Michael, who died in June 2009 at 50 after an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, remained unaware of the plan as he was found not guilty of all charges in June 2005 at the end of a four-month trial.

Jackson, 46, was cleared of all charges in his child-molestation trial, hearing the words "not guilty" uttered 14 times in a deathly still courtroom. The Peter Pan of pop music could have gotten ...