USA: Michael Jackson auction is mired in controversy as the king of pop tries to stop it going ahead

Record ID: 393266

  • Title: USA: Michael Jackson auction is mired in controversy as the king of pop tries to stop it going ahead
  • Date: 29th March 2009
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DAREN JULIEN, CEO, JULIEN'S AUCTIONS, SAYING: "We're really puzzled and disappointed that he's trying to stop this sale because the last eight months he's known about the auction. In fact, that's why we were brought in but also in December he and his manager approved a press release that went out on December 10 announcing that we're conducting an auct
  • Embargoed: 13th April 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Topics: Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA9UNNDUCR4MAS4IZ2J2IUQWEEJ
  • Story Text: One of the biggest collections of Michael Jackson memorabilia, taken mostly from his Neverland ranch, is slated for auction. But controversy is clouding the "King of Pop" sale.
    Earlier this month, MJJ Productions filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles claiming that Julien's Auction House had "effectively stolen Michael Jackson's personal property" and refused to return it.
    The auctioneers though are going ahead with the preview of the sale, which is presently being held at Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square. At the preview, the CEO of Julien's Auction, Darren Julien, denied allegations by the singer's production company that they had no right to sell the memorabilia. He claims that the auction house has a contract with Michael Jackson's company proving that the sale was sanctioned by Jackson.

    "We're really puzzled and disappointed that he's trying to stop this sale because the last eight months he's known about the auction. In fact that's why we were brought in but also in December he and his manager approved a press release that went out on December 10 announcing that we're conducting an auction of Neverland and Michael Jackson," said Julien.
    According to Julien, his auction house had been invited by Michael Jackson's representatives to Neverland in August 2008 to organize a sale of items from the ranch that Jackson no longer wanted.
    The five-day auction, set for April 21-25 in Beverly Hills, is expected to fetch $10 to $20 million dollars. Among the 2000 items are the gates of Jackson's Neverland Ranch, fine art that Jackson had at the ranch, dozens of Jackson's own items collected over 25 years and even the Neverland tour bus.
    A few of the Jackson items meant to go under the hammer were displayed at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York's Times Square. They included a full-length red velvet cape and "jeweled" crown with faux gemstones, a range of custom-designed crystal-laden gloves, including a white glove completely covered in clear Swarovski crystals worn by the King of Pop in his performances of "Billie Jean" and a silver and white silk iconic jacket worn by Jackson during the 1984 Victory Tour. There is also a military style jacket worn by him at a news conference in Cape Town and a black leather belt fitted with five gold panels worn by him in the 1988 film, "Moonwalker".
    Julien said his company has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars preparing for the auction, which is to be preceded by an exhibit in Beverly Hills. It was unclear if the auction will proceed. But Julien said that he was confident that it will.
    Jackson, 50, once one of the world's biggest pop stars, has been a virtual recluse since his acquittal in 2005 on criminal charges of molesting a young boy. He has not lived in Neverland, a place where prosecutors claimed Jackson had molested boys during sleepovers, since the trial and at present has no permanent home.
    The controversy comes as the reclusive pop star recently announced a series of comeback concerts in London in July.
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