Tom Meserau GQ Article
Sorry I had to post this LOL. This is a recent article(or interview, whatever you would call it) from GQ Magazine about Tom Meserau, Michael Jackson's attorney about the trial. Fabulous read:
I got a call from Randy Jackson asking me to meet his brother in Florida. Did I hesistate? No. I realized I was embarking on a major undertaking that was likely to consume. But I'm used to having a life in my hands. It's a calling.
I was curious to meet Michael. Who would not be? (Up close, Michael looks like Michael.) And I wanted to see Neverland. Elephants parade through every day.
We had to get into gear very quickly. Every day I would psych myself up - like an athlete - to have a certain level of disdain for the media. I never waved at the cameras. I don't think hardworking people who sit on juries appreciate lawyers who look like they want to be movie stars. Court TV became a tabloid. They had people following the case who were clueless as to what was really happening in the courtroom. Robert Shapiro, a former attorney for OJ Simpson, never appeared in court once, yet he consistently predicted a conviction. He looked ridiculous.
I don't prep witnesses the way they do on TV. I think jurors are very intuitive about whether a witness is honest or not. Macauly Culkin had always said, "I am available whenever you need me to tell the truth." The prosecution was trying to dissuade him from coming. Efforts were made to suggest that he had nothing to gain by testifying. Whenever anybody is in trouble in life, you find out who your friends are. And when the chips were down, many people abandoned Michael. He wanted to testify, but I decided, we're here to win this case.
I was already at the courthouse when Michael arrived to hear the verdict. I don't think it's appropriate to discuss our conversation but I will say this: Michael and I are both spiritual people and we knew that at this point, it was in God's hands.
You never get used to taking a verdict. Your heart always skips a beat - it's always a cliff-hanger. I heard rumors that the prosecution was celebrating in advance. Certainly, you're feeling good as you hear each "Not Guilty". When it was over - and it was a long four and a half minutes - Michael said to me "Thank you, thank you, thank you." We hugged each other. He was so frail. And he went right back to Neverland.
The first person I called was my girlfriend. Then I went to Neverland. Michael's brothers and sisters and his children were there, and Grace, his nanny and assistant. The feeling was very subdued - relief. There were no balloons.
I got a call from Randy Jackson asking me to meet his brother in Florida. Did I hesistate? No. I realized I was embarking on a major undertaking that was likely to consume. But I'm used to having a life in my hands. It's a calling.
I was curious to meet Michael. Who would not be? (Up close, Michael looks like Michael.) And I wanted to see Neverland. Elephants parade through every day.
We had to get into gear very quickly. Every day I would psych myself up - like an athlete - to have a certain level of disdain for the media. I never waved at the cameras. I don't think hardworking people who sit on juries appreciate lawyers who look like they want to be movie stars. Court TV became a tabloid. They had people following the case who were clueless as to what was really happening in the courtroom. Robert Shapiro, a former attorney for OJ Simpson, never appeared in court once, yet he consistently predicted a conviction. He looked ridiculous.
I don't prep witnesses the way they do on TV. I think jurors are very intuitive about whether a witness is honest or not. Macauly Culkin had always said, "I am available whenever you need me to tell the truth." The prosecution was trying to dissuade him from coming. Efforts were made to suggest that he had nothing to gain by testifying. Whenever anybody is in trouble in life, you find out who your friends are. And when the chips were down, many people abandoned Michael. He wanted to testify, but I decided, we're here to win this case.
I was already at the courthouse when Michael arrived to hear the verdict. I don't think it's appropriate to discuss our conversation but I will say this: Michael and I are both spiritual people and we knew that at this point, it was in God's hands.
You never get used to taking a verdict. Your heart always skips a beat - it's always a cliff-hanger. I heard rumors that the prosecution was celebrating in advance. Certainly, you're feeling good as you hear each "Not Guilty". When it was over - and it was a long four and a half minutes - Michael said to me "Thank you, thank you, thank you." We hugged each other. He was so frail. And he went right back to Neverland.
The first person I called was my girlfriend. Then I went to Neverland. Michael's brothers and sisters and his children were there, and Grace, his nanny and assistant. The feeling was very subdued - relief. There were no balloons.
posted by SL @ 9:50 PM
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