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TMZ Articles / NEW CHILD MOLESTATION CLAIM By Wade Robson
« on: May 07, 2013, 06:43:22 PM »
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5/7/2013 3:52 PM PDT BY TMZ STAFF

Exclusive


Michael Jackson has been posthumously accused of molesting a now-famous choreographer who spent lots of time with the singer at the Neverland Ranch ... TMZ has learned.

TMZ has obtained legal docs ... filed by Wade Robson ... in which he's asking for money from the Michael Jackson Estate for childhood sexual abuse.

Robson -- now 30 years old -- has worked with top names in pop music including Britney Spears, *NSYNC, Usher and P!nk. He has also appeared on "So You Think You Can Dance."

Wade met Michael when he was 5 years old and they developed a friendship that lasted for years.  By the time Wade was 7, he went for sleepovers at Neverland and MJ's homes in L.A. and Vegas.  The sleepovers continued until Wade was 14.

Wade even performed to a Michael Jackson song on "Star Search" when he was 8 years old.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=1d33-HgdZbI[/youtube]

In 2005, Wade testified in MJ's molestation trial and DENIED Michael ever molested him.

Wade's lawyer filed legal docs May 1 asking the judge in the Michael Jackson Estate case to allow him to file a late creditor's claim against the Estate.  In the documents, Wade's lawyer says he submitted a never-before filed complaint "for childhood sexual abuse."

Wade's lawyer has filed the actual complaint under seal -- which means it's not available to the public.  Sources tell TMZ ... the complaint specifically outlines the alleged abuse at the hands of Michael Jackson.

Wade's lawyer also mentions a psychiatrist who treated Wade -- the doctor is a leader in the field of child psychology.

Interestingly ... in the 2005 molestation trial, Jackson's former housekeeper, Blanca Francia, testified she witnessed Jackson in the shower with Wade when the boy was 8 or 9 years old.

2
Latoya Jackson / Life with La Toya e03 (Pt.3) - Screensaver
« on: April 28, 2013, 05:48:58 PM »
I think this is an interesting coincidence.
Wondered if anyone noticed this, I found it through twitter:

Mockingbird ‏@TrueNewsZone 10h
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La Toya is being fixed up with an entertainment attorney who works with Sony.... at 2:45
The screensaver on the computer resembles BACK's image?

I haven't watched all of it yet Part 1 and 2
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3
Jurors set to get roadmap of Jackson civil trial

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LOS ANGELES (AP) — The most complete account of Michael Jackson's final months is about to unfold in a cramped Los Angeles courtroom nearly four years after the pop superstar's death.

Lawyers for Jackson's mother will attempt to convince a jury that the company promoting the pop superstar's 2009 comeback concerts is responsible for his untimely death. The attorneys will try to prove that AEG Live hired and controlled the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Jackson's demise.

AEG Live denies any wrongdoing and contests that they hired the physician who for months was giving Jackson doses of a powerful anesthetic in the singer's bedroom to help him sleep.

Opening statements on Monday will provide a roadmap for a case that will delve into Jackson's addiction struggles and issues previously unexplored in court. Many of those in the singer's orbit — family, famous friends, doctors and his teenage children — may testify during the months-long trial.

Some of the stars listed on the witness list include Quincy Jones, Diana Ross, Lou Ferrigno and Spike Lee. Both of Jackson's ex-wives, Lisa Marie Presley and Debbie Rowe, are also listed as potential witnesses.

Katherine Jackson sued in September 2010, claiming AEG failed to properly investigate her son's doctor, Conrad Murray. All but one of her claims has been dismissed, but millions and possibly billions of dollars are at stake. The trial pits the family of a global superstar against AEG Live, a private company that as part of the Anschutz Entertainment Group has helped spark the revitalization of downtown Los Angeles with its venue, the Staples Center.

Unlike the 2011 trial that ended with Murray's conviction, the civil trial will explore the troubled finances of both men — a situation that Katherine Jackson's attorneys say created a conflict of interest for Murray that AEG should have been aware of.

The Houston-based cardiologist was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's personal doctor for a series of 50 concerts in London dubbed "This Is It." The doctor had liens and owed back child support when he began working with Jackson, expecting a $150,000 a month salary. Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication before the contract was fully signed.

The trial is expected to include detailed testimony about other doctors' treatment of Jackson, a subject that was largely off-limits in the criminal case. Unlike Murray's trial, which was broadcast live, the civil case will play out without cameras in a courtroom with only 45 public seats.

AEG denies they hired Murray, and have contended he should be considered an independent contractor, a designation many hospitals deem surgeons and other physicians.

Katherine Jackson's attorneys, Brian Panish and Kevin Boyle, have repeatedly cited emails sent by top AEG executives referencing Murray's pay and his obligations to get Jackson to perform.

Marvin S. Putnam, an attorney for AEG who was not available to comment, has said the company could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Murray's administration of propofol to Jackson as a sleep aide.

AEG has said in court filings that Jackson's family is seeking $40 billion in damages, but Panish denies that's the figure he's seeking.

"We've never asked for $40 billion," he said. "The jury is going to decide what the loss is."

The high figure, Panish said, is the company's attempt to "prejudice everybody against the Jacksons." He says the case isn't about money.

"It's about getting the truth," he said. "We'd like to get out all the evidence. The evidence is going to speak for itself that AEG had a lot of involvement and they completely deny responsibility."


Jackson's three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket are also listed as plaintiffs on the case.

Asked whether he and the Jacksons are concerned about the image of the "Thriller" singer that will emerge in court, Panish said the trial will show a different side of the superstar. "Mrs. Jackson and her grandchildren suffered a tremendous loss and AEG has never recognized that and continues to deny responsibility," he said. "The other side of the story hasn't been told."


