Michael Jackson's blanket of secrecy to be removed?

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  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    After court Brian Panish (family attorney) was said to have heard Marcus Putnam (AEG attorney) say something and they end up shouting at each other. A clerk intervened and said she would report the matter to Judge Palazeulos.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 591
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    codeblue wrote: »
    I cannot believe that three children turn up from nowhere and no questions are asked by the authorities. You cannot just adopt children like this - and with his background.

    Yup. He'd be the last person I'd allow to adopt.

    Money talks, even if you're a paedophile like he clearly was.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Part of Katherine Jackson's video deposition, where she talks about her son not wanting to be 'moonwalking' aged 50.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 50, Accountant Arthur Erk comes under fire from AEG, and Paris says her dad told her he wasn't going to tour after the London shows but also says they were going on a worldwide tour. Report by ABC7

    The jury were shown documents prepared by AEG Live in 2008 projecting a worldwide tour for Jackson of 186 shows bringing in $132m rather than the 260 shows projected by Arthur Erk generating $835m. Report by Associated Press.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 50 Jackson vs AEG. Extracted from tweets by ABC7 Court News.

    Following yesterday’s shouting match between the lawyers in the hallway Judge Yvette Palazuelos had a word with lawyers in her chambers. Before the jury entered the room the judge told everyone to follow the rules of the court and that things were getting out of hand. In an email the media was reminded interviews should only be conducted in designated areas of the courthouse or outside the building.

    The judge told the Jury the trial is expected to end mid September.

    Sabrina Stong for AEG continued her cross examination of accountant Arthur Erk, an expert witness for the family. Erk estimated Jackson would get $317m from sponsorship/endorsement deals. $50m from clothing endorsement and $217m based on a 2012 Pepsi deal with Beyonce. Erk believed at 50 years of age Jackson would be a fashion icon for a young audience. Asked if the $50m was speculation, Erk said he had reasonable belief the shows would happen and clothes would sell, "Speculative is hope," Erk opined.

    Erk based his Pepsi deal on what he’d read in the papers about Beyonce’s deal, he didn’t actually see her contract and could not confirm the deal. Beyonce’s most recent gross was said to be close to $120m, the reported $50m Pepsi deal would have been 42% of the tour revenue. Erk knew of no one who used his methodology to estimate endorsement deal. Asked if he knows any other artist who has endorsement being 40% of gross revenue, Erk said Erk said that most endorsement deals are private, Beyonce's was the only one that was made public through the media.

    Arthur Erk said Jackson’s image had been rehabilitated to get an endorsement deal, an opinion he based on the sale of tickets. He was not aware of any endorsement or sponsorship deal for the ‘This Is It’ shows. Asked if Jackson's molestation accusations and trial affected his estimation in the endorsement deals, Erk responded,"The outstanding, unprecedented demand for tickets took care of that.”

    AEG had projected if Jackson had he performed all 50 shows at the O2 arena he would take home $22m - $30m, in no budget did AEG project an income from endorsement. The court was shown Erk’s projection total of $890.5m, he said he relied on AEG emails exchanged from September 2008. Erk said the emails showed AEG intended to take the shows worldwide and mentioned a net income to Jackson of $132m. Erk said he did not know any tour that grossed that much, he said it would have been record breaking.

    Strong reminded Erk of Katherine Jackson’s deposition that her son had said he didn’t want to be Moonwalking aged 50. Part of Paris Jackson’s deposition was played to the court, in which she said her dad wanted to relax and didn’t want to tour anymore. But she went on to say her father told her ‘This Is It’ was to be a world tour. Erk acknowledged Jackson did 275 shows between the ages 20 – 50, Erk’s projection had Jackson doing 455 shows over 5 tours till he was aged 66. Erk was reasonably certain 260 shows would happen, 195 shows was an estimate based on my professional opinion.


    Sabrine Strong for AEG finished her cross examination. Judge broke session for lunch
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 50 (Part 2)

    The Jackson’s attorney Brian Panish began his re-direct of Arthur Erk, who said AEG's experts in the same field as his charge more than him for the work. Erk agreed Jackson had not been proved guilty of any allegations that AEG mentioned, he did not see any emails by AEG saying they didn't want to make money off of Jackson due to the allegations raised. Negative allegations about Tiger Woods were raised, Erk said he believes in 2012 Woods reported endorsements went back up to $70m. Erk said his calculation of the Beyonce endorsement deal made up to 18,5%, not 42%.

    Erk said Paris testified in her deposition her father told her they would tour worldwide, Ortega's deposition and testimony talked about taking this tour on the road, to the world. Erk said AEG had the resources to find out about Jackson’s financial issues and there was no reason to believe AEG didn't know about Jackson's problems. Erk testified the only concern AEG had about Jackson’s health was that he passed a, was healthy and ready to go.

    Erk had no question in his mind AEG not only believed they could sell out in London but worldwide.
    Panish showed an email written in September 2008 by Randy Phillips, he which he wrote, ”If London goes smoothly, we could migrate this show to the brand new, state-of-the-art stadium in Berlin, the O2 World." Phillips went on to write, if all went well, they would embark on a well routed and spread out worldwide tour taking advantages of the gigantic secondary ticket market, massive sponsoring opportunities subject to how well we have rehabilitated him and very lucrative "exotics".

    Erk told the court the Rolling Stones had just finished shows that AEG promoted, Erk said.
    Keith Richards had a long history of heroine problems, is almost 69 years old and is touring, doing quite well. Erk Testified Barbra Streisand (71) has just finished shows for AEG as well, he said Streisand grossed more than $18 million.

    Panish showed a spreadsheet with Jackson’s monthly expenses, based on actual receipts his annual consumption was $7.6m. Erk said Jackson had assests to secure loans, primarily the Sony/ATV catalogue. Erk said Jackson had no working income for 10 years, therefore it was most likely spending would be more than earnings.

    Panish produce an email in which Paul Gongaware drafted a worldwide tour projection of 186 shows starting Jan 2009 through to April 2011, which would net ‘Mikey’ $132m. A document attached to the projection listed tentative venues all over the world. Based on the 37 month contract AEG had with Jackson Erk calculated a total of 260 shows. Erk said his calculations on venues etc was based on the unprecedented demand for tickets.

