The press and the hoax

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Michael Jackson Estate Inks Record, Record Deal
Posted Mar 16th 2010 8:10AM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has confirmed the Michael Jackson estate has signed the biggest deal ever in music -- worth up to $250 million with a guarantee of $200 million.

The estate made the deal with Sony Music Entertainment -- the contract is for 10 projects over seven years.

One album will debut in November, which contains never-before released recordings. We're told Jackson left enough material for at least three albums of fresh material.

A source tells TMZ the royalty rate on foreign sales is the key to the deal -- and 2/3 of the sales of MJ records traditionally have been outside the U.S.

And we're told Sony gets a two-year extension for the right to distribute the Michael Jackson catalog -- to 2017.

The deal has nothing to do with The Beatles' catalog -- it's all about MJ original recordings.

The agreement was brokered by John Branca and John McClain, executors of the MJ estate.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/16/michael-jackson-record-deal-sony-entertainment-albums-music-estate/

Conrad Murray Docu-Drama with D.A.
Posted Mar 16th 2010 7:05AM by TMZ Staff

Dr. Conrad Murray's lawyers say the L.A. County District Attorney still hasn't turned over the investigative documents and reports in the death of Michael Jackson ... and they say they smell a rat.




A rep for Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, tells TMZ, "We remain confused by how suspiciously slow the D.A. has been in turning over the documents." The rep says Chernoff and his team "have not received anywhere near all of it."

According to the rep, the last docs they received were turned over more than two weeks ago.

As for the documents Dr. Murray's team has received, they've turned them over to their medical experts and the private investigator for review.

A rep for the D.A.'s Office tells TMZ, "The District Attorney's office is turning them over as soon as they are copied and cataloged. There is a huge number of documents and the process takes time."

http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/16/conrad-murray-michael-jackson-los-angeles-district-attorney-documents/

Jermaine Jackson on Jaafar: It Wasn't a Stun Gun
Posted Mar 16th 2010 5:10AM by TMZ Staff

Jermaine Jackson admits his son was in the wrong for ordering something online -- but according to him, it wasn't a stun gun.


Though extremely vague on what 13-year-old son Jaafar -- who was with him -- actually purchased, Jermaine says he "never touched Blanket" with "that thing."

Jermaine claims he had "no idea" anything was going on.

As TMZ first reported, the L.A. County Department of Children and Family Services seized a stun gun during their first visit to the home after the incident. Family members tell us Jaafar fired the gun into a piece of paper but contradicted employees who say he pointed the gun at Blanket and Prince.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/16/jermaine-jackson-jaafar-stun-gun-blanket-video/

Michael Jackson worth more dead than alive as his estate signs £166m record deal for 10 new albums
Mar 17 2010 By John Dingwall

IN life, Michael Jackson was fighting to salvage his career and pay off £350million of debt. In death, he is the hottest property in pop.

Jacko's estate has just signed the biggest record deal in history, worth up to $250million (£166million).

The colossal seven-year contract with Sony confirms what music insiders already knew - in cash terms, Jackson is worth far more dead than alive.

And it will help tackle the king of pop's debt mountain and secure the futures of his three kids.

Oddly, one of the executors of Jacko's estate, John Branca, said: "We and Sony feel the future for Michael Jackson is unlimited."

He added: "During his life, Michael's contracts set the standard. This agreement demonstrates the lasting power of Michael's music."

Reports in the States say Sony will release 10 Jackson albums under the deal, including remastered versions of classics like Off The Wall, the soundtrack of new film This Is It and new greatest hits collections.

There will also be an album of unreleased songs, set to be released in November.

Jackson is said to have left 100 unheard songs behind when he died of a drug overdose last June, aged just 50.

Fans have snapped up 31million Jackson albums since the tragedy and the worldwide sales bonanza helped persuade Sony to agree the massive deal.

Sony could also release new DVD compilations of Jackson's videos, and computer games and a Jackson stage show are also on the cards. The deal extends Sony's right to distribute his back catalogue for two more years, to 2017.

Rob Stringer, boss of Sony record label Columbia Epic, said: "We're dedicated to protecting this icon's legacy, and we're thrilled we can continue to bring his music to the world for the foreseeable future."

The contract dwarfs the $150million (£100million) deal concert promoters Live Nation signed with rapper Jay-Z and the £100million record deal EMI gave Robbie Williams in 2002.

It will guarantee Jackson's heirs at least £133million, according to the Wall Street Journal. His mum Katherine, 79, has been named the guardian of his children Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket.

Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray has been charged with his involuntary manslaughter. He denies giving him anything that could have killed him.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/showbiz/music-news/2010/03/17/michael-jackson-worth-more-dead-than-alive-as-his-estate-signs-166m-record-deal-for-10-new-albums-86908-22116886/

Debbie Rowe/Michael Jackson Estate Legal Fight
Posted Mar 18th 2010 6:25PM by TMZ Staff

The stage is set for a dogfight between Debbie Rowe and the Estate of Michael Jackson.

Rowe's lawyer, Eric George, filed legal papers asking the judge in the estate case to order the estate to pay Debbie Rowe's lawyer more than $175,000 for legal services in connection with the appointment of a guardian for Michael Jackson's three kids.

