來源：MJJCN.COM / CNN 翻譯：ilmj1314
2011年10月19日 — 上週四，53歲胡邁克爾•瑞克（Michael Rico）靜靜的站在洛杉磯縣法院的門外。儘管天氣炎熱，庭審已經開始，瑞克仍鎮靜的站在，舉著一張邁克爾•傑克遜（Michael Jackson）的照片上面寫著“愛的戰士”（Soldiers of Love）。
我每天都來這裏支持邁克爾，”瑞克說，他是好萊塢本地人，為傑克遜工作了多年做安保工作，“他不僅是位朋友，還是我的偶像。”瑞克每天都來到法庭舉著標語支持。他說他感到保衛傑克遜是他的責任，他說在傑克遜去世前，每天都能見到他。
“我知道真相是他被康納德•莫里（Conrad Murray）害死了，”瑞克說，“所有的藥物都顯示邁克爾不可能自己服用過量，是莫里給他的。”隨著傑克遜死亡案件上周審理的結束，歌迷的喧鬧越趨平靜，旁聽的座位少於20個。
莫里案件審理的第一天，有超過40個人爭先恐後的搶旁聽座位，但對於這位流行巨星，這個通常有著異常忠誠的歌迷的男人，這個人數與傑克遜為中心的其他事件相比，顯得遜色不少。
斯蒂夫•莫格利亞（Steve Moglia）是位元自由音效師，他在“法庭電視”（CourtTV，現在成為“開庭”節目）工作曾報導傑克遜孌童案，他說歌迷在2005年案件中的參加者人數是勢不可擋的。
“街道站滿了人，”莫拉利亞說，“他們來了又去，但有些死忠歌迷在那裏，然後有些人會發現他會去要去那裏並飛過去。”根據也曾報導過2005年案件的“開庭”節目的高級區域製作人格蕾絲•王（Grace Wong）說，支持者超過數百人，特別是開庭前和庭審結束時。
“這完全不像傑克遜案件的參加人數，”王說，“人數有兩個街區的長度，這是我在任何案件審理中都沒有見過的全球性的盛況。”她說每天傑克遜到達法庭時，都會向舉著標語的播放他音樂並隨著跳舞的一大群熱烈的歌迷揮手致意。當他最終被宣判孌童的所有罪名均不成立時，一位在法庭外的歌迷放飛了白鴿予以慶祝。
“他的歌迷群體感到被社會所誤解，他也被社會所誤解，”報導過2005年孌童案的“開庭”製作人馬克•薩默斯（Mark Somers）說，“他們覺得他於他們處於同一困境中，他們為他戰鬥是應當的，他讓他們感覺在邁克爾•傑克遜旗下是一條統一戰線。”
2005年的案件不是唯一一件傑克遜歌迷忠誠度顯示的事例。傑克遜去世後，大批支持者在傑克遜家門口聚集，在傑克遜死亡的醫院門口和好萊塢星光大道上聚集。全球的歌迷舉著蠟燭守夜，相互擁抱唱起他的歌曲。
“很明顯。有些人以某種方式與邁克爾有著感情上的聯繫，”精神治療師兼作者的比提•可汗（Beatty Cohan）說，“我認為它（傑克遜的死亡）是個打擊，也許對他們來說，他們需要經歷這樣的結束過程，知道看到真的結束了。”成群的歌迷還出現在10月8日在威爾士舉行的邁克爾•傑克遜致敬演唱會上，人數達到5萬。8月29日，是傑克遜53歲的生日，歌迷慶祝活動包括在傑克遜家鄉印第安那州加里市慶祝多天，並在好萊塢進行快閃活動。
“我認為邁克爾•傑克遜與歌迷之間的聯繫超過其他人在於他們感到能在超人類的水準上與之有聯繫，”薩默斯說，“他們感到即使不認識他，也需要保護他。”儘管出席莫里審判的歌迷數量縮水，但可汗說考慮到這個案件悲痛的基調和爭議性弱的特點，人數減少合情合理。
“孌童案審判更大程度上是一出肥皂劇，”她說，“人們明顯的分成了兩派要麼他有罪，要麼他無罪。在孌童案出來抗議或者示威的人比這個案件中的人更加興奮。”薩默斯同意說在2005年的案件中，歌迷在這件他們視為不公平的指控中更加有動力去抗議。
“他們感到有權利支持受到當局迫害的人，”薩默斯說到很多傑克遜歌迷的心態時表示。比提補充說，傑克遜露面越少，出席人數越少，他曾在達到法庭時刺激歡呼雀躍的歌迷也是人數多的原因。
“邁克爾去世了，”她說，“沒人敲鑼打鼓的去看他，他不會再向任何人揮手致意。”雖然莫里案中的到場人數無法與去過傑克遜事件的人數相比，但致敬演唱會的出席者和慶祝他生日的人顯示了他的支持者仍然團結統一。
“你如今仍可以看到，”王說，“我在這次審判中看到。他與歌迷之間有著不可思議的關係。他們感到瞭解他，他們真正的團結在一起。歌迷崇拜他，他不會犯錯。”
October 18, 2011
On Thursday, 53-year-old Michael Rico stood quietly outside the Los Angeles County Courthouse. Though the weather was hot, and court had already begun, Rico calmly remained, holding a signed photo of Jackson and a sign reading, "Soldiers of Love."
