Jackson won't be in court for lawsuit

Jackson won't be in court for lawsuit
By LINDA DEUTSCH, AP Special Correspondent

Michael Jackson is the key figure in a lawsuit going to trial this
week, but the pop superstar won't be in the courtroom while lawyers
and witnesses thrash out the question of whether he owes $3.8 million
to a former business associate.

Jury selection was set to begin Tuesday but was rescheduled Monday,
without explanation, for Wednesday. The trial is expected to last 12
days, according to court officials.

Jackson's spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, said the singer has no plans to
appear in the case. Lawyers, anticipating his absence, have taken
videotaped depositions from him during two sessions in London.

Jackson is being sued by F. Marc Schaffel for $3.8 million for what
Schaffel says are unrepaid loans and expenses, and unpaid salary for
work on a charity record called "What More Can I Give."

Schaffel also is seeking what he says is his share of the proceeds
from two TV specials produced to bolster Jackson's reputation after he
was hit with child molestation allegations.

Among the expenses Schaffel is seeking are legal fees of $74,000
incurred when he was named an unindicted co-conspirator in Jackson's
2005 child molestation trial. Jackson was acquitted.

Jackson has countersued, claiming among other things that Schaffel
misappropriated art work belonging to the singer and mishandled
financial records.

The trial is expected to examine Jackson's peculiar spending habits,
including paying the late actor Marlon Brando $1 million to attend a
Jackson concert at Madison Square Garden.

SneakyP...

So the stinker won't pay Katrina victims to attend one of his, ...uh,
*lipsyncing* sessions.