Michael Jackson won't face charges in Los Angeles
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-06-03 16:57

Pop star Michael Jackson will not be charged with molesting a Los Angeles man in the 1980s because a two-month investigation found no evidence of a crime, police said on Wednesday.

Pop star Michael Jackson will not be charged with molesting a Los Angeles man in the 1980s because a two-month investigation found no evidence of a crime, police said on June 2, 2004. The announcement appeared to close the Los Angeles case against Jackson, which stemmed from accusations by an unidentified man. Jackson is shown at the courthouse in Santa Maria, California April 30. [Reuters]

The case was unrelated to Jackson's pending trial in Santa Barbara County on charges of child molestation, abduction, extortion and false imprisonment.

"After an extensive investigation, which included hours of interviews with the person making the allegations, detectives concluded there was no evidence that any crime occurred," Los Angeles Police Lt. Art Miller said in a brief written statement. "No charges will be sought."

Though police have said little about the accusations against Jackson, sources have told Reuters that the molestation claims were made by an 18-year-old man said to have recovered repressed memories of an assault that happened a decade ago.

The man had been counseled by prominent Beverly Hills psychiatrist Carole Lieberman, who filed a child abuse complaint against Jackson, 45, last year with Santa Barbara County Protective Services.

Jackson's lead defense attorney, Thomas Mesereau, could not be reached for comment.

The entertainer is set to stand trial in September on a 10-count indictment that charges him with lewd acts on a child under the age of 14 as well as child abduction, extortion and false imprisonment.

Jackson, who is free on $3 million bail, has pleaded innocent to the indictment and Mesereau has vowed to have him vindicated at trial.