Michael Jackson prosecutor says he's received threats after Netflix documentary release
The prosecutor in the 2005 Michael Jackson trial says he has received threats following the release of a new Netflix documentary.
Ron Zonen was the lead prosecutor during the high-profile child molestation trial.
The trial centred on claims made by 13-year-old cancer survivor Gavin Arvizo who accused the pop star of molestation. He was ultimately acquitted.
More than two-decades on, the case is back in the headlines following the release of the three-part Netflix documentary Michael Jackson: The Verdict.
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The documentary features many of the major figures involved in the trial, including jurors and Zonen.
With the case back in the public eye, Zonen revealed to TMZ that he’s received a handful of threats from fans of the late singer.
In a new interview, Zonen said he wasn’t getting much response from the general public ‘beside from the few threats’ that he has been sent via email.
“Well there are people who are fans who expressed their displeasure after the position that we took in this documentary and express this displeasure very clearly to me,” he explained.
He went on to say that he wasn’t ‘upset’ by the threats, and adding that during the trial they had been ‘a consistent event’.
“Now it’s very little,” he added.
“But we do get a few.”
Despite, the threats, Zonen explained that he felt it was important for him to take part in the documentary
“I felt if there’s going to be a documentary about this rather historic trial, from 20 years ago, it should be as accurate as possible,” he told TMZ.
“And it should have the perspective of people who were involved with the trial.”
Michael Jackson's lawyer has hit out at the documentary
Unlike Zonen, Jackson’s defence lawyer Thomas Mesereau decided against appearing in the documentary and has since hit out at it.
During an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, he slammed the docuseries while pointing out that its release comes hot on the heels of Antoine Fuqua's biopic, Michael, hitting cinemas.
"This is a great time to be a supporter and lover of Michael Jackson," Mesereau said.
"So why do we need a documentary in the middle of this that goes back 21 years in a case where he was completely exonerated?"
Mesereau emphasised that his client was cleared by the jury after they heard 'five months of testimony', before going on to say: "So why are we going through a documentary on this? What's the point?"
"I don't think we need a documentary on this, I think there's been enough," Mesereau continued. "I didn't want to participate because we don't need it.
"He was exonerated, the jury couldn't have sent a stronger message."
Topics: Michael Jackson, Netflix
Claire Reid