Thomas Mesereau
| Thomas Mesereau | |
|---|---|
| Born |
July 1, 1950 West Point, New York |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California |
| Alma mater |
Harvard University London School of Economics University of California, Hastings College of the Law |
| Occupation | Lawyer |
| Known for | Lead defense attorney in the Michael Jackson trial. |
Thomas Arthur Mesereau Jr. is an American attorney at law best known for defending Michael Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial and several other celebrities.
Mesereau represented former world heavyweight boxing champion, and convicted rapist, Mike Tyson in a rape investigation conducted by the San Bernardino County, California District Attorney's Office in 2001. Charges were dropped.
Mesereau was the second lawyer during pre-trial proceedings in actor Robert Blake's case over the murder of his wife Bonnie Lee Bakley. Blake's first attorney Harland Braun resigned over Blake's decision to appear in a televised interview with Diane Sawyer against Braun's advice and counsel. For unprofessional conduct during the deposition, Mesereau was fined $18,950. After losing his appeal of the fine, he paid a total of $22,000. After Blake had spent ten months in isolation in Los Angeles County Jail, Mesereau obtained bail for him. Mesereau cross-examined prosecution witnesses in a three-week, televised preliminary hearing. The hearing revealed flaws in the prosecution's case. Mesereau resigned from the case, declining to explain why.
In 2004, Mesereau and Susan Yu were hired to replace attorneys Mark Geragos and Ben Brafman as lead trial counsel.Johnnie Cochran, who represented Jackson during earlier molestation accusations had recommended Mesereau to Jackson's family. In an unusual pretrial hearing, Mesereau called Santa Barbara County District Attorney, Thomas Sneddon, to the witness stand and examined him under oath. Mesereau and Yu were the lead trial lawyers in the case. The trial lasted from January to June 2005 and ended with Jackson acquitted of all 14 charges against him. Mesereau said that he never expected Michael Jackson to be convicted on any count, felony or misdemeanor. "I believed, and still do, that he was completely innocent of these false charges". Mesereau also cited the prosecution as a travesty of justice and one of the most mean-spirited attacks on an innocent person in legal history. Mesereau attended Jackson's funeral service and interment in 2009.
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