Untouchable

by Randall Sullivan

  Steinhauer, Jennifer. “Medication a Focus of Jackson Inquiry.” New York Times, June 27, 2009.

  Watkins, Thomas. “Unsealed Search Warrants Reveal Heavy-Duty Anesthetic and Skin-Whiteners Found in Michael Jackson’s Home.” Associated Press, March 27, 2010.

  Post-Death Career Boom/Estate

  Caulfield, Keith. “Fans Snap Up 1.1 Million Michael Jackson Albums in One Week.” Billboard, July 14, 2009.

  ———. “Michael Jackson Breaks Billboard Charts Records.” Billboard, June 30, 2009.

  Christman, Ed, Ann Donahue, Gail Mitchell, Glenn Peoples, and Ray Waddell. “How Michael Jackson Made $1 Billion Since His Death.” Billboard, June 21, 2010 (hereafter cited as Christman, Donahue, Mitchell, Peoples, and Waddell).

  Lee, Chris, and Randy Lewis. “Michael Jackson’s Record Sales Top 9 Million Since His Death.” Los Angeles Times, July 16, 2009.

  Lewis, Randy. “Michael Jackson Album Sales Highlight Physical, Digital Merits.” LATimes.com, July 14, 2009 (I).

  Morgan, Piers. “John Branca and Howard Weitzman Discuss Michael Jackson Estate.” CNN, October 3, 2011 (RT) (hereafter cited as Morgan, “Branca and Weitzman”).

  Sexton, Paul. “Michael Jackson Scores Eight of Top 10 Euro Albums.” Billboard, July 16, 2009.

  Sisario, Ben. “In Death as in Life, Michael Jackson Sets Music Sales Records.” New York Times, July 2, 2009 (hereafter cited as Sisario, “In Death”).

  “2009 U.S. Music Purchases Up 2.1% over 2008; Music Sales Exceed 1.5 Billion for Second Consecutive Year.” Business Wire, January 6, 2010 (PR).

  JACKSON FAMILY OPPORTUNISM/TOHME ACCUSATIONS

  Harris, Paul, and Jo Clements. “Michael Jackson Death Was ‘Foul Play,’ Claims Father Joe.” Daily Mail, June 28, 2009.

  Harvey, Steve. “Joe Jackson Condemned over Reaction to Death of Son, Michael.” Times, June 30, 2009.

  Rossen, “Mystery Man.”

  CUSTODY/COURT/DEBBIE ROWE

  Dolan, Maura, and Jessica Garrison. “Debbie Rowe Considers Bid for Custody of Michael Jackson’s 2 Older Children.” Los Angeles Times, July 2, 2009.

  Kim, Victoria, and Andrew Blankstein. “Michael Jackson’s Mother Granted Temporary Guardianship of His Three Children.” Los Angeles Times, June 29, 2009.

  McCartney, Anthony. “Michael Jackson’s Mother Seeks Custody of His Children.” Associated Press, June 29, 2009.

  JESSE JACKSON/AL SHARPTON/LEONARD ROWE

  Clark, Champ. “Jackson Family Has Questions.” People, June 28, 2009.

  “Al Sharpton Spins Joe Jackson’s Bizarre CNN Interview.” Associated Press, June 29, 2009 (I).

  King, Larry. “Michael Murdered? Interviews with Joe Jackson and Leonard Rowe.” CNN, July 20, 2009 (RT).

  “Metro Atlanta Mourns Michael Jackson’s Death.” Action News, WSB-TV, June 25, 2009 (RT).

  INTERNATIONAL OUTPOURING/UNIFYING EVENT/EXCESSIVE COVERAGE

  Cobo, Leila. “Michael Jackson Remains a Global Phenomenon.” Billboard, July 2, 2009.

  ———. “We Are the World: Brazil.” Billboard, July 11, 2009.

  “El Rushbo Supports Justice Brothers in Case of Media v. Michael Jackson.” Rushlimbaugh.com, June 29, 2009 (I).

  Fernandez, Maria Elena, and Scott Collins. “Jackson Media Frenzy Faulted.” Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2009 (hereafter cited as Fernandez and Collins).

