JUDGE DISMISSES CASE AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON

North American News Report
DATE: July 21, 1995 18:06 E.T.

LOS ANGELES (Reuter) - A judge Friday threw out a a lawsuit against Michael Jackson by five of his former security guards who said they were fired for knowing too much about nighttime visits with young boys.

After a three-day trial, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Neal dismissed the case on the grounds that all the guards had signed releases providing for severance pay when they left Jackson.

''Michael Jackson is thankful for the court's ruling,'' Jackson's attorney Howard Weitzman said in a statement.

''He has consistently maintained that he has not engaged in wrongful conduct with any minors. The stories told by these guards on various tabloid shows, for which they were paid, were false.'' The security guards had brought the case against Jackson in 1993, alleging they were spied on and harassed by a private investigator hired by the pop superstar to impede the investigation into charges he sexually molested young boys.

At the time, Jackson was being sued by a 13-year-old boy who charged the singer had molested him, and was also under criminal investigation. Jackson denied the allegations of the boy, whose family later settled the lawsuit for millions of dollars, and prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges.

The security guards had alleged they had firsthand knowledge of Jackson's personal life, and had witnessed him fondling young boys and keeping them in his bedroom for days at a time.

They also alleged Jackson attempted to discredit potential witnesses and destroy incriminating evidence, at one point instructing one guard to retrieve a photo of a naked boy left in the singer's bathroom.

Jackson maintained that the dismissal of the guards was related to a decision to hire an independent security firm rather than employ guards on an individual basis.
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JUDGE DISMISSES CASE AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON

North American News Report
DATE: July 21, 1995 18:06 E.T.

LOS ANGELES (Reuter) - A judge Friday threw out a a lawsuit against Michael Jackson by five of his former security guards who said they were fired for knowing too much about nighttime visits with young boys.

After a three-day trial, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard Neal dismissed the case on the grounds that all the guards had signed releases providing for severance pay when they left Jackson.

''Michael Jackson is thankful for the court's ruling,'' Jackson's attorney Howard Weitzman said in a statement.

''He has consistently maintained that he has not engaged in wrongful conduct with any minors. The stories told by these guards on various tabloid shows, for which they were paid, were false.'' The security guards had brought the case against Jackson in 1993, alleging they were spied on and harassed by a private investigator hired by the pop superstar to impede the investigation into charges he sexually molested young boys.

At the time, Jackson was being sued by a 13-year-old boy who charged the singer had molested him, and was also under criminal investigation. Jackson denied the allegations of the boy, whose family later settled the lawsuit for millions of dollars, and prosecutors decided not to pursue the charges.

The security guards had alleged they had firsthand knowledge of Jackson's personal life, and had witnessed him fondling young boys and keeping them in his bedroom for days at a time.

They also alleged Jackson attempted to discredit potential witnesses and destroy incriminating evidence, at one point instructing one guard to retrieve a photo of a naked boy left in the singer's bathroom.

Jackson maintained that the dismissal of the guards was related to a decision to hire an independent security firm rather than employ guards on an individual basis.
 



 

 

JUDGE DISMISSES GUARDS' CASE AGAINST MICHAEL JACKSON

The Associated Press
Date: July 22, 1995

A lawsuit by four ex-guards who claim Michael Jackson fired them because they knew about his alleged trysts was thrown out of court on Friday.

The men sued in 1993 despite the fact they had signed a release after they were fired in which they promised not to.

They claimed the release was invalid because they signed it under duress, but Superior Court Judge Richard C. Neal dismissed the case.

The guards' lawyer, Charles T. Mathews, said he would appeal.

''If we'd been able to get to a jury, I'm quite confident they'd find the charges we alleged were true,'' Mathews said. Jackson's lawyer disagreed.

''Michael has said from day one he never did anything inappropriate with any minors,'' Howard Weitzman said. ''This was (the guards') way of getting their 15 minutes in the limelight.''

Jackson settled a sex abuse lawsuit filed by a 13-year-old boy in 1994, reportedly for as much as $15 million. No charges were filed. Jackson denied wrongdoing and called the boy's claim an extortion attempt.