Fact Check: Was Kamala Harris involved in Michael Jackson’s Santa Barbara trial?

WASHINGTON, DC: Viral social media posts are claiming former Vice President Kamala Harris worked with Santa Barbara police during Michael Jackson's criminal case and tried to damage the singer’s reputation. The posts also contrast Harris with Donald Trump, using old interview footage in which Trump expressed support for Jackson during his legal troubles.

The claim resurfaced after an X post shared clips of Harris discussing child testimony in court alongside commentary alleging she was connected to Jackson’s prosecution. Michael Jackson was acquitted of all charges in 2005. Here’s a fact check of the viral claim.

Claim: Viral posts allege Kamala Harris worked against Michael Jackson

An X post shared by user @Q_TheStormRider claimed that “recovered footage” from a 2004 ABC segment showed Kamala Harris “actively working with the Santa Barbara police trying to destroy Michael Jackson’s life and send him to jail,” while Donald Trump allegedly defended the singer.

The post further claimed that Jackson was later “vindicated on all charges and proven innocent,” before ending with a promotional message teasing future revelations.

The viral footage included a clip of Harris discussing the reliability of child testimony in court proceedings. In the video, Harris said, “In general the child will be able to recall and recollect with some detail the incident and that is persuasive to the jury even if it is the only testimony that is available.”

Several Facebook and X posts have since circulated the clip while falsely suggesting Harris personally worked on Jackson’s prosecution. Some posts also paired the footage with unrelated remarks from Trump expressing sympathy for Jackson and questioning aspects of the investigation.

The same narrative circulated online in 2024, when social media users falsely linked Harris to Jackson’s 2005 criminal trial despite no evidence connecting her to the case.

Fact Check: Kamala Harris was not involved in Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial

No, the claim that Kamala Harris worked with Santa Barbara police against Michael Jackson is false. Harris did not participate in Jackson’s investigation or prosecution.

At the time of the case, Harris was serving as the District Attorney of San Francisco, which is a separate jurisdiction from Santa Barbara County, where Jackson’s criminal trial took place. Jackson was indicted in 2003, and the 2005 case was prosecuted by Santa Barbara County District Attorney Thomas Sneddon.

Harris was elected San Francisco District Attorney in 2003 and served in that role from 2004 to 2011. There is no public record showing she worked with investigators or prosecutors connected to Jackson’s case.

The rumor has resurfaced repeatedly online alongside unrelated claims involving Jackson family members, including false allegations that Janet Jackson blamed Harris for the prosecution.

Harris previously addressed the rumor during an interview on ‘The Breakfast Club’ with Charlamagne Tha God. When asked about claims that Janet Jackson was angry with her over Michael Jackson’s case, Harris dismissed the allegation and clarified that she had no involvement in the trial.

The viral claim appears to rely on unrelated footage and misleading interpretations rather than documented facts surrounding Jackson’s prosecution.