By Linda Deutsch

A jury of six women and six men was sworn in Thursday for the trial of a civil lawsuit against Michael Jackson and the jurors were quickly shown videotaped testimony by the pop star.

Attorney Howard King, who represents former Jackson adviser F. Marc Schaffel, showed part of a deposition taken from Jackson in London to illustrate what he said would be Jackson’s constant claims of not remembering much about dealings with Schaffel, who claims he is owed $3.8 million in unpaid loans and for past work.

“I’ve wanted Mr. Jackson to be here to tell his story,” King said in opening remarks. “He won’t be here except by deposition. I had to go to London to take it. He will make a fine presentation. He’s finely made up, costumed. You’d think he’d been in front of cameras his whole life.”

In the tape, dated Sept., 23, 2005, Jackson wore a dark shirt and answered questions in a quiet voice. He was asked if he thought Schaffel wanted to be paid for his services.

“I know he wanted something from me, of course,” Jackson said. “… I do remember these long letters. He wanted me to pay him.”

King then asked Jackson if he had ever paid Schaffel.

“I’m sure he got money,” said Jackson. Asked how he could be so sure, Jackson said, “Because he always seemed to be happy.”

The lawyer responded: “Money doesn’t buy happiness.”

King said he would be calling a number of Jackson’s former advisers to discuss their dealings with the superstar. One of them, Alvin Malnik, a Florida businessman, performed all services to Jackson for free, King said.

“He said that Jackson will deny ever borrowing from Malnik, but Malnik will testify that he loaned Jackson $7 million in 2003,” King said. “So we have a witness in Mr. Jackson who does not remember getting $7 million three years ago.”

King took the podium after a morning of sometimes emotional statements from prospective jurors who were subsequently dismissed. Some denounced Jackson’s behavior over the years and said they couldn’t be fair to him.

“I feel his actions as I have seen on TV were inexcusable,” said one man who is a neonatology doctor.

“Dangling the child is inexcusable,” he said, apparently referring to an incident when Jackson was photographed holding his baby son over a balcony rail. “My feelings about Michael Jackson have been where there’s smoke there’s fire. I’ve been thinking about whether I can give him a fair trial and I’m not sure I can.”

He was dismissed.

A media entertainment consultant said he was somewhat sympathetic to Jackson’s position because he knows that celebrities are often targets of unscrupulous people.

“I have a slight bias toward Mr. Jackson … that maybe people were trying to extort him for money. It happens to celebrities,” the man said before being dismissed.

Another man said he felt Jackson was “a 12-year-old,” and another prospect said he was conflicted because of a “moral issue” which he asked to discuss at the judge’s bench.

In the end, Superior Court Judge Jacqueline Connor seated two alternate jurors from the group a man and a woman who had given no controversial opinions. The jury includes two people who said on Wednesday that they had suspicions that Jackson was guilty of child molestation even though he was acquitted last year.

Another prospect who was dismissed was a 22-year-old music promotions manager who said in his career he had been cheated out of commissions by business managers. He objected to the fact that Jackson wasn’t going to be present, saying, “If he’s going through these financial hardships and he’s being sued, why wouldn’t he show up? I wouldn’t want my money taken and not show up.”

Jackson lawyer Thomas C. Mundell asked if the man would be reassured by the fact that Jackson’s top adviser, attorney L. Londell McMillan, was representing him in court.

“It’s not his money,” said the man. “It’s Mr. Jackson’s money. He’s going to get paid no matter what happens.”

McMillan, seated at the council table, shrugged and smiled.

King glossed over Schaffel’s controversial links to the gay pornography industry, saying, “Mr. Schaffel has a successful business background and one of these was in the legal adult entertainment business. In 2000 he was done with that and he began to work with Mr. Jackson.”

King said Schaffel was supposed to get 20 percent from two specials aired on Fox that he produced. For a while, Schaffel earned $50,000 a month for his work, then $25,000 for a few months and then payments stopped when Jackson’s money allegedly ran out. He said the Fox videos sold for just over $10 million.

Source: Associated Press

By Roger Friedman

Michael Jackson is moving from Bahrain to “Europe,” as his press release and publicity advised yesterday. But I am told that Jackson is likely going to settle in Paris if he can find the money to buy a suitable home. He’s already nixed moves to London and to Germany, two places where he at least has constituencies. Paris is the likely choice for Jackson.

“He wants to be in a place where people can meet with him easily,” says a source. “Bahrain was not that place.”

Yesterday was a big day for Jackson. He fired his Bahraini lawyers, Los Angeles accountant Alan Whitman, recently hired manager Guy Holmes, and severed ties with the people who’ve generously paid his way for the last year. He’s said to be in Ireland right now, and I am told that Jackson is likely meeting with Dublin rock promoter and manager Louie Walsh, who counts among his clients U2, Madonna and the Rolling Stones. If Jackson is planning to go to work, Walsh is probably the one manager in the world who would love the challenge of putting him back on top.

Of course, the one monkey wrench in this plan is a piece of paper clutched by Jackson’s former European promoter, Marcel Avram, who thinks he has the rights to Jackson’s next world tour.

