Michael Jackson: For the Record

By Faith Healer

Michael Jackson: For The Record

In February of 1993, the nation learned of a nightmare unfolding in the Neverland Rance. A local recluse and king of pop by the name of Michael Jackson molested 13-year-old Jordan Chandler. An accusation, even in 1990’s America, wouldn’t grab the attention of most folks, but this crime did. Local police searching Jackson’s ranch and uncovered a soul shattering house of horrors. Not only did they find molestation scene in the most degrading condition, the police also discovered pieces of human bodies inside the house. Jackson had fashioned soup bowls out of human skulls, masks out of human faces, and furniture out of human flesh. Every hour spent in the ranch turned up even more horrors, enough to make even the most hardened cop sick to his stomach. As the official inquiry deepened, America learned that a human monster lived in the most unlikely of settings, a man who embodied virtually every ghastly psychopathology known to modern science. The name Michael Jackson became synonymous with evil and he quickly became part of the dark side of American pop culture. Author Chris Cadman, a professor of American culture at Queens College, decided to write a factual account of the horrendous crimes of Michael Jackson in an effort to finally set the record straight about one of America’s premier boogeymen. Hence, the name “For the Record”.

The author adroitly sums up Jackson’s family tree in a few pages. Despite what must have been a ton of information, Cadman and Halstead reveal Michael’s father as an orphan who went on to a moderatley succesful career as steel mill worker and R&B band guitarist. The only thing Michael’s father accomplished in life was his marriage to Katerine Scruse, Michael’s mother and an all around terror. According to “For the Record,” the complex relationship between this overweening woman and her sons led directly to the seething mass of insanity that was Michael Jackson. Katherine preached an ultra conservative Jehovah Witness theology that saw all women in the world as inferior beings. She constantly railed about the sinfulness of the world to her nine children, making it clear that no woman would ever be good enough for her boys. When not on a religious tirade, Katherine belittled her husband with a vigor rarely seen in the worst of marriages.

Gary, Indiana residents always liked Michael. Sure, the guy was a little strange, always walking around with a pet monkey on his face while making the most outrageous statements about some mysterious lady named Billy Jean and other oddball stuff, but people generally thought him harmless. Many of his neighbors appreciated Michael showing up and helping out when work needed doing, or volunteering to watch the kids when the parents headed into town (!). Not until the police exposed Jackson’s repulsive activities did anyone have an inkling of what this guy was really about. Once they knew, the questions and outrageous stories started. Michael became a lightening rod for every mysterious disappearance in Los Angelas and Gary during the previous fifteen years. Even though courts later cleared Jackson investigators and citizens continued to suspect him in a series of crimes. Moreover, townspeople came forward with supposedly “true” tales about close calls with the now exposed molester. The media, writes Cadman, carries most of the blame for printing the most ridiculous stories in an effort to sell papers. These media accounts went a long way towards installing Jackson as an enduring pop cultural icon, an icon who continues to exert an influence even today.

I had a few problems with “For the Record” even though I consider the book well written and nicely researched. The biggest difficulty concerns the lack of footnotes. I imagine Cadman had to make a tradeoff with the publishing company since a book marketed to a general audience will not sell well if potential buyers see pages of citations. But a book from a scholar that purports to tell the facts behind the king of pop needs to contain citations so interested readers can reproduce his findings. I hate to harp about footnotes/endnotes since I like to avoid them whenever possible as much as the next guy, but a book that references this many public officials, newspapers, and public documents should have the notes.

“For the Record” does do a good job in several areas. Cadman presents compelling evidence that Jackson was not a cannibal, a revelation that may come as a shock to many who consider themselves knowledgeable about the case. Not that it really matters, of course, because Michael indulged in so many appalling excesses that removing one stigma does nothing to lessen the overall horror of his activities. Still, it is nice to see someone finally look closely at all of the case documents in order to write the most truthful account possible. “For the Record” is grim stuff, some of the worst accounts of human atrocities captured on paper, but true crime buffs will appreciate Cadman and Halstead’s attention to detail concerning the man who many consider to be one of the worst criminals in American history. I also recommend this book for first time readers with an itch to learn about the man who wrote “Thriller” and invented the moonwalk.

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