Superstar Sighting Sparks Fan Frenzy
Michael Jackson Draws Crowds To Memorial City Mall
POSTED: 8:17 am CDT July 28, 2004
UPDATED: 12:02 pm CDT July 28, 2004
HOUSTON -- A superstar sighting at a southwest Houston mall sparked fan frenzy Tuesday night.
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A crowd gathered at
Memorial City Mall Tuesday around 7:15 p.m. after word quickly traveled that superstar Michael Jackson was spotted shopping there.
"Bodyguards had to push people out of the way. People were falling down and going crazy. But, I was sitting there steady, snapping away," fan Sherman Hatton said.
Hatton whipped out his cell phone camera when he spotted Michael Jackson right in front of him at the southwest Houston mall.
MICHAEL JACKSON
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Jackson's Statement
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Will Jackson Be Found Guilty?
"Somebody told me it was Michael Jackson, but I didn't believe it. At first, I was, like, it can't be Michael Jackson. It has to be a look-a-like," Hatton told News2Houston.
The fan finally got close enough to take several pictures of the superstar and shake his hand.
"I'm not a star-struck person, but I wanted to just drop to a knee or something. It's Michael -- you do all the moves. I don't care who you are, if you grew up in the '80s, Michael Jackson is your hero," Hatton said.
Jackson visited several stores, including
Sharper Image,
Brookstone,
Build-A-Bear Workshop and
KB Toys -- all while fans crowded around him asking for autographs.
"We followed him all the way through. He stopped to shake somebody's hand that worked at a store, and I reached out to touch his hand," fan Sherry Epler said.
Sherman Hatton
Jackson reportedly was in Houston to confer with attorneys on a music contract issue and decided to do some shopping.
Memorial City Mall officials said the superstar did not buy anything during his one-hour visit, and only received an hour's notice before he arrived.
The superstar's shopping spree came as prosecutors in California revealed more details about the child molestation case against him.
Prosecutors said Jackson committed lewd acts against a young boy. The superstar then allegedly refused to allow the boy and his family to leave his Neverland Ranch until they made a video absolving him molestation charges.
Jackson's attorney said the accusations are absurd.
A judge postponed Jackson's trial Tuesday from September to January 2005.