Jackson Tells His Side Via Taped Depositions
Jury in Santa Monica was shown a videotaped testimony where Michael Jackson professed little memory of major financial transactions involving a former associate who claims the pop star owes him about $1.8 million Cdn.
Jackson’s videotaped deposition was shown to the jury because the singer will not appear at the trial.
Jackson was interviewed twice in London by F. Marc Schaffel’s lawyer. He said he did remember at least one occasion when Schaffel delivered money to him on the set of a music video.
He said he would get the money in a fast food bag - they called it "french fries," which became their slang for money.
But Jackson said he thought any money Schaffel gave him came from Jackson’s own funds.
"I would never ask him for his money," Jackson responded. "That’s ridiculous. I would never."
Schaffel’s lawsuit originally claimed Jackson owed him $4.2 million Cdn for unpaid loans, royalties and other debts, but he has reduced the claim to $1.8 million Cdn.
Jackson said he remembers Schaffel working on the production of his ill-fated charity record -What More Can I Give-, but didn’t expect to pay him, because he thought that his efforts were a charitable donation.
In late 2001, Michael found out that Schaffel had a background in producing gay adult movies. When Jackson became aware of that he decided to fire Schaffel but didn’t do it personally because he didn’t want to embarrass him.
Asked how Schaffel wound up back in his employment in 2003 when he produced two TV specials that aired on Fox, Jackson said, "I didn’t directly rehire Marc Schaffel. It was somebody in the organization who obviously did."
Jackson also said he couldn’t remember giving Schaffel instructions for such chores as paying Marlon Brando $1.1 million to appear at Madison Square Garden for a show Jackson was doing in September 2001.
"Did you want to pay Marlon Brando ($1.1 million) for appearing at your Madison Square Garden concert?" lawyer Howard King asked.
"It wasn’t so much for the appearance as it was for the fact that he said he really needed it and I wanted to help a friend," Jackson said.
When King pressed Jackson about whether Schaffel once loaned him $1.1 million, Jackson again cited a lack of memory but suggested he would not have taken such an amount if it wasn’t his.
"Nobody just gives me money," he said. "That’s not right and I work for what I get. Don’t make like I’m begging from anybody. I have pride."
Jackson also laughed at one point when King suggested that Schaffel had given him $420,000 to go shopping.
"It sounds spoiled, but it doesn’t sound like me," Jackson said. "Give me ($420,000) to go shopping? That’s not me. I am sorry."
King followed up with a question: "You’re not a big shopper?"
"Not like that, no," Jackson said.
Source: MJJF/AP/eMJey
Plaintiff's Backdated Checks Targeted By Jackson Defense Attorney
Michael Jackson’s former associate F. Marc Schaffel rushed to issue 18 backdated checks totaling $784,000, in the days after being fired, Jackson’s attorney showed Monday.
Schaffel, who is suing Jackson for $1.6 million, testified in Superior Court that he wrote the checks for items including prepayment of $54,000 in rent on his home, prepayment of utilities and phone bills, along with reimbursement for expenses such as camera rentals after he received the termination letter on Nov. 15, 2001.
Jackson attorney Thomas Mundell showed Schaffel one of the checks asking, "And you dated it Nov. 14 because you knew if you dated it after that you would run into problems because of the termination?"
"Yes," replied Schaffel.
"Isn't it true you falsified books and records to try to get as much money as possible from Mr. Jackson before your termination?" Mundell asked.
Schaffel replied, "I just didn't want to get caught holding the bag for expenses Mr. Jackson had agreed to."
According to Schaffel, He and Jackson had an agreement for Jackson to pay his expenses for six months subsequent to the date of termination.
"I wasn't sure with the jockeying that was going on with the advisers that part was going to happen," Schaffel said.
Schaffel also testified that, even after being informed he was being let go, he and Jackson remained friends and talked frequently about projects.
However, Mundell produced an e-mail from Schaffel to the man who introduced him to Jackson, Dr. Arnie Klein, which seemed to contradict that assertion.
"I am deeply saddened this has cost my friendship with Michael Jackson. ... I was the only one willing to fight for him all the time. I miss being able to help him. I miss my friend. All our projects have come to a stop." said the e-mail written on Jan. 30, 2002.
Monday's testimony mainly consisted of Mundell showing ledgers and checks to Schaffel.
Schaffel continued to interject comments about a claim he made last week that Jackson wanted him to help find children in Brazil to adopt.
Mundell let the comments pass but pressed Schaffel to explain a charge of $300,000 to Jackson for money that Schaffel claimed to have delivered to a "Mr. X" in South America on Jackson's behalf.
"Payment was made from a bank account you had in Brazil?" asked Mundell.
"No," stated Schaffel. "I had money in Brazil from an earlier transaction. It wasn't in the bank. It was in a safe."
"It was in a safe in Brazil?" Mundell asked.
"Yes," Schaffel said.
"I see," replied the attorney.
Mundell has previously pointed out that there is no receipt for the $300,000.
Source: AP/eMJey