Netflix docuseries revisits Michael Jackson 2005 trial

A new documentary series examining the 2005 criminal trial of pop star Michael Jackson has been released on Netflix, reigniting public attention on one of the most high-profile legal cases in entertainment history. "Michael Jackson: The Verdict," a three-part docuseries directed by Nick Green, revisits the trial in which Jackson was acquitted on ten counts, including child molestation.

The series centers on the case brought by Gavin Arvizo, a then-15-year-old cancer survivor from Los Angeles. Prosecutors alleged that Jackson molested Arvizo during the boy's stays at the singer's Neverland Ranch estate. The documentary details the events leading to the trial, including the impact of a 2003 British television documentary, "Living with Michael Jackson," in which Jackson was interviewed by journalist Martin Bashir. In that program, Jackson acknowledged sharing his bed with children, a statement that sparked widespread scrutiny and led to the subsequent criminal investigation.

Because cameras were banned from the Santa Maria, California courtroom, the Netflix series relies on archival news footage and new interviews with key figures from the trial. These include prosecutor Ron Zonen,...