    The court was shown an email by Randy Phillips to Tim Leiweke on15 April 2009: ‘….I intend to shove those 50 shows up Irving's and Rapino's asses and march on to do another 3 years of a world tour.’ In response to interest from India, Phillips emailed Thomas Overseen saying Jackson definitely heading that way. Erk said he reviewed the email to determine if the tour in India wasn't just a hope, but plan. Erk testified Phillips was striking deal with Bravado to rent an empty store in Oxford Circle to offer nothing but Jackson merchandising.

    Sabrina Strong for AEG re-cross examined Erk who said he saw the June 2009 AEG budget projecting the sale of merchandising in the region of $10m, Erk said he projected $121 million. Strong pointed to an email which indicated “a” date in India, not the 60 dates in India Erk had projected. Paul Gongaware had projected 3 shows in India plus one private show.


    Randy Phillips emailed Richard Nanoula in June 2008 with some ‘off the cuff’ ideas, mention was made of 12-14 new songs and the release of a series of new singles. Erk didn’t know if Jackson finished the songs. Erk agreed Phillips hoped he could have massive sponsorship opportunities if all went well. Erk said he has no knowledge of what AEG tried to do to get sponsorship opportunities for the tour. Erk told the court as of June 2009 he saw no evidence or sponsorship in place before Jackson’s death.

    Erk agreed the September 2008 email with the $132m projection, was written without knowing whether Jackson would ever agree to it. Phillips wrote to Leiweke: ‘Colony is receptive but skeptical like us as to whether MJ will really work.’ Erk said it was correct no one at AEG projected the numbers he projected, also he said it was correct Jackson had agreed only 50 shows at the time he passed away in June 2009.

    Brian Panish for the family did the re-re-direct. Erk repeated Jackson had told his children they were going on a worldwide tour. The expert said selling out in a matter of hours is going well and then some, it was fantastic. Erk said with the ticket sales seen, Paul Gongaware as a good promoter would want as many shows as he could.

    Arthur Erk was excused. The Judge adjourned the session for the day.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    At the end of the day AEG told the judge they had no intention to call Dr. Murray.

    Katherine Jackson will probably testify on Friday.

    The next witness is due to be Dr, Emery Brown (Propofol) and economist Peter Formuzis.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 51 Jackson vs AEG, summary extracted from ABC7 Court News tweets.

    Katherine Jackson not in the courtroom today.

    Attorneys for the family showed Dr. Emery Brown’s video deposition. Dr. Brown is an anesthesiologist and practices in Boston, Massachusetts. He is an Associate Director at Institute for Medical Engineering Science at MIT. He's also on the faculty of Sleep Medicine Dept at Harvard, did his medical thesis under Dr. Czeisler, who testified earlier in the case.

    Dr. Brown billed $1,000/hour and asked the total$75,000 be donated to Massachusetts General Hospital. He has given depositions before, but has not testified in court. Dr. Brown said anesthesia can be different, general anesthesia/sedation and regional anesthesia. In Jackson's case, it's a general anesthesia/sedation case. General anesthesia consists of 4 behavior and physiology status: unconscious, analgesia (no pain), not moving, amnesia. Dr. Brown testified general anesthesia is a type of coma, a reversible coma, coma is a state where the patient is unable to receive and respond to stimulus. He said you give drugs to induce coma, more to maintain it during the surgery, then reduce to have patient come back.

    Dr. Brown said there's tendency to call general anesthesia sleep, but it's not sleep, you wouldn't be able to tolerate surgery under sleep. Propofol is one of the anesthetics Dr. Brown uses. Dr. Brown uses Propofol in almost all the patients he has. It's the most commonly used anesthetic all around the world. Dr. Brown said Propofol is quite potent on a cc to cc comparison with Valium and benzodiazepines. He has been studying Propofol for the past 7 years, he doesn't think there's any other person who has studied the drug more than him.

    Jackson’s autopsy indicated the amount of medication (Propofol) is similar to what is found in general anesthesia. In Dr. Brown’s opinion the infusion rates found in Jackson's autopsy are the same infusion rates when given Propofol for major abdominal procedure. Dr. Brown is not board certified in sleep medicine he studied the effects of Propofol in relation with sleep. One of the articles is "General Anesthesia, Sleep and Coma." Dr. Brown said it's easy for doctors to tell patients they are going under sleep, but his article was exactly to clear up the language. Doctors using Propofol as an agent to produce sleep would be tremendously mistaken.

    According to Dr. Brown, during sleep you have natural oscillation of states. On general anesthesia we bring you to a stage and hold you there for surgery, Dr. Brown said there's no way in the world that you can have the normal sleep patterns while under sedation. Dr. Brown said sedation, general anesthesia, medical coma is not sleep.

    Dr. Brown drew a picture of how the sleep circuit works. To be conscious, you have to be awake and have to be able to process. In order to fall asleep you need to shut the brain down. Dr. Brown said when you give Propofol, it comes in, knocks out all of the circuits, including respiratory circuit, and the cortex. "It overwhelms the sleep and respiratory circuit, cortex," Dr Brown explained.

    "The first criteria of being under sedation is to be unconscious that you can't be awaken," Dr. Brown said. With Propofol you get unconsciousness, you get amnesia, you can't remember. For pain, you need an analgesic. Dr. Brown said patients commonly report feeling good, feeling refreshed after being administered Propofol. Propofol releases dopamine that can be interpreted as refreshed sensation of natural sleep. But Propofol cannot produce natural sleep

    In cross examination by Kathryn Cahan for AEG, Dr. Brown said he's trying to give a lay explanation of what the sensations are, so lay people can understand it. The release of dopamine can cause what some people could interpret as refreshed, invigorated, some people say euphoria. Dr. Brown testified Jackson was not having a restful sleep if he was using Propofol as a sedative for sleep. Dr. Brown said his understanding is that Jackson was using Propofol for many days, so Jackson must've had some perceived benefit. He said there have been a number of sources for this information, such as the press, high levels of Propofol in his blood at time of death. Dr. Brown said he believed Dr. Murray's police statement that he only gave a small amount of Propofol to Jackson the day he died to be false, Dr. Murray's statement was not consistent with the autopsy levels.

    Dr. Brown said one of the reasons he agreed to become part of this case was that he wanted to make it clear what the anesthetic does to the brain, which he thought had done. The effects of anesthesia and sleep are not under his purview, he has not queried his patients about their sleep pattern after anesthesia. Asked if he believed Dr. Murray gave Jackson Propofol for 60 days prior to his death, according to the LAPD interview, Dr. Brown said, "I have no way of knowing what Dr. Murray did every night when he treated Michael Jackson."

