From the halls of Congress to the streets of every major city and little town, everyone seems to have a reaction to the 10 “not guilty” verdicts handed down in the sensational child molestation case of megastar Michael Jackson.

As the verdicts were delivered shortly after 2 p.m. PST Monday, nearly 1,000 fans -– and twice as many media -- were camped outside the Santa Maria, Calif. courthouse. The fans erupted into loud cheers as Jackson, flanked by members of his immensely popular family and usual entourage, exited the courthouse and entered the black SUV that took him to his Neverland Ranch a free man.

The nine-member jury, which did not include a single black person, issued a statement once the proceedings ended requesting that they be allowed to resume their private lives and claiming that they “thoroughly and meticulously” studied all evidence in the trial, which began in late February.

Jackson, 46, was cleared on all 10 counts charged against him, which included conspiracy involving child abduction, false imprisonment and lewd acts upon a child under the age of 14.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking to reporters during a news conference in New York, said there are no clear winners, although loss was apparently an emotion felt by Santa Barbara County District Attorney Tom Sneddon, who sat with his head in his hands as the verdicts were read.

“I don’t think there’s a reason for Michael or those opposed to Michael to gloat,” Sharpton said. “There’s a lot of pain, a lot of hurt here.

“Children have been dragged into court,” Sharpton continued, “Michael’s reputation has been damaged severely, but I think the criminal justice system worked this time.”

U.S. Rep. Bobby L. Rush (D-Ill.) said the verdict displayed how justice can prevail even in a case in which media from around the globe made coverage of the courtroom proceedings must-see TV.

"Today's decision by the jury in Santa Maria, California to acquit Michael Jackson of all criminal charges demonstrates how the justice system, when used properly, can result in a fair trial despite public perceptions and external pressures to rule otherwise,” Rush said through a written statement.

The verdict -- reached after about 30 hours of deliberations over seven days -- ended a star-studded trial that gave even the most ordinary person a glimpse into Jackson’s eccentric world. Attorneys presented jurors with differing pictures of the former child star, showing him as either as a repulsive pervert who preyed on little boys or as a humanitarian who was the victim of scheming con artists.

The not-guilty verdict was widely viewed as a definite rebuke of the credibility of Jackson’s accuser, a 13-year-old cancer survivor and his mother, who were regular fixtures at Neverland. The mother-son pair, who had a history of filing lawsuits and offering conflicting testimony, claimed Jackson molested the boy and gave him alcohol in 2003. The boy appeared in a now-infamous British documentary, “Living with Michael Jackson,” in which Jackson stated he saw nothing improper about sharing his bed with young boys.

The boy and his family would later go on to say that Jackson held them captive at Neverland, although witnesses testified that the family never appeared to be uncomfortable during their stay at Jackson’s home and even ran up close to $7,000 in shopping sprees, spa visits, dining expenses and medical bills, all of which was paid by Jackson, who is said to now be experiencing extreme financial hardships.

Celebrity witnesses like comedian Chris Tucker and former child star Macaulay Culkin gave testimony stating their disapproval of the accuser and his family, defending any questionable behavior often demonstrated by Jackson. In his closing argument, Jackson’s attorney Thomas Mesereau called the accuser and his family a pack of scam artists trying to pull off the "the biggest con of their careers."

“I was not really surprised by the verdict,” said Dr. Earl Ofari Hutchinson, who has written a series of commentaries entitled "Beyond Michael Jackson: The Clash of Celebrity, Sex and Race." “It was a weak case, the prosecution was poorly prepared, and the defense did an excellent job of discrediting the prosecution witnesses. It was a pretty good bet that Michael Jackson would walk on most counts.”

Though he was acquitted in criminal court, Hutchinson told BlackAmericaWeb.com that the court of public opinion will continue to hold – and express -- its own views of Michael Jackson.

“Go back to O.J. [Simpson] 10 years ago,” Hutchinson said. “He was acquitted on all charges, but he never recovered. He was an American icon -- a beloved figure. He was acquitted in the court of law, but never acquitted in the court of public opinion. There is a wide body of people who still think Michael Jackson is a pedophile, and no verdict will change that.”

Despite the apparent lack of credibility of the accuser and his family, many continue to call into question Jackson’s behavior and justification for his actions. The fact that Jackson had previously been embroiled in a child molestation matter -- a 1993 case ended in a hefty settlement between $15 million and $20 million to a boy Jackson had befriended -- doesn’t sit well, even with Jackson’s biggest fans.

“I’m always going to be a fan of Michael’s music,” Jermaine Hall, executive editor of King, told BlackAmericaWeb.com. Hall said he, unlike many others, is unable to separate the celebrity from the individual, stating that it’s important for people to understand that celebrities are human beings, too.

“As a person, [the molestation charges are] very disappointing. I still enjoy his music, but I think his core audience is probably very disappointed,” said Hall, “and it’s probably going to affect the way that they view his music.”

Hall said the trial will likely have a damaging impact on Jackson’s already-waning domestic appeal, but he is sure to maintain a thriving career overseas.

“I think it would be very hard for Michael to be successful in the U.S., even if he came back with another ‘Thriller’-type album,” Hall said, referring to the multi-platinum success of Jackson’s record-breaking 1982 album. “However, over in Europe, he’s still the Michael Jackson. He can always go over to Europe and tour and make some money. But as far as the U.S., he’s pretty much done.”

Hutchinson echoed those sentiments, saying that Jackson’s best chance for recovery rests with his huge European fan base.

“If he were smart, he would go to Europe.” said Hutchinson. “That’s where the fans really love him -- France, Britain.  My first act, if I wanted to relaunch and reconnect, would be to tour Europe.  Maybe enough distance and time would rekindle the spark in his career, but the taint will always be there.”

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, who has been a longtime friend and spiritual advisor to Jackson, said Jackson must now begin a “healing process” after a legal ordeal that appeared to take a toll on the singer, who made several visits to the hospital during the trial, claiming to suffer from back pain. He also appeared thinner than in recent years.
 
“The jury has spoken. And Michael must assess the impact of the very impropriety of these problems that got him into this trouble,” Jackson said. “We hope that all those involved now will learn a lesson that we will go through another stage. He was tried and convicted in many newsrooms, on many TV shows. The jury had the capacity in the end to discern innuendo and suggestions from fact.”

Tanya Kersey, an entertainment reporter and publisher of Black Talent News, said she was stunned to learn that so much money and time had been spent on the case, especially since it seemed as if the prosecution’s case was so weak.

“Sure, Michael Jackson has some issues. We all know someone with issues that are a wacky as he is,” Kersey said. “The fact that he is a celebrity made [the trial] larger than life. [The trial] made us realize that he is a man. He reads porn, and he gets his drink on. My hope for him is that he will stand up now and be the man that he is.”

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BlackAmericaWeb.com's Michael Cottman and Sherrel Wheeler Stewart contributed to this story.