Jackson's biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli, told "Early Show on Saturday Morning" co-anchor Russ Mitchell it's "very important" to the Jackson family that Murray be found guilty, but, "The big question here is at what cost to Michael Jackson's reputation and to his legacy? Justice is very important and closure is very important. But nobody wants to see a character assassination of Michael Jackson. And that's something the family, the fan community and the estate are very concerned about where this trial is concerned."
The early word, Mitchell pointed out, is that the defense will be "brutal."
Taraborrelli, author of "Michael Jackson: The Magic, The Madness, The Whole Story, 1958-2009," said, "I think you're looking at a very desperate defense. If they're planning to show the film of Michael Jackson's press conference to demonstrate that he was depressed -- Michael Jackson looks very healthy in that film. Anybody who has seen that film will tell you that he looks like he was very capable and very ready for the tour, so that just shows you that there is a lot of desperation here.
"You know, the fact of the matter is that Michael Jackson is not on trial. It doesn't make any difference what Michael Jackson's state of mind was. It doesn't make any difference what Michael's history was, or what his personal problems were at the time of his death. He's not on trial. Conrad Murray is on trial. And that's really what, I think, the judge has made a very strong decision to focus on in this trial."
What about possible claims Jackson committed suicide?
"Absolutely not. Absolutely not. There is just no indication of that by anybody who knew Michael Jackson well, as I did, (and anyone who did) knows he had such a love for his children and for his family that he just never would have done such a thing. You know, that's the kind of claim that people watching the trial who cared about Michael Jackson are concerned about, having (be) made in a court of law."
Taraborrelli says family members have told him they're "doing fairly well. The kids are doing very well. They are in school. Paris is in acting classes. They take karate lessons. Prince is overseas now, representing one of Michael Jackson's charities. So they are pulling together. They're doing the best they can. But nobody wants to see their father dragged into another controversy."
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