Michael Jackson’s “HIStory On Film: Volume I” has re-entered the Greek DVD Charts at #15

Source: http://www.ifpi.gr/chart06.htm

By Dawn Hobbs

In his first visit to Santa Barbara since winning the Michael Jackson trial in 2005, Thomas Mesereau spoke to a group of about 200 people Thursday evening about the media’s role in high-profile cases.

The audience was riveted as the distinguished criminal defense lawyer discussed how trial coverage has become an important part of American society, using elements of the Jackson case — the most covered criminal trial in history — to make his points.

“A lot of my views are somewhat controversial and not well liked,” he told the packed room at the Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort, “but they are heartfelt views.”

Throughout his 1 1/2-hour speech, Mr. Mesereau lambasted the tabloid media, claiming they sensationalized and distorted the facts of the Jackson trial, and also Santa Barbara County prosecutors for the “savage and cruel attacks” made against his client. But he praised Superior Court Judge Rodney Melville for keeping a tight rein in the courtroom and Robert Sanger, a prominent local attorney, for his work on the Jackson defense team.

Mr. Mesereau — who was named by Barbara Walters as one of her “10 Most Fascinating People” and by GQ magazine as one of the “Top Men of the Year” after the Jackson trial — was featured as part of Fielding Graduate University’s Distinguished Speaker Series and sponsored by the doctorate program in media psychology, the first of its kind in the country.

Noting the intense media competition in the Jackson case, Mr. Mesereau recounted how a tabloid reporter called his cell phone one day:

“This reporter said, ‘Give me some hot documents and I’ll tell you who is sleeping with who in the DA’s office.’ I said, ‘First of all, there’s a gag order and I will not violate it. Secondly, I don’t care who is sleeping with who.’ ” The audience erupted into laughter.

He also offered behind-the-scenes glimpses into why he wanted to keep the trial in Santa Maria, what kind of jurors he sought, and how he personally dealt with the anxiety of such a high-profile case — in bed by 7 p.m. and up at 3 a.m., long walks with co-counsel Susan Yu, vitamins, good food and a condo on the other side of town from where throngs of journalists were staying.

Referring to comments in his article recently published in the L.A. Daily Journal, Mr. Mesereau noted lawyers should resist the lure of cameras in high-profile cases and instead “focus on the client’s interest and welfare.” His intent, he said, was to win his case in the courtroom, not in the media.

A lot of the coverage of the Jackson trial, he said, was erroneously labeled as news but was instead entertainment, perpetuated by television’s use of legal analysts who had not even set foot in the Santa Maria courtroom and would “yell and scream and wave their arms around” about evidence they had never seen.

Mr. Mesereau shared that when numerous colleagues advised him to request the trial be moved out of Santa Maria because of the conservative nature of the city’s residents, he said he decided to check it out for himself.

“I went up before the trial and would hang out in local bars and restaurants, dressed in my jeans and just minding my own business,” he said. “After a couple of weeks of doing that, I concluded that people there were not hostile to Michael Jackson — they liked and appreciated him in the community.”

He described residents as “conservative, but independent-minded. I decided Santa Maria was an honorable, fair, decent community and that he’d get a fair trial, which he did.”

Although he used a jury consultant who conducted telephone polls and then charted the data, Mr. Mesereau said he disregarded it and used his instincts when selecting jurors. While many might think women with children would not be good jurors in a child molestation case, Mr. Mesereau said, he wanted these kinds of jurors because he thought they’d be more open to understanding Mr. Jackson, especially when “crazed prosecutors” were trying to portray him as “asexual, homosexual and weird.”

“I picked jurors who I thought would be open to understanding him and his world and that he dances to a slightly different drummer.”

Source: Santa Barbara News Press

At Jackson Liberty High School, Samantha Savona took on a monster of a project. The sixteen year old sophomore, who is usually seen bounding around on the school’s basketball court, starred as Michael Jackson in her video - production class’s remake of “Thriller.”

Scrunching her blond hair up to more closely resemble the original star’s, she said “Everyone told me I was good for the part… I already know all the words because I love Michael Jackson.”

The shooting took the cast of 30 two days. The results were fifteen minutes of video recorded at Six Flags Great Adventure. They shot scenes inside Skull Mountain, Houdini’s Great Escape, Showcase Theatre and Batman the Ride.

Fifteen of the students dressed as zombies with tattered clothing, latex prosthetics and airbrushed shadows. Tony Mankile, who does makeup for characters during Great Adventure’s Fright Fest, volunteered his services to make the students into zombies.

Teacher Harry Ferone’s TV Tech 1 class will defiantly remember this class.

The finished product will be entered in Ocean County Library’s first annual film festival and the Ocean County Teen Arts Festival.

Source: Asbury Park Press, MJFC

A former lawyer for Michael Jackson testified Tuesday that he has felt compelled to take extraordinary measures to ensure discussions with his clients remain private since he and the singer were secretly videotaped aboard a private jet.