A jury of six men and six women has been selected to decide the case.

Monday's remarks by Panish and Putnam will provide the jurors' their first true insight into the evidence they will likely hear, and once again pull back the veil of Michael Jackson's private life.

4
AEG Live to put Michael Jackson on trial in his own death. You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login

Video.
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He was convicted of causing the death of pop star Michael Jackson. Now, Dr. Conrad Murray tells his side in his first TV interview from jail.
Watch the "AC360º" exclusive Tuesday at 8 p.m. ET on CNN.


Los Angeles (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's last concert promoter will defend itself in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the pop icon's family by arguing that Jackson was responsible for his own demise.
Child molestation accusations against Jackson, for which he was acquitted after a trial, and evidence of his drug addiction will likely be presented by AEG Live's lawyers as they argue that the company had no liability in his death.
The Jackson v. AEG Live trial, which could last two or three months, begins in a Los Angeles courtroom Tuesday.
Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009.
"I don't know how you can't look to Mr. Jackson's responsibility there," AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam said. "He was a grown man." Putnam was interviewed for "Michael Jackson: The Final Days," a CNN documentary that will premiere at 10 p.m. Friday.

 Michael Jackson's family suing promoter
"Mr. Jackson is a person who was known to doctor shop," Putnam said. "He was known to be someone who would tell one doctor one thing and another doctor something else."
The child molestation trial is relevant because it "resulted in an incredible increase in his drug intake," Putnam said.
Jackson's eccentricities are fair game, AEG Live says
"We're talking about Michael Jackson," Putnam said. "This is a man who would show up in pajamas. This is a man who would stop traffic and get out and dance on top of his car. This is a man who would go to public events with a monkey named Bubbles. This is a man who said he slept in an oxygen chamber."
Lawyers for Jackson's mother, Katherine, and children, Prince, Paris and Blanket, argue that AEG Live is liable because the company hired and supervised Dr. Conrad Murray, who used a surgical anesthetic in a fatal effort to treat the singer's insomnia as he prepared for the comeback concerts. Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is serving a prison sentence.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos ruled in February that Jackson lawyers have shown enough evidence to warrant a jury trial on the negligent hiring case. She also ruled there was evidence to support the Jacksons' claim that AEG Live executives could have foreseen that Murray would use dangerous drugs in treating the singer.
The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died in 2009. If AEG Live is found liable, it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential. AEG Live is a subsidiary of AEG, a global entertainment company that was up for sale recently with an $8 billion asking price.
The judge will hear arguments for television cameras in the Los Angeles courtroom just before jury selection starts Tuesday morning. While the Jackson lawyers are expected to support CNN's request to televise the trial, AEG lawyers say they are worried it could create a fan "frenzy" outside the courthouse.

Prince and Paris Jackson to testify about dad's last days
The wrongful death trial, which could last several months, is expected to include testimony from Jackson's mother and his two oldest children, Prince and Paris.
Putnam questioned why their lawyers would call them to testify, suggesting it was "for the emotional response."
"I can't understand why bringing them to the stand has anything to do with whether or not Dr. Conrad Murray was hired by AEG or hired negligently. But perhaps they're bringing them to the stand for different reasons."
Paris Jackson questioned about dad's death in lawsuit
He bristled at the allegation, made by the Jackson lawyers in a court filing last month, that he was "behaving aggressively and erratically" in his questioning of Prince Jackson.
"We went out of our way to ensure we did precisely not that," Putnam said. "They may want to try to make the world believe that AEG Live is doing something inappropriate as to these children, but I'd ask the world to pause for a moment and look at what's actually happening here. They're the ones who are bringing this lawsuit and they're the ones who are saying they're going to put these children on the stand, something that I'm relatively certain their father would never, ever want to occur."
Jackson lawyers, he said, "are trying to sensationalize things that never happened" with their allegations about the way Prince was treated, he said. "I think in that scenario they're going to try to whip things up into a frenzy in the hopes that justice will not be served."
The only way AEG Live can lose the case, he said, "would be on an emotional basis outside of the facts."
Murray worked for Michael Jackson, not AEG, lawyer says
The key to AEG Live's defense is its contention that Murray was never an AEG employee but rather was chosen and paid by Michael Jackson for nearly four years until Jackson died.
While Murray has indicated he would invoke his Fifth Amendment right to avoid answering questions, Putnam pointed to the interview the doctor gave to police two days after Jackson's June 25, 2009, death. Murray told detectives it was his understanding that he was Jackson's employee, not AEG Live's, even though the concert promoter would be the party cutting his paychecks.
Conrad Murray says he won't testify in Jackson trial
"He was chosen by Michael Jackson," Putnam said. "He was brought to Los Angeles by Michael Jackson. He had been Michael Jackson's long-time physician and continued in that capacity and was directed by him and could only be fired at will by him."
AEG Live became involved with Murray only after Jackson had persuaded him to join his "tour party" for the "This Is It" concerts, Putnam said. "Then what happens is AEG starts to go back and forth with him and his attorney, Dr. Conrad Murray, with drafts of contracts."
Although Murray began treating Jackson six days a week in May, it was only the night before Jackson's death that Murray signed a contract. AEG executives and Jackson never signed it, Putnam said. The Jackson lawyers will argue the signed contract was not necessary to establish employment.
The unsigned contract and the oral understanding with Murray called for the doctor to be paid $150,000 a month while he served as Jackson's personal physician while he performed 50 shows at London's O2 Arena in the second half of 2009 and into 2010.

