My:- To MJ Respect is due
AEG has been going through some serious legal issues since the beginning of the summer. They say that what goes around comes around, well apparently AEG’s times has come around. There were some emails between AEG brass that were leaked concerning Michael…his health and state of being. The emails depicted show just how poorly they thought of Michael, the lack of concern they had for his wellbeing and how he’d been forced to perform at any cost. AEG had also been trying to recoup monies from Lloyds of London, the This Is It concert insurers for Michael’s death. Lloyds sued AEG on the grounds of fraud and wanted their business practices questioned as they would not furnish pertinent information to process the claim. Of course to the normal rational thinking world one would submit all the necessary documents to have their claim processed by the insurance company, yet AEG feels that they are special and do not have to abide by the same rules as the rest of the insured and assured world. AEG didn’t want to produce the documents because they one…didn’t have any to cohobate their claim and two…they are currently in litigation with Mrs. Jackson for the wrongful death of her son.
Howard Weitzman Estate attorney and attorney for AEG wanted a stay from the judge pending the outcome from the case that Mrs. Jackson brought against AEG. Weitzman as Estate attorney actually works for Mrs. Jackson; his representation of AEG is in fact conflicts of interest. AEG’s fear was that whatever came to light during the discovery in their Lloyds case against them, would prove Mrs. Jackson’s claim and they would have an even greater financial loss on top of the 17.5 million dollars they were seeking to recover from the insurance giant. Lloyds had the judge order AEG to furnish the requested documents and even still they produced very little. John Branca paid AEG 40 million dollars, which coincides with 35 plus million dollars that AEG say they lost in TII production costs and monetary advances to Michael.
AEG recanted their claim of loss, citing that they had incurred no loss and that any loss would be solely on their co-assured which is the Michael Jackson Company LLC, now ran by John Branca and John McClain, estate executors. For some unknown reason, AEG, even after stating they no longer endured loss… they still proceeded with their death claim suit against Lloyds of London, which made no sense. As a result, Lloyds asked the Superior Court of California to force AEG to bring the charade to an end.
According to how the policy was initially written, which both AEG and Lloyds agreed to, Michael would not be covered in full and for death until he was in London and Lloyds’ execs had the opportunity to view a full show. Being that these events never took place, the policy was null.
AEG along with its co-assured the Estate, insisted that they were due proceeds from Michael’s death. AEG responded to Lloyds inquiries with they no longer had loss, at that point AEG should have dropped their claim against Lloyds but didn’t. Lloyds not only wanted the courts to demand AEG stop the charade….but wanted their litigation practices investigated because Lloyds was incurring ever increasingly high legal bills in regards to the case. After the emails were released in the LA Times, AEG dropped its claim against Lloyds and Lloyds them, AEG got off with not paying any legal fees of their practices being investigating, which in itself, was an odd decision made by Lloyds’ attorneys.
This…not before AEG tried to bring an injunction against Mrs. Jackson and Michael’s kids Paris Prince and Blanket. AEG claimed that one of the four or all, had to be the ones that leaked the emails to the LA Times reporter. This attempt was far reaching for the obvious reasons, as they wanted to delay the inevitable.
AEG asked that this grandmother and minor children be sanctioned and fined for 50 plus thousand dollars. Which would have diminished their quality of life as the four only gets 70, 000 a month; this was a veiled threat letting this family know that they would be shut down if they dare tried to fend for themselves against the machine. Howard Weitzman attorney was out of bounds and in illegal disbarring territory by allowing such a petition to take place as Estate attorney.
Later Howard Mann came forward admitting that he was the one who leaked the emails to the LA Times and the injunction request against Mrs. Jackson and Michael’s kids were denied by court. In light of the events that transpired, Phillip Anschutz owner of AEG Live has put the famed company on the market. Since AEG attempted to have the emails thrown out and not included into evidence, saying that they wouldn’t get a fair trial and that Mrs. Jackson and her camp was the ones to leak the emails even though Mann came forward…the judge denied this request.