    Dr. Brown had not looked into how much Propofol was given to Jackson in the months prior to his death. Dr. Brown said he was asked to help understand the mechanism of how Propofol works, not asked to analyze Mr. Jackson's behavior. He said someone can be in a profound coma & live for many years. The effect of anesthesia could last several days, it's currently under study. Dr. Brown testified the Jacksons' attorneys never told him to testify to something he wasn't comfortable with.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 51 (Part 2)

    The next to be question by Brian Panish for the family was Dr. Peter Formuzis, Ph.D in Economics. A former California State University professor. worked at the Federal Reserve in various capacities. He has consulted for attorneys involved in wrongful death cases for 40 years. Dr. Formuzis has been qualified as expert witness in at least one thousand cases and had cases in several states in the US.
    Dr. Formuzis has worked with Panish before. Has testified for Brian Panish between 20-30 times, was retained between 50-100 times by Panish's firm. Has been retained against Panish's firm too.

    Dr. Formuzis said he does knows anyone more qualified than him to testify in his field. Dr. Formuzis was asked to take the income projection created by Mr. Erk and to take those projections and discount them to present value. Dr. Formuzis is not giving an opinion on what loss would be regarding movies and other things Erk didn't calculate. Dr. Formuzis is only assessing present value of economic loss, not non-economic, like loss of love, companionship to the children and Katherine Jackson.

    For present value calculation, Dr. Formuzis said you subtract interest and personal consumption to arrive at current figure. Dr. Formuzis used 7-10% discount rate, AEG has an expert calculating 18% discount rate. Dr. Formuzis said, AEG had invested approximately $34 million, so they had confidence they would get that money back. Present value: $108 ticket price 7% - 919,366,479 10% - 856,002,240 -- Dr. Formuzis chose 15% - 768,026,177 18% - 723,523,742. Total includes tour earnings, merchandising, endorsement, Las Vegas show and royalties, professional fees (at 15% rate) and personal consumption (spending). Tier 1 range: $919,366,479 - $723,523,742 (7% to 18% discount rate) Tier 2 range: $187,564,227 to $101,639,514 (7% to 18% discount rate).

    In cross examination, Sabrina Strong asked if Mr. Erk's projections are wrong, whether his calculations have no meaning. Dr. Formuzis said it depends how wrong the numbers are. "It would be a proportional degree of errors," he said.

    With no further questions Dr. Formuzis was excused. The Judge adjourned trial for the day.
    Katherine Jackson is due to give evidence on Friday, her attorney has told the judge Mrs. Jackson will need to take a few breaks throughout the day and gets tired in the afternoon.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 52 Katherine Jackson gives evidence, report from ABC7
    Katherine Jackson said it's been difficult to listen to some of the testimony about her son during a 12-week trial, saying she's a private person by nature. Under questioning by her attorney, she testified how she was hurt when she heard her son being called "freaky" or "lazy."
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Katherine Jackson had expressed concerns about the 'This Is It' schedule, report from Associated Press.
  • johartukjohartuk Posts: 11,320
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    I'm baffled by all the fuss about MJ's This Is It concert schedule. From the way the schedule was described, it wasn't going to be a tour (all the concerts were going to be at the same venue), there were going to be no concerts on concecutive nights (it was a 'one night on, one night off' thing, so MJ would have time to rest between concerts) and the concerts were going to be split into two seperate groups, with several months seperating them.

    Katherine Jackson is trying to make out that the This Is It schedule was physically and mentally punishing. However, in the music/entertainment industry, the This Is It schedule probably wouldn't have been considered particularly punishing or even that unusual, especially when many artists do world tours that last months, residencies that last years, and it's the norm for people in West End shows (and I'm assuming that Broadway is similar) to be doing 6-8 shows a week (and, in touring shows, anything up to 12 shows), with many of them on 12 month contracts.

    Katherine also seems to be pushing the 'Michael was a private person' angle, yet AEG were somehow expected to know what he was getting up to in the privacy of his own home, when even his own family and employees who shared the house, didn't know what he was doing (and taking). A definite contradiction there.
  • uniqueunique Posts: 12,367
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    johartuk wrote: »
    I'm baffled by all the fuss about MJ's This Is It concert schedule. From the way the schedule was described, it wasn't going to be a tour (all the concerts were going to be at the same venue), there were going to be no concerts on concecutive nights (it was a 'one night on, one night off' thing, so MJ would have time to rest between concerts) and the concerts were going to be split into two seperate groups, with several months seperating them.

    Katherine Jackson is trying to make out that the This Is It schedule was physically and mentally punishing. However, in the music/entertainment industry, the This Is It schedule probably wouldn't have been considered particularly punishing or even that unusual, especially when many artists do world tours that last months, residencies that last years, and it's the norm for people in West End shows (and I'm assuming that Broadway is similar) to be doing 6-8 shows a week (and, in touring shows, anything up to 12 shows), with many of them on 12 month contracts.

    Katherine also seems to be pushing the 'Michael was a private person' angle, yet AEG were somehow expected to know what he was getting up to in the privacy of his own home, when even his own family and employees who shared the house, didn't know what he was doing (and taking). A definite contradiction there.

    the "was a very private person" bit is an often used euphemism used by ministers at funerals when it's some old bloke who was a closet homosexual or prevert or something else dodgy. i wonder if his mum is trying to tell something there?

    certainly the schedule was far from demanding. it's not unusual for a band or artist to play 25 dates or more in a month, so without the touring element of having to move cities and being able to have a semi permanet residency to live in, and being able to keep a regular schedule without time zone difference, considering a stage show would normally put on about 8 shows a week including matinees, and based not only on previous MJ shows but what we've heard in the case so far, he was only going to be on stage for 2 hours or less per night, and miming a large section if not most of the show, so even if he had to do 50 shows in 2 months it would be far from demanding in regards to usual showbiz schedules. and just like MJ, many touring artists are ****ed up on drugs and booze and still able to complete a tour without missing a gig.

    if you really wanted to make an undemanding schedule, having one day off between shows should be more than enough for even the laziest of singers to recover, so 100 days for 50 shows. 6 months was just a joke. most other big acts could have done 150 dates in that time
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    The family need to prove AEG hired Michael Jackson, Paul Gongaware testified Michael Jackson said he wanted Murray, his personal doctor. He also testified...
    Michael Amir Williams called Gongaware and said they needed to get a deal with Murray. Gongaware heard Jackson in the background saying '150' which he understood to mean $150,000 a month.