AEG's role was like MasterCard, lawyer says

AEG Live's role with Murray was only to "forward" money owed to him by Jackson, just as a patient would use their "MasterCard," Putnam said. "If you go to your doctor and you pay with a credit card, obviously MasterCard in that instance, depending on your credit card, is providing the money to that doctor for services until you pay it back. Now, are you telling them MasterCard in some measure in that instance, did MasterCard hire the doctor or did you? Well, clearly you did. I think the analogy works in this instance."
In fact, Putnam said, he learned during the discovery process that Michael Jackson was paying Murray during the last two months of his life. "He was paying for him during his entire time in Los Angeles and during the time we're talking about, Dr. Conrad Murray was being paid by Michael Jackson," he said. "We know this. We know this because the plaintiffs have said so."
The revelation that Jackson paid Murray during that period has not been reported. Jackson lawyers declined to comment, citing ethical limitations to their ability to talk to the media about the case.
E-mails reveal AEG's involvement, Jacksons say
A cornerstone of the Jacksons' case is an e-mail AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's death. The e-mail to show director Kenny Ortega addressed concerns that Murray had kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before: "We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him."
Jackson lawyers argue the e-mail is evidence that AEG Live used Murray's fear of losing his lucrative job as Jackson's personal physician to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health.
The AEG Live lawyers say the Jackson lawyers have "taken it completely out of context." Gongaware and the others were only concerned with making sure Murray had all the help he needed, such as perhaps a physical therapist or a nutritionist for his patient, Putnam said.

Alleged 'smoking gun' e-mail revealed

"Not only was there no such pressure, there couldn't be in a professional relationship," Putnam said in his CNN interview. "To say that that was the case would say that a doctor in some measure was not abiding by his Hippocratic Oath. If there's a professional who's providing a service for you, others outside of that professional relationship may go to that person, as you might any doctor and say, 'Are you doing all the things necessary for Mr. Jackson?' That doesn't apply pressure or control."
Ortega, who had worked closely with Jackson on previous tours, sounded a loud warning about his health after Jackson showed up for a rehearsal shivering just over a week before his death. He wrote in an e-mail to AEG Live President Randy Phillips: "It is like there are two people there. One (deep inside) trying to hold on to what he was and still can be and not wanting us to quit him, the other in this weakened and troubled state. I believe we need professional guidance in this matter."
In the e-mail, which was disclosed during Ortega's testimony at Murray's criminal trial, the show director also said he was worried about "real emotional stuff" Jackson appeared to be dealing with. "Everything in me says he should be psychologically evaluated," he wrote. Ortega said Jackson had "strong signs of paranoia, anxiety and obsessive-like behavior" and suggested they hire a "top psychiatrist in to evaluate him ASAP."
AEG Live worried about the flu, not drugs, lawyer says
The Ortega e-mail was not sounding an alarm about Jackson's health but just telling Phillips that Jackson was suffering "flu-like symptoms," Putnam said.
"Mr. Jackson was not in a position to get up on the stage and do the rehearsal because he had flu-like symptoms," Putnam said. "He was cold, he was shaky and as a result he didn't perform that evening."
"People were worried about that flu," so AEG Live executives called a meeting with Jackson and Murray the next day at Jackson's home to discuss it, he said.
"So Mr. Phillips went to that meeting at Mr. Jackson's home, that would be on the 20th of June, that's five days before Mr. Jackson passed," Putnam said. "And they got there, and Mr. Jackson was emphatic about the idea that he was great. 'You guys are all worrying about nothing. Look at me. I am fine.'"
Phillips sent Ortega a glowing endorsement of Murray: "This doctor is extremely successful (we check everyone out) and does not need this gig so he is totally unbiased and ethical."
The flu scare was one of only "a couple of occasions" that AEG Live's president had to be concerned about Jackson's health, Putnam said.
Other than "little instances like that," there "was nothing that ultimately gave rise any time before Mr. Jackson's death that there was any problem with Mr. Jackson," he said.
AEG Live would not have rushed Jackson, lawyer says
If there had been a health problem with Jackson, AEG Live would have had no problem postponing the start of the tour, he said.
"AEG Live had already moved the concerts because they weren't going to be ready in time for early July because of the number of set pieces Mr. Jackson wanted," he said. "There would be no rush for AEG Live to have to get to the stage by, I think at that point, by July 13th. If there was a problem here AEG wanted to know there was a problem because they could simply move the concerts."
The 50 shows were to be spread out over a year in the O2 Arena, which AEG owned and controlled, he said. "AEG had no interest in rushing to get to July 13th. On the contrary, if there was an issue they would have wanted to know."
What did Randy Phillips know?
An earlier e-mail leaked to the Los Angeles Times last year suggests that AEG Live's president saw Jackson's problems first-hand the day the pop star was to appear at the O2 Arena to publicly announce the shows. "MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent," Phillips wrote in a March 5, 2009, e-mail to AEG Live's parent company, the paper reported. "I (am) trying to sober him up."
"I screamed at him so loud the walls are shaking," Phillips wrote. "He is an emotionally paralyzed mess riddled with self-loathing and doubt now that it is show time."
Despite this, Putnam insisted that Phillips was "incredibly impressed" and "saw a really engaged, interested, very smart, and savvy Michael Jackson."

