Memo: Michael Jackson was cleared earlier

By Tim Molloy
The Associated Press

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The memo from an administrator with the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) was based on an investigation in February and was leaked to the Web site thesmokinggun.com, which posted it yesterday. A source familiar with the document confirmed its authenticity.

The memo was dated Nov. 26, 2003, a week after the Santa Barbara County district attorney announced child-molestation allegations against Jackson.

The boy and his brother told investigators Jackson had not sexually abused them, according to the memo. Their older sister said she had never witnessed anything sexually inappropriate between her brothers and the entertainer.

The memo was sent from a regional DCFS administrator to medical director Charles Sophy and detailed an investigation completed before Sophy joined the agency.

Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon said that his office was aware of the investigation and that it did not affect his decision to pursue charges.

The report and the "totality of the investigation" were provided to the judge when the search and arrest warrants were issued for Jackson, Sneddon said.

"Given what we know, we do not consider the DCFS statement a significant factor," he said.

Jackson's attorney urged county officials to drop the case against Jackson. "This revelation of the investigation is merely the tip of the iceberg, and shows that Michael is not only innocent, but that all of this is much ado about money," Mark Geragos told the Los Angeles Times.

The memo, which refers to Jackson as "the entertainer," said the department began a 13-day inquiry after a Los Angeles school-district official called its hotline Feb. 14 out of concern for the boy and his brother.

Jackson, 45, was booked Nov. 20 on suspicion of child molestation. He has denied the allegations and was released on $3 million bail. Authorities said they expect to file formal charges next week.

Copyright © 2003 The Seattle Times Company