Thomas Mesereau

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Thomas Mesereau

Mesereau in November 2007
Born 1950
West Point, New York

Thomas Arthur Mesereau, Jr. is an American trial attorney and former amateur boxer best known for successfully defending Michael Jackson in the 2005 child molestation trial. He devotes his time and money to notable pro bono legal services to the African-American communities of Los Angeles and the American South. He is a founding partner of Mesereau & Yu LLP, a small general practice law firm located in Century City, California.

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[edit] Education and early career

Born in West Point, New York in 1950 to an affluent and politically liberal former Military Academy football assistant coach and his wife. Mesereau attended Loyola School in NYC from 1964 to 1967 and graduated from Phillips Academy in 1969 and earned a 1973 bachelor's degree from Harvard University, cum laude, while active both as an active member of the Harvard boxing and football teams and as a Vietnam War protester. After a year in Washington D.C. as a Capitol Hill staffer, he earned a 1975 Master's Degree in International Relations from the London School of Economics, and a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law, located in San Francisco, California.

Following law school, Tom moved to Washington D.C. to spend approximately one year as a junior associate for a prestigious corporate litigation firm. He then spent a year as a deputy in the Orange County District Attorney's office before a three year stay as an executive at Getty Synthetic Fuels Inc., in Orange County, California. Boredom with corporate life in 1985 resulted in a change of career goals. He made a long-term plan to transition to criminal defense, a specialty he found far more engaging and personally satisfying, and entered private practice in Los Angeles.

Before the success and media spotlight of the Michael Jackson child molestation trial, Mesereau represented other controversial and high-profile criminal defendants.

Mesereau briefly considered representing convicted Helter Skelter murder mastermind Charles Manson, but changed his mind after a three hour interview with the infamous convict. Two other famous former clients of Mr. Mesereau's are former boxing world champion Mike Tyson and actor/comedian A.J. Johnson. Mike Tyson1was accused of sexual assault, and Johnson was accused of multiple charges including kidnapping and assault with knife and firearm.

Mesereau's has had many lower-profile, though no less controversial, clients. One of whom was Terry Wayne Bonner a homeless black man who was charged with murdering a white woman in Birmingham, Alabama. Bonner was facing the death penalty, but was ultimately acquitted. Another client was a woman charged with beating to death her 22-month-old daughter with a plastic soft drink bottle filled with M&M's. She was acquitted of capital murder and murder and convicted of manslaughter. A gang member by the name of "Little Hit-Man" was acquitted of murdering a rival "gangbanger" at an intersection during daylight, despite three prosecution eyewitnesses and a potential "third-strike" life sentence.

[edit] The Robert Blake murder trial

Thomas Mesereau first came to national attention as the lead counsel of the second of three consecutive trial teams to represent the belligerent and headstrong film and television actor Robert Blake during his preliminary hearing and other pre-trial hearings while charged with the murder of wife Bonnie Lee Bakley. As Bakley was shot and killed while sitting in their car waiting for Blake's return from the Studio City Italian restaurant Vitello's with his initially forgotten gun, Blake was charged with the special circumstance of lying in wait, which in California carries the possibility of the death sentence.

Following the recusal of first lead attorney Harland Braun over Blake's decision to appear in a televised interview with Diane Sawyer against Braun's advice and counsel, Mesereau was chosen to replace him as the new lead counsel for the defense in November, 2002. Mesereau was chosen by Blake because of his reputation for representing legal underdogs in tough trials and his commitment to serving the local black community.

Representing Robert Blake during his pre-trial hearings, Mesereau's unlikely legal victories included winning Blake his right to freedom while awaiting trial - albeit under house arrest with $1.5 million bail, and while wearing an ankle bracelet tracking device -, and had a conspiracy to commit murder charge against Blake, and consequently alleged co-conspirator Earle Caldwell, dismissed. Mesereau friend and former Hastings law school colleague Dana Cole represented Caldwell in the case.

Noteworthy and controversial strategy employed by Mesereau for the Blake defense included the aggressive use of prior counsel's investigator Scott Ross to unearth unsavory details about Bakely's past as a small-time internet porn merchant, grifter, low-level celebrity hanger-on, and her alleged plans to entrap Blake by getting pregnant. The technique that results from such information, "blame the victim," and the investigative services of Scott Ross, who also played the key role in reversing the LAPD Rampart conviction, was again successfully used during the Jackson trial a year later.

As the 2004 pre-trial hearings period progressed, rumors began to spread of growing tension between the defense team and defendant Blake. One version described Blake's unhappiness with having Mesereau's partner and co-counsel Susan Yu on his team, while Mesereau then refused to attend court without her.

Another version recounted Mesereau's mounting frustration with his inability to control the head-strong actor. Blake gave a televised interview with broadcast journalist Barbara Walters against his lawyer's advice. Blake was also known to have independently hired additional investigators to report directly to the actor.

Amidst additional rumors of increasing contact with the Michael Jackson camp during the molestation pre-trial phase, Mesereau finally recused himself and Yu from the case in February 2004, citing "irreconcilable differences." Subsequently represented by San Francisco trial attorney M. Gerald Schwartzbach, continuing the "blame the victim" strategy begun by Mesereau, Blake was ultimately acquitted in March of 2005.

[edit] The 2005 Michael Jackson child molestation trial

Thomas Mesereau was initially approached to be the legal counsel for Michael Jackson in November of 2003 following the raid and search of Neverland Ranch by approximately 70 Santa Barbara sheriffs and investigators. In the controversial Martin Bashir documentary of the previous February, Jackson appears holding hands with the 12-year old future accuser, and admits to sharing his bed with children while denying that any sexual contact has ever taken place. Threats of potential child custody and criminal charges prompted the need for aggressive legal representation, and Mesereau was Jackson's first choice. Mesereau refused the position as he was exclusively committed to the Robert Blake defense; Jackson subsequently retained Los Angeles celebrity attorney Mark Geragos and New Yorker Benjamin Brafman.