Michael Jackson's assistant accuses promoter

The AEG Live chief had only "certain limited encounters" with Jackson in the months leading up to the scheduled shows, but he did get glowing reports, Putnam said. "Mr. Phillips kept hearing from various people in the tour party from rehearsals, and practices and meetings with various promoters, meetings with people who were going to do clothes, makeup, things of that nature," he said. "It was the same, that Mr. Jackson was incredibly engaged, was incredibly interested and seemed great."
AEG Live executives also had "no indication at any point that there was a problem with Conrad Murray," Putnam said. "He was licensed in four states. He had never been reprimanded. There were no indicators or warning signs of a problem. "
"Mr. Phillips had met him once, and he seemed quite happy that this was a fine, outstanding doctor in all appearances and he liked that fact," Putnam said. "And he liked that fact that he didn't appear to be a sycophant."
Trial judge thinks Jackson may have a case
Palazuelos, in her ruling rejecting an AEG Live's request to have the case thrown out, said she agreed that the Jackson lawyers had provided evidence that AEG Live didn't do "a sufficient background check of Dr. Murray, which would have established that Murray was deeply in debt."
Jackson's previous relationship with Murray, who treated him and his children for minor illnesses in Las Vegas, did not relieve AEG Live of liability, "although the fact may be relevant in determining proportional liability and damages," she said.
While the AEG Live lawyers argued the company could not have foreseen that Murray might use dangerous drugs on Jackson in preparation for the tour, Palazuelos said there was evidence that Gongaware had "previous tour experiences" with Jackson in which "tour doctors" gave "large amounts of drugs/controlled substances to him."
Gongaware testified in Murray's trial that he worked as tour manager for Jackson's "Dangerous" and "History" tours before joining AEG Live. The judge cited "Gongaware's general knowledge of the ethical issues surrounding 'tour doctors' and the practice of administering drugs to performing artists."
"There is a triable issue of fact as to whether it was foreseeable that such a physician under strong financial pressure may compromise his Hippocratic Oath and do what was known by AEG Live's executives to be an unfortunate practice in the entertainment industry for financial gain," the judge wrote.


5
Michael Jackson News / Judge sets rules for suit over Jackson doctor
« on: March 21, 2013, 04:50:35 PM »
Judge sets rules for suit over Jackson doctor
By LINDA DEUTSCH | Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles judge has set the stage for trial of a civil suit by Michael Jackson's mother against concert giant AEG Live.

Katherine Jackson claims the company negligently hired the doctor later convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death.

The judge's rulings Thursday anticipate a three-month trial that will revisit events preceding the singer's death from an anesthetic overdose in 2009.

The judge will allow AEG to raise the issue of child molestation charges against Michael Jackson although lawyers for his mother claim it's irrelevant because he was acquitted.

Katherine Jackson and the singer's children Paris and Prince could be witnesses.

Katherine Jackson's lawyers objected to the appearance of Dr. Conrad Murray as a witness, but the judge said he could testify without the jury present.

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6
La Toya Jackson Hits Back At 'Gold-Digging Diva' Reports  

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La Toya Jackson is firing back at The New York Post, calling a recent article on her relationship with Michael Jackson's three children “false” and “derogatory.”

On Sunday, the publication reported that the 56-year-old had quietly begun to profit on the showbiz ambitions of the late singer’s children, signing them as the only clients of her Ja-Tail Enterprises talent agency and collecting a 15% commission on Paris Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson’s respective deals.

While Paris recently inked a movie deal that will have her shooting in London this year, Prince Michael has been named a correspondent on Entertainment Tonight and will make his acting debut on The CW’s recently canceled "90210."

Prince Michael Jackson Now Works for 'Entertainment Tonight'

The article referred to La Toya as a “gold-digging diva” and claimed that she “pounced” while the rest of the family was engaged in a bizarre feud last summer.

It also was reported that La Toya is in the process of shopping a Jackson family reality series and that Oprah Winfrey’s OWN was thought to be the front-runner in a $10 million bidding war.

Below is La Toya’s response in full, submitted to The Hollywood Reporter by publicist Juliette Harris:

“The story in The NY Post is completely and unequivocally false. Neither La Toya nor her company represent any of MJ’s children in any legal capacity nor has she received any commissions or payment as a result of their individual ventures. As a loving Aunt, when the children ask for help or advice she supports them 100%, and will continue to do so.

Furthermore, there is no shopping of a reality show for the children. Paris did her movie deal over a year ago directly with the production company and La Toya had nothing to do with it. Over the past year, Prince has continuously asked his Aunt for her help in starting his career because of the infrastructure she has.  When she asked her nephew what he wanted for his birthday he replied, "He just wanted to work," It was at the time that she diligently started to assist him with his career and that's when Entertainment Tonight was booked and then 90210.

La Toya is currently consulting with her attorneys on how to proceed against these false and derogatory statements made by The NY Post and other participating publications.”

7
Michael Jackson News / Michael Jackson’s Probate Reveals Secrets
« on: February 21, 2013, 05:34:10 PM »
Michael Jackson’s Probate Reveals Secrets and an Estate of $600M, but His Children Haven’t Received a Penny, Says UltraTrust.com

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Mr. Jackson’s poor estate planning has put his family through years of high-cost litigation and caused $200M in estimated estate taxes. But UltraTrust.com has this financial advice for 2013.

Boston, MA (PRWEB) February 21, 2013
More than three years after the death of Michael Jackson, the trust fund for his children, Prince, Paris, and Blanket, ages 15, 14, and 10, has to yet be dispersed. His estate is $600 million and Estate Street Partners (ESP) has this advice in Feb 2013 for others to avoid a Jackson-like disaster. Rocco Beatrice, Managing Director of ESP, founders of the UltraTrust irrevocable trust, explains that “because of poor estate planning Michael’s family will have to still wait years until his probate, estate taxes, creditors’ claims, and other legal battles are finalized.”