  “Hugo Chavez Scolds CNN for Coverage of Michael Jackson’s Death.” El Universal, June 25, 2009.

  Keagle, Lauri Harvey. “Fans Paying Respects to the King of Pop at Boyhood Home.” The Times of Northwest Indiana, June 26, 2009.

  Lewis, Randy. “Radio Airplay for Michael Jackson: Off the Chart.” LATimes.com, June 29, 2009 (I).

  “Most Americans Believe Jackson Coverage Excessive.” Pew Research Center, July 2, 2009 (I).

  “O’Reilly Provokes Outrage with Jackson Rant.” Yahoo News, July 2009 (I).

  Poor, Jeff. “Jacko Telethon: Primetime Broadcast Network Coverage Devotes One Third of All News to Pop Star’s Death.” NewsBusters, July 10, 2009 (I).

  Sanneh, Kelefa. “Postscript: Michael Jackson.” New Yorker, July 6, 2009.

  “Time Magazine to Publish Special Jackson Issue.” People, June 27, 2009.

  CHAPTER 26

  I have a copy of the will that was handed out at the courthouse in Los Angeles on the day of John Branca’s first appearance before Judge Beckloff. Details of its filing: “Executors Named by . . .”, LA Times, New York Times. Branca retaining Sitrick, Weitzman: Mike was already speaking for Branca on the day the will surfaced; Weitzman represented Branca from his first court appearance. Weitzman bio: his firm’s site, my own observations of him from the time of the DeLorean trial. I met Mike Sitrick for the first (and only) time at his Fourth of July party in Malibu, three days after the MJ will arrived at the courthouse in LA. We were introduced by my friend Ron Kaye, the retired editor of the Los Angeles Daily News, who told me a good deal about Sitrick’s place in the LA power structure. We’ve only communicated by e-mail since then. Sitrick’s “Wheel of Pain”: an attorney who deposed him (claiming to be the only one who ever had) in a lawsuit; Sitrick career: Nolan/Gawker, see also Sitrick’s book Spin. I know people are afraid of him because they’ve told me they are. Media interest in Debbie Rowe cut out of MJ’s will: see Associated Press headline; local news in Los Angeles led with it, too. Diana Ross/no interest in raising MJ’s children: sources close to KJ; note also Daily Mail. I also have a copy of MJ’s trust agreement. Sandra Ribera, who is intimately familiar with the terms of both the trust and the will, and an attorney to boot, pointed out what she thought was some misunderstanding of the will on my part and suggested changes to the manuscript that I made. “They applauded three times . . .”/Branca account of meeting with Jacksons: Deutsch/“Jackson had long history”; Katherine Jackson told quite a different story. “My son had told me”: KJ at a meeting the two of us attended together at a hotel in the San Fernando Valley. Branca astonished: expressed through Howard Weitzman at the hearing to consider Mrs. Jackson’s motion to make her the executor of MJ’s estate, observed firsthand. “Key concession” Katherine had won, Branca/Weitzman deal attempt, Jackson side request for the power to subpoena Branca/McClain, Weitzman/delaying “urgent probe” into missing assets: attorneys and advisors working for Mrs. Jackson, who have shown me court documents. See also Mayorases Web site, Ryan and Kim/LA Times, blow-by-blow in Julie Garber/ about.com “wills” blog, law.com article. The Forbes article (see below) about the value of MJ’s holdings was not written until late 2010, but it was based upon the status and performance of the estate in 2009. Continued surge in sale of MJ’s music: the Times of London, Guardian, New York Times. Quantity and opinion of “incalculable” value of warehoused music, film, and video footage: Schaffel, Wiesner. I was fortunate to avoid an embarrassing mistake in connection to the Julien’s auction of the MJ memorabilia supposedly belonging to David Gest (as reported by LA Times day of and day after the auction); it was only by chance that I saw that Gest disavowed ownership and expressed his fury (Contact Music). It turned out that they had been consigned from someone who obtained them from Gest earlier. MJ domain name on eBay for $10 million: saw firsthand. July 6 hearing/long introduction of all the attorneys: firsthand observation; see law.com and Ryan and Kim/LA Times, which both described the various attorneys’ backgrounds). How McMillan came to represent KJ: KJ. Branca’s representations about the will: in court. To my knowledge, he has never identified the attorney who actually prepared the will, or offered any details about the signing. Questions about the will: various attorneys, observers, and advisors of Katherine Jackson. Termination letter MJ sent to Branca with instructions to return all documents, Barry Siegel (fired at the same time as Branca) removing himself as executor: from the documents. “Complete and unfettered” language: from trust document; see Mayorases relevant blog posts below; Mayoras quotes also come from interviews for Stealing Michael Jackson. Observations about exclusion clause and KJ: blog posts and f
ilm interviews. Authenticity of the will: Tohme, KJ/advisors, filings from Joe Jackson vs. estate. Katherine advice from attorneys and what she was thinking herself: KJ personally, in greater detail from her advisors and attorneys.

