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JACKO FINDS ISLAM
December 18, 2003 -- EXCLUSIVE The King of Pop is restyling himself Jacko X. Michael Jackson last night became a member of the Nation of
Islam - and sources told The Post his religious changeover comes along with a
shake-up of his personal staff. High-ranking members of the Nation of Islam have been
working to bring Jackson into Rev. Louis Farrakhan's flock - and Jackson's
conversion is now well-known in the NOI community. Exactly why Jackson converted wasn't clear to The Post's
sources. But Fox News's Web site reported yesterday that Jackson's
brother Jermaine, who converted to Islam in 1989, has been seeking to win favor
with his more famous sibling, and has brought Farrakhan's chief of staff,
Leonard F. Muhammad, into Jacko's inner circle as a "bodyguard." That's just one of many changes under way in Jackson's inner
circle, sources said.
Word of Jackson's religious
conversion comes as prosecutors prepared to formally file charges against him
in a California child-molestation case - and as authorities agreed to return
Jackson's passport to him so he can travel to Great Britain this weekend. Jackson isn't expected to return until Jan. 6, lawyers said
in court papers. Lawyers also agreed to put off Jackson's arraignment for five
days, until Jan. 16. Jackson remains free on $3 million bail after he surrendered
to authorities and was arrested on Nov. 20. Two days earlier, cops tore through
Neverland, his amusement-park-style estate just outside Los Olivos, Calif.,
looking for evidence to back up molestation claims made by a 14-year-old boy. Although there's talk that some in Jackson's camp want to
replace defense lawyer Mark Geragos, the high-priced Hollywood attorney
appeared in firm control yesterday, and met privately in the afternoon with
Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon. Sneddon said he plans to file the charges personally this
afternoon at the courthouse in Santa Maria, Calif. The King of Pop has vigorously denied the molestation
claims. L.A. County social workers in February cleared Jackson of
allegations he molested that boy. But former Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim
Thomas has said he believes the alleged Santa Barbara County molestation took
place after the L.A. County probe. Charles
Mims |
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