Mr. Beatrice studied in detail Jackson’s estate plan and graded it a “D Minor”. According to the NY Daily News, Mr. Jackson crafted a “pour-over” will and revocable trusts for each of his children and Katherine, his mother and the guardian of his children.

“A will is only good for stating who the guardian of the children will be. Other than that, it’s a poor way to pass on assets, especially significant ones like Mr. Jackson had,” clarifies Mr. Beatrice.

The “pour-over” designation basically describes the will as one that pours over the assets into one or more trusts after death.

Since Michael Jackson’s death, the estate lawyers have decided hundreds of motions, matters, and claims. “When a person dies with even assets of $500,000, everybody wants a piece of the pie. The government wants the taxes, the creditors want their money, the lawyers, appraisers, and accounts involved with the probate want their fees, and lastly, the family gets their share,” explains Mr. Beatrice. “The reason Mr. Jackson’s assets have been tied up in probate court for so long is because there are many issues to sort out. Every single creditor has an opportunity to make and negotiate a claim, property has to be sold and/or maintained, and challenges have to be heard.”

For the Jackson estate, the assets still have not poured into any fund. The children are receiving almost a seven-figure allowance - annually. This includes the mansion, private schooling at the famous Buckley School near Beverly Hills with a yearly $29,000 tuition and vacations. These expenses amount to $70,000 per month according to the NY Daily News.

Family members are wondering where all the money is going. According to the NY Daily News (see sources), they are worried that people are stealing money.

“If Mr. Jackson utilized irrevocable trusts like Steve Jobs, the family could be using their share right now. No waiting, no estate taxes, no public scrutiny, no courts, and asset protection,” states Mr. Beatrice.

The Supreme Court ruled in Estate of Sanford v. Commissioner, 308 U.S. 39 (1939), that a transfer to a revocable trust is not a completed gift. This means that everything is subject to probate and estate tax.

ESP estimates the estate will be taxed about $200 million. “In a good estate plan, one can mitigate the estate tax altogether. The Jackson lawyers were likely more worried about their own paychecks than doing the right thing by Mr. Jackson. Tying up the Jackson estate in probate court is very profitable for Mr. Jackson’s attorneys and could have easily been avoided by using the Ultra Trust,” posits Mr. Beatrice.

An irrevocable trust, like the UltraTrust, should not be confused with a revocable trust. The revocable trust allows the grantor of the trust to change anything at will, resulting in an unprotected estate.

“Even when someone asks for an estate plan and has 1/100th of Mr. Jackson’s assets, I highly recommend an irrevocable trust.” It is a “completed gift”; therefore, the assets in the irrevocable trust are outside of the person’s estate and not subject to the estate tax.

If a person files a lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s estate, the assets in the irrevocable trusts are outside of his estate and not available to creditors or lawsuit winners. Revocable trusts don’t afford this same asset protection

Irrevocable trusts have stood up against the I.R.S. [Dean v. United States], bankruptcy court [IN RE: Jane McLean BROWN], divorce [Cooley v. Cooley] and many different types of creditors (see sources).

“These irrevocable trusts provide asset protection from future lawsuits and only pay out via incentives and age milestones (21, 30, 35, and 40 years old) as well as protect the money from themselves. Nobody believes a 15 year old should have access to 60 million dollars, so the trust with an independent trustee and trust protector protects and provides throughout their lives,” explains Mr. Beatrice.

Michael Jackson came very close to failing his family at death. “I’m glad Mr. Jackson could afford to make a donation to the government, but most people don’t want to throw away 35% to estate taxes (55% in 2013). They want to keep it in their family.” explains Mr. Beatrice.

8
Michael Jackson News / Michael Jackson’s Mom’s Gets Court Favor
« on: February 07, 2013, 12:06:01 PM »
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Michael Jackson’s Mom’s Gets Court Favor

Posted Wednesday, February 06, 2013-4:07 pm

LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Attorneys representing Michael Jackson’s mother in her lawsuit against the promoters of the concert tour he was preparing for at the time of his 2009 death have obtained a court order directing the coroner’s office to provide copies of slides and X-rays regarding the late singer.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos issued the order Tuesday during an unscheduled hearing, finding that there was good cause to grant the request.     Katherine Jackson, 82, and her late son’s three children allege AEG Live negligently hired Dr. Conrad Murray to care for him. The singer was set to perform 50 shows in London for AEG Live, but died on June 25, 2009, of acute propofol intoxication in Los Angeles while rehearsing for the concert series.

The negligence suit was filed in September 2010 by Katherine Jackson on behalf of herself and grandchildren Michael Jr., Paris-Michael Katherine and Prince Michael.

The Jackson family matriarch’s attorney, Kevin Boyle, stated in his court papers that the items obtained will be helpful in preparing for trial in his clients’ case against AEG Live.

“These materials are undoubtedly relevant to this wrongful death case,” Boyle wrote. “The X-rays and slides will assist counsel and retained experts in presenting trial testimony and performing analyses relating to liability and causation.”

The analyses are necessary because AEG Live disagrees that negligence by Murray, Jackson’s personal physician, caused the pop star’s death and refuses to acknowledge that that the singer himself had no fault for bringing about his own death, according to Boyle’s court papers.

“Accordingly, these X-rays and slides may be used by (plaintiffs’) attorneys and shown to expert witnesses in their preparation of this case,” Boyle wrote.

Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death and was sentenced in November 2011 to four years in the Los Angeles County men’s jail.

