From police investigation to trial verdict, here’s the full timeline of Michael Jackson’s case

Netflix’s new documentary Michael Jackson: The Verdict is finally out today. The three-part series revisits the 2005 trial that saw the King of Pop accused of child molestation before being found not guilty on all charges. But the story actually began more than a decade earlier, with police investigations, civil lawsuits, raids on Neverland Ranch and years of headlines that followed Michael Jackson around the world.

So, here’s a full timeline of everything that happened from the first allegations through to the final verdict.

via Netflix

August 1993: Police launched an investigation

The first major allegations against Jackson emerged in 1993 after 13-year-old Jordan Chandler accused the singer of sexual abuse.

According to court records and reporting from the Los Angeles Times at the time, Jordan repeated the allegations to investigators, prompting the Los Angeles Police Department to open an investigation. Police searched several of Jackson’s properties and looked for evidence that could support criminal charges.

Jackson strongly denied the allegations.

January 1994: The Chandler case was settled

In January 1994,  Jackson agreed to settle the Chandler family’s civil lawsuit for around $22 million. The settlement did not involve an admission of guilt, and Jackson continued to deny the allegations.

The decision sparked loads of debate, with supporters arguing it allowed Jackson to move on, while others questioned why such a large settlement had been paid.

February to September 1994: No criminal charges were filed

According to statements from Los Angeles and Santa Barbara prosecutors at the time, grand juries reviewed evidence gathered during the investigation but did not indict Jackson.

Later that year, authorities said they had not gathered enough evidence to bring criminal charges, particularly after Jordan Chandler indicated he would not testify in court.

So, by the end of 1994, the criminal investigation had effectively ended without charges being filed.

via Netflix

February 2003: A documentary changed everything

Nearly a decade later, Jackson was back in the spotlight after the documentary Living With Michael Jackson aired. As shown in the documentary by journalist Martin Bashir, Jackson spoke openly about sharing his bedroom with children and was shown spending time with a young cancer survivor named Gavin Arvizo.

The programme caused huge controversy and actually led authorities to take another look at Jackson.

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June to November 2003: A new investigation began

Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department reopened inquiries into Jackson following the fallout from the documentary. Police interviewed Gavin Arvizo and members of his family. Gavin later accused Jackson of molesting him.

Jackson denied the allegations and denied claims that the family had been held against their will at Neverland Ranch.

In November 2003, authorities searched Neverland Ranch and Jackson was arrested shortly afterwards.

December 2003: Criminal charges were filed

Prosecutors formally charged Jackson with committing lewd acts on a child under the age of 14. Additional charges followed in 2004, including conspiracy-related allegations connected to the Arvizo family.

Jackson pleaded not guilty to every charge.

February 2005: The trial officially started

Opening statements began in February 2005 and the trial quickly became one of the most closely watched celebrity cases in history. Over the next few months, jurors heard testimony from dozens of witnesses.

Prosecutors argued that Jackson had groomed and abused Gavin Arvizo, while the defence challenged the family’s credibility and pointed to inconsistencies in their accounts.

Several former child friends of Jackson, including Wade Robson and Macaulay Culkin, testified that Jackson had never abused them.

June 2005: The verdict

After hearing months of evidence, the jury began deliberations. On 13 June 2005 jurors returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all 14 counts against Jackson.

The verdict cleared him of every criminal charge brought in the case.

Although Jackson was acquitted, debate over the allegations never completely disappeared. He never lived at Neverland Ranch again and spent much of the following years outside the United States before returning to Los Angeles. Jackson died in June 2009 at the age of 50.

Since then, further allegations, documentaries and civil lawsuits have continued to keep the controversy in the public eye.

Michael Jackson: The Verdict is available on Netflix now. For all the latest Netflix news and drops, like The Holy Church of Netflix on Facebook.