Jermaine and Tito Jackson React to Verdict

This is a partial transcript from "On the Record," June 13, 2005, that has been edited for clarity.

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN, HOST: The verdict the world watched: Michael Jackson not guilty on all 10 counts.

More than 300 people, some of whom had been there since the very beginning of this trial, waited outside the courthouse to learn Michael Jackson's fate.

Joining me by phone is Michael Jackson's brother, Jermaine Jackson. Welcome, Jermaine. And Jermaine, when you heard those words, "Not guilty," what did you think?

JERMAINE JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Well, I wasn't in the courtroom. I'm here with my brother, Tito. But I was very, very, very happy because all along, from the very beginning, we always said he was 1,000 percent innocent and this was something that was concocted by the authorities up there. But we always felt that the citizens of Santa Maria and the whole county have been wonderful. They are wonderful people. They served justice. And my brother has been innocent since day one. It's something that the family had to go through, Greta, but we're very happy. Were very elated. We're a family. We're standing strong. And from the very beginning, we always knew that Michael would be vindicated and he would be free.

VAN SUSTEREN: Jermaine, how tough was this for your brother Michael to go through?

JERMAINE JACKSON: It was very tough because to sit there and hear people lying on you — just like I always say, it takes one person to tell the truth, but it takes many to concoct a lie and to put these false accusations on Michael. And then you had the media printing and reporting all the negative things and all the prosecution side, but never telling the truth. So the public was getting one side of it.

But at the same time, the truth prevailed. And God is strong. God is greater than all of that, and so we always knew that. And having my mother there every day played a very important part in just the family. But we weren't allowed to all go in there because a family is strong together. We were only allowed six people, and there were a lot of empty seats in the courthouse all the time, but we couldn't take them because we weren't allowed to sit there.

But we're a strong family. We've always been strong. We've always been just very, very supportive of Michael, and that all proved today. That came out.

But I'm here with Tito, and he has something to say because he was there during the verdict. Just like I said, myself and Janet were upstairs because we weren't allowed in. But I'll let Tito talk right now, but I just want to say thank you to the world. And Michael doesn't deserve to be in anybody's jail because he's not that kind of person. He's the most wonderful person you will ever meet. And people who came there, the reporters, to see Michael handcuffed going to jail, it didn't happen. It's not going to happen because he's been innocent since day one.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right, well, pass the phone to Tito. Let's see what Tito has to say.

JERMAINE JACKSON: All right. Hold on.

TITO JACKSON, MICHAEL JACKSON'S BROTHER: Hello?

VAN SUSTEREN: Hell, Tito. So Tito, what was it like sitting in the courtroom, hearing those words "Not guilty"?

TITO JACKSON: It's the greatest feeling in the world. I was just basically there to present my strength and make sure Moms was going to be OK and to see Michael is free. He's free like a bird. And he's always been innocent of all this. And people have personal vendettas, and this shows what people in authority who doesn't use their authority properly — what they can do. And we're glad this is all behind us. We're a strong family, like Jermaine was saying, and we're going to keep going forward.

VAN SUSTEREN: What did Michael say to the family after the verdict?

TITO JACKSON: Well, we all just hugged each other, cried together, told each other we love each other. And it's just been a great moment after that verdict. And like I was saying, we're glad this is all behind us. This has really taken a toll on my mom. And she's an older lady now, and now, like she said, she feels like a lot of things have been lifted off her. I really felt bad for her, all the pressure she had to go through.

VAN SUSTEREN: So what are the plans now for the Jackson family? And in particular, what's Michael going to do, now that all this is behind him?

TITO JACKSON: Well, I'm going to suggest that Michael just take his time, rest, get his strength back and get himself healthy. There's plenty of time to think about where you're going to go with your career and all those things. But right now, what Michael needs to do is just relax a little bit and just take in the beautiful days ahead of him.

VAN SUSTEREN: Tito, he looked pretty thin as time was marching on. Was he losing weight throughout the course of the trial?

TITO JACKSON: Well, Michael's always been a thin person. And any time that you're tied up in anything like this, you know, you don't eat as well as you would on a happier note. So that happens all the time, and that's natural. But he's going to be OK. And we're just happy that, like I said, this is all behind us. It's amazing. It's really amazing what people can do when you put the authority in the wrong hands. It's amazing.