9
Michael Jackson News / MJ secretly wrote tell-all book before death
« on: January 27, 2013, 12:45:47 PM »
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London, Jan 27 (ANI): Michael Jackson secretly began writing an autobiography about his lowest moments in the last years of his life, it has been revealed.

The pop legend, who died in 2009, wrote 600 pages of notes about his struggles during the late Eighties through to 2007, the Daily Express reported.

He also accumulated sketches and documents in an attempt to correct how history was written about him.

During those two decades, Jackson was rarely out of the headlines, not least for paying off Jordie Chandler 12 million dollars amid child-sex allegations. His admission that he shared his bed with children led Jackson to be accused but acquitted in 2005 of molesting Gavin Arvizo.

Anguished then Jackson flew to the Middle East where he began writing the manuscripts, where a former business contact has locked them away.

The wealthy associate is in two minds over releasing the book, which is not complete and would need to be fleshed out to make a full autobiography.

Jackson wrote one biography, 'Moonwalk,' which had to be heavily edited because of attacks on family members.

A source from Los Angeles said that the manuscript covers a raft of Jackson's adventures and business dealings.

He makes it clear that he is the father of Prince and Paris, the source said.

"Michael wrote the book because he never got a chance to tell his story and at some stage needed to express his feelings on everything," the source added.

The book addresses the child molestation at Neverland, insisting how he felt sickened that he was accused of doing that, the source said. (ANI)


10
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Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray seeks bail while waiting on appeal
By Alan Duke, CNN
updated 9:16 PM EST, Wed December 19, 2012

Los Angeles (CNN) -- The doctor convicted of causing Michael Jackson's death asked an appeals court this week to let him out of jail while the judges decide whether they will overturn his conviction.

The judge who presided over Conrad Murray's trial last year denied bail in a February hearing, saying his lawyers had not proven he was not a risk to flee the state or harm someone else with his questionable medical practices.

Jackson died of an overdose of a surgical anesthetic and sedatives in his home while under Dr. Murray's care on June 25, 2009.

Los Angeles County District Judge Michael Pastor, who sentenced Murray to four years in prison for the involuntary manslaughter conviction, "unjustifiably erred" by denying Murray's request to remain free during his appeal," Murray lawyer Valerie Wass said in a motion filed this week with California's Second District Court of Appeals.

Read more: Judge rejects e-mail ban in Michael Jackson death lawsuit

"Appellant respectfully requests that this court order his release on his own recognizance pending appeal, or alternatively, that it order his release on reasonable bail," Wass wrote.
Photos: Michael Jackson, King of Pop Photos: Michael Jackson, King of Pop
'Thriller' jacket helping Jackson tigers
Conrad Murray invites MJ's mom to jail
Inmates pay tribute to Jackson

Murray, who has been in a Los Angeles County jail since a jury found him guilty in November 2011, is eligible for parole after serving two years. Murray is set to be freed October 28, 2013 unless he is let out early on bail or because of jail overcrowding.

Pastor said he doubted Murray would stick around for the appeal decision because he has "resources" to flee and "significant ties elsewhere," including to Grenada, where he was born, and Trinidad, where he was raised.

But Murray is a naturalized U.S. citizen with children in the United States, including a 3-year-old son in California, Wass argued in her motion for bail. The prospect of losing his life in the United States would prevent him from leaving the country, she said.

"It would be all but impossible for appellant to flee" because he has become infamous from the media coverage of Jackson's death and the trial, Wass wrote.

As for resources, Murray is broke, she said.

Pastor also suggested Murray was a danger to the public because of his dangerous attitude toward using propofol, the drug that killed Jackson.

Wass argued in the appeal that Murray would not be practicing medicine since California suspended his medical license after he was convicted and he voluntarily surrendered his other medical licenses in Texas and Nevada.

"He lacks the means and ability to prescribe or obtain pharmaceutical drugs," she wrote.

Prosecutors have until the end of December to file their response to Murray's bail request.

Read more: Conrad Murray gets bigger cell, but still unhappy

Murray is appealing his conviction on several points, including the contention that Pastor erred in not allowing his lawyers to present evidence of Jackson's financial troubles, which they argued would support their theory that the pop star's desperation led him to administer the fatal dose to himself.

Wass argued that the judge's decision not to allow the defense to call Beverly Hills dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein or his staff as witnesses denied Murray a fair trial. Murray's lawyers contended that drugs given to Jackson by Klein in the weeks before his death contributed to his death.

The judge's refusal to sequester the jury in a hotel during the trial, which was televised live, "may have improperly influenced the jurors," Wass argued.

Another major issue in the appeal is the decision not to allow Murray's lawyers to test the contents of a bottle found next to Jackson's bed. They contend it could reveal evidence to support their theory that Jackson gave himself the fatal dose while Murray was out of the room.

Jackson's mother and three children are suing AEG, the promotion company they say hired Murray and supervised Murray's care of Jackson as he prepared for comeback concerts in London in summer 2009. Murray is expected to be a witness in the wrongful death trial scheduled for next April.

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Michael Jackson News / MJ's family used him for money, reveals new book
« on: November 11, 2012, 06:35:32 PM »
MJ's family used him for money, reveals new book

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New York, November 11 (ANI): An explosive new biography has revealed how Michael Jackson's family used the King of Pop for money.

Journalist Randall Sullivan's shocking new book, "Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson," out this week, exposes MJ's terror of kin and friends, New York Post reported.

In one instance in 2001, two tribute concerts were planned at Madison Square Garden for Jackson's 30th anniversary in music.

And the Jackson family demanded 250,000 dollars each to attend, even those who would just be there to watch the show.