In the end, Katherine Jackson became guardian. But in his legal docs, George claims estate lawyer Howard Weitzman promised to "reimburse [George's firm] on Ms. Rowe's behalf." George says in his documents that MJ's kids benefited when she reached an agreement with Katherine on guardianship and visitation, and that's why he asked Weitzman to have the estate foot his legal bill.

But Howard Weitzman begs to differ, telling TMZ, "I had discussions with Mr. George about his request that the estate pay his fees on behalf of Debbie Rowe, but no agreement was ever reached."

George is asking for a total of $177,975. If the estate isn't ordered to pay ... George's only recourse is Debbie.

http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/18/debbie-rowe-michael-jackson-howard-weitzman-estate-children-guardianship/

Conrad Murray -- I Tried Saving Michael Jackson
Posted Mar 22nd 2010 1:07PM by TMZ Staff

Dr. Conrad Murray claims he was honest with paramedics the day Michael Jackson died and did everything he could to save Jackson's life.



Dr. Murray is responding to a story which cites a paramedic report, claiming Dr. Murray never told the EMTs he administered Propofol to the singer just before he stopped breathing.

The rep for Dr. Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff tells TMZ, "We are currently in receipt of almost 2800 pages of discovery from the Los Angeles prosecutors and we have been assured that more is coming. What we have does not include this 'official' paramedics report, cited in the News of the World story."

The rep says Dr. Murray will not address the accusation -- at least not now -- because Chernoff hasn't seen the report.

The rep is quick to add, "We can say unequivocally that Dr. Murray did everything in his power to save Michael Jackson's life and that he fully cooperated with both the paramedics at the scene and physicians at UCLA Medical Center."




Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/22/dr-conrad-murray-saving-michael-jackson-propofol-emt-paramedics-news-of-the-world-ucla-medical/#ixzz0ivoMj4KB

Murray Allegedly Stopped CPR to Hide Drugs
Posted Mar 22nd 2010 6:22PM by TMZ Staff

Dr. Conrad Murray stopped administering CPR to Michael Jackson to collect drug vials ... this according to documents obtained by the Associated Press.



According to bodyguard Alberto Alvarez (right), Dr. Murray stopped CPR and handed Alvarez drug vials and told him to put the vials in a bag.

Alvarez told investigators when he went into the room he saw an IV attached to Jackson's leg. Also Jackson's mouth and eyes were wide open and there was no sign of life.

According to the AP, Michael Jackson's kids, Prince and Paris, entered the room and cried as they watched Dr. Murray administer mouth-to-mouth.

According to Alvarez, Dr. Murray took several vials and told Alvarez to put them in a plastic bag, then told Alvarez to put the plastic bag in a canvas bag. Alvarez also says Dr. Murray told him to remove the IV that contained a white milky substance (Propofol has this quality) in another canvas bag. Alvarez didn't say where the bags went.

The report says, after Jackson was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center, Murray said he needed to go back to the mansion to get cream Jackson had "so the world wouldn't find out about it." The statement did not get more specific.

As TMZ first reported, Alvarez -- who called 911 -- told cops several months after Jackson's death that Dr. Murray hid bottles of Propofol in a closet so family members and cops wouldn't find them.

Sources connected with Dr. Murray's defense say the doctor didn't hide anything.




Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/22/conrad-murray-michael-jackson-propofol-cpr-drug-vials/#ixzz0iydqHJVz

Eyewitness: Dr. Conrad Murray Hid the Propofol
Posted Mar 22nd 2010 4:40PM by TMZ Staff

TMZ has learned the man who called 911 at Michael Jackson's house the day he died told police Dr. Conrad Murray hid bottles of Propofol from family members and authorities.

The witness -- bodyguard Alberto Alvarez -- told cops he saw Dr. Murray running around the room hiding Propofol bottles in a closet near the room where the doctor administered the drug to Jackson.

Authorities found bottles of the anesthetic in what looks like a secret compartment area of the closet.

A source close to Dr. Murray told TMZ Alvarez made the statement two months after Jackson's death ... in the office of his lawyer, Carl Douglas ... when Alvarez was questioned again by cops. Douglas, by the way, is also a lawyer for the Jackson family.

The source says Alvarez' statement contradicts what he told cops the day of Jackson's death. The source says Alvarez never told cops at the scene about hiding Propofol.

The source notes ... and we have confirmed ... Dr. Murray told cops two days after Jackson's death where the Propofol bottles could be found.

As we first reported, one of the bottles of Propofol in the closet was empty with a large tear in the rubber stopper. Law enforcement sources believe Dr. Murray may have connected the large bottle of Propofol directly into the IV and a massive amount of the drug, they believe entered Jackson's system and killed him.

UPDATE: We're also told Alvarez told cops during the interview in Douglas' office that he saw a milky white substance in an IV bag. As we first reported the IV bag in the room contained no traces of Propofol.




Read more: http://www.tmz.com/2010/03/22/witness-dr-conrad-murry-hid-propofol-michael-jackson-death-police-closet/#ixzz0iydyeaTL