Attorney Mark Geragos, who was secretly videotaped with Jackson on a November 2003 flight from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara, where Jackson surrendered on child molestation charges, is suing the jet company XtraJet.

Jackson, who was initially a plaintiff in the civil lawsuit against XtraJet, later dropped out of the case. He was acquitted of the molestation charges in 2005.

Testifying in the non-jury trial, Geragos called the taping one of the worst experiences of his 24-year legal career. He said he obtained a court order preventing XtraJet’s then-owner, Jeffrey Borer, from selling the footage after learning of it through the news media.

“I can’t think of any act more distressing to me at a professional level than what was done here,” he said.

Geragos said he has taken extraordinary measures to protect his clients’ privacy since the incident, including meeting with some under freeway overpasses and in hotel rooms. He said he twice sent a colleague overseas to discuss a case rather than have them discuss it over the phone or by e-mail.

Borer and co-defendant Arvel Jett Reeves pleaded guilty in 2005 to installing two digital video recorders to record “a professional entertainer” and his lawyer as the pair traveled by private jet.

Borer was sentenced in October to six months of home detention and three years’ probation, and was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Reeves was sentenced in July to eight months in prison, six additional months in a halfway house and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine. Reeves testified on a videotape shown in court Monday that no sound was recorded on the flight tapes.

Messages left after hours Tuesday with lawyers for Geragos and XtraJet were not immediately returned.

Source: Associated Press

Jackson 5 classic “I Want You Back” has risen to #53 in the UK singles chart this week.

Source: BBC Radio 1

Randy Jackson was hospitalised in Switzerland suffering from a heart attack. We are awaiting further information regarding his condition. Exclusive MJ joins with fans around the world in sending our prayers and best wishes for a swift, comfortable recovery. We received the following release for publication:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 19th, 2007

Lugano, Switzerland

Statement of Thanks from Randy Jackson:

“There comes a time in all of our lives, when we are forced to stop and God lets you know what is really important. At a time like this, there is no greater blessing than the outpouring of love and care from all of you around the world. I sincerely thank you for all of your support, kind words, well-wishes and prayers.”

Randy Jackson

Source: MJFC

By Roger Friedman

The word from Switzerland is that Randy Jackson, the younger brother of Michael, has been hospitalised with a heart attack.

Some Jackson insiders say that Randy, who worked as Michael’s manager and adviser during his 2005 trial, is just “exhausted.” Randy Jackson is relatively young at 46 years old, but has spent most of the last couple of years caught up in his older brother’s world.

Meanwhile, Michael remains at the MGM Signature in Las Vegas, where some kind of deal is being negotiated for him to perform in Sin City on a regular basis. There’s talk that the newly named Planet Hollywood Hotel (formerly the Aladdin) wants him, but many obstacles remain including insurance.

Jackson did finally meet with his parents recently, the first time he’s seen them since leaving the U.S. in June 2005. I’m told the meeting in Vegas went well mostly because the omnipresent Grace Rwaramba, Jackson’s children’s nanny, has been away in Utah.

Source: FOX News

Dear fans and friends,

Today sources close to the Jackson family told us that Randy Jackson (Michael’s brother), while on a business trip to a Lugano, Switzerland, has actually been hospitalised for a check-up after complaining of chest pain.

In the following hours Randy will undergo several heart tests; it also has been told us that the Jackson family members are aware of all this and are all worried.

The Italian Fan Club will forward your wish for a speedy recovery to Mr. Randy Jackson:

Write your message and send it as soon as possible to:

RandyMSG@jacksonland.co.uk

A floral gift will be added to the messages.

Sources: CTE Fanclub/Jacksonland.it

Michael Jackson’s spoesperson, Raymone Bain, has released the following statement regarding recent reports of a lawsuit filed against him.

“Regarding … inquiries about an action filed by G & J Gross, Inc., DBA Mikey Fine Pharmacy against Michael Jackson: the issue has been amicably resolved. Mikey Fine Pharmacy has been paid.

“This action related to the administration of Mr. Jackson’s finances, which has been transitioned away from Mr. Jackson’s former business managers.

“On December 22, 2006, Mr. Jackson filed a lawsuit against his former business managers, Bernstein, Fox, Whitman, Goldman and Sloan, LLP.”

TMZ has learned that a Beverly Hills pharmacy claims Michael Jackson ran up a $100,000 tab for prescription meds, but never paid.

TMZ has obtained the lawsuit, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, by drugstore to the stars Mickey Fine Pharmacy. The store, which often delivers its wares via motorcycle, alleges they had an oral agreement with Jackson to pay for any prescriptions they filled. The pharmacy claims Jackson made his last payment to them in mid-2005. According to the documents, the pharmacy made “repeated requests for payment.” Perhaps Jacko thought that “oral agreement” was related to how to take the pills.

They are asking for the $101,926.66 they are owed, plus court costs and other relief.

Calls to Jackson’s reps were not immediately returned.

Click Here to view the documents.

Source: TMZ