When Michael's brother Jermaine learned that his brother would be making as much as 10 million dollars from the two shows, he convinced his parents that Michael should pay the three of them another 500,000 dollars apiece.

Jermaine and his father Joe drew up a contract and, with mother Katherine in tow, chased Michael around California to try to get him to sign.

To escape from them Michael took refuge for several days at the house of his friend Marc Schaffel, co-producer of the event.

After hiding out from his family for several days, Michael stopped at the Neverland Ranch with his kids to pick up a few items before the trip to New York. Almost as soon as he arrived, his family turned up at the gate.

Michael tried to have them sent away, the book reports, but they claimed that his mother needed to use the restroom.

But as soon as Joe and Jermaine were through the gate, they drove to the main house and pushed their way inside.

"They literally ransacked the place" searching for Michael to get him to sign the contracts.

The singer, meanwhile, "retreated with the kids to a hiding place concealed behind a secret door at the back of his bedroom closet."

In tears, he called Schaffel and cried, "You see what they do to me? Do you understand . . . why I hide from them?"

His family weren't the only ones whose love was for sale. Jackson's "good friend" Marlon Brando, whom the singer took acting lessons from for years, charged him 1 million dollars for his rambling video tribute - an awful investment, it turned out, since the Madison Square Garden crowd wound up booing Brando's nonsensical ramblings. (ANI)

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When Michael Jackson passed away in June 2009, his departure was met by the grieving of millions of fans around the world—and by a great deal of discussion and speculation over the fate of the half-billion dollars he owed to creditors ranging from big banks to “Thriller” director John Landis.

Many questions have been answered over the past three years as the King of Pop’s estate has continued to pull in nine figures on an annual basis, most recently $145 million over the past year. And according to representatives from the estate, the late singer’s personal debts will be paid off by the end of the year.

The last major non-business loan left is connected to Jackson’s Mijac Music, the entity that contains the copyrights to the songs he wrote over the course of his career. Shortly after the singer’s death, the estate started paying off a $75 million loan he had taken out against the catalog, negotiating the interest rate down from an exorbitant 15.5% to a very manageable 4%. The final payments on that loan are set to be made this fall.

It’s a major milestone for Michael Jackson’s growing postmortem business empire, especially considering where the estate began. After the singer’s death, it appeared that many of his assets were close to default, if not already there. But a handful of deals—including a $60 million advance for the concert film This Is It and a $250 million record deal with Sony, the largest in history—gave the estate the steady cash flow needed to pay off creditors.

In addition to paying down the massive loan on Mijac Music, the estate has paid $35 million owed to concert promoter AEG (in connection with Jackson’s planned This Is It tour) and the $4.1 million mortgage on the Jackson family estate in Encino, Calif. Smaller debts to individuals have been renegotiated and resolved, including an agreement with Landis, who had alleged that Jackson still owed him $2.3 million in 2009.

A substantial business loan ($280 million, by FORBES’ estimate) remains on Jackson’s 50% stake in the Sony/ATV publishing catalog. The singer shrewdly bought the entity’s precursor, ATV, for $47.5 million in 1985 after recognizing the value of the rights to songs it contained by The Beatles. Ten years later he merged the catalog with Sony’s publishing catalog after the company paid him $100 million as part of the deal, retaining half of the newly-formed combined entity for himself.
Today, the Sony/ATV catalog itself is worth somewhere in the neighborhood of $2 billion, thanks to its ownership of copyrights by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga and others. The interest rate on Jackson’s loan connected to the catalog has been sliced from 5.8% to 2.9% since his death. At that low rate, paying back the loan quickly, in full, may not even be financially expedient—the company’s funds could be better utilized by buying up new, money-generating copyrights.
That said, given Jackson’s postmortem earnings prowess, the estate could probably pay off that loan fairly soon if necessary. The singer’s Immortal World Tour, a joint venture with Cirque Du Soleil, has grossed $160 million this year, making Michael Jackson the top-grossing live act in North America three years after his death. Other deals–including one with Pepsi, Jackson’s first endorsement pact in two decades–should continue to add to the estate’s coffers.

Not even John Landis could have imagined such a resurrection.



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So will he be there?  :icon_geek:  :icon_e_confused: Set for May 2013.


London, Oct 19 (ANI): Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston are to be immortalised with inductions into a brand new R 'n' B Music Hall of Fame.

Plans for the official R 'n' B Music Hall of Fame Museum were announced this week to honour those who made notable contributions to the music genre, the Daily Express reported.

The inaugural class of 2013, will feature 25 inductees, and will include Aretha Franklin, James Brown, The Temptations, Otis Redding, The O'Jays and Gerald Levert.

A special induction ceremony will take place on May 5, next year, in Cleveland, Ohio. (ANI)

14
Michael Jackson News / Executor is cool under Jackson family pressure
« on: August 24, 2012, 02:19:29 PM »
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Executor is cool under Jackson family pressure

Associated PressBy LINDA DEUTSCH | Associated Press – 20 hrs ago

LOS ANGELES (AP) — While family members squabble in public over Michael Jackson's money, the man who holds the purse strings of the estate is a calm center of the storm.

As co-executor of Jackson's will, John Branca chooses to ignore the erupting dramas and personal attacks and keeps his eye on the future, which he says belongs to Jackson's mother and children and to the pop star's musical legacy.

He and co-executor John McClain have been successfully pursuing projects to pay off a mountain of debt left by the superstar, to assure the financial future of his three children and to guarantee that Jackson's music will live forever.

"When Michael Jackson died, he was near bankruptcy," said Branca, suggesting the future for his three young children was uncertain. "Now we know the kids will be OK."