The architects of Jackson’s latest management shuffle appear to be P.R. aide, Raymone Bain, and his children’s nanny, Grace Rwaramba. About a week ago this column received a phone call that this pair had supplanted all of Jackson’s current advisers. Now it has been confirmed. Bain, you may recall, was unceremoniously fired by Jackson last year on the eve of his acquittal on charges of child molestation and conspiracy. She was rehired later in the summer, and now she’s worked her way up to the top of the ladder in the Jacko hierarchy.

Rwaramba started out handling insurance claims at Jackson’s office in 1991, and is now the surrogate mother to his three children. This column revealed last week for the first time that Rwaramba, who is said to have dated Jackson’s brothers Jermaine and Randy, has been married since 1995 although she does not live with her husband.

Bain, I am told, was instrumental in this coup. She is credited with bringing Londell McMillan—the man who manages and counts as clients Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Chaka Khan—to be Jackson’s new attorney. A rising star in the music biz and generally respected, McMillan is the first legit adviser Jackson has had in years. But McMillan also comes into Jackson’s life as his personal soap opera continues: today, for example, a jury is being selected in Santa Monica for a court case brought by Marc Schaffel, Jackson’s former partner, for $4 million. The Schaffel case is just the beginning. Jackson is being sued for $48 million by Darien Dash, cousin of hip hop entrepreneur Damon Dash.

When I caught McMillan for a few minutes yesterday on the phone from Los Angeles, he said, “I think it would be a good practice for Michael to stop being a defendant all the time.” McMillan, it should be noted, is credited for turning around the career of Prince after his whole Warner Bros.-slave episode including the changing of his name to a symbol.

For Jackson, there are also outstanding matters at Neverland, which, contrary to reports, is neither open nor functional. After Jackson paid government fines totaling $100,000 and restitution to former employees of $49,000, the ranch was closed. Jackson has never secured the proper insurance to run it. Since then, most of the animals have been removed from the zoo. A private security force watches for intruders, but otherwise Neverland is shut down. There is also a $25 million lien against it held by Fortress Investments, created so Jackson could buy out his former attorney, John Branca, from a fie percent interest in Sony/ATV Music Publishing.

Choosing McMillan was a sound idea, however, for many reasons. With his close ties to the record business, the New York based attorney could secure Jackson a deal with his close friend, L.A. Reid of Island/Def Jam Records. Reid has talked to Jackson in the last year about distributing his 2 Seas label in partnership with Prince Abdullah. The talks had come to no result, however. McMillan also represents or has relationships with a number of contemporary artists with whom Jackson could collaborate including Kanye West and John Legend.

Yesterday’s announcement, meanwhile, says that Jackson will continue to have “ties” to Bahrain. But one insider says of the 2 Seas deal, “Michael’s ties are cut now.” Jackson’s biggest relocation problem is that he feels, perhaps rightly, that he can’t return to the United States, California in particular, because he fears harassment or arrest on a variety of potential charges including allegedly faking police brutality. For the moment, he remains a man without a country, quite literally, and perhaps one without the cash for a new down payment either.

Source: FOX News

Michael Jackson will appear via videotaped deposition only in the upcoming lawsuit scheduled to go to trial this week. Michael provided that deposition at London’s Dorchester Hotel.

Michael is being sued by Marc Shaffel for $3.8 million for what Schaffel claims are unpaid loans and expenses, included salary on “What More Can I Give” and the proceeds from the two rebuttal productions following the grossly skewed Bashir documentary.

Schaffel claims that he was guaranteed a salary of $375,000 a year for three years plus royalties on Michael’s records and videos he produced. In depositions, Schaffel claims that he received only $75,000 a year plus some reimbursements for money he advanced to Michael and for his projects.

Among the unreimbursed expenses he lists are legal fees of $74,000 incurred when Schaffel was named an unindicted co-conspirator in the 2005molestation trial. Michael Jackson was acquitted on all counts.

Supporting evidence will examine Michael’s spending habits. The AP report cited the inclusion of a $1 million payment to Marlon Brando for his appearance at the Madison Square Garden concert. Schaffel claims that he received a call from Brando, enquiring about his payment.

Michael is countersuing Schaffel, claiming that he misappropriated art works belonging to Michael, mishandled finances and records and engaged in “self-dealing.”

The trial is expected to last about 12 days.

Source: Associated Press

In addition to the latest press release by Michael Jackson, his spokesperson Raymone K. Bain told The Associated Press in a phone interview that the entertainer will maintain a house in Bahrain but decided to move to Europe to be accesible for music industry figures.

“He is very serious about his music. When you are a creative person and the creative juices are flowing again and you’re about to embark on new projects, you want to make sure your organization is running smoothly.”

She added, that Michael Jackson is planning appearances and performances in the next several months and expects to release an album next year.

Raymone Bain also said:

“I will have oversight authority of the new Michael Jackson Co. I report directly to him, and I am his personal liaison between him and his business entities. I’ll be the glue to hold things together for him.”