Putting AEG up for sale has not stopped the bleeding; Mrs. Jackson is rightfully continuing with her wrongful death suit and we’ve recently learned that another person has stepped in the ring to sue AEG…yet this time for breach of contract. Currently, Anyone who was being paid or would be paid pursuant to Contract, by AEG or eventually by Michael Jackson for performing any task related to Michael Jackson LLC during Tour or the artist Michael Jackson during Tour or the performance of Tour, has the right to monies as a third party beneficiary due to the stipulation of an express contract, signed by AEG in connection with the Michael Jackson Company LLC for the This Is It tour.
These are the people that were being paid by AEG during Michael’s prep for the upcoming tour and during the tour. They are identified as those that were solicited and hired for various services to provide to Michael in order for him to bring top level entertainment during the This Is It concerts. Based on the above requirements this list is limited to 100 people. Such a person has come forward; this person is Michael Amir Williams, Michael’s assistant also known as Brother Michael. The Michael Jackson LLC on behalf of Michael the man and AEG went into contract on January 26th 2009 at which time AEG agreed to advance Michael as an artist, monies which is customary in most contracts.
AEG would then ration out monies over time at their discretion until the tour began. As we know this money was for daily living expenses for Michael and his children…such as rent and utilities on the CarolWood Drive mansion, concert house and personal staff to include Assistant Michael Amir Williams – Doctor Conrad Murray – Chef Kai Chase – Security Details Faheem Mohammed and Alberto Alverez and the other 7 to make up the 9 man security detail. Nanny Rosalind Mohammed along with other house staff; as well as This Is It dancers and production crew…all those were named in the express contract as service providers that would help Michael bring a first class show. In this suit those that fit this description fall under and is referred to as “Class” as in members of a group that can bring suit for the same grievances and desired results and/or be represented by Michael Amir as the plaintiff, with the outcome having a trickle down affect to all members of the class action suit, if they so choose to be party. The “Class” under the terms of the AEG contract with Michael would be paid up to 7 ½ million dollars and monies due over this amount, would be paid by Michael.
Michael Amir is suing AEG for breach of contract as a third party beneficiary. His position is that since the contract was not rescinded by Michael nor AEG before AEG’s breach of contract…and due to the fact that Michael intended Michael Amir and the rest of the Class to be paid under the contract and due to the fact that AEG hired Conrad Murray to assist in facilitating the management production design and promotion of the This Is It concerts by insuring that Michael would be in tiptop shape to perform at his normal world class level…. Because that didn’t happen Michael Amir and the Class are without pay. Amir wants to exercise his/their “rights” as people who incurred loss due to Michael’s death because the show didn’t go on. Amir says that AEG as the producer promoter designer and manager of the Tour breached contract by interfering with Michael’s preparation for the O2 concerts; by abused their discretionary power….this would be forcing Michael to perform and rehearse when he was physically unable to, deciding when and how much or how little monetary advances Michael and his family would receive to live. The breach of contract also includes hiring Conrad Murray, not providing him with lifesaving equipment he asked for and by enticing Murray with incentives and giving directives that Dr. Murray would later use to justify his reckless and negligent care he provided to Michael when preparing him for the concerts series.
AEG is liable for Conrad Murray as they hired him, Randy Phillips said that Murray had been fully checked out and that he was financially sound so money wouldn’t be as much as an incentive. Phillips went on to say that the more he got to know Murray he trusted him and his abilities. AEG directed Murray’s standard of care, they met with him on numerous occasions to gauge Michael’s status and engage Murray in their plan to get Michael to the stage. Kenny Ortega co-producer of TII has said, now that we have the doctor onboard with our plans, which is further validity to AEG’s involvement in Murray’s course of treatment. AEG used Murray’s verbal health reports to con Lloyds into insuring Michael and the tour. AEG knowingly defrauded Lloyds of London and all parties involved in TII.
