Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involvement
Katherine Jackson: Possible Massive Wrongful Death Suit Against Concert Promoter AEG?
* AEG Confidentiality Agreement Seeks to Muzzle Katherine Jackson
* Dr. Conrad Murray Employed by AEG Live
“To me, the success of [the memorial] is measured by the fact that I think we were able to really humanize my friend and erase those caricatures that the press had created of him. If there is one thing I could point to it as to why it was successful, it would be that.”
Randy Phillips, CEO, AEG Live on Michael Jackson’s memorial service
According to New York Daily News, more than 31 million watched Michael Jackson’s memorial service tribute, the “second” most watched broadcast memorial service after Princess Diana’s.
DBKP Library of Michael Jackson articles
Held in Los Angeles’ Staples Center, viewers watched as Jackson’s brothers, wearing his trademark white sequined glove, carried Michael Jackson’s coffin into the area designated for Michael’s coffin, where it was placed a short distance from where Jackson’s family was seated. State of the art speakers played Jackson’s songs, “We Are The World” and “Heal The World”, while, above the stage, a large screen broadcast video clips of Jackson performing his famous moonwalk at Motown’s 25th Anniversary Special, young Michael, and Michael Jackson kissing his long lost pet chimpanzee Bubbles.
The memorial service was arranged by concert promoters AEG Live and held in AEG’s Staples Center while the feed to the media was free. AEG Live abstained from selling merchandise to the 11,000 who held free tickets to the service.
The service was tasteful and subdued as various luminaries paid tribute to Jackson via performances or spoken word. At that moment in time, it seemed as though the Jackson family and AEG Live were in “harmony”.
Yesterday we reported that Katherine Jackson’s attempts to view the contract between son Michael and concert promoter AEG Live are being thwarted by the administrators handling Jackson’s estate as well as AEG.
Katherine, through her attorneys, recently filed a request seeking to view the contract between Jackson and AEG.
From the LA Times:
“In their filing, Katherine Jackson’s attorneys said McClain and Branca refused to provide documents they had requested or placed ‘cumbersome and unreasonable restrictions’ on access to them.
A lawyer for McClain and Branca denied those allegations.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,†wrote lawyer Jeryll S. Cohen. She said the “cornerstone†of Katherine Jackson’s complaint was her inability to view a contract between the concert promoter AEG Live and her son. The contract covered a series of 50 concerts in London as well as unspecified film projects between the L.A.-based promoter and Jackson.
In a separate filing, a lawyer for AEG said Katherine Jackson’s legal team had refused to sign a confidentiality agreement that, among other things, barred them from using the information contained in the contract in any legal process other than the probate court proceedings.â€
While some may construe Katherine’s actions as an “attempt” to get her hands on Michael’s “fortune”, we see a different intent, of Katherine attempting to get answers to AEG Live’s involvement in her son’s death. Answers which could ultimately lead to a massive wrongful death suit filed against concert promoter AEG Live.
It’s too early to tell just how hard a hit, if any, AEG’s deep pockets will take after Jackson’s death.
AEG purportedly paid estimated $30 million in pre-production costs-$20 million for production, $10 million paid in advance paid to Michael Jackson. Ticket sales for Jackson’s concerts were estimated at $85 million. AEG Live is refunding ticket holders the full price or allowing holders to request a copy of their ticket as a “souvenir” in lieu of a refund.
Recouping Costs
According to the LA Times, AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips has stated that AEG Live is currently seeing a “25% percent retention rate” in refunding tickets while a “40% retention rate” would recoup AEG Live’s “losses”.
AEG owns the property rights to videos of Jackson’s “This Is It” rehearsals, which Phillips claims the videos are “all locked up at Staples Center in the vaults”. There’s also a potential Michael Jackson tribute put together by AEG Live to be broadcast on Jackson’s 51st birthday on August 29. Meanwhile, Phillips reported “brisk sales” of Michael Jackson merchandise on AEG Live’s website ironically named “MichaelJacksonLive.com, where ticket holders have been directed to get instructions on how to get a refund. According to Phillips, the Michael Jackson merchandise is “the best” Phillips has seen, “in his life”.