  McClain long Jackson family association: KJ advisors/ attorneys. McClain “disability”: not specified by Weitzman in remarks to court (at least in my presence); diabetic/stroke explanation: KJ advisors/attorneys, but as conjecture. McClain background: lalate.com profile and Taraborrelli (incl. Joe Jackson on losing Janet as client). KJ fondness for McClain (a high school friend of Jackie’s), Joe’s wariness: Jacksons’s advisors/attorneys. KJ concern about Branca: KJ. Joe Jackson re. Branca: Stealing Michael Jackson interview. Schreiber expressing KJ concerns about Branca, Hoffman answer, Beckloff ruling: observed firsthand. My assessment of why this seemed reasonable, because of Branca’s abilities, is based on my knowledge of his career successes and the concessions made to me even by people who dislike him that he is, as I wrote, “a brilliant lawyer and a masterful dealmaker.” Branca has already earned millions of dollars by administering MJ’s estate, and there are certainly people who think he deserves it. “Maximizing the estate”: Weitzman, July 6 hearing, in my presence. Judge’s ruling: also present; the details are confirmed by Ryan/Kim/LA Times. I was standing almost shoulder-to-shoulder with them when Branca and McMillan stood shoulder to shoulder outside the courthouse. Jacksons’s chief concern Debbie Rowe: family advisors, public statements, court documents. Klein named (for the second time) as father of Prince and Paris: Us; the headline had to do with the denial by Klein that morning on Good Morning America (also below); Klein’s quotes: via Larry King. Mark Lester claims/possible father of Paris: London tabloid interviews (see Chapter 3 notes); Tito and Jermaine answer: “Jackson family anger,” “Michael Jackson was confronted.” Geller quotes here: same articles. Leo Terrell’s observations and quotes, biology as trump: Terrell. Debbie Rowe July 2 interviews with KNBC and Us: see below; all quotes as attributed. Faye/Bush preparing MJ for viewing at Forest Lawn: “Michael Jackson’s Inner Circle Addresses Rumors”/ABC.

  Michael Jackson memorial event at the Staples Center, kindly arranged by Claire Hoffman, but ended up giving it away to an imploring mixed-race woman who had flown all the way from London. Only later did it occur to me that without something that identified her as me she probably wouldn’t get in. So I watched it on television, just like the billion other people who tuned in, and my observations are based on that perspective. Ehrlich/Ortega putting memorial together: Gunderson/USA Today, LA Times. Number of tickets issued, concerns about impact on city, short-lived controversy over costs: LA Times July 4 through July 9. Jacksons’s debate over interment: family advisors/attorneys, Tohme. Report MJ had wanted to be frozen (not true, insofar as I know) and would now be made into a Body World display (not true either, obviously): see Daily Mail below. I have a copy of MJ’s death certificate. Coroner’s investigator/keeping brain: Snead/LA Times, later, Guardian. Public viewing of MJ’s body at Neverland (wrong again): Daily Mail. Fan vigil at Neverland, local concern: Bloomekatz/LA Times, Tohme. Interment debate, conversations with Barrack: Tohme. Work at Neverland, Barrack maneuvers: Siklos/Fortune (see Chapter 1 notes). I heard Katherine Jackson’s rather different point of view on it all later, from her advisors and attorneys, and I must admit that how she handled herself in this moment is what made me really start to admire Katherine. See also Ryan/Blankstein/LA Times (which had Taj Jackson input). “Jackson Four’s greatest performance”: Dileo to Daily Mail. MJ praying with Elvis statue: Geller. Russian fan: Novasti via WorldMeetsUS. Final say on MJ funeral and burial place: I heard about Mrs. Jackson’s point of view well after the event; also, Alexander/Time, which reported Randy Jackson’s role (though not how Randy looked in the eyes of the other Jacksons). Forest Lawn description: the Memorial Park’s own Web site, seeing— stars.com “Grand Mausoleum” page, plus Alexander, Manning, Dimond, Ditzien, Kreps, Burks blog. Branca’s permission to purchase Sanctuary of Ascension crypt/cost, etc.: KJ advisors, articles cited above. Same model casket as James Brown: KJ. Jacksons “bickering” about funeral date, MJ’s remains largely unattended: same sources mentioned previously.

