Michael Jackson

=== Documentary, ''Number Ones'', second child abuse allegations and acquittal (2002–2005) ===
{{Further|Trial of Michael Jackson|3=}}
[[File:Michael Jackson in Vegas cropped-2.jpg|thumb|right|Jackson in Las Vegas, 2003]]
Beginning in May 2002, a documentary film crew led by [[Martin Bashir]] followed Jackson for several months.<ref name="Vineyard">{{cite news |first=Jennifer |last=Vineyard |title=Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident A 'Terrible Mistake' |publisher=MTV |date=November 20, 2002 |access-date=May 31, 2015 |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458799/20021120/jackson_michael.jhtml |archive-date=November 20, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101120224336/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1458799/20021120/jackson_michael.jhtml |url-status=live }}</ref> The documentary, broadcast in February 2003 as ''[[Living with Michael Jackson]]'', showed Jackson holding hands and discussing sleeping arrangements with a twelve-year-old boy.<ref name="bbcnews" />{{sfn|Taraborrelli|2009|p=640}} He said that he saw nothing wrong with having sleepovers with minors and sharing his bed and bedroom with various people, which aroused controversy. He insisted that the sleepovers were not sexual and that his words had been misunderstood.<ref>{{cite news |first=Hugh |last=Davies |title=Jackson has children in his room for 'sleep-overs' |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |date=February 4, 2003 |access-date= July 21, 2019 |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1421082/Jackson-has-children-in-his-room-for-sleep-overs.html |archive-url= https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/1421082/Jackson-has-children-in-his-room-for-sleep-overs.html |archive-date= January 10, 2022 |url-status= live}} {{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite AV media |title=Living with Michael Jackson |medium=television |date=February 6, 2003 |time=0:51 |publisher=ITV |quote="Who's the criminal? Who's the jack-the-ripper in the room?... I'm sleeping on a sleeping bag on the floor. I give him the bed, 'cause he has a brother named Star. So him and Star took the bed. And I'm on the floor on the sleeping bag."}}</ref>

In October 2003, Jackson received the [[Freedom of the City#Key to the City|Key to the City]] of [[Las Vegas]] from Mayor [[Oscar Goodman]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/michael-jacksons-relationship-with-las-vegas-started-at-young-age/ |newspaper=[[Las Vegas Review-Journal]] |first=Corey |last=Levitan |title=Michael Jackson's relationship with Las Vegas started at young age |date=June 26, 2009 |access-date=August 4, 2022 |archive-date=April 11, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220411045720/https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/michael-jacksons-relationship-with-las-vegas-started-at-young-age/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On November 18, 2003, Sony released ''[[Number Ones (Michael Jackson album)|Number Ones]]'', a [[Number Ones (Michael Jackson album)|greatest hits compilation]]. It was certified five times platinum by the RIAA, and ten times platinum in the UK, for shipments of at least 3{{nbsp}}million units.<ref name="Certifications" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Michael Jackson – Number Ones |publisher=[[British Phonographic Industry]] |access-date=August 29, 2021 |url=https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/4779-168-2 |archive-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522115839/https://www.bpi.co.uk/award/4779-168-2 |url-status=live }}</ref>

On December 18, 2003, Santa Barbara authorities charged Jackson with seven counts of child molestation and two counts of intoxicating a minor with [[alcoholic drink]]s.<ref>{{cite news |first=John M. |last=Broder |title=Jackson Is Formally Charged with Child Molesting |newspaper=The New York Times |date=December 19, 2003 |access-date=July 21, 2019 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/19/us/jackson-is-formally-charged-with-child-molesting.html |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228193443/https://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/19/us/jackson-is-formally-charged-with-child-molesting.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Jackson denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Nick |last1=Madigan |first2=Terence |last2=Neilan |title=Michael Jackson Pleads Not Guilty to Molestation Charges |newspaper=The New York Times |date=January 16, 2004 |access-date=July 21, 2019 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/16/national/michael-jackson-pleads-not-guilty-to-molestation-charges.html |archive-date=July 8, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708054810/https://www.nytimes.com/2004/01/16/national/michael-jackson-pleads-not-guilty-to-molestation-charges.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The ''[[Trial of Michael Jackson|People v. Jackson]]'' trial began on January 31, 2005, in [[Santa Maria, California]], and lasted until the end of May. Jackson found the experience stressful and it affected his health. If convicted, he would have faced up to twenty years in prison.<ref name="BBC health">{{cite news |first=Matthews |last=Davis |title=Trial health problems for Jackson |work=BBC News |date=June 6, 2005 |access-date=May 31, 2015 |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4612897.stm |archive-date=November 5, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151105121612/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/4612897.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted on all counts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Jackson cleared of child molestation |newspaper=The Guardian |agency=Associated Press |date=June 13, 2005 |access-date=May 31, 2015 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/jackson/story/0,15819,1505806,00.html |archive-date=October 28, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211028191053/https://sourcepoint.theguardian.com/mms/get_site_data?requestUUID=dad43829-9532-4e82-9ce0-93c5004d7fc7&account_id=1257&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fmusic%2F2005%2Fjun%2F13%2Fmichaeljackson.michaeljacksontrial |url-status=live }}</ref> [[FBI files on Michael Jackson|FBI files on Jackson]], released in 2009, revealed the FBI's role in the 2005 trial and the 1993 allegations, and showed that the FBI found no evidence of criminal conduct on Jackson's behalf.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=December 23, 2009 |title=Michael Jackson's FBI Files Released |url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266333/michael-jacksons-fbi-files-released |magazine=Billboard |access-date=December 1, 2021 |agency=Associated Press |archive-date=November 4, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211104235149/https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266333/michael-jacksons-fbi-files-released |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Vogel |first=Joe |date=January 29, 2019 |title=What You Should Know About the New Michael Jackson Documentary |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2019/01/29/what-you-should-know-about-the-new-michael-jackson-documentary/ |magazine=Forbes |access-date=December 1, 2021 |archive-date=March 15, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190315231015/https://www.forbes.com/sites/joevogel/2019/01/29/what-you-should-know-about-the-new-michael-jackson-documentary/ |url-status=live }}</ref>