Witness claims intrigue over Michael Jackson catalogue deal with Sony, page 1

A SPY IN THE JACKOSN CAMP?
Wednesday 02 March 2005.
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RECORD LABEL SPY

The most intriguing testimony came when Kite hinted that a spy has been placed in the JAckson Camp by the star's own record label, Sony Music. She said she has learned that one of Mr. Jackson's advisors, RONALD KONITZER, may have been working behind the scenes in an attemp to allow SONY to take ownership to the SONY/ATV music catalogue, which is half-owned by the reclusive superstar. KONITZER is also one of the unindicted co-conspirators

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Witness claims intrigue over Jackson catalogue deal with Sony

By LINDA DEUTSCH
AP Special Correspondent

Michael Jackson's infamous relationship with Sony Music became a subtext for testimony at his molestation trial Wednesday, with suggestions by a witness that associates were plotting behind his back to wrest away his co-ownership of a valuable song catalogue that includes the music of the Beatles.

The unexpected testimony came from Ann Kite, who was hired briefly in 2003 to work on public relations damage control after the airing of a documentary in which Jackson said he let boys sleep in his bedroom.

She suggested that some of the men charged as unindicted co-conspirators in the molestation case were actually enemies of Jackson's interests who were planted in his inner circle to bring about his downfall.

The issue of the catalogue came up during cross-examination of Kite by defense attorney Thomas Mesereau Jr.

Drawing on Kite's previous statements to police he suggested there was a backstairs intrigue going on among Jackson's "team."

"You told the police that you thought Michael Jackson was being slammed by the team?" asked Mesereau.

"Yes," she said.

"And your opinion was this team was not out to help Michael Jackson?" asked the lawyer.

"That was my opinion," she said.

Jackson's stake in Sony/ATV, which includes catalogues for the Beatles and many Elvis Presley songs, was estimated by Forbes magazine several years ago to be worth at least $350 million. Jackson bought ATV in 1985 for about $47.5 million and sold it to Sony for about $95 million in 1995, but retained a half interest.

Kite, who said she only lasted on the job for Jackson for six days and never met the pop superstar, said she tried in that short time to shift the attention of his associates to crisis management but to no avail.

"Michael was going to get skewered on national TV and there was no plan of action to protect his interests from scurrilous allegations," she said.

Kite said she believed she had Jackson's public relations interest at heart more than adviser Ronald Konitzer, his partner, Dieter Wiesner, and Stuart Backerman, who was then Jackson's official spokesman. She also named unindicted co-conspirator Marc Schaffel as a key figure working against Jackson.

"You said that Mr. Konitzer was hired to isolate Michael Jackson and let him create his downfall so that Sony could get the catalogue back, isn't that correct?" asked Mesereau.

"Not in those words," said the witness.

But she said she was aware of the importance of Jackson's interest in Sony and understood that he owned the rights to many major songs including those by the Beatles.

"I knew that Mr. Jackson had spoken out vigorously against record labels and still had a contract with Sony," she said.

Mesereau asked if she had told police that "Sony was waiting for the opportunity to get the Sony catalogue back."

"That's correct," she said.

In 2002, Jackson launched a public feud with then-Sony Music chief Tommy Mottola. Jackson, following poor sales and alleged lack of promotion of the album "Invincible," accused Mottola of being a racist, saying he was "mean, he's a racist, and he's very, very devilish." Several black industry executives spoke in Mottola's defense and Sony called his statements "ludicrous spiteful and hurtful."

Mottola resigned from the company in 2003 to start a new musical venture.

A telephone message seeking comment on the witness' claims was left at Sony Corp. in New York City after business hours Wednesday night. There was no immediate response.

A call to Konitzer also was not immediately returned late Wednesday.

Michael mergerd his ATV cat with the sony one in 1995. the deal was for 10 years so its up for renewal sometime this year. sony paid mj $95 to merge because mj's cat was more profitable than sonys.so they were paying him for any losses while the 2 companies starting making money together. the sony atv comprises mj's atv which doesnt include mj's own songs and sony cat. so at this stage mj does own 50% of the sony publishing cat just like sony own half of mj's ATV.

Roger Friedchicken was ONTO something when he published his article back in the Summer of 2002 when he said that SONY/Motolla would make Mike relive 1993 all over again.

You gotta wonder why all of sudden, almost a year after MJ lashed at Tommy Mottola that these bull# allegations came about.
Michael owns the whole cat, and Sony is pissed therefore trying to destroy him so they can get there hands on the cat, or Sony wants the other half, and the only way by doing that is trying to bankrupt Michael which is highly impossible. They want him jailed and locked up, forever!! This is the only way to get the catalogue back. The most powerful thing in the musical industry. Sony thought that they would be able to snatch that entire catalogue from Michael, but they were fooled by the "song and dance man".

Now I know why they raided Neverland on the very same day Numberones was released

This case is a conspiracy against Michael Jackson to erase him from the face of the planet. Its all about the ATV catolog. Sony conspires in this scheme, this is more then just a "molestation case"

[edit on 4-3-2005 by kiMMii]