Untouchable

by Randall Sullivan

  I have rendered some of the chapter notes that follow in a narrative fashion, because in my mind they are part of the story. I will, however, attach a list of specific citations to each chapter section. Where a source is from the Internet, radio or television, or a press release/other public relations communication, it will be indicated in the source list with (I), (RT), or (PR), respectively.

  I’ll acknowledge and thank further sources as I come to the relevant chapters, and in some cases explain my relationships with them. One person I want to single out in advance, though, is Tom Mesereau, an honest and decent man who I believe tried sincerely and scrupulously to answer every question I put to him in the course of at least twenty separate conversations. I’m not sure I can make that unqualified statement about any of my other sources. Tom was also tremendously helpful, making introductions, sharing information that I would never have discovered without him, even providing me with a sympathetic ear when I was frustrated by the conflicting stories I was hearing from various people who had been in Michael Jackson’s life. The truth is that every single person I spoke to or communicated with or even attempted to interview while researching this book was attacked or criticized by others among my sources—except Mesereau. His reputation and his reputation alone was not impugned by a single person. Pretty remarkable, I think. I’m particularly grateful to Tom for the DVD of the Los Angeles Bar Association’s “Frozen in Time” symposium on the sexual abuse allegations made against Michael Jackson that he sent me. I thank him also for directing my attention to the two excellent essays that Charles Thomson wrote for the Huffington Post about the biased media coverage of Michael Jackson’s criminal trial. To this day there is no more ardent or persuasive defender of Michael’s reputation than Tom Mesereau.

  I want to thank Morgan Entrekin for supporting my decision to expand an overgrown magazine article into a book, and for his patience in giving me time to complete it. I enjoyed the benefit of two talented editors working with me on this book. Brando Skyhorse, a talented author in his own right, was generous enough to put his own work aside to focus on mine up to the point of producing a workable draft of Untouchable. Amy Hundley took over from there and did a prodigious amount of the work to bring this book to the finish line. Brando and Amy consistently provided me with the sort of sound advice I need a lot more than I like to admit. For being good angels on both my shoulders, I am grateful to them both.

  Bibliography and Chapter Notes

  GENERAL

  DVD

  Frozen in Time: A Riveting Behind-the-Scenes View of the Michael Jackson Cases. Los Angeles County Bar Association, September 15, 2010 (Tom Mesereau, Ron Zonen, Judge Rodney Melville, Larry Feldman, Carl Douglas).

  BOOKS

  Bego, Mark. On the Road with Michael (Pinnacle, 1984).

  Boteach, Shmuley. The Michael Jackson Tapes (Vanguard Press, 2009).

  Cadman, Chris, and Halstead, Craig. Michael Jackson: For the Record (Authors OnLine, 2007).

  Campbell, Lisa. Michael Jackson: The King of Pop’s Darkest Hour (Branden Books, 1994).

  Cartman, Shirley. A Teacher Remembers the Jacksons (Gabriel Publishing, 1987).

  Cascio, Frank. My Friend Michael (William Morrow, 2011).

  Chandler, Raymond. All That Glitters (Chanadon Publications, 2004).

  Dannen, Frederic. Hit Men (Random House, 1988).

  Dimond, Diane. Be Careful Who You Love (Atria Books, 2005).

  Finstad, Suzanne. Child Bride: The Untold Story of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (Three Rivers Press, 2006).

  Foster, David. Hitman (Pocket, 2008).

  George, Nelson. The Michael Jackson Story (Dell, 1984).

  Grizzuti-Harrison, Barbara. Visions of Glory (Robert Hale, 1980).

  Haden-Guest, Anthony. The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco, and the Culture of the Night (New York, William Morrow, 1998).

  Haney, Lynn. Gregory Peck: A Charmed Life (Da Capo Press, 2005).

  Heymann, C. David. Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor (Atria Books, 2007).

  Hughes, Geraldine. Redemption: The Truth Behind the Michael Jackson Child Molestation Allegations (Hughes Publishing, 2004).

  Jackson, Katherine. My Family, the Jacksons (St. Martin’s Press, 1990).