AEG Live is a subsidiary of Anschutz Entertainment Group, or AEG. AEG is owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz, whom Forbes has deemed, “The Stealth Media Mogul“. A man who has taken the game of Monopoly to extraordinary heights, Anschutz’s wealth is estimated at $5 billion. He founded QWest Communications as well as owns or has “controlling” stakes in a 100 businesses including railroads, wind farms, professional sports teams, Regal Entertainment-the largest movie operator in the U.S., Anschutz Entertainment, as well as owns Staples Center in Los Angeles-the site of Michael Jackson’s memorial service-and London’s O2 Arena, where Jackson was slated to perform 50 concerts.
Anschutz has also ventured into the free newspaper realm-the San Francisco, Washington, and Baltimore Examiner- along with internet news blogs under the name “Examiners”.
There’s also the issue of AEG Live’s insurance policy on Jackson. A policy which would have allowed AEG to recoup its costs if Jackson were unable to perform. On May 12, Phillips claimed that his company was “well-insured” and that Jackson had passed a physical with “flying colors”.
We have insured the production costs. In order to get the first part of the insurance in place, [Jackson] had to have a physical, and he passed it with flying colors.
Randy Phillips, AEG CEO
Since Michael Jackson’s death, AEG has sought to distance itself its ties to Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist who was Michael Jackson’s personal physician and who was with Jackson when 911 was summoned to Jackson’s house. AEG has acknowledged that they hired Murray as Michael’s personal physician for the upcoming London O2 concerts but only because Michael Jackson “insisted”. AEG has also claimed that Michael Jackson did not sign the “contract” concerning Murray’s employment. Meanwhile, Murray’s attorney claims AEG owes Murray two months pay or $300,000. AEG stated that Murray will have to “sue” the Jackson estate.
AEG Live has inserted itself into the legal proceedings involving the Michael Jackson estate:
On July 23, Insider.com reported that AEG Live had filed papers in order to petition the probate court handling Michael Jackson’s estate. According to the AEG spokesperson, AEG filed a request for â’special notice, meaning we can receive copies of papers filed as part of the proceedings’. AEG went on to state that they were an ‘interested party’ and that they have a right to be aware of the information.
On July 22, People magazine had this tidbit about Jackson’s estate and his mother Katherine. According to People, Katherine filed a request to Jackson’s the attorneys handling Jackson’s estate to ‘speed up’ their efforts. Katherine alleged that, so far, the attorneys “apparently intent on keeping her in the dark as much and for as long as possible.”
What;s interesting to note is just who responded to Katherine’s request: the attorneys handling the Jackson estate, John Branca and John McClain, and AEG:
“Attorneys for Jackson’s estate and AEG, which was to promote Jackson’s big comeback concert this summer in London, countered that her request is ‘voluminous, burdensome and invasive. They also expressed concern that Katherine would not uphold a confidentiality agreement for Jackson’s concert deal.”
A confidentiality agreement such as the one being proffered by AEG Live to Katherine and her attorneys would be “sweet”… for AEG Live. Especially if Katherine were to discover within the contract proof that Dr. Murray was an employee of AEG Live at the time of Michael’s death. If it’s discovered that Dr. Murray were negligible in Michael’s death, AEG Live, as Dr. Murray’s employer could be held liable in a massive wrongful death lawsuit filed by Katherine.
Unfortunately for Katherine, Michael’s will designated his estate be placed in a Revocable Living Trust. By law, details of the trust can be kept private, even from Katherine. It’s these details such as the contract between AEG Live and Michael, which Katherine is unable to access. Details which may include AEG Live’s connection to Dr. Murray.
Meanwhile, AEG Live continues to profit off of Michael Jackson’s death:
On July 29, the Chicago Tribune reported Sony Pictures had paid $60 million to concert promoter AEG Live for the “rights to 80 hours of Michael Jackson rehearsal footage recorded in preparation for his ill-fated “This Is It” tour. Purportedly 90% of the $60 million will go to the Jackson estate.
