Pearl Jr: Elbow Grease Productions in association with Michael Jackson Insider, proudly presents our interview with Thomas Mesereau. We all know that Thomas Mesereau lead Michael Jackson to a full and complete acquittal. We thank Tom Mesereau.

Pearl Jr: What brought you, I know you're an attorney, what brought you to the Michael Jackson trial? How did you get to be his attorney?

Mesereau: When Neverland Ranch was raided, in November of 2003, by 70 Santa Barbara sheriffs, I was driving down the coast towards Los Angeles. I was about to get ready for the Robert Blake murder trial, in February of 2004. My cellphone had been off for nine days, it suddenly started to ring off the hook, and I was being repeatedly asked by people close to Michael Jackson, would I fly to Las Vegas to meet him and be his attorney? And I declined; I said I couldn't do it. I couldn't do both cases at once. And I kept getting calls and I kept saying, "Look, I'd love to meet him and I'd love to defend him, but I'm too tied up. I have a commitment to Mr. Blake."

Mesereau: In February of 2004, Mr. Blake and I had a falling out. It's confidential; I can't talk about the details. Five weeks after we had a falling out, Randy Jackson, whom I've know for many years, called me and said, "we still want you, would you consider coming to Florida to meet Michael Jackson?" And I said, "Yes. I'm free, I can do it." And one thing led to another.

Pearl Jr: And what was the hardest part about the whole trial?

Mesereau: Well, there were a lot of things that were hard. These ugly charges and the resources they threw at Michael Jackson were difficult to deal with. I had never in my career seen nine fingerprint experts in any murder case, let alone this case. I had never seen so many experts hired, so many sheriffs involved, so many raids on homes, so many consultants. They were using the whole DA's office...

Pearl Jr: Did Michael ever mention anything about the fans?

Mesereau: Oh, he loved his fans. He was so grateful they were supportive. Remember, his whole life was on the line. I didn't think he would live through prison, I thought he would die in prison. To me, it was a death penalty case. And to have his fans standing out there, supporting him, in other countries supporting him, writing letters, going on the Internet, going on television, it meant the world to him. When your life is hanging in the balance, and you have supporters like that, it means a tremendous amount.

MichaelJacksonInsider.com