  Jackson, Jermaine. You Are Not Alone (Simon and Schuster, 2011).

  Jackson, Janet with David Ritz. True You (Gallery Books, 2011).

  Jackson, La Toya. Growing Up in the Jackson Family (Dutton, 1991).

  Jackson, La Toya, with Jeffré Phillips. Starting Over (Gallery Books, 2011).

  Jackson, Michael. Moonwalker (Random House, 1988).

  Jefferson, Margo. On Michael Jackson (Pantheon, 2006).

  Jones, Aphrodite. Michael Jackson Conspiracy (iUniverse, 2007).

  Jones, Bob, with Stacy Brown. Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask (SelectBooks, 2005).

  Posner, Gerald. Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power (Random House, 2005).

  Rowe, Leonard. What Really Happened to Michael Jackson the King of Pop (Linell-Diamond Entertainment, 2010).

  Schechter, Daniel, and Erica Willheim. “The Effects of Violent Experience and Maltreatment on Infants and Young Children.” In Handbook of Infant Mental Health, 3rd Edition, Charles H. Zeanah (Ed.) (Guilford Press, 2009).

  Shorter, E. A Historical Dictionary of Psychiatry (Oxford University Press, 2005). See especially the chapter “Benzodiazepines.”

  Singleton, Raynoma Gordy. Berry, Me, and Motown (McGraw-Hill, 1991).

  Sitrick, Michael. Spin: How to Turn the Power of the Press to Your Advantage (Regenery Publishing, 1998).

  Taraborrelli, J. Randy. Elizabeth (Grand Central Publishing, 2006).

  ———. Michael Jackson: The Magic and the Madness (Birch Lane Press, 1991).

  ———. Michael Jackson: The Magic, the Madness, the Whole Story, 1958–2009 (Grand Central Publishing, 2010).

  ———. Motown—Hot Wax, City Cool, Solid Gold (Doubleday, 1986).

  Vaknin, Sam. Malignant Self Love: Narcissism Revisited (Narcissus Publications, 2001).

  White, Timothy (Tony Wills). A People for His Name (Vantage, 1968).

  TIME LINES

  “Michael Jackson Timeline,” allmichaeljackson.com.

  “MJJ Timeline,” mjjtimeline.blogspot.com.

  Daily Mail, August 13, 2012.

  PROLOGUE

  Interviews: Marc Schaffel, AS1. Jackson family Anniversary Concert compensation: pleadings in Schaffel v. Jackson. Secret room: descriptions by sheriff’s deputies, Neverland staff member interviews in People v. Jackson. Ribera to Sullivan letters (see below) attributed Mrs. Jackson’s participation to pressure from Joe and Jermaine.

  COURT FILES

  Criminal

  1133603 (Santa Barbara Superior Court) The People of the State of California v. Michael Joe Jackson, December 18, 2003 (hereafter cited as SBSC 1133603).

  Civil

  SC083501 (Los Angeles Superior Court) F. Marc Schaffel v. Michael Jackson, November 16, 2004 (hereafter cited as LASC SC083501).

  SECRET ROOM

  “Michael Jackson’s Secret Room.” Popdirt.com, November 19, 2003 (I).

  “Police Find Secret Room in Michael Jackson Raid.” Extra, November 19, 2003 (RT).