    So why did the family not call Wiiliams as a witness to refute this claim, if Gongaware was lying?
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 52 Jackson vs AEG....extracted from tweets by ABC7 Court News.

    Today’s witness is Katherine Jackson mother of Michael Jackson, who will be first questioned by Brian Panish attorney for the family. Katherine gave her date of birth as 4 May 1930. This is the first time she's testified in court and she is a little nervous, she didn’t get a lot of sleep last night. She’s a little hard of hearing, she told the court she is a private person, always in the background of her children. She said the most difficult thing was sitting in court and listen to all the bad things they say about her son. "They are not true," she said. "He's not here to speak for himself." She will do her best to speak on Michael Jackson’s behalf.

    "I want to know what really happened to my son and that's why I am here," Mrs. Jackson said. She said her son was a very good person. He gave to charity, is on the record for giving to charity. She was very happy when she learned Jackson was going to name his son Prince. She testified Michael named his son Prince because of her family. "He loved my father." Mrs. Jackson testified the musical talent came from her grandfather on her mother's side, Columbus Brown. Her father taught her to play guitar and her sister played the cello. There was always music in the house.

    Mrs. Jackson said she had polio as a child. Mrs. Jackson said Michael loved all children, especially those who had something wrong with them: orphans, hospitals for disable children. Michael would spend the day with Make a Wish foundation. Mrs. Jackson married Joseph Jackson when she was 19 and he was 21. They lived in a 4 room, 2 bedroom house in Gary, Indiana, she raised 9 children. Sometimes she would wake up to the children harmonizing singing. Joe worked in a steel mill, was sometimes laid off 2-4 weeks. There was not a lot of money, bought a lot of things on sale, went down to Salvation Army to get shoes.

    Michael would spend his money on candy and cookie, Mrs. Jackson said. He would set up a store to sell them. "I was always close to God," Mrs. Jackson said. "I raised my children the best I can with spiritual guidance." She was raised Baptist, then became Lutheran and wasn't satisfied with that. When old enough to understand started searching. "I searched and found the true religion: Jehovah Witness," Mrs. Jackson testified. Jevohah's witnesses don't celebrate birthdays or other dates. They celebrate one day, that's Jesus last supper. Michael, Rebbie and LaToya became witnesses. Her husband wasn't a witness, so they didn't stop holidays right away.

    The court was shown a photo of Katherine at High School and one of a young Michael which Mrs. Jackson said, "It shows my sweet little boy to me." She described Michael as always sensitive and loving. He was born dancing," Mrs. Jackson said. "He was in my arms and couldn't be still, was dancing." The children loved the Temptations and imitated them all the time, Mrs. Jackson said. They were very young, they danced and sang. Michael was 5 years old, they went on to contests at school, then professional.

    There was not a lot to do in Gary, Mrs. Jackson said. So the high school had events and the boys would win every time there was a contest. Michael won every contest. When the other kids knew the Jacksons were coming they were Oh my God! Mrs. Jackson said. Originally, the name was Jackson Brothers Five, but the name was too long, so they cut it short to Jackson 5. Michael was 5 and sang ‘Climb Every Mountain’, he started singing, her father and her cried like a baby. The boys rehearsed at the house. "We saved money to buy amplifiers," Mrs. Jackson said. She made the suits they were called "Homemade suits" (the jury laughed)

    When Gladys Knight and Temptations would ask for the Jackson’s to be on stage with them and they got paid that way. They signed with Motown in 1968. The boys moved first to California, Katherine went four months later. She had always wanted to live in California, since Gary, Indiana was so cold and snowed. Jackson 5 started making records when they signed with Motown. The first 4 singles became number one records. Mrs. Jackson explained the Jacksonmania that happened at this time, she said there were so many girls around the house she got tired of it. Panish showed video of their early life in Gary, Indiana, dancing at 5, Motown audition, ABC song, TV show, Motown 25. Mrs. Jackson felt very proud, when he was 14 he sang solo in the Academy Awards shows.

    Mrs. Jackson said MJ liked rats. One time they went to Beverly Hills to have dinner and he kept putting crumbs in his pocket to feed the rat. Michael didn't like dogs, one day of a dog bite and Michael had been afraid ever since. Despite that, Michael got a chocolate Labrador for the children, named Kenya. They had a turkey, a parrot, ferrets, mice, cats. Michael was a very good artist, Mrs. Jackson said. He did a lot of art in school and some of his pictures have been sold. He'd write songs. Katherine said Michael didn't sit and watch TV.

    She said it's very hard for her to sit and watch them talking about Michael being lazy. "My son was not lazy," Mrs. Jackson said. "That is the biggest lie around." Jackson was a straight A student. He liked movies, a snippet of The Wiz was shown. Jurors were highly entertained at this point. Some smiled, some pursed their lips as if they were trying not to smile. Katherine said Michael and Quincy Jones got along very well, worked together on various projects: Thriller, Bad, Off the Wall.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 52 (Part 2)

    When Michael was 21 he wrote down what his goals were, he wrote notes to himself. She said he'd write where he wanted to be at certain time, how he wanted an album to sell. He was still living at home in Hayvenhurst. He wanted to be known as Michael Jackson, not little Michael or little Jackson,
    He used to practice all the time, Mrs. Jackson said. He had a room over the garage where he danced two hours straight without stopping. The sequined silver jacket Jackson was using in Billie Jean was Katherine's. He went into her closet, got it before the show, never gave it back.

    Jackson continued to live with Mrs. Jackson until her was 30. "When he became 18, he wanted to buy me a house," she testified. But by that time houses had gone up to millions of dollars, so he decided to rebuild the house. "The way you see Hayvenhurst is the way he rebuilt it," Mrs. Jackson said. He had a room upstairs he didn't want anyone to go in. He then got all the pictures and put them on the wall instead of wallpaper. He said 'here's your surprise,' she said. A video of the room was shown. "He gave this to me," Mrs. Jackson said. Even the ceiling has pictures. "Everything is covered."

    Michael Jackson liked music videos. They were like short movies, Thriller. He invited me down while doing movie "Ghost." Mrs. Jackson was sitting on the set, a white male man came to her and she told him she was there to see her son. He said 'mom, it's me!' Michael was involved in the Jehovah Witness for a while, did "filed service." He had to disguise himself, wore a fat suit.

    In 1988, Michael purchased Neverland. Jury shown video of it, the animals, roller coast, poem written by Michael, movie theater. "He finally got a candy store," Mrs. Jackson said. Mrs. Jackson said Michael made the ranch available to people. He opened it to disable children, would invite classes of children. In the movie theater, Katherine said they had special chair for sick children who couldn't seat in regular seats. It had a train station called Katherine. Katherine said the children loved Neverland.They were homeschooled. The kids would go to Chuck & Cheese and other kids would ask do you have animals? They would say elephant, giraffes, Mrs. Jackson recalled. One lady once told Grace 'don't they have great imaginations,' she said.

    Mrs. Jackson said Michael had been burned, badly burned, and was in a lot of pain. He had a balloon under the scalp. He took that money from Pepsi settlement and donated it to the children's burn center. He had back injury too, she said. He had vitiligo, a disease that turns the skin white. "He just wanted to get it over with" she explained. He didn't talk much about his insomnia, Mrs. Jackson said. He couldn't sleep at all at night when he was at home. She never saw Michael abuse drugs or medications, she knew he was taking pain medications.

    Many times she went to his room unannounced and I never saw him that way. She said she tried an intervention because she heard from the other kids but didn't think he was abusing drugs. The other children told her it would mean much more if she went. "When we got there, Michael was fine," Mrs. Jackson said. She went to Michael Jackson’s Las Vegas home and talked to him about drug abuse. Michael said "Mom, I'm okay, I'm okay." She said sometimes a mother is the last to know... and sometimes you are embarrassed.

    At the time of Mrs. Jackson’s 60th wedding anniversary (May 2009) Michael looked ok. Later, she saw he was thin, he was dressed in jacket and all, I didn't notice he was thin. She told the court she & Michael were very close, a mother wouldn't want a better son. She cried when she received a hand written note from her son, "Mother, My Guardian Angel". He gave his mother gifts all the time, he gave her everything, the necessities of life, gifts, cars, jewellery, mobile homes, cash. Michael never wrote checks. When she lost Michael she lost everything. He was the most loving, very, very humble. She told the court, "When a mother loses a child, that's the worse than can happen to a person." As she wiped away the tears Mrs. Jackson said she lost the best thing ever.

    Mrs. Jackson heard about the ‘This Is It tour’ through Grace Rwamba. Mrs. Jackson said Michael was joking when he said he didn't want to do the Moonwalk at age 50. "He used to think that 50 was really old." Mrs. Jackson said she didn't think her son could do 50 shows every other night as was planned. She called Randy Phillips and Dr. Tohme. Mrs. Jackson didn't know who Conrad Murray was until after Michael Jackson died, she didn't know he had died when she arrived at the hospital. She had been out on field service and she said one of the fans said they brought someone out on a gurney completely covered up. "Later on I got a call to go to the hospital, I thought he was just sick," Mrs. Jackson said.

    Mrs. Jackson said she saw many people who worked with Michael at the hospital, like Frank DiLeo. Dr. Murray was pacing back and forth. Mrs. Jackson was told,’Michael had a reaction’. She asked how he was, did he make it and Frank DiLeo told her, ‘no’. Mrs. Jackson didn't see the children until later. "I was crying so hard," she said. "Paris was saying 'dad I want to be with you (crying), I can't live without you' that's what she kept saying." They were there hugging and saying 'Daddy, I love you!'
    "I went down to the morgue, never wanted to see Michael like that," Mrs. Jackson testified, crying.
    When they left, Paris said 'grandma, where are we going?' Mrs. Jackson told her 'you are going home with grandma.'

    Mrs. Jackson told the court the two boys are fine adjusting to being without their father. Paris is having the hardest time, she had 5 big pictures of Michael in her room and Mrs. Jackson said she wondered how she could do that, she saw them and felt so sad. Paris' whole room is a collage of pictures just like Michael had, Mrs. Jackson said. Mrs. Jackson said Paris was looking for a special heart. She found a broken heart, hung one part on Michael's neck and she put on the other. Prince is affected by not spending time with his father, Mrs. Jackson said.

    Paris took Micheal's pajama top, didn't want anyone to wash it, she sat it on her bed. On the affect on Paris Mrs. Jackson said, "Oh My God! She wanted to go where daddy was." Blanket doesn't want to cut his hair, his father loved his hair, so he doesn't want to cut it. "Michael was one of the best fathers," Mrs. Jackson said. "You'd be surprised what a good father he was." Mrs. Jackson said Michael's writing changed, he was more loving and meaningful, he wrote from his heart more. "Words could not describe the love for his children," Mrs. Jackson described. She said words can’t explain how she misses her son.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 52 (Part 3)

    AEG's Marvin Putnam began his cross examination of Katherine Jackson. She had seen all the exhibits that were going to been shown in court today. It was her who initiated the lawsuit against AEG Live? She doesn't remember when it was filed, brought it on her behalf and the children. She never talked to Michael's children about it, discussed with her children after, but not with Joe.

    Putnam asked her that despite being a very private person she brought on this lawsuit and has lived a very public life for the past 40 years. "My family is famous, I was always on the background," Mrs. Jackson explained. She gave interviews to Dateline, 20/20, Oprah (after her son died). "My life is as private as much as I can keep it private," she said. She said she was nervous being in front of people she doesn't know. "I wanted to find out, I think I owe it to my son to find out what really happened to him," Mrs. Jackson said. "I heard stories and I heard from my grandson he was being pressured, that he was asking for his father, that Joe would know what to do."

    Mrs. Jackson testified her son was sick and Kenny Ortega said nobody gave him a cup of tea. Nobody said call the doctor, let's see what's wrong with him, it was hard for her to be sitting in the courtroom and listening people call her son a freak, saying he is lazy. "This week I had to listen how broke his was, he didn't take a dime home," Mrs. Jackson said. "Why he didn't take a dime home? Because he was giving it to charity." She said it hurt to sit in court and hear how sick her son was and no one was trying to help him. But, she agreed the witnesses were called were by her attorney.