Of Michael’s recent stay in Bahrain she said:

“Michael’s going to Bahrain was not running away - he needed a break. He was able to rest and relax and determine what it was he wanted to do and how he wanted to do it. . . . My job is just to make his job easier.”

Bain declined to say how much she is getting paid:

“He’s a great person and a brilliant musician and performer. I think the more he gets out and people can interact with him, they will be able to determine for themselves who he really is.”

Previously, Raymone Bain had served as the former Washington mayor’s spokeswoman for many years and represented Boyz II Men , Serena Williams, and Mike Tyson. Kenneth “Babyface” Edmonds remains a client.

The McMillan firm, which will from now on oversee legal matters pertaining to business affairs, has been involved in handling the affairs of other music artists including Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Jay-Z.

Source: Associated Press

In what is the first of a sweeping restructuring of his personal and business affairs, Michael Jackson has severed ties with his long-time accounts and business managers, Bernstein, Fox, Whitman, Goldman & Sloan, with Bahrani attorneys Qays Zu’bi and Grahame Nelson, and Gut Records executive, Guy Holmes.

He has also established The Michael Jackson Company, Inc., with plans to phase out MJJ Productions.

In other related matters, he has named Spokesperson Raymone K. Bain as General Manager, and has retained N.Y.-based L. Londell McMillan and The McMillan Firm, known for business restructurings and turnarounds, to oversee legal matters pertaining to his business affairs.

Mr. Jackson has previously announced plans to record an album which he predicts will be released in 2007. His recent Japan tour was the first in what will be a line of public appearances, and he is reviewing numerous offers to tour musically, which he plans to embark upon within the next several months.

Mr. Jackson, who is currently in Ireland on personal business, plans on relocating to Europe in the near future.

He is continuing to build his management team and other appointments will be forthcoming.

Source: Raymone Bain

By Linda Deutsch

Michael Jackson is the key figure in a lawsuit going to trial this week, but the pop superstar won’t be in the courtroom while lawyers and witnesses thrash out the question of whether he owes $3.8 million to a former business associate.

Jury selection was set to begin Tuesday but was rescheduled Monday, without explanation, for Wednesday. The trial is expected to last 12 days, according to court officials.

Jackson’s spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, said the singer has no plans to appear in the case. Lawyers, anticipating his absence, have taken videotaped depositions from him during two sessions in London.

Jackson is being sued by F. Marc Schaffel for $3.8 million for what Schaffel says are unrepaid loans and expenses, and unpaid salary for work on a charity record called “What More Can I Give.”

Schaffel also is seeking what he says is his share of the proceeds from two TV specials produced to bolster Jackson’s reputation after he was hit with child molestation allegations.

Among the expenses Schaffel is seeking are legal fees of $74,000 incurred when he was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Jackson’s 2005 child molestation trial. Jackson was acquitted.

Jackson has countersued, claiming among other things that Schaffel misappropriated art work belonging to the singer and mishandled financial records.

The trial is expected to examine Jackson’s peculiar spending habits, including paying the late actor Marlon Brando $1 million to attend a Jackson concert at Madison Square Garden.

Source: Associated Press

Michael Jackson’s NUMBER ONES DVD has risen 8 places at #18 in the Australia DVD Charts this week. Last week it was charted at #26.

Source: ARIA

Here is a poll for the 100 Best Videos of all time. And, of course, Thriller, Billie Jean and Scream are among the running. You can also suggest one of your favorites.

To cast your vote, Click Here

Source: MTV

Stranger In Moscow debuted at #22 in the UK singles chart this week.

Source: BBC Radio 1

Spokesperson Confirms Jackson/Dylan Appearance

Michael Jackson flew into Cork airport yesterday and was last night holidaying in the county with his three children as he prepared to attend Bob Dylan concerts in Kilkenny and Cork over the weekend.

Jackson was accompanied by his three children, Prince Michael I, Paris Michael and Prince Michael II, along with a number of personal assistants on a scheduled Aer Lingus flight from Charles de Gaul airport in Paris to Cork yesterday afternoon.

They arrived at Cork airport at about 4.10pm and were collected by a chauffeur-driven mini-bus. It was widely speculated last night that they were staying at the historic Blackwater Castle in Castletownroche, north Cork.

The castle was built by the Roche family in 1291 when they established a Norman settlement in the area. It was recently refurbished and offers high-quality accommodation overlooking the Awbeg river.

However, the owner of Blackwater Castle, Patrick Nordstrom, said last night he had received several media queries about Jackson and, while there appeared to be “a VIP hunt” for the pop star, he wasn’t staying at the castle. “I think I would know if he was staying here - I would be flattered if he was but there isn’t anyone here at the moment except my dog,” said Mr Nordstrom, who admitted he was considering taking the phone off the hook because of all the media queries.

A spokeswoman for Aiken Promotions confirmed to The Irish Times that Jackson would be attending the Bob Dylan concert at Nowlan Park in Kilkenny today and the Live in the Marquee concert in Cork tomorrow night.

Source: The Irish Times