Branca sat down recently with The Associated Press to discuss the current state of the Jackson estate and projects to preserve Jackson's image as the King of Pop. But he resolutely refused to address the elephant in the room — recent attacks on him and McClain by some Jackson siblings who were left out of their brother's will.

They sent a lengthy letter that became public accusing the executors of deceit and manipulation of their mother and claiming that Jackson's will was a fraud. They have not taken any court action and legal experts say the time to challenge the will, which disinherited them, is long past.

Branca and McClain issued a statement calling the accusations "false and defamatory," adding "we are especially disheartened that they come at a time when remarkable progress is being made to secure the financial future of his children ..."

Secure in his knowledge that all four of Jackson's wills named him as executor, Branca continues to make deals for the Jackson estate that are generating millions in revenue. This week, they announced an agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing to administer Jackson's Mijac Music catalog, which includes such hits as "Beat It" and "Billie Jean." The deal is expected to generate enough revenues to pay off a remaining $5 million loan by year's end.

Since Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, Branca said the singer's personal debt of $200 million has been paid off and another $300 million tied to his ownership of the Sony and ATV catalogs has been renegotiated.

"Michael had a will and a trust and that's what we follow," he said.

The estate pays Mrs. Jackson $70,000 a month for the children's support, pays the rent on their mansion in Calabasas, and is picking up bills for other expenses including renovation of their Encino home.

Branca's AP interview was his indirect response to accusations by Janet, Jermaine, Randy and Rebbie Jackson that the estate was being mishandled. Jermaine later disavowed the incendiary letter and called for peace in the family. But Janet, Randy and Rebbie fired back with a letter of their own reiterating their complaints.

Brimming with excitement, Branca spoke of upcoming ventures he thinks would have delighted Jackson, especially a permanent Jackson-themed extravaganza on the Las Vegas Strip. It comes on the heels of the Cirque du Soleil Jackson tribute show, "Immortal: The World Tour."

"The Lion King" theater at the Mandalay Bay Hotel is being rebuilt to house the still untitled show, also a Cirque du Soleil production, which is set to open May 23, 2013.

"It will be highly theatrical and completely different from the arena show, which was more of a concert," Branca said. "We will have the opportunity to create something special and ground-breaking."

Declining to reveal all of the technical wizardry planned, he said, "We've got all kinds of tricks up our sleeves."

Every seat will have its own speakers, while the walls and ceiling will be used to create "a totally immersive experience for the audience," he said.

Unlike the touring show, there will be no live band and all music will come from remixes of Jackson's recordings.

Branca and co-executor McClain, a reclusive recording executive, say they understand Jackson's desires to take care of his mother and children — Prince, Paris and Blanket — financially and keep his music alive.

"We feel Michael entrusted us with his legacy and with the future of his mother and children," Branca said. "We're honored and proud and passionate about celebrating Michael. It's a labor of love for us. We love Michael."

Branca met Jackson in 1980 when both were just starting out. They would go on to legendary success together but there were also some rocky times. During more than two decades together, they had two three-year periods of estrangement over business disagreements.

Branca was rehired by Jackson a month before he died, with instructions to draft an agenda for future business deals. Branca presented the plan a week before Jackson died and it has been the roadmap for the estate's posthumous enterprises.

In addition to the upcoming Las Vegas show, a new album and a concert DVD will be released soon celebrating the 25th anniversary of Jackson's "BAD" album. Then a two-hour documentary by acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee on the making of "BAD" will show at the Toronto and Venice film festivals next month.

The anniversary promotions include a deal with Pepsi to put silhouettes of Jackson on a billion cans of soda in 20 countries.

And this week, the Cirque du Soleil traveling show begins an international tour to Mexico, Europe and perhaps Asia.

15
Michael Jackson News / Judge to rule on Jackson guardianship changes
« on: August 22, 2012, 08:58:24 AM »
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A judge is expected to appoint Michael Jackson's nephew as a co-guardian of the late pop superstar's children on Wednesday, establishing continuity for them in case their grandmother becomes unable to raise them.

Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff has said he is inclined to appoint Tito Jackson's son, TJ, to share guardianship responsibilities with Michael Jackson's mother. The 34-year-old stepped in and was appointed a temporary guardian last month when Katherine Jackson was incommunicado during a stay at an Arizona spa with relatives.

Beckloff has said Katherine Jackson is doing a great job raising Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson, who range in ages from 10 to 15. The Jackson family matriarch's absence coincided with a split in the family over whether to support the executors of the late singer's estate, some of whom think should resign.

Katherine and TJ Jackson have agreed to the co-guardianship arrangement, which is aimed at alleviating stress on the children's 82-year grandmother. The agreement calls for the other to assume sole guardianship duties if the other is unable to serve any longer.

TJ Jackson was a relative unknown to the public before the recent rift in the family. He performs in a band called 3T along with his brothers and was close to his uncle, Michael, before the pop star died unexpectedly in June 2009 at age 50.

TJ Jackson is a cousin of the children and has remained close to them in the three years since the singer's death.

Wednesday's hearing is expected to be a legal formality, with TJ Jackson already earning the support of the two oldest children. Their mother, Deborah Rowe, has also indicated she is comfortable with the arrangement.

Three of Michael Jackson's siblings, sisters Janet and Rebbie and younger brother Randy, have all expressed concerns about the administrators of the singer's estate and called on them to resign. The window to contest the singer's will is closed, but the trio said as recently as last week that challenging the executors remains their priority.

Jackson's estate has generated more than $475 million in gross earnings since the singer's death. He left his estate to benefit his mother and children, with a share allocated to unspecified charities.

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