  CHAPTER 1

  Interviews: AS1, AS2, CS1, CS2, Tom Mesereau, Marc Schaffel, Tohme Tohme, Schaffel, Liam Sheehan. Katherine Jackson, re. Michael’s religion. Dick Gregory: to van Susteren, interview for Stealing Michael Jackson. Bahrain: AS1, Mesereau, Tohme. Scene at Neverland/hospitalization: AS1, Mesereau, Gregory, AP, Access Hollywood. Center for Well Being, Crillon: AS1. MJ-Rwaramba relationship: AS1, Mesereau, Tohme, Schaffel, Sheehan, CS1, CS2; Rwaramba to Daphne Barak (published in News of the World and Times of London online; I cite full versions on Barak’s Web site). Stacy Adair/“marriage of convenience”: “Secret girlfriend”/Daily Mirror. Sheikh Abdullah background: AS1, Tohme, media below. “Flabbergasted,” “it blew my mind”: Rwaramba High Court testimony as per British press, esp. The Independent and
Guardian. MJ-Abdullah travels: AS1; also, Mesereau paraphrasing Susan Yu, Tohme. London/Schaffel v. Jackson: AS1, Schaffel, Mesereau, Howard King and Dieter Wiesner. Schaffel/Jackson financial transactions: sources as above, and Al Malnik. Schaffel v. Jackson court file, and evidence and testimony in People v. Jackson. Attending church with KJ during People v. Jackson: AS1, Mesereau, Stacy Brown to Dan Abrams. “A psychological state that he required in order to function”: Schaffel as quoted by King in a court pleading. Marlon Brando “a god”: phone message, MJ to Schaffel. John Branca/MJ, esp. 2001–3 and “What More Can I Give?”: Schaffel, King, Wiesner, Schaffel v. Jackson court file, Phillips/LA Times, Carter/New York Times, Gunderson. Mark Wahlberg/White Plains: Schaffel, AS1. Branca-MJ relationship: Taraborrelli, Branca to California Lawyer magazine, Schaffel, King, Wiesner, Phillips/LATimes. Interfor Report: my own review of document; Schaffel, King, and Mesereau; testimony of David LeGrand in People v. Jackson. Sony: Schaffel, Wiesner, New York Times July 2002, Phillips/LA Times 2002. Cascio family: Schaffel, Wiesner, Mesereau; Cascio/MJ interviews in Boteach book; and sources below. “Cascio kids” music video incident: Schaffel, AS1. Trudy Green would not speak with me. Mask story: Schaffel, Wiesner and AS1. Adlon Hotel: Schaffel, Wiesner. Martin Bashir: interview with Uri Geller, who introduced them, Schaffel, Wiesner, and Mesereau, and sources below. People v. Jackson: pleadings, testimony, transcript/examination of Bashir. Payments for Home Movies interviews: Schaffel v. Jackson court file. As described in Chapter 20, Bashir used the journalist shield law when asked about refusal to show Jackson footage, etc. Nation of Islam: Schaffel, Wiesner, Mersereau. “Conversion” to Islam: Although at least five newspapers in London and New York reported that MJ had made the shahada at the Hollywood Hills home of Steve Porcaro, the former Toto keyboardist and a Muslim convert, David “Dawud” Wharnsby (credited with urging MJ’s conversion) has issued a statement that he never even met MJ, and Yusef Islam (formerly Cat Stevens, who supposedly witnessed it) flatly denies attending any ceremony where MJ converted to Islam. The Daily News article that infuriated MJ was the “Pedophilia charges ruining his career . . .” one listed below. I should disclose that in the spring of 2010, while negotiating a contract to serve as the host and executive producer of a television show for the Oprah Winfrey Network, I was represented by King’s law firm. That deal had nothing to do with this book.

  COURT FILES

  Criminal

  SBSC 1133603

  Civil

  SC026226 (Los Angeles Superior Court) J. Chandler, a minor, v. Michael Jackson, September 14, 1993 (hereafter cited as LASC SC026226).

  2:04—CV—2977 (United States District Court Eastern District of Louisiana) Joseph Thomas Bartucci, Jr., v. Michael J. Jackson, November 1, 2004.

  LASC SC083501.

  DOCUMENTS

  “RE: Letter of Direction.” Letter from Michael Jackson to Sony/ATV Publishing LLC. December 23, 1998.

  “RE: Representation of Michael Jackson and Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.” Letter from John Branca to Michael Jackson. August 14, 2002 (hereafter cited as Branca to Jackson, 8/14/02).

  “RE: Sony/ATV/Leiber-Stoller.” Letter from John Branca to Martin Singer, Esq. August 27, 2002 (hereafter cited as Branca to Singer, 8/7/02).

