Pasadena, Thursday
POP superstar Michael Jackson emerged from seclusion last night to
deny child abuse allegations and proclaim that ''the truth will be my
salvation''.
In his first public appearance since his nationally televised
statement on December 22, Jackson told a wildly cheering crowd at an
awards ceremony in Pasadena that ''not only am I presumed to be
innocent, I am innocent''.
''Everyone is presumed to be totally innocent until they are charged
with a crime and then convicted by a jury of their peers,'' Jackson told
an awards ceremony of the National Association for the Advancement of
Coloured People.
Jackson, wearing a blue-gold outfit with epaulettes, was interrupted
several times by thunderous applause and received a standing ovation.
Praising the NAACP for seeking justice, Jackson said none of its goals
meant more to him now than the presumption of innocence for the accused.
''I never really took the time to understand the importance of that
ideal until now, until I became the victim of false allegations and the
willingness of others to exploit the worst until they have had a chance
to hear the truth.
''I know that the truth will be my salvation,'' he declared before
presenting entertainer Debbie Allen with her choreography award.
In Los Angeles, a lawyer for the 13-year-old boy who has accused
Jackson of molesting him has asked a court to order the singer to submit
to a second body search for photographs of his genitals to be taken. The
boy says he can identify marks on Jackson's private parts.--Reuter.
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