Re: Bloody hell - Wacko Jacko is dead :(
Thriller was one of the first cassette tapes I bought, too. I'm 30. I remember as a very young grade schooler playing the "drums" (Dukes of Hazzard lunchbox & some wooden spoons from the kitchen) to Beat It on my walkman. I still think his earlier Jackson Five stuff has timeless class to it.
I don't know whether or not he really molested those children. All I know is that (1) he was acquitted by a jury of his peers, so the evidence most likely was not have been beyond reasonable doubt, and (2) the family that lastly accused him has had a history of shady behavior and accusations - such as when the mother claimed to have been beaten and sexually molested by security guards after she was caught shoplifting at a J.C. Penney store (she eventually got a nice little settlement out of that one, too). This isn't all to say that this proves Michael's innocence, but just that that woman had a lot of credibility issues...which is probably why the case ended up as it did. So I dunno...
But whatever the case may be, I still don't wish death on him or anymore else. He made a real positive impact in the music world, and I respect that irrespective of his personal shortcomings. Rest in peace.