  “RE: Michael Jackson/Sony-ATV Music Publishing.” Letter from Martin D. Singer to John Branca. September 10, 2002 (hereafter cited as Singer to Branca, 9/10/02).

  Interfor Report on John Gregory Branca, entered as an exhibit in 1133603 (Santa Barbara Superior Court) The People of the State of California v. Michael Joe Jackson, December 18, 2003; and in BP117321 (Los Angeles Superior Court) Joseph Jackson v. The Estate of Michael Joseph Jackson, November 10, 2009 (hereafter cited as Interfor Report on John Gregory Branca).

  “Discontinuance of Service.” Letter from Michael Jackson to John Branca. February 3, 2003 (hereafter cited as Jackson to Branca, 2/3/03).

  “RE: Marc Schaffel.” E-mail from Howard King to Randall Sullivan. February 1, 2010 (hereafter cited as King to Sullivan, 2/1/10).

  “Statement of Grace Rwaramba” to Los Angeles Police Department. September 12, 2009 (hereafter cited as Rwaramba, 9/12/09).

  “Comments/Corrections.” E-mail from Sandi Ribera to Randall Sullivan. November 9, 2011 (hereafter cited as Ribera to Sullivan, 11/9/11).

  “Comments/Corrections.” E-mail from Sandi Ribera to Randall Sullivan. November 13, 2011 (hereafter cited as Ribera to Sullivan, 11/13/11).

  FROM CALIFORNIA TO BAHRAIN

  CIA World Factbook: Bahrain. March 8, 2011.

  “Jackson Dropped from Hospital Lawsuit.” Associated Press, April 10, 2008.

  “Michael Jackson Sued over Woman’s Death.” Access Hollywood, February 20, 2007.

  Van Susteren, Greta. “Dick Gregory: ‘It Happened So Fast.’” On the Record, Fox News, June 26, 2009 (RT).

  GRACE RWARAMBA

  Barak, Daphne. “Fired Nanny’s First Interview Ever.” daphneBarak.homestread.com (hereafter cited as Barak Rwaramba interview) (I).

  Batty, David. “Michael Jackson Nanny Says Star Had Stomach Pumped Many Times: Nanny Gives Grim Account of Singer’s Final Months, Detailing Drug Abuse, Out of Control Spending, and Nomadic Lifestyle. Guardian, June 28, 2009.

  Friedman, Roger. “Michael Jackson Can’t Wed Nanny: She’s Married.” Fox News, June 19, 2006 (I).

  Gould, Lara, and Will Payne. “Jackson’s Secret Girlfriend Was His Children’s Former Nanny Grace Rwaramba.” Daily Mirror, July 5, 2009.

  “Grace Rwaramba’s High School Yearbook.” TMZ (I).

  SHEIKH ABDULLAH AND BAHRAIN

  (INCLUDING MJ’S “CONVERSION” TO ISLAM)

  Adams, William Lee. “Michael Jackson Settles Out of Court with Sheikh.” Time, November 24, 2008.

  Booth, Robert, and Michael Cragg. “Michael Jackson, the Sheikh and the Comeback Album That Came Too Late.” Guardian, June 26, 2009.

  Foster, Patrick. “Sheikh ‘Wanted Michael Jackson to Sing His Songs.’” Times, November 18, 2008.

  “Genealogy of the Al-Khalifa Dynasty.” Royal Ark (I).

  Hari, Johann. “The Dark Side of Dubai.” Independent, April 7, 2009.

  Howard, Stephen. “Sheikh ‘Felt Personally Betrayed’ by Jackson.” Independent, November 18, 2008 (hereafter cited as Howard, “Personally Betrayed”).

  “Jacko Is on the Verge of Converting to Islam.” earthtimes.com, March 30, 2006 (from Panorama) (I).

  Lewis, Paul. “Songwriting Sheikh Sues Michael Jackson for 4.7 Million Pounds.” Guardian, November 18, 2008.

  “Michael Jackson Impressed by Nakheel Projects.” albawaba.com, September 1, 2005 (I).

  “Michael Jackson Visits Kingdom Hall with his Mother.” watchtowerinformationservice.org, June 13, 2005 (I).