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think about this jury?

TITO JACKSON: The jury's beautiful. And that was one thing I was worried about is because I didn't know who was who. But like Jermaine was saying, it's a beautiful community up there. And the people, just as for what it was. There was a lot of days I was in that courtroom, and I would go home and listen to the reports on the news, and I would say, This is not the trial that I heard today.

Because I see what was going on a lot, Greta, is that they were reporting more of a prosecution side than the defense side. So we didn't get a lot of the reporting on the cross-examinations. And anyone scratching their heads saying, How did he get off, that's because maybe they didn't get the full story, and they wasn't in the courtroom.

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think of Tom Mesereau, Michael's lawyer?

TITO JACKSON: Oh, he's a great lawyer. He's a great guy. He's a great lawyer. He did a great job. And we're just happy all this is behind Michael and he can move on. Michael's a beautiful person. He's helped tons and tons of people, not just children but adults alike and throughout this whole world. And it's a shame that some people can't understand that because maybe some people don't have that in their hearts. But he's a special individual.

VAN SUSTEREN: Do you think, Tito, that Michael's going to change his lifestyle now because, I mean, look, he's been the target of several civil suits. He's been the target of criminal investigations and prosecutions. Is he going to change the way he lives?

TITO JACKSON: Well, I don't think anybody have a right to tell anybody how to live their life, as long as you're not doing anything that's not right or illegal. Michael have love for all people. It's not just children, like I said. See, he was raised with love, and all he wants to do is help people. And sometimes you can have the wrong people come across your life. I've had it. I'm pretty sure you've faced people in your life that feel that they can take something out of your pockets without you noticing. And that happens when you're in the spotlight, such as Michael Jackson or any celebrity.

VAN SUSTEREN: All right. You only had six seats in the courtroom today, but how many members of the Jackson family were showing up to support Michael today?

TITO JACKSON: Oh, well, Jackie was out of town because of his son, but we had, the whole family, practically, there. The only one that wasn't there was Marlon, who doesn't live in the county at all because — he was here over the weekend, and he was going to come back tonight, in case the verdict happened, but it so happened today. But he spent a lot of time with Michael over the weekend. And, like I said, Jackie was out of town with a thing on his son. But everyone else was there — Janet, myself, Rebbie, Janet, LaToya, Jermaine and Randy and all the grandchildren. We were all there.

VAN SUSTEREN: What do you think your mother said to your brother, if anything, in sort of a private moment after it was all over?

TITO JACKSON: Oh, like I said, we all just hugged each other, and we prayed and we thanked the Lord for letting the truth be told. And we're a strong family. It's very funny because sometimes I hear things in the news that's totally false, that me and my brothers or my family is not a close- knit family, we've always been a very close family, and we're going to continue to be that.

VAN SUSTEREN: What about Tom Sneddon, the DA? What are your thoughts about him, Tito?

TITO JACKSON: Well, like I said, I think this is more of a personal thing for him, you know? And I just say that, you know, he was going to retire and this was his last case to prosecute. So he's had his day in court, and he can retire now and go on a vacation and enjoy the rest of his life.

Jermaine would like to talk to you once more, Greta.

VAN SUSTEREN: OK. Good. Put Jermaine on, then.

JERMAINE JACKSON: Greta, the last thing — what's most important, Michael showed up in court every day. He got up, he was there to face all these false accusations, things that were said about him. He was put before a jury. There weren't any blacks on the jury, but these were wonderful taxpayers from a beautiful county up there. Unfortunately, the ones who were in power, the authority, they have a hidden vendetta. And he came to court today, faced the verdict, and he came out victorious. So those who thought that Michael was going to run — why would he run when he knows he's innocent?

VAN SUSTEREN: And indeed, he didn't. He didn't run at all. He showed up in court. He got 10 not guilties, and he's got a very happy set of brothers.

JERMAINE JACKSON: I'll just say this. He's my brother, but he's very, very strong. But at the same time, he's a human being.

VAN SUSTEREN: And with that, I've got to go. Jermaine and Tito, thank you both very much for calling in.

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