Michael Jackson's bodyguard claims the King of Pop 'would never hurt a child': "I kept an eye..."
Michael Jackson has to be one of the most celebrated figures in the music industry, with his legacy continuing to make headlines even years after his passing. Loved for his unique singing and dancing chops, Jackson was also controversy's favorite child. At the heart of these controversies were the 1993 sexual misconduct allegations. While Jackson always maintained his innocence, speculation surrounding these accusations always remained a matter of stress for the legend. Talking about the same, Jackson’s former bodyguard opened up in an interview, making it clear that he believes the singer would never harm children.
Bill Whitfield, who became Jackson's bodyguard in December 2006 after the singer was cleared of child sex abuse claims, revealed that the 'Billie Jean' singer was in a fragile state before his death in 2009. "He was sad a lot. Things were different; he had just come off facing a couple of trials," Whitfield told The Sun. The security professional admitted that he had his own doubts before taking the job, given the widespread media coverage of the allegations. "Like everybody, I heard all the stories prior to working for him, so it would only be normal for me to go into the situation wondering," he added.
Whitfield admitted that being close to someone in that situation would reveal the truth, saying, "I paid close attention to him and his surroundings and how he interacted with his kids and other people." He added, "I never wanted to believe these things, but I definitely kept an eye out, paid extra attention, because I didn't know him until I started working for him." Over time, Whitfield became Jackson's "very good friend" and witnessed some of the singer's most vulnerable moments.
Whitfield then also rejected the accusations against Jackson, stating, "That's not who he was." He said, "Nothing like that even remotely came to the surface to make me believe or assume otherwise. It wasn't his character. You had to be around him to know him, and I was there. So no, that wasn't him. And so it just still surprises me when I hear things like that." Expressing his regret that Jackson couldn't defend himself, he added, "I'm just sorry he wasn't around long enough to actually tell his side of the story so people could get a better understanding of who he was." He further shared, "He would never hurt a child. That wasn't the man I knew." Whitfield then recalled Jackson’s own words, saying, He once said he would slit his wrist before hurting a child."
Talking about Jackson's sexual misconduct allegations, In August 1993, the LAPD began investigating Jackson over sexual misconduct allegations involving a 13-year-old boy, as per The New York Times. Police searched his Los Angeles condominium and Neverland Ranch but found no incriminating evidence. On September 14, while Jackson was on tour in Moscow, the boy's parents sued him, alleging repeated sexual misconduct. The accusations included inappropriate acts as well.
On December 20, Jackson was strip-searched at Neverland to compare photographs of his body to the boy’s description. Two days later, he denied the allegations in a televised statement, saying, "I am not guilty of these allegations. But if I am guilty of anything, it is of giving all that I have to give to help children all over the world." In January 1994, Jackson settled the case for $23 million, with $5 million going to the family’s lawyers. Prosecutors dropped the criminal case after the boy refused to cooperate. In February 2003, the documentary 'Living With Michael Jackson' aired, featuring journalist Martin Bashir’s interviews. In it, Jackson openly discussed sharing his bedroom with a young cancer survivor and dismissed criticism as "ignorant."
The documentary led to a criminal investigation, and in December, Jackson was charged with child molestation, serving alcohol to a minor, conspiracy, and kidnapping. Facing up to 20 years in prison, his trial began on February 28, 2005. The boy from the documentary testified that Jackson had abused him. His brother also corroborated the claims and said he had witnessed the misconduct. In addition, he revealed that Jackson had shown them both pornography and served them wine, calling it "Jesus juice." On June 13, 2005, Jackson was acquitted of all charges.