if he were found guilty, he would go to jail. A judge wouldn't allow it. Michael's team felt they had to reach a settlement because they were being forced to do a civil trial first.
By 2005, the Arvizo family tried the same strategy with the same lawyer

but the California laws had changed by then to force a criminal trial before a civil one. Probably because of Michael's case in 1993. The Arvizos tried to get money first, but had to backpedal and cooperate with a criminal case first, which exposed their lies so they couldn't get anything.

Wade and Jimmy tried to get money from a dead man instead of going to police or testifying to put him in jail when they had ample opportunity to do so while Michael was alive. Wade shopped a book but no publisher wanted it. They wanted a settlement; got nothing. They sued for $1.6 billion and got their case thrown out for lying. I don't think Jimmy's case even made it to court because it's so stupid. They are appealing now and want to influence the public and possibly influence a jury to help the next phase of their appeal.
Do victims always run straight towards money instead of seeking justice against their abuser?