The criminal case is closed. But is a civil case on the way?

Usually, the closing of criminal cases involving celebrities without a conviction is not the end of the matter.

O.J. Simpson, Kobe Bryant, and Robert Blake are just a few of the people who have been targeted by civil lawsuits from the complainants in their criminal cases.

A key part of Michael Jackson’s defense in court was the claim by his attorneys that there was a conspiracy by the complainant’s family and some of the prosecution’s witnesses to obtain money from Michael Jackson in advance. The defense attorneys said that these complainants are hoping that by winning this case and convicting Michael Jackson, they will pave the way for victory in a civil case that could require Michael to pay a heavy cash fine.

The complainant family’s civil lawsuit against Michael Jackson is proof of this claim.

The complainant’s mother rejected this claim in court and said she had no intention of suing Michael Jackson. However, there is no obligation for her to not change her mind. Even though the criminal court found Michael Jackson not guilty, the complainant’s mother still has the possibility of going back on her statements that she did not intend to sue Michael and arranging a civil case against him.

Meanwhile, the complainant’s family has made no comments about the jury’s verdict since Monday of this same week, and even Larry Feldman, the attorney for this family—despite his well-known track record in handling money-related cases—has not taken any action so far.

In 1993, Feldman also represented the complainant, who was a 13-year-old boy. In that year, Feldman earned $20 million for the complainant and his father, and therefore the criminal case was never filed.

The main difference between a criminal trial and a civil trial is that in a civil trial, the defense attorneys must be able to fully prove their client’s innocence, whereas in a criminal trial, if there is even the slightest doubt about the defendant’s guilt, the law requires the jury to return a verdict of not guilty. Another difference between these two courts is the jury’s verdict.

In a criminal trial, all 12 jurors must agree on the verdict. In a civil trial, it is 9 out of 12.

So should Michael prepare himself for another court case?

Carl Douglas is one of the members of the same “dream team” that acquitted Simpson, who was accused of murdering his wife, despite all the evidence pointing to his guilt and proved his innocence. That case is one of the most controversial in the history of U.S. legal proceedings. Steve Cochran, who died some time ago, was the lead attorney in that case, and he introduced Douglas to the American public as one of the best and most deserving defense lawyers.

Douglas has also been one of Michael’s legal attorneys. He says:

“Mesero must send a message to people around the world. If you intend to pursue Michael, you must be prepared for a war.”

Another difference in a civil trial is that the defendant is forced to take the witness stand.

Although in the criminal trial the defense attorneys challenged the complainant’s mother’s claims, if the complainant’s mother decides to sue Michael in a civil case, finding a good lawyer who is hungry for fame will not be very difficult.

Source: Associated Press