Las Vegas Weekly

November 18, 2008 · 10:46 AM

Michael Jackson’s mystery illness ignites a legal battle in $7 million case in London

By Robin Leach

Michael Jackson celebrated his 50th birthday at Planet Hollywood in Caesars Palace on Aug. 29, 2008.

Photo: Denise Truscello

Vegas DeLuxe update to our item this morning in Morning Call: A British judge is reviewing medical reports this morning in London to rule if he will order embattled King of Pop Michael Jackson to fly there in the next 24 hours. Judge Nigel Sweeny says he might order Jackson to appear in his court on Thursday.

Meantime, medical experts working for lawyers in the case are now giving sworn testimony to Judge Sweeny. Jackson, an on-and-off Las Vegas resident, is being sued for $7 million by Sheik Abdulla Khalifa, second son of the King of Bahrain, who claims the singer reneged on a contract and must return the loan.

Michael is now fighting this morning to testify via a closed-circuit transatlantic video link. His lawyer Robert Englehart told the judge: “It would be unwise for him to travel given what he’s got now. I will not elaborate for the obvious reasons.” Rival lawyer Bankim Thanki bristled and angrily responded: “His condition could be treated with a bandage even if the diagnosis is positive. It’s not the first time a sick note has been presented by Mr. Jackson to avoid court appearances.”

The Middle East royal family claims that 50-year-old Jackson took millions from the sheik when Michael fled to the oil-rich Gulf state to escape paparazzi after he was cleared of child molestation charges in a Santa Barbara case that received worldwide attention. Sheik Khalifa, an amateur songwriter, says Michael was to repay the advanced money from a new album, a candid autobiography and a new stage play. Michael’s defense lawyers claim the money was a loan.

This morning’s courtroom shocker was on the second day of legal arguments in the case mutually agreed to be heard in England by all the involved parties. Michael ended his Bahrain arrangements, dropped the projects and returned to Vegas in 2006 after a brief stop in Ireland.

“It’s fair to say my client felt a considerable sense of betrayal by someone he thought was a close friend,” the sheik’s lawyer said in court. Thanki said Al Khalifa suffered financially, too: Jackson’s autobiography, intended to be “a frank and personal account” of the singer's life, was alone expected to rack up $24 million. Thanki said Khalifa also gave Jackson millions of dollars to help shore up the star’s finances and subsidize Jackson’s lifestyle, including more than $300,000 for a motivational guru. Thanki said Al Khalifa considered the money an advance on the profits Jackson would reap from their pop music project.

In his opening arguments, Jackson’s attorney admitted the size of the money involved but said the money was a gift. “Sheik Abdulla, fortunately for himself, had the resources to be so generous,” Englehart said. He argued that Jackson wasn’t bound by the deal he struck because the contract was technically signed on behalf of 2 Seas Records, a venture which never got off the ground. “This (contract) was one brick in a building that was never built,” Englehart said.

For now, the court is in recess as the medical experts testify behind closed doors about Michael’s new illness. The judge has told lawyers he will issue a ruling on Michael’s mandatory court attendance no later than Thursday.

Vegas DeLuxe will continue to monitor this developing story, and you should check back often for updates direct from our London colleagues.

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