  KJ-Debbie Rowe custody deal: Schaffel, who helped broker it. Debbie hiring Eric George and what it likely meant: Leo Terrell, followed by other attorneys including Mesereau and later media reports. Schaffel may have overstated the importance of his role, but he was the one who first brought Katherine Jackson and Debbie Rowe together. That Marc was attempting to show people how useful he could be is an inference I drew based on conversations with him; he never said that explicitly. Schaffel-Debbie reconnecting: Schaffel, see also Reuters article on lawsuit against TMZ; King quote: court filing. Schaffel bringing Katherine and Debbie together: Schaffel, unchallenged by other sources, including Sandra Ribera. Hayvenhurst goings-on: Schaffel, other sources; he was the only one who didn’t ask not to be quoted by name. What Marc was telling me was almost exactly what I was hearing from the others, except that they thought they knew a lot more about what was going on than he did. The other advisors may not like it, but Katherine has confided a good deal to Schaffel and Mann. The advisor I quoted anonymously wasn’t Mann. Re. the source I quoted referring to Rebbie’s husband as a “deadbeat”: I’m not calling him that. Nathaniel Brown has supported his family by working as, among other things, a letter carrier; by all accounts he is a decent, hardworking man, just one that doesn’t have a great deal of money. Children dealing with new situation: via KJ advisors/attorneys, “Michael’s Last Wish”/People. Jacksons keeping Grace close: an inference based on what I was told by multiple sources; as noted, Schaffel had another view. He was involved in opening the line of communication between Grace and Katherine, but I don’t think he was quite as critical as in the link between Katherine and Debbie Rowe. Living conditions at Hayvenhurst: sources who were regular visitors to the house/KJ confidants, Children’s Services report prepared after the stun gun incident. Alejandra’s kids referring to Jermaine as “Uncle Daddy”: KJ advisor close to Jackson family for many years. Again, Schaffel is the one quoted most often about the situation in the house, and about Alejandra, because he was the only one who never asked me not to use his name. Rumors about Donte and Omer: KJ advisors, also British tabloids including the Sun. Alejandra Oaziaza: sources associated with KJ/Hayvenhurst household; I also drew on information contained in a lengthy letter about Alejandra published by TMZ and attributed to a “Jackson insider.” I’m pretty sure I know who that person is and I’m very sure that person would be in a position to know just about everything there is to know about Alejandra and her dealings with the Jackson family. That letter has since been posted on desireespeakssolisten.blogspot.com (cited earlier), where it can still be found. I verified with at least one of my own sources whatever information I drew from it. Schaffel/Tohme quotes: Schaffel, Tohme. Reasons for delaying MJ’s funeral: confidential sources; the timing speaks for itself. Ken Sunshine nonexplanation: “Jacksons Postpone Michael’s Burial Again”/Associated Press; Joe Jackson: to TMZ; Jacksons’ other obligations: Yahoo, manhattanlivingmag.com. Funeral: I happened to be in LA and observed the scene from a distance; also, Time magazine, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail, MTV, Friedman, “Gloves Off on Cost”/LA Times, two sources who attended. Lisa Marie’s last conversation with MJ: to Oprah 2010; sunflower request/ sunflowerguy.com donation: TMZ, X17.com. David Rothenberg: Larry King Live (9/3 Special Edition); I was told by someone who was there that Rothenberg spoke almost exactly the same words at the funeral. I knew his story well because I was a newspaper columnist in Los Angeles when that particular horror was perpetrated. Jacksons purchasing other burial spots: “Gloves Off”/LA Times, confirmed by a source I trust later.

