 Michael Jackson: LA judge rejects new trial in taping case
On Monday, a judge of Loss Angels court has denied a new trial for a Santa Monica-based air charter service that was ordered to pay $20.25 million for secretly videotaping Michael Jackson and his lawyers.
The now-defunct XtraJet Incorporated was ordered to pay the huge award for taping Michael Jackson and his lawyers as they flew to the pop star's surrender on molestation charges in 2003.
Superior Court Judge Soussan G. Bruguera rejected the motion by the now-defunct company XtraