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Jackson Souvenir Suit Tossed
Michael Jackson apparently has other things to worry about than some missing memorabilia.
A federal judge has tossed a $10 million lawsuit brought two years ago by the erstwhile King of Pop against a New Jersey businessman over disputed Jackson family mementos because Jackson stopped pursuing the matter in court.
In March 2004, the Gloved One sued Henry Vaccaro, a construction company owner based in Asbury Park, accusing him of wrongly taking possession of old Jackson props, photos, personal notes and assorted doodads following a dispute with other Jackson family members.
Vaccaro scored the cache of collectibles--which also included gold records, costumes and personal items such as skin bleach, pictures and even soiled underwear--after a long legal battle with Michael's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, and brothers Tito and Jermaine. The case was settled in 2002, with Vaccaro taking ownership of a warehouse full of family belongings.
Vaccaro launched two pay-per-view Websites, TheJacksonVault.com and MichaelJacksonCircus.com, attempting to sell the stash. In April 2004, Michael Jackson's lawyers obtained a restraining order forcing Vaccaro to stop using Jackson's mug and moniker on the sites and forbidding the sale of any items the Moonwalker claimed were his.
By then, Vaccaro contended, it was too late.
Vaccaro claimed to have shut down the domains after Jackson lawyers first notified his bank of the lawsuit. He also said a European collector had snapped up the entire collection for more than $1.4 million.
Jackson's lawyer, Brian Wolf, said his client's possessions should not have been included in the sale, only those belonging to the rest of the Jackson clan. He hoped to negotiate the return of the items.
According to court documents, U.S. District Court Judge Florence-Marie Cooper ruled in favor of the suit's dismissal after the singer's attorneys failed to go ahead with the case. Jackson's legal team was preoccupied fighting child-molestation charges, of which he was acquitted last June.
Following that court victory, Jackson took up residence in the Middle Eastern country of Bahrain. Jackson's reported cash-flow problems--his myriad legal battles and extravagant ways have apparently drained his bank account--might have also factored in to his lack of pursuing the Vaccaro case.
While Michael was forced to throw in the sequined glove, his younger sister is still seeking control over the missing goodies.
Lawyers for Janet Jackson are said to be in negotiations with Vaccaro's attorney, Edgar Pease III, about settling her own claims, which are separate from her superstar brother's and we're not affected by the judge's ruling.
"We're negotiating a resolution of that," Pease told the Associated Press.
Reps for both Jacksons and Vaccaro did not respond to calls for comment on the dismissal.
In other news, the Moonwalker told the BBC last week that he was still at work on his long-gestating all-star Hurricane Katrina benefit single, supposedly featuring contributions by Mariah Carey, James Brown and Snoop Dogg, among others. The project has languished since Jackson first announced it back in September.
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