As child molestation, conspiracy and alcohol-related charges were brought, the investigation and pretrial hearings continued, Jackson brothers Randy and Jermaine became increasingly unhappy having to share the time and attention of lead defense attorney Mark Geragos with his other famous client, Scott Peterson, during the months-long death-penalty murder trial and media circus. Based in New York, and with other clients of his own, co-counsel Ben Brafman was not able to satisfactorily replace Geragos's attention. Rumors began that the Jacksons were consulting Mesereau as early as November 2003. Geragos and Brafman were formally replaced by Mesereau and co-counsel Susan Yu in April of 2004.

[edit] Legal service to the community

Balancing Mr. Mesereau's high-profile courtroom career achievements are his pro bono legal projects aiding the needy, particularly those in the African-American community. He used to donate two Sundays a month to serving low income, indigent, and minority clients with their legal matters--from the mundane to the life-altering--at a monthly legal clinic in South Los Angeles operated by the First AME Church and the UCLA School of Law. He now operates his own free legal clinic at Brookins AME Church in South Los Angeles, and continues to donate his time at other similar clinics throughout the city. In addition, Mesereau donates his time, personal funds, and criminal defense skills once a year to represent low income, African-American criminal defendants facing the death penalty in Alabama and Mississippi.

Barbara Walters named him one of the year’s “Ten Most Fascinating People,” for his trial excellence and commitment to representing the underprivileged. GQ Magazine named him one of its “Men of the Year,” due to his determined effort, in the face of substantial obstacles, in the Michael Jackson case. He has been labeled one of America’s best trial lawyers and is continually asked to speak before various groups about trial strategies and the legal profession.

Tom Mesereau, along with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, received the “President’s Award” from U.S. Dream Academy, Washington D.C. for his work with inner-city children whose parents are incarcerated. Mr. Mesereau actively sponsors and participates in various free legal clinics throughout Los Angeles.

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. Mr. Mesereau has similarly received the “Humanitarian Award” from The National Association of Blacks in Criminal Justice (NABCJ), “In Recognition of Your ongoing Commitment to Justice for All.” Mr. Mesereau has conducted seminars for NABCJ on various aspects of the criminal justice system.

Tom Mesereau has received a “Community Service Award” from the Honorable Antonio Villaraigosa, the Mayor of Los Angeles, for his years of contributions to the City. Mayor Villaraigosa specifically noted Mr. Mesereau’s willingness to represent unpopular defendants and his commitment to the poor citizens of Los Angeles. This ceremony occurred at the Brookins Community African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, where Mr. Mesereau also received a “Service Award” from Dr. Frederick Ormonde Murph, Senior Minister.

He was previously awarded a “Certificate of Appreciation” from Los Angeles County Supervisor Yvonne Brathwaite Burke due to his dedicated service to the citizens of Los Angeles County. Mr. Mesereau has received an award from the Reverend Cecil Murray, formerly Senior Minister of the First African Methodist Episcopal Church for the many hours of volunteer time he had devoted to the church’s free legal clinic. Mr. Mesereau also has received the “Sarah Allen Women’s Missionary Society of First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles Award” for his contributions to the African-American and other minority communities.

He has also received a formal commendation from the “Compton Seventh-Day Adventist Church” for the time and effort he has given to pro-bono legal services in Los Angeles. Mr. Mesereau has received a “Certificate of Appreciation from the African-American Community Empowerment Organization”, a Los Angeles-based group devoted to assisting “at-risk” youth and developing their skills and goals. He previously received the Compton, California School Board President’s Award for “Outstanding Contributions to the Children of the Compton Unified School District.” He has also received an award from The State Bar of California Board of Governors for providing pro bono legal services to low income Californians. Collier Image Studios, Los Angeles, has presented Mr. Mesereau with its annual “Civil Rights Award”.

[edit] Private life

Tom Mesereau lives in West Los Angeles and is known to live a low-key lifestyle, favoring movies, plays, neighborhood walks, local restaurants, and the occasional professional boxing match. Divorced 20 years ago from former Vogue model Heidi Goldman2, he is currently dating actress, singer, songwriter, and event planner Minnie Foxx.[citation needed]

He is known for his long, wavy white hair.

[edit] Trivia

  • Tom Mesereau and Michael Jackson trial prosecution D.A. Tom Sneddon were both boxers on their college teams, Harvard and Notre Dame, respectively.
  • Thomas Mesereau, Sr., graduated in the war-shortened West Point Class of January 1943, served with the 11th Airborne Division in the Pacific, and was awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action and the Purple Heart for wounds.
  • Mesereau's mother's family created and operated the famous New York restaurant Mama Leone's.
  • Jackson fans call him T. Mez.
  • Mesereau has been known to enjoy hanging out at boxing training gyms, and getting massages at a spa in Big Sur.
  • Tom used to have season tickets to the Los Angeles Clippers basketball games rather than the more successful L.A. Lakers because he likes to support the underdog.
  • While attending UC Hastings College of the Law, Tom was known more to spend much of his spare time hanging out in cafes, meeting new people, and socializing rather than studying. At times, this resulted in mediocre grades.
  • Tom Mesereau has worn his hair long, with its signature shoulder-length shag style, since at least the late '70s while attending law school.

[edit] External links