  Coroner’s homicide ruling: The Smoking Gun, which effectively jumped the story three days earlier via affidavit executed by Orlando Martinez; also, “Ruled a Homicide”/New York Times and LA Times. Chief Bratton’s early remarks/homicide investigation: Bone/Times.
Murder charges unlikely: Leonard/Ryan/LA Times 7/19/09. Involvement of agencies including DEA: Natalie Finn/E!Online July 2, 2009. Scope of investigation, five doctors: LA Times July 3 and July 4. Mickey Fine search warrant: review of document, which is inextricably linked to the investigation of Dr. Klein. Vials and packages from MJ’s bedroom: “Medication Removed”/ABC. Ed Winter affidavit/Klein: “Evidence Piling Up”/Fox News, People, CNN; Winter’s second visit: Radar Online. Execution of the search warrant at Mickey Fine’s: TMZ. Winter quotes: Seal, Vanity Fair. Klein media offensive: Good Morning America, Larry King Live; quotes: GMA. One of a dozen doctors: LA Times July 4 (five doctors), the Times of London July 5 thirty people being examined, LA Times July 17; names of doctors being looked at by investigators emerged slowly over time, in connection to Murray case and state medical board probe. Dr. Tadrissi first named, Dr. Adams’s records subpoenaed: August 24 “Lethal levels”/ LA Times. Dr. Adams denied to the Las Vegas Review-Journal the allegation by Conrad Murray that Adams had administered propofol to MJ. Adams’s name was back in the news in May of 2011, when TMZ got hold of the summons issued by Murray’s attorneys that would force Adams to testify about the fact that he had, in fact, administered propofol to MJ. Adams did admit that he administered propofol, which was testified to by Det. Martinez at Murray trial. And an e-mail was introduced as evidence to show that Adams wanted to join “This Is It” tour as MJ’s resident anesthesiologist. Dr. Slavit’s only involvement in the case was the physical he gave MJ in early 2009 for his insurance policy. Winter visiting Dr. Koplin: TMZ July 29, 2009; newspapers next day. Randy Rosen: TMZ July 23, 2009. Dr. Metzger read the writing on the wall and sending forth his attorney Braun to tell the media about MJ’s attempt to get propofol from him in the spring of 2009; see Nancy Grace report. Dr. Farschian: Waxman/“5 Doctors”; the first significant reporting to implicate Farschian was his letter to MJ about Buprinex being better than Demerol: Miami New Times blog; first suggestion Farschian was a target of investigation: Posner/“Jackson and the ‘Pill Mills’” (see Chapter 12 notes); Fox News four days later. It would be revealed eventually that a number of MJ’s former bodyguards were talking to investigators about Farschian overprescribing drugs, in particular Demerol, to MJ. I was hearing about it from Schaffel and Wiesner, among others. Dr. Aksenoff refusing requests for stimulants: Japan Times. Deepak Chopra: to Gerald Posner. MJ drug aliases: Winter warrant, which hit media June 30, 2009; see Guardian below. Joey Jeszeck and others targeted as witnesses in 2009 investigation: confidential source who has access to the records of the investigation; see also Posner (see Chapter 12 notes). LAPD announcement referring case to district attorney/timing with coroner ruling death a homicide: Reuters. Prior drug use mitigating at best, potential chain of custody issues: confidential source cited above. MJ computer was missing: Tohme, confirmed later by my confidential source. Murray’s address to Galilee church: click2houston.com. Chernoff’s statement: “Feds Raid”/Nightline. Official charges: CNN February 8; Fox News had reported August 19 that Murray would be charged with manslaughter within two weeks, among other media speculation. Not guilty plea, preliminary hearing: Blas/USA Today.