"I come here every day to support Michael," said Rico, a Hollywood resident who spent years working security for Jackson . "He was not only a friend, but I'm a fan as well."
Rico comes to the courthouse each day to hold his sign and show his support. He said he feels obligated to defend the late music legend, who he said he saw the day before his death.
"I know for a fact that he got killed by Dr. Murray," Rico said. "All the medicine shows Michael was not able to overdose himself. Conrad Murray gave it to him."
At the close of last week (week three) of the Michael Jackson death trial, in which Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter of the singer, fanfare was sparse, with fewer than 20 vying for seats in the courthouse.
More than 40 sought seats on the first day of the Murray trial, but for the late pop star, a man so often associated with fiercely loyal fans, the turnout pales in comparison to other Jackson-centered events.
Steve Moglia, a freelance audio technician, who worked with "CourtTV" (now "In Session") to cover Jackson 's molestation trial, says fan turnout for the 2005 proceedings was overwhelming.
"The streets were packed," said Moglia. "They'd come and go, and you'd have the hardcore ones that were there and then those that would find out he was going to be there and fly in."
According to "In Session" senior field producer Grace Wong, who also covered the 2005 trial for "CourtTV," the number of demonstrators was in the hundreds, particularly near the beginning and end of proceedings.
"It's nothing like the attendance that was at Michael Jackson's trial," Wong said. "You had the length of two city blocks. There was an international presence I have never seen at any other trial."
She said each day when Jackson arrived to court, he was greeted with a roaring crowd of fans holding signs, playing his music and dancing. When he was ultimately acquitted of all charges of child molestation, a fan outside the courthouse released doves in celebration.
"His fans as a group felt misunderstood by society, and he was misunderstood by society," said Mark Somers an "In Session" producer who has covered Jackson since his 2005 trial. "They felt like he was in their corner. It was alright for them to fight for him. He allowed them to feel like they could be themselves in a united front under Michael Jackson."
The 2005 trial was not the only demonstration of Jackson fan loyalty. After his death, supporters gathered in masses at Jackson 's home, the hospital where he died and at his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fans around the world held candlelight vigils, embraced and sang his songs.
"Clearly these are people who have in some way an emotional connection to Michael," said psychotherapist and author Beatty Cohan. "I think it [his death] was a shock. Maybe for them they needed that kind of closure to go and know and see that it was really all over."
Fans also showed up in droves for the Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales on October 8, with a turnout of 50,000. On August 29, what would have been the star's 53rd birthday, fan observations included a multi-day celebration in Jackson 's hometown of Gary , Indiana , and a flash mob in Hollywood .
"I think what Michael Jackson had with fans over others is they felt a connection with him on a superhuman level," Somers said "They felt the need to protect him even though they didn't know him."
Though fan presence at the trial has dwindled, Cohan said the lower turnout makes sense, considering the trial's somber tone and less controversial nature.
"With the molestation trial it was more of a soap opera," she said. "People were really split with whether or not he did it or whether or not he didn't do it. For people who like to come out and protest or demonstrate the molestation case was much more exciting than this."
Somers agreed, saying during the 2005 trial, fans were more driven to protest what they viewed as unjust allegations.
"They felt the right to stand up for people who are abused by people in positions of authority," Somers said of the mindsets of many Jackson fans.
Beatty adds that the mere absence of Jackson , whose arrivals at the molestation trial incited roars of applause and cheering, contributes to the smaller turnout.
"Michael is dead," she said. "Nobody is gong to see him. He isn't going to be waving to anybody."
While fans may not be present in numbers comparable to past Jackson events, turnout at the tribute concert and celebration of the singer's would-be birthday shows his supporters remain united.
"You still see it today," Wong said. "I see it at this trial. He had this incredible relationship with his fans. They felt that they knew him. They really shared a bond. The fans adored him and he could do nothing wrong."
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