    Speaking of Dr. Murray, Mrs. Jackson said, "My son needed another doctor, a real doctor." The doctor was for Jackson’s children but she didn't know who he was. Later she heard it was Dr. Murray. Putnam put to Mrs. Jackson her son didn’t like to rehearse in prior tours, hence the description of him being lazy. In response Mrs. Jackson said her son was not lazy, he was sick, he couldn't rehearse. That Michael didn't have to rehearse a lot, he knew the moves, he helped create them. "I want the truth on what happened," Katherine testified.

    Asked what what were the untrue and bad things said in the trial Mrs. Jackson said, 'they called him freak, having a chance to meet the freak.' Putnam asked if this was sent by someone who is not a party to this lawsuit, sent to AEG Live. Mrs. Jackson said she didn’t remember who sent it, it is hard to sit and listen to it. He's not a freak. "My son is dead, so anything about him said that is bad, it hurts," Mrs. Jackson explained. Mrs. Jackson agreed it was very hard hearing all the bad things said about your son for the past 40 years.

    Asked why her attorneys didn't deny the fact that her son had problems with drugs, Mrs. Jackson replied, "My son was on prescription drugs, that doesn't make it true about other drugs they said he was on." Putnam asked if she sued Kenny Ortega as well. She said she doesn't' remember, there was a list of people in the suit. The attorneys stipulated that Mrs. Jackson dropped the lawsuit against Kenny Ortega.

    Mrs. Jackson confirmed she hadn't spoken with her grandchildren or children before filing the suit. She could not remember if it was filed before or after the criminal trial of Dr. Murray, she was at the criminal trial almost every day. When asked whether if it is it fair to say the criminal trial didn't play in this lawsuit her attorney objected on attorney/client privilege grounds. Putnam for AEG then asked if there was anything she thought about other than the discussion with your attorneys that she considered in deciding to bring the lawsuit, Mrs. Jackson said she doesn’t remember. Putnam asked if she provided any documents to her attorneys to give to them (defendants/AEG), her attorney objected on the grounds of attorney/client privilege.

    At this point, Mrs. Jackson spoke quietly to the judge and judge decided to end the day short, since she was too tired to continue.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 53 - Katherine Jackson ends her evidence, although she wants to know the truth she hadn't read through thousands of pages of depositions or asked her grandchildren about some issues. A tearful Mrs. Jackson told the court, AEG watched her son waste away, they should have reached out to his family. Associated Press report.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Katherine Jackson does not believe her Michael Jackson had any responsibility for his own death.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Combative Katherine Jackson Clashes With AEG Attorney and astonishingly testifies...
    ...Katherine Jackson told jurors she was unaware that Michael Jackson’s Dangerous tour in 1993 had been cut short and that Elizabeth Taylor had flown to Mexico City to take the Thriller singer to a rehab program in London.

    When asked what Katherine knew about Taylor’s bid to get her son into rehab, she replied she had heard about it, but “wasn’t curious about it.”

    Sounds like Michael wasn't the only one in denial.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 53 – Jackson vs AEG Live, extracted from tweets by ABC7 Court News.
    Marvin S. Putnam attorney for AEG continued his cross examination of Katherine Jackson mother of Michael Jackson. Putnam explained to Mrs. Jackson the discovery process were both sides have to exchange documents related to the case. The family left the house in Gary Indiana 44 years ago and moved to the Hayvenhurst house. Mrs. Jackson now now lives in a gated community in Calabasas, the Hayvenhurst house is undergoing renovation.

    Michael Jackson would give his mother money in cash, she would not write down the amounts. Mrs. Jackson has had a secretary for 15-20 called Janice Smith who has an office in Encino, CA. The money Mrs. Jackson received from Michael was gift she didn’t report or keep a record anywhere. She explained her son took care of her, food, shelter, clothes, she didn’t think she needed to keep a record of the money her son gave her. She could not recall if she had a bank account when she filed the suit in 2010.

    Mrs. Jackson said her son made a lot of money and had people working for him. When he passed away she heard from people saying her son was having financial difficulties but they have been saying it for 15 years. Mrs. Jackson said. "People were taking money from him also, stealing I should say." Mrs. Jackson testified she heard stories about it from different people, she also said Michael also told her that people being offered money under the table. She then asked, "What does this have to do with the death of my son?" Putnam for AEG continued his questions. Mrs. Jackson had heard for years Michael Jackson was broken and he wasn't. She never asked Michael about having money problems, because she didn't believe it.

    Asked about the damages Mrs. Jackson asked for in her lawsuit she responded that Putnam could ask her attorneys about it. She did not believe that her son is in any way responsible for his passing. Brian Panish for the family objected on grounds of speculation to Mrs. Jackson being asked if her son knew Dr. Murray was giving him Propofol. She did hear at the criminal trial her son asked Dr. Murray to give him Propofol. She had not heard that Micheal asked other doctors for Propofol. It came as a surprise to her. "Conrad Murray, even if he asked, he could've said no," Mrs. Jackson opined. She does not believe her son hired Dr. Murray, he had doctors for his children, she don't know if it was Dr Murray. She said her son paid Dr. Murray to treat his children.

    Asked if she heard testimony from Prince saying he would give Dr. Murray stacks of money in a rubber band. She responded, "He didn't say stacks, he measure with his fingers." Mrs. Jackson said she doesn't believe that Michael hired Dr. Murray because of what she's been listening to here in court. She said from hearing the emails, AEG said they had hired him and that Randy Phillips went on television saying they hired him. She thought her son had hired Dr. Murray, not knowing the facts.
    Asked how she remembers it when she said her memory wasn't very good. She responded she didn’t say she didn’t remember anything, she said aged 83, she would't remember everything. That it’s all been talked about in the trial and that she remembers emails and Randy Phillips' interview saying AEG hired Murray.

    Mrs. Jackson could not recall exactly what she said in the 2010 Dateline TV interview , she recalled just saying she thought her son hired Dr. Murray. She didn’t think her son could've prevented his own death or saying it. She had not heard about Dr. Murray prior to Michael's death. Her son did not discuss what treatments he was having with her. She did not know her son had a doctor spending the night at the house. Prior to the trial she did not speak to her grandchildren about the doctor spending the night at the house. She could not recall Prince testifying a doctor was spending the nights at the house.She did not remember Prince saying the doctor spent 6 nights a week at the house.
    Mrs. Jackson's agreed in her search for the truth and it would be important to know whether the doctor spent nights, but she explained she didn't talk to her grandchildren about that. Neither did she talk to her grandchildren about Dr. Murray treating Michael in a locked, upstairs bedroom. Asked if she believed Dr. Murray had some responsibility for your son's death, Mrs. Jackson responded, ‘Of course.’ She confirmed Murray had been convicted, asked if he was in jail she said, "I hope he is."

