Thomas Mesereau
Encyclopedia
Thomas Arthur Mesereau, Jr. is an American
attorney
best known for defending Michael Jackson
in his 2005 child molestation trial
.
's case (not trial) 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.
Mesereau and his co-counsel and law partner, Susan Yu, later withdrew from the case due to differences with Blake. After Mesereau and Yu withdrew, Blake hired another lawyer and was eventually acquitted.
named him one of the year’s "Ten Most Fascinating People". GQ Magazine named him one of its "Men of the Year".
He has been named "Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year" by the Criminal Courts Bar Association, Los Angeles and the Century City Bar Association, Los Angeles and has been listed as one of the "One Hundred Most Influential Attorneys in California" by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Mesereau has also received the "Humanitarian Award" from The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Mesereau has received a "Community Service Award" from Antonio Villaraigosa
, the Mayor of Los Angeles.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
attorney
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
best known for defending Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
in his 2005 child molestation trial
People v. Jackson
People vs. Jackson was a 2005 trial involving recording artist Michael Jackson. The accuser was a boy, Gavin Arvizo, who was 13 years old at the time of the alleged crimes...
.
The Robert Blake murder trial
Mesereau was the second lawyer for actor Robert BlakeRobert Blake (actor)
Robert Blake is an American actor who starred in the film In Cold Blood and the U.S. television series Baretta. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted for the 2001 murder of his wife, but on November 18, 2005, Blake was found liable in a California civil court for her wrongful death.-Early...
's case (not trial) over the murder of his wife Bonnie Lee Bakley
Bonnie Lee Bakley
Bonnie Lee Bakley was the wife of actor Robert Blake.-Early life:Bonny Lee Bakley was born in Morristown, New Jersey to arborist Edward J. Bakley and his wife, Marjorie Lois Bakley. Bakley had three other siblings: Margerry Lisa Bakley, Joe Bakley, and her half-brother Peter Carlyon from her...
. Blake's first attorney Harland Braun resigned over Blake's decision to appear in a televised interview with Diane Sawyer
Diane Sawyer
Lila Diane Sawyer is the current anchor of ABC News' flagship program, ABC World News. Previously, Sawyer had been co-anchor of ABC Newss morning news program, Good Morning America ....
against Braun's advice and counsel.
Mesereau and his co-counsel and law partner, Susan Yu, later withdrew from the case due to differences with Blake. After Mesereau and Yu withdrew, Blake hired another lawyer and was eventually acquitted.
The 2005 Michael Jackson child molestation trial
In 2004, Mesereau and Susan Yu were hired to replace attorneys Mark Geragos and Ben Brafman as lead trial counsel. The trial lasted from January 2005 through June 2005. Jackson was found not guilty.Awards
Barbara WaltersBarbara Walters
Barbara Jill Walters is an American broadcast journalist, author, and television personality. She has hosted morning television shows , the television newsmagazine , former co-anchor of the ABC Evening News, and current contributor to ABC News.Walters was first known as a popular TV morning news...
named him one of the year’s "Ten Most Fascinating People". GQ Magazine named him one of its "Men of the Year".
He has been named "Criminal Defense Lawyer of the Year" by the Criminal Courts Bar Association, Los Angeles and the Century City Bar Association, Los Angeles and has been listed as one of the "One Hundred Most Influential Attorneys in California" by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. Mesereau has also received the "Humanitarian Award" from The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice. Mesereau has received a "Community Service Award" from Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Villaraigosa
Antonio Ramón Villaraigosa , born Antonio Ramón Villar, Jr., is the 41st and current Mayor of Los Angeles, California, the third Mexican American to have ever held office in the city of Los Angeles and the first in over 130 years. He is also the current president of the United States Conference of...
, the Mayor of Los Angeles.