By LBG
Image – Confidential
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[...] Manors and castles, gingerbread houses and elite clubs, golf course, strawberries and cream…. Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… – deathby1000papercuts.com 07/31/2009 Katherine Jackson: Possible Massive Wrongful Death Suit [...]
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Thanks a ton – I get more FACTS here than anywhere else,
Again thanks!
Hope someone gets arrested soon, fingers crossed
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Brilliant reporting. Journalism at its finest. Your website should have 1000 hits per day. I will continue to spread the word.
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Thanks for the insight. I suspected it was more to the story than Michael just dying of cardiac arrest. Yes he had an addiction problem for years but I think all interested business parties were well aware of his addictiion and used that to their advantage. I pray that the truth, real truth is revealed!!!!! LaToya may be correct on her murder suspicion. Good reporting!!!
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Thanks for writing a real article without any spin. Good luck to Katherine jackson !
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Your articles on Michael Jackson’s death and estate are unsurpassed. Thanks for keeping us in the know through your highly informative website.
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[...] from “cardiac arrest”, Jackson was “unresponsive”. ALSO at DBKP: * Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… * Michael Jackson’s Estate: Concert Promoter AEG Live Attempts to Muzzle Katherine Jackson * [...]
[...] drugs listed are benzodiazepines typically used to treat anxiety and insomnia. ALSO at DBKP: * Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… * Michael Jackson’s Estate: Concert Promoter AEG Live Attempts to Muzzle Katherine Jackson * [...]
[...] frets about being a scapegoat, and insists that he wants to be exonerated.” ALSO at DBKP: * Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… * Michael Jackson’s Estate: Concert Promoter AEG Live Attempts to Muzzle Katherine Jackson * [...]
[...] “save” Jackson from the same “destructive behavior”. ALSO at DBKP: * Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… * Michael Jackson’s Estate: Concert Promoter AEG Live Attempts to Muzzle Katherine Jackson * [...]
[...] went ahead with the auction of Jackson’s Neverland memorabilia. ALSO at DBKP: * Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… * Michael Jackson’s Estate: Concert Promoter AEG Live Attempts to Muzzle Katherine Jackson * [...]
[...] July 31, 2009 Katherine Jackson Thwarted by Concert Promoter AEG Live: Contract Could Detail Dr. Murray’s Involv… [...]
No offense, but MJ was not an addict according to his autopsy. The only thing that was found in his system was what Dr. Murray gave him and not the other drugs. If you want to learn something, please listen to Dick Gregory who has been a family friend for years and knows what the mainstream media thinks they know. Yes, Michael had several falls, a scalp burn, Lupus, and Vitiligo. Think about some of the pain I am sure that his body went through. He took pain killers and alot of people do but his body showed no long term use of drug abuse. The autopsy had it right.
Even if MJ did not have a medicine problem, you all have to remember he was 50 years old. I don’t think he should have done anymore touring or performing but getting his life together and doing something else or even staying oversees.
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WHEN LISTING TO COVER NEWS TELEVISED REMEMBERING MICHEAL HAD CALLED HOSPITAL ASKING WHY ONE SIDE OF HIS BODY FELT HOT AND THE OTHER COLD? MY REALIZATION WAS SHOCK TO THE BODY IS HAPPENING AND VERBAL TREATMENTS SHOULD HAVE BEEN TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION AND APPLIED IMMEDIATELY. NOT ENOUGH IS BEING DONE IN THIS QUESTION WHEN THE BLOOD SLOWLY LEAVES THE BODY AND SETTLES INTO THE ABDOMEN. MICHEAL KNEW SOMETHING STRANGE WAS HAPPENING ALTHOUGH COULD NOT PIN POINT THE MATTER THAT WAS SLOWLY TAKEN PLACE. AND IN THAT RESULT HAD NO REPLY FROM EXPERT PROFESSIONALS IN YOUR AREA. I HAVE REALIZED THAT FOLLOWING AN INDIVIDUALS REGIMEN IS IMPORTANT WHEN YOUR GIVEN FULL TIME OBLIGATIONS FOR YOURSELF AND IN MICHEALS SITUATION TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC FOR THE PEOPLE. NOW I HAVE LEFT THE HONOR TO LEAVE INTO THE HANDS OF GOD.
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