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Fans celebrate after Jackson acquitted
SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Jubilant fans of Michael Jackson erupted in chants of "innocent" and tossed confetti into the air outside the courthouse Monday as the pop star was cleared of child molestation and other charges. One fan freed a white dove for each acquittal. "This proves that justice can prevail in America," said Tara Bardella, 19, who came from Arizona two weeks ago to wait for the verdicts. "We love you, Michael!"
As Jackson left the courtroom, more than a dozen white balloons were released. The musician blew kisses and waved to the exultant crowd before departing for Neverland. There, hundreds of fans hugged and sobbed as they greeted Jackson's convoy of SUVs with a huge cheer. Scrawled on cars — in what appeared to be shaving cream — were the words: "Justice. Liberty. We love MJJ." "I'm shaking," said Emily Smith, 24, of London, who was among the few lucky fans who got courtroom passes. "I believe justice has been done today." Karen Manning, 50, of Las Vegas, who sat in court for two months in support of the pop star, said she hoped the verdict would send a signal to him: "He needs to grow up now." Lifelong fan Raffles Vanexel, 29, of Amsterdam, said he "cried like a little baby" when the verdicts were read. "I feel like I was reborn," said Vanexel, who claimed he helped lift Jackson onto an SUV for his notorious rooftop dance after his arraignment. "The best is yet to come for Michael. This time around, the world owes him something." In Jackson's hometown of Gary, Ind., neighbors and residents walked past the former family homestead to express their support. Renee Tribble carried a sign that read "Framed/Not guilty." Others drove past blaring their horns. "I knew he didn't do it," said Franklin Reese, who pulled his pickup truck in front of Jackson's onetime home, blaring the song "Beat It" from the stereo.
"I thought he was going to be found guilty, so I am happy for him," said Jacqueline Ingram, 30, of Winston-Salem. "I really thought it was going to be impossible for Michael to get a fair trial." "He's a person who comes off as off-the-wall, but I think he means well and I think the jury got it right," said Ron Lavergne, 61, who was visiting New York from Ottawa. The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has advised Michael Jackson on personal matters in recent months, praised the jury. Instead of "guilty by innuendo and suggestion, they declared him not guilty by fact and evidence," the reverend said in Chicago. "The Tonight Show" host Jay Leno, who testified at the trial — and cracked jokes about the case on the air — referred to the verdict during his monologue Monday night during taping, according to the syndicated television newsmagazine The Insider. "The big news, he's not guilty. But the bad news is he's going to Disneyland," Leno joked. "Now that he's not guilty, he can go back to being a regular guy, kick back, have a brewsky." The verdict was closely watched around the world. Arab news channels al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya cut to live footage of the Santa Maria courthouse as Jackson arrived for the verdicts. In Britain, Jackson's friend, psychic Uri Geller — who helped set up the TV interview in which the singer said he sometimes shared a bed with children — was relieved. "I'm trembling, this is so important. He did not let down his fans and all the people that love him," said Geller. "He went through hell and now the nightmare is over." In Germany, several news channels carried the verdict live, and the top-selling Bild newspaper quickly posted the headline "Acquittal!" on its Web site. Martin Stock, the founder of a Jackson fan club in Germany who stayed up past 11 p.m. to watch the outcome, said he was overjoyed, even though he had expected his idol's acquittal. "The whole trial was laughable and Michael was treated inhumanely. I think people were trying to throw him into prison to get at his money," Stock said. Around the courthouse in Santa Maria, police had barricaded the streets.
About 40 officers holding batons and riot helmets watched over the swelling
crowd.
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