or


DATELINE NBC [UPDATED]
Air Date: Sunday, September 12, 2004
Time Slot: 7:00 PM-8:00 PM EST on NBC
Episode Title: "SHOW #4"
[NOTE: The following article is a press release issued by the aforementioned network and/or company. Any errors, typos, etc. are attributed to the original author. The release is reproduced solely for the dissemination of the enclosed information.]

'DATELINE NBC'S' JOSH MANKIEWICZ REPORTS ON THE BOOK, "ALL THAT GLITTERS," WRITTEN BY RAYMOND CHANDLER -- THE UNCLE OF THE BOY WHO FIRST ACCUSED MICHAEL JACKSON OF MOLESTATION IN 1993 -- SUNDAY, SEPTEMTBER 12

Included in the Broadcast are Never-Before-Heard Audiotapes Chandler Says he Made To Document his Family's Struggle

NEW YORK -- September 10, 2004 -- Josh Mankiewicz reports on "All That Glitters: The Crime and the Cover Up," a self-published book written by Raymond Chandler, the uncle of the boy who first accused Michael Jackson of molestation in 1993. Included in the broadcast are portions of never-before-heard audiotapes Chandler says he made with the boy's father to document his family's struggle. In these recordings, the father of the alleged victim describes what it was like when Michael Jackson came to stay at the boy's home and how he came to believe the star had molested his son. The report airs on Sunday, Sept. 12 (7:00 PM) on "Dateline NBC."

Ray Chandler had no part of the multimillion-dollar deal between his brother's family and Michael Jackson - however, he was at his older brother's side when the scandal broke. He says with his brother's consent he sometimes recorded private conversations between the two of them prior to the father's settlement with Jackson in 1994. Chandler talks with "Dateline NBC's" Mankiewicz in detail about the 1993 case from his family's point of view.

In response to charges that his nephew's molestation claims were a scheme to extort money from Jackson, Chandler tells Mankiewicz, "If my brother wanted money, and that was his goal from Michael Jackson, he could have gotten a lot more money and a lot further in Hollywood by letting Michael continue a relationship with the boy." Chandler claims that today his brother is in poor health and filled with regret because he believes he and his ex-wife allowed themselves to be seduced by the sparkle of a superstar that blinded them to the welfare of their own son.

And when Mankiewicz challenges Chandler about his own financial interest in publishing a book, he continues, "If money were my motive, I could have gone to a major publisher and gotten a big fat advance..." He says a major publishing house may not have printed everything he wanted to write because, "When it comes to Michael Jackson, people are still afraid."

"Dateline NBC" has given Michael Jackson the opportunity to comment for this report, but so far he has not responded. However as recently as last week, Jackson released a statement saying he would never harm a child, suggesting that people have come forward with false claims in order to make money from him, but acknowledging settling with certain people in the past to spare his family from a public trial. The mother of the alleged victim declined to comment for the broadcast.

David Corvo is the executive producer of "Dateline NBC."

Share |