Michael Jackson's longtime friend and confidant Frank Tyson has never talked publicly about the pop star before -- until now. (ABC News)
June 1, 2005 -- Days before jury deliberations begin in the Michael Jackson child molestation case, a longtime friend and confidant of the pop star is speaking publicly for the first time to express his belief that Jackson is innocent.
Watch Cynthia McFadden's exclusive interview on "Primetime Live" on Thursday, June 2 at 10 p.m. E.T.
Longtime Jackson Confidant Speaks Out
Frank Tyson told ABC News' "Primetime Live" co- anchor Cynthia McFadden: " not a question in my mind who's telling the truth. I know who's telling the truth and I know who's lying."
Tyson, who worked as an assistant to Jackson, attempted to cast doubt on the teen who is accusing the pop star.
"He was from the street, this kid… And he is not like a shy little boy… He is tough… If anyone pushes him the wrong way, or touches him — he is to be the first one, to push you back," Tyson said.
If the allegations were true, Tyson said, the accuser "would be the first one to knock Michael out and say, 'The hell with this. I am not doing this.' "
Jackson, 46, faces four counts of molesting a 13-year-old boy, four counts of plying him with alcohol, one count of conspiracy and one count of attempted molestation. Tyson, 24, is an alleged unindicted co-conspirator in the case. Prosecutors claim he was among a number of Jackson associates who controlled and threatened the boy's family after Jackson's accuser appeared in a documentary in which he said he slept in the pop star's bed.
Tyson said he was speaking out now because he wants to express his support for the pop star, who he described as "a father figure, a brother."
"To see him going in and out of court every day, frail, 90 pounds. See him deteriorate day by day — it's hard for me to see this," Tyson said. "To see how they're trying to destroy him, I'm not just going to sit there in my chair in my home, and watch this affect him."
Tyson: Mother Is Delusional
The prosecution has alleged that Tyson played a role in holding them at Jackson's Neverland ranch against their will, but Tyson denies that such a plot existed. "There was no such thing as keeping a family hostage, or a conspiracy," he said. "This is something that the prosecution and this mother created."
In fact, he said the accuser was angry with his mother because they were leaving.
"You would think, if was being touched inappropriately, he would be the first one 'Thank you Mom, for taking me away,' " said Tyson.
Tyson says he considers the accuser's mother "delusional."
"I really believe that she created this in her head," he said. "This is a family, and a mother who would do anything, to any extent to get any type of fame. Even to this extent."
The indictment also says Tyson threatened them at one point, allegedly telling the accuser sometime between February and March 2003 that "I could have your mother killed."
Tyson says the allegation is a lie. "Like I'm Frank Tyson from Jersey, from the 'Sopranos?' " he said. "Come on, man! That's crazy! I'm not that person."
No Porn, No Alcohol
Tyson also rejected the prosecution's other allegations against Jackson.
The prosecution has alleged that he and Jackson showed the accuser and his brother pornography on the Internet, but Tyson says he and Jackson were out of the room when the boys found the Web sites themselves.
He said the pop star expressed concerns when they did. "He says, "'Frank, they can't do that. I do not want this coming back on me,' " Tyson told McFadden.
Tyson also denied that Jackson has ever forced, given or offered alcohol to children. "He would never do that," he said.
He did acknowledge that Jackson drank alcohol out of soda cans when he was around children. But he said the pop star did so precisely to protect the children around him — so they would not see him drinking alcohol and feel that they should try it themselves.
"He is known all around the world," Tyson said. "He does not want to influence a child, to — especially drink alcohol."
Innocent Past
Tyson first met Jackson as a young boy two decades ago. His father worked at a hotel where the pop star stayed. Over the years, they developed a friendship, and Tyson went on to work for Jackson.
Like the accuser, Tyson says he spent nights as a boy in Jackson's bedroom, but he insists nothing improper or inappropriate happened. "My brother and I slept in the bed, he stayed on the floor. That's what happened," he said.
He says his parents were not concerned. "I never even felt uncomfortable by the slightest bit," Tyson said. "It was no cuddling or nothing like that, it wasn't like that. It was like sleeping with your college roommate."
"I'm going to tell you something," Tyson went on. "If Michael Jackson ever laid a finger on me I would not be in this chair right now. And I don't believe in what they're saying. I don't believe it, because it's not true. At all."
Asked about some of the accusers that Jackson has faced over the years — including the current accuser and two other boys, one of whom received a $20 million settlement from Jackson, and another, a $3 million settlement — Tyson responded: "They're all lying."
http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/LegalCente...d=811054&page=1
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Ich könnt kotzen das er net Aussagen durfte
Hey 666, bin irgendwie mega erleichetert das du auch da bist :) Bist du auch in diesem Forum, bis Jacksonville wieder geht?
Im Malibu lässt man mich net rein . Da hab ich mich vor Ewigkeiten Angemeldet aber die hanen wohl Angst wegen meinem Namen ;-)
Bin auch froh das ich hier net allein bin
Melde dich doch unter anderem namen mit einer andern Addy an...
Also bei mir gehern die Smilies net komisch
Tyson sagt in dem bericht Michael wiegt nur noch Umgerechnet ca. 40 Kilo ? Das kann net sein
niemals!! ;)
nee - dann würde er wirklich nur noch Haut und Knochen sein - also EXTREM! Und sooooooo schlimm ist es eindeutig nicht.
666, du weisst wie ich aussehe...
ich bin sicher alles andere als fett.
aber mike...is dünn gegen mich.
das is einfach so.
der hat MINDESTENS 5-6 kilo weniger als ich.
und ich wiege genau 50 kilo,
und bin kleiner als mike. ;)
habe heute sehr viele news gelesen.
alle bei www.michaholics.com gepostet.....
und unter anderem habe ich dabei im net auch 2-3 man gelesen, dass er nichts/kaum noch isst und schläft,
und dass seine mom sich sorgen macht.
:(
gott steh ihm bei. :(
:)
Bei MJ äussert sich das jetzt eben mit kaum schlafen und essen...
Ich hab gelessen die wissen von nix .OMG wie macht er das am tag des Urteils ? was sagt er ihnen . Kann ja sein das er net mehr heimkommt .Is des traurig wenn man drüber nachdenkt
Ich würde es irgendwie falsch finden, wenn er ihnen nix erzählt.
Stell dir mal vor: Die Kids sind mal älter und beginnen zu realisieren, wer ihr daddy wirklich ist...Die wissen doch jetzt noch gar nicht, dass sie den bekanntesten Menschen als vater haben...
Aber die werden später noch so einiges erfahren...Und er wirds erklären müssen.