Jury out in Jackson money row
US jurors have retired to consider a bitter money dispute between singer Michael Jackson and a former associate.
Jackson’s lawyer portrayed plaintiff Marc Schaffel as a man who betrayed the star and urged the jury to “send him from this courtroom with nothing”.
Schaffel claims Jackson owes him $1.4m (€1.1m) in loans and expenses, but the singer’s lawyer, Thomas Mundell, maintains Schaffel actually owes the pop star $660,000 (€520,000).
Mundell suggested the case could have been settled without a trial if not for Schaffel’s huge claims.
“We did not pick this lawsuit. We did not pick this fight,” he said.
“We are only here because Mr Schaffel decided to sue Mr Jackson,” he went on.
He said all the money Schaffel obtained from business dealings on Jackson projects belonged to Jackson and not to Schaffel.
He read to jurors a voice mail message to Schaffel in which Jackson said: “Marc, please, please, never let me down. I have been betrayed so much by people. I want us to be friends and I want us to conquer the business world. Be my loyal, loyal, loyal friend.”
Mr Mundell concluded: “Members of the jury, Marc Schaffel was not Mr Jackson’s loyal friend. I ask you to send him from this courtroom with nothing.”
In an unusual move, California Judge Jacqueline Connor allowed two alternate jurors to sit in on deliberations. They were not to speak unless called upon to substitute for a regular juror.
She told them that only nine of the 12 jurors need to agree on any one cause of action for a verdict, but the same nine do not need to agree on each action.
They must rule on complaints by Schaffel as well as cross-complaints by Jackson. The five-page verdict form includes numerous questions that must be answered by the jury.
Schaffel initially sued for $3.8m (€3m) but the claims were cut to $1.6m (€1.3m), and today his lawyer asked for $1.4m (€1.1m).