Their emails revealed that they had no faith in Michael’s ability to perform or his current mental and health status. They did not want to allow Michael to stop the shows because of his ailing health conditions, stating that he was lazy and must be forced to continue with the concerts as planned. As per the agreement of the Lloyds of London policy, any concerns regarding Michael’s health or lack of attending rehearsal, was to be shared with the insurer immediately. The policy states that Michael must attend all rehearsals, be in good health and perform a minimum of 31 shows in order to be fully insured. As per the express contract agreement, all Class employees were named in contract and to be paid by AEG during prep of TII and once the show was in full swing in London.
All of this was contingent upon Michael being able to perform as the greatest entertainer of all time, which is customary to him. In dealing with a Michael Jackson production, Class employees would never question the abilities or professionalism of Michael or whether the shows would go on. Therefore, Class employees expected to be paid millions of dollars as per the signed agreement by AEG. AEG knowingly put the concerts at risk by not getting Michael the help he needed, by not addressing the concerns that they had with the appropriate entities and by instructing Dr. Conrad Murray to do whatever was necessary to get Michael to attend rehearsals, which resulted in his death.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbqXMBJ8iUA
Anyone who has ever seen a Michael Jackson short film, award show performance or was blessed enough to witness him Live in concert, had no doubt that they’ve just witnessed something unlike they’d ever see again in their lifetime, that is… unless you are bearing witness to Michael again. Joining a Michael Jackson project is a proud day and a dream come true for all those involved. From label heads to music producers, studio engineers – photographers, dancers and leading ladies…they all talked about the professionalism of Michael, his kind heart and ability to make you feel like you are sitting on top the world and a part of something groundbreaking. People scream faint cry, go into catatonic shock when they experience Michael. Grown men in suits gushed, lawyers accountants managers even though they were thieves, were awed by their connection with Michael… They obsessed over him, going back to John Branca’s now infamous words…”I am Michael Jackson Now”. AEG used Michael’s legend and lure to seduce all those involved in a money making scheme.
Mr. Joe Jackson got into a heated exchange with Phillips and Gongaware over paying his son in the weaker American dollar when the tickets and merchandise sales would be received in British Pound. AEG knew that Michael was not ready to do these tours, there wasn’t enough time for him to prepare and there was still issue over the sold out 50 shows and Michael had only agreed to ten. The show’s production was massive, the schedule was grueling and all this was expected to take place overseas in July when production started in April in LA. Michael didn’t truly get into the groove until 6 months into rehearsal, that’s how much of a perfectionist he is, it’s said that pre-show took a years’ time.
He needed staging and lighting and costumes….legalities like contracts permits insurance Visas and passports…accommodations and catering…security and freight, travel and storage. Dancers and title lists, song adjustments and video backdrops… TII was to be a HUGE show. Michael typically did two shows a week while on Tour Mom said; these shows were about 3 hours in length. Mrs. Jackson contacted AEG about the concert schedule she revealed on Piers Morgan. Mom was worried about her baby’s health, she felt the schedule was too much and wanted them to change it. How was he expected to do this every other day at the O2 and he hadn’t been on stage in over ten years and had only 3 months to prepare. Even Michael with his superhuman abilities couldn’t handle such a task. Michael would lose 5lbs or more of water weight a night, a testament to the sheer power and pure raw energy he would draw upon during his performances; he isn’t the greatest entertainer in the world for nothing.
When you realistically look at all this, you know that AEG had no plans on there ever being a concert in July at the O2 arena. Knowing this, AEG defrauded Class employees, Michael and insurer alike. AEG is liable for the death of Michael Jackson and the lost revenue of Class employees. The fact that I see it as extremely insensitive to say the least, for employees to cash in on Michael’s murder when they did nothing to prevent it, is of no consequence here and will discussed in an upcoming blog. When it comes to matters of the “Law” and “Contracts”, AEG is liable. With 7 ½ million dollars due to Michael Amir Williams and any other Class employee that decides to participate in this suit. The financial collapse of AEG is imminent. What you do to others you do to yourself.
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