Celebrity Status: No Excuse for Bending Justice
By Andrea D. Hicks, 03.17.05

It happened in the blink of an eye, but I swear I saw it.

Picture this: a confused, disheveled Michael Jackson arriving late to his trial. He’s adorned in flannel pajama pants and white T-shirt underneath a black jacket. His movements are lethargic.

Suddenly, he jerks around and waves to his adoring fans. Two seconds later, his “back pain” suddenly reoccurs — and he returns to a turtle’s pace as he enters the building.

Despite the flurry of activity caused by his delayed arrival, Jackson appears oblivious to the trouble he has caused.

Never mind that Jackson is more than an hour late. And he’s missed the deadline set by the judge 10 minutes ago. Not to mention the penalty could revoke his bail and send him directly to jail following the day’s proceedings.

Let’s face it, Jackson knows he is the “King of Pop,” and he’s taking full advantage of it.

Maybe Jackson does have minor back problems. But doesn’t it seem odd that his back only hurt him that one day? Did the hospital ever verify that anything was wrong?

And could someone please explain to me why Jackson didn’t think to have someone call the courtroom to let Judge Rodney S. Melville know he would arrive late?

My theory is this: Jackson was trying to play hooky. He was hiding from something — reality. And this is not the first time he’s delayed court proceedings. Remember several weeks ago when the trial stopped during Jackson’s bout with the flu? Maybe it’s just a coincidence, but I doubt it.

I’m not a legal expert, or a doctor. I’m certainly not a psychologist. But I know an excuse when I hear one.

What bothers me most about this ordeal is that Jackson receives “star treatment” even when he defies rules set in the American courtroom. I cannot believe that Melville did not send Jackson to jail for missing his hour deadline. Is Jackson somehow immune to court law?

After this last incident, it appears so. Who else can arrive late to a criminal proceeding and only receive a “harsh” warning from the judge? C’mon now.

If Jackson did not already believe that money and fame could solve his problems, I’d say he believes it now.

And since Melville failed to discipline Jackson this time, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him try something similar again.

The bottom line is this: authority figures should not bend the rules for defendants, even if he or she is a music icon. When judges give defendants special treatment or overlook their behavior during a trial, it tells the rest of the country that celebrities won’t be held accountable for their actions.

After all, the idea is for every defendant to receive a fair trial. It is not “fair” for some defendants to skirt law and not receive punishment. Last time I checked, “celebrity treatment” was not part of the U.S. Constitution.

Please, for everyone else’s sake, let’s stop bending the rules for Jackson just because he’s famous.