    Mrs. Jackson told the court she asked the District Attorney to drop the $100 million restitution against Dr. Murray, because she felt his children needed him to take care of them and he didn't have any money. She also said, she believes the DA may have dropped the $100 million restitution claim.
    She denied dropping the restitution claim so she could file the current lawsuit.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 53 (Part 2)

    Mrs. Jackson testified she never saw Michael Jackson in his lifetime under the influence of any drug. She would show up at the house unannounced and said she never saw her son "loopy". Asked if she ever spoke with her son on the phone when he was out of it, Mrs. Jackson replied, “No. Out of what?” A couple of her children told her they’ed heard Michael was under the influence of something. She had a conversation with Michael about it in Las Vegas.

    Mrs. Jackson attended Michael Jackson’s criminal trial in 2005 every day, his mother confirmed he left the country after the trial. When he came back he lived in Las Vegas never lived in Neverland again. Mrs. Jackson spoke with Michael about what she heard of him using prescription drugs, he denied it. "I was his mother, I imagined he'd deny it," Mrs. Jackson explained. "No child is going to admit it, if I heard something bad about them." Mrs. Jackson said she didn't know Michael was taking pain pills, she couldn't prove it, that's what she had heard. It didn't surprise her he lied, I'm the mother, he would not want his mother to worry about him.

    Asked if she knew her son was going to deny it, why did she ask him, Mrs. Jackson told the court “I'm not answering that question. Because to me it doesn't make sense. I didn't know he was going to deny it.” She continued, "It's because he didn't want me to worry, I just talked to him about it." She then had a go at AEG’s attorney saying she didn’t think it was that serious, referring to her ‘child’ she said he respected his mother he didn't want to hurt if it was bad. Putnam said he wasn’t a child but 50 years old, to which Mrs. Jackson retorted that Michael was still her child, and she is still his mother and he wanted to hold his respect for her. She accused the AEG attorney of trying to confuse her so that he could come back with something. She continued the attorney understood her answer and keeps asking the same question

    Mrs. Jackson said she believed her son took prescription drugs but she did not believe he was abusing them. She just asked him the question, as she wanted to make sure. She was part of an intervention at Neverland in 2002, Janet, Rebbie and Randy were probably there with an intervention specialist brought in by Janet. Mrs. Jackson doesn't believe Michael knew why they were there. Michael was mad they were there for an intervention because there was nothing wrong with him. There was no deep discussion, they got there and he was ok, he was upset, Mrs. Jackson explained that it was kind of embarrassing, because they didn't see anything.

    Mrs Jackson denied her son said, "I'm not on it, I'm not on anything?" Part Mrs. Jackson's deposition was played where she said she knew Michael was upset, by the way he talked, said "I'm not on it." She told the court she didn’t know if her son denied he was on influence of prescription drugs. She said she was upset with Putnam during the deposition. "I was just tired of you asking the same question 50 times in different ways." Reminded that in her deposition she said she didn't know whether to believe her son at all, Mrs. Jackson said, she knew he was on prescription drugs, but he was not abusing it. Asked if after the 2002 Neverland intervention if her mind changed about Michael abusing drugs, she said she didn't know one way or another.


    The court was shown a letter the family sent in September 2007 about Michael not being addicted to pain killers and alcohol and they were not trying to take Michael’s business as reported by such publications as People Magazine. She said they were all lies. Tito, Marlon, Jackie, Jermaine and Katherine signed the letter. Mrs. Jackson couldn’t remember Michael asking her to sign the letter, she doesn't' remember him being involved in the draft of the letter. She doesn't know who asked her to sign it. Mrs. Jackson was shown Randy Jackson’s deposition stating Michael asked her to sign the letter. She said it doesn't refresh her recollection about it.

    Mrs. Jackson testified she never heard before the ‘Dangerous’ tour had been cancelled because of Michael’s rehab, she had heard Elizabeth Taylor had something to do about drugs but she doesn’t watch television that much. She said her children probably didn't want her to know about it. She did not discuss the matter with Michael and had never heard hiss 1993 announcement he was going into rehab. When asked whether she shut her ears to bad things, Mrs Jackson said she didn't like hearing bad news.

    Marvin Putnam asked about Dr. Farschian in 2002 treating Michael's addiction to Demerol, Mrs. Jackson testified she could not recall Dr. Farshchian or any phone call with any doctor about Michael's addiction to Demerol. Katherine was shown the transcript of Dr. Farshchian's deposition she said it didn’t refresh her recollection. Asked if Dr. Farshchian testified he spoke with her because she wanted to know all the details of her son's Demerol use. Katherine said, "I don't remember who Dr. Farshchian is and I don't remember treating Michael for Demerol." Asked if she remembered testimony about Michael having an implant to treat Demerol, Mrs. Jackson said, “I don't know anything about that.” She doesn’t remember discussing the implant in 2002. Mrs. Jackson said she does not remember Michael showing her a Narcan patch. Putnam asked if Mrs Jackson knows there were a number of doctors who testified in this case. She said she didn't know, didn't see depositions.
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    Day 53 (Part 3)

    In the autumn of 2010 Katherine Jackson was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, the interview aired about a month after the lawsuit was filed. In Oprah's interview, Mrs. Jackson said it was a long time before she knew Michael was addicted to painkillers. She also said about the family's attempted intervention that the children told her to take Michael to rehab and kind of clean him up. Mrs. Jackson told Oprah she didn't want to hear Michael had overdosed, he kept saying he wasn't on it, and that his own mother didn't believe him. Mrs Jackson told the jury, “I kind of believe it and didn't believe it, hearing from my children, hearing from other people, I didn't know what to believe." Mrs. Jackson conceded she had denied this morning that her son was abusing drugs.

    Asked again if she thinks Michael was abusing painkillers, Mrs. Jackson said, she didn’t know, she didn't know what to believe. She went to Neverland because her children kept asking her and she was concerned. She agreed there a time she was concerned with Michael using painkillers. At no time during the criminal trial was Katherine concerned Michael was under the influence of something. She never discussed with her son's attorneys or managers about her concerns.

