Under our justice system we are all innocent until proven guilty. With this said, I, along with many others, can’t break myself from believing that the allegations of child molestation against Michael Jackson are true.

Could it be the people coming to his defense? Maybe it is the previous accusations on a similar charge 10 years ago. It could be the King of Pop’s eccentric behavior. In any case, there are many convinced that something is awry in Neverland. But one has to wonder how things like this come to be, and in many cases it comes down to the basic source: the parents.

Let’s rewind the tape 10 years to the first time Michael Jackson was accused of child molestation. This case was settled out of court, thus avoiding a trial. It wasn’t as if the King of Pop didn’t have the financial and legal resources to fight the battle of the century, as his empire is worth millions.

Instead, a tidy sum was shelled out to the parents of the alleged victim and in return the parents ceased cooperating with the authorities, the case was dropped and everybody happily rode off into the sunset, including the young victim. My guess is everybody got what they wanted.

It was later revealed through the media that the parents of the victim befriended Jackson in an attempt to sell a movie idea to him. They knew of his quirks, but the potential shot at fame and fortune clouded their logic. Was it worth it? Depends on how one sees it. The authorities knew they had a credible victim. But thanks to the settlement, we will never know what went on behind the doors of Neverland.

After the first accusation – coupled with Jackson’s erratic behavior – Neverland would be the last place I would let my child go to unattended. The question comes down to what kind of parents would put their children on the sacrificial altar in exchange for a foot in the door of show business or closeness to a celebrity?

As a young kid, I was a big Jackson 5 fan. As the years wore on, Jackson’s solo career began to escalate and so did the weird behavior. It is anyone’s guess as to when the final bridge to Loonyland was crossed, but from what we’ve all seen, there is no turning back. In this case Loonyland is actually Neverland, and the clock is ticking down.

However, eccentric behavior doesn’t make one a child molester. But two accusations of the same charge, at the same place, at the same person can make one wonder.

During the course of this case we will hear all sorts of things from Jackson’s defense team. The biggest claim will probably be of persecution of the megastar based on his wealth.

The only link to wealth any of us will probably see in this case is the possibility of yet another multi-million dollar settlement to avoid a trial.

This case has to do with the charge that the innocence of a child has been violated. But the compromise of the child’s innocence can also be linked to the parent’s desire to be close to a celebrity. This is not the first time something of this nature has happened and it most likely won’t be the last. Maybe this isn’t the case this time around, but only time and a trial will tell.

With all said, there is a side of me that hopes Jackson is innocent of the charges and if he is, then leave the guy alone. He is already a victim of his own trappings and we’ve all seen the end result of that sentence.

So is the King of Pop guilty of child molestation? That will be up to a jury to decide, granted a settlement with the 12-year-old victim and his family isn’t reached before the trial date.

But if a settlement does happen, then I guess money can buy anything including happiness and a child’s innocence that was once lost. I only wish it were that simple.

Henry Sarria was screwed out of $200 for a child’s innocence that was once lost on E-bay.