  Pipes, Daniel. “If the King of Pop Converts to Islam.” New York Sun, March 7, 2006.

  “Stacy Brown Interview.” Abrams Report, MSNBC, March 10, 2005 (RT).

  Worth, Robert F. “Laid-Off Foreigners Flee as Dubai Spirals Down.” New York Times, February 11, 2009.

  BARTUCCI LAWSUIT

  Gumbel, Andrew. “Sex, Drugs and Abduction by Limo—the Claims Against Jackso That Even His Enemies Won’t Buy.” Independent, July 31, 2005.

  WHAT MORE CAN I GIVE?

  Carter, Bill. “At Jackson’s Request, ABC Cuts a Song Out of a Concert Tape.” New York Times, November 1, 2001.

  Gundersen, Edna. “Jackson Charity Single Tied Up in Limbo.” USA Today, July 18, 2002.

  ———. “Jackson’s 9-11 Single Produced by Gay-Porn Maker.” USA Today, July 14, 2002.

  ———. Michael Jackson Writes, Casts a Benefit Ballad.” USA Today, September 16, 2001.

  Philips, Chuck. “New Spin on Collapse of Jackson’s Charity Project.” Los Angeles Times, June 13, 2002.

  ———. “Producer Sells the Rights to Jackson Project.” Los Angeles Times, July 17, 2002.

  JOHN BRANCA

  Hillburn, Robert. ““Attorney John Branca: He’s Equally as Brilliant . . .
” Billboard, July 21, 1984 (hereafter cited as Hillburn, “Equally as Brilliant”).

  Sinberg, Stan. “The Prince of Rock.” California Lawyer, August 2011 (hereafter cited as Sinberg).

  SONY/INVINCIBLE/TOMMY MOTTOLA

  Guzman, Isaac, George Rush, and Lola Ogunnaike. “Pedophilia Charges Ruining His Career, Says Music Exec.” New York Daily News, July 9, 2002.

  Holson, Laura M. “Recording Industry Questions a Bitter Attack by a Pop Star.” New York Times, July 8, 2002 (hereafter cited as Holson, “Bitter Attack”).

  ———. “Star’s Costs Mount as Album Sales Slump.” New York Times, November 20, 2003.

  Holson, Laura M., and Lynette Holloway. “Sony and Its Star Go to War over the Promotion of an Album.” New York Times, July 10, 2002 (hereafter cited as Holson and Holloway, “Sony and Its Star”).

  Siklos, Richard. “The fight over Michael Jackson’s Millions.” Fortune, October 23, 2009 (dated November 2009 elsewhere; hereafter cited as Siklos).

  MJ FINANCES AND CAREER/SCHAFFEL V. JACKSON

  Hong, Peter. “Jackson Trial Ends with Dual Awards.” Los Angeles Times, July 15, 2006.

  “Jackson Hit with $3 Million Lawsuit.” Smoking Gun, November 17, 2004 (I).

  CASCIOS

  Winfrey, Oprah. “The Cascios on Their Secret Friendship with Michael Jackson.” Oprah, December 6, 2010 (hereafter cited as Winfrey, “Secret Friendship”) (RT).

  ———. “How the Cascios Became Friends with Michael Jackson.” Oprah, December 6, 2010 (hereafter cited as Winfrey, “How the Cascios”) (RT).

  BERLIN

  “Michael Jackson and Halle Berry Pick Up Bambi Awards in Berlin.” Hello, November 22, 2002.

  “Michael Jackson Honored with Germany’s Bambi Award Following Baby Dangling Snafu.” Jet, December 9, 2002.

  Vineyard, Jennifer. “Michael Jackson Calls Baby-Dangling Incident a ‘Terrible Mistake.’” MTV, November 20, 2002 (RT).

  BASHIR/REBUTTAL VIDEO/NEVERLAND RAID/MUSLIMS/AFTERMATH

  Bashir, Martin. “Living with Michael Jackson.” Granada Television, February 6, 2003; rebroadcast in a slightly different version, ABC News, February 6, 2003 (RT).