    Mrs. Jackson said she had many conversations with Frank DiLeo and they were all friendly. Mrs. Jackson wanted to know why people kept re-hiring people Michael had fired. She believed someone other than Michael hired DiLeo, she told the court, "Michael didn't want him back." Michael and DiLeo told her he was back for the ‘This Is It’ tour. As Dileo had only just come back she didn’t tell him she was concerned her son was abusing painkillers. She never told AEG Live or Randy Phillips about Michael having a drug problem.

    Mrs. Jackson testified she was receiving money from Michael and also from Janet Jackson. At first, it was not on a monthly basis, but it became that way, Mrs. Jackson explained. Janet sent her $10,000 a month. Mrs. Jackson said she was receiving that amount when Michael died. The money went to her assistant Janice at the office. Mrs. Jackson said she told Janet she didn't have to continue to send her money after Michael died.

    In re-direct, by Brian Panish her attorney Mrs Jackson said before his death Michael paid for everything, she relied on him for all necessities of life. During her deposition Marvin Putnam for AEG had asked Katherine if her husband beat her. She said Louis Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam, had nothing to with her son's death. She was upset during the deposition. Mrs Jackson said she doesn't know anything about computers, her highest level of education is high school.

    She went about the case by hiring Brian Panish’s firm because she wanted to find out what really happened to her son. She told the court Randy Phillips and Paul Gongaware never called or sent a card to her after Michael died. Mrs Jackson said Kenny Ortega went to see her. She did not know Michael was sleep-deprived for 60 days. She did not know Hougdahl wrote an email to AEG that Michael was deteriorating in front of his eyes, she learnt about his condition in court, AEG never told her Michael was deteriorating, paranoia, losing weight, rambling. Crying Mrs Jackson said, "They could've called me, he was asking for his father, he was scared, he was asking for Joseph."

    AEG never told Mrs. Jackson they called her son a freak or that it was creepy meeting her son. Crying
    Mrs. Jackson said, “They were there, without calling somebody. My husband and I would have been there in a second. They watched him waste away and waited, I know they did it." Mrs Jackson was shown a picture of Michael in June 2009, wiping away tears she said she’d never seen her son like that. The Issue of restitution was the state decision and she told them not to do it, the figure for restitution was set by the state.

    In re-cross, Putnam for AEG showed a clip from the Dateline interview where Mrs. Jackson said, "It could've been prevented, he hired a doctor to take care of him." Asked again if Mrs. Jackson talked to her grandchildren about Dr. Murray in search of the truth, she answered she could have but didn't want to bring that up with them. She didn’t ask the chef Kai Chase either. Mrs. Jackson told the court she spoke to the children’s nanny Sister Rose who told her Michael was very weak and they had to hold him up at the practice (rehearsal). Mrs. Jackson doesn't know why Sister Rose is called sister and Brother Michael is brother. Putnam asked if he said anything improper in the deposition regarding the Nation of Islam, Mrs. Jackson’s response was, ‘You were asking me questions about it.’

    Mrs. Jackson said she doesn’t know Paul Gongaware but that shouldn't have stopped him saying he was sorry what happened to her son. Mrs. Jackson wanted the memorial service at the Coliseum, AEG told her if it was at the Staples Center the family would not have to pay.

    In re-re-direct, by Brian Panish, Mrs Jackson said thousands and thousands of people sent her cards but Phillips & Gongaware still hadn't sent a card. She's a Jehovah's Witness and there's a difference between her religion and the Nation of Islam. Regarding the Dateline interview, Mrs. Jackson said she just assumed, she didn't know whether Michael had hired Dr. Murray. The jury was shown the video of Randy Phillips saying they hired him. Sister Rose discuss with Mrs Jackson AEG pressuring Michael. Katherine hire Kai Chase because the children knew her and wanted her back, not so she would testify in her favour.

    In re-re-cross, Marvin Putnam inquired Phillips said 'we hired him' and Mrs. Jackson said 'Michael' hired him. Mrs. Jackson said, “Like I said, I didn't know who hired him at that time.” Putnam said one of them was not right in their interview. Mrs. Jackson answered: "I'm not correct."

    In re-re-re-direct, Panish asked, “Who do you think it's in a better position to know who hired the doctor, you or the CEO of AEG?” Mrs Jackson replied, “The CEO of AEG”

    Mrs. Jackson was then excused.
  • i4ui4u Posts: 54,807
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    Day 53 (Part 4)

    Judge told jury we are now moving to defendants' case, even though plaintiffs have not yet rested their case in chief. Kenny Ortega is to resume his evidence and Grace Rwamba is due to be a witness for the defence.


    AEG called their first witness, John Meglen who is a concert promoter and works at AEG Live. He's the president and co-CEO of Concerts West with Paul Gongaware. Jessica Stebbins Bina did the direct examination for AEG.

    John Meglen described his extensive background in the business. He initially went to Veterinarian school and joked, "I feel like I work with animals some times." Meglen said he doesn't think being the number 1 company is necessarily a good thing. He explained it is the difference between quality and quantity. Concerts West first tour was Andrea Bocelli, they promoted first tour of Mariah Carey.

    Meglen had worked once with Michael Jackson prior to "This Is It". He was a consultant to a firm in Japan that promoted two Jackson shows around Christmas 1986. Marcel Avram was the promoter, Meglen watched both shows and they were great. They both sold half house, he said, which is half of the tickets available. Meglen said they hid the empty seats so it wouldn't show. Asked if Wikipedia was wrong in saying the shows were sold out, Meglen responded, "I don't use Wikipedia as source for my business."

    Meglen next met Jackson in 2007 with Peter Lopez, Jackson's attorney at the time at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas. The meeting was to let Jackson know what AEG was about, Paul Gongaware, Raymone Bain (Jackson's manager), Lopez and Jackson were present. Jackson recognized Gongaware and said, “Whenever I see Paul Gongaware I know everything is going to be all right." Jackson asked Gongaware about Brigitte, his girlfriend at the time. They wanted Jackson to choose them for a comeback tour. "He was very excited," Meglen said. "He was great, full of energy, seemed taller, firm handshake, he was there, he was very, very excited." Meglen said almost immediately Gongaware took the lead on the ‘This Is It’ project, since he had prior experience with Jackson.

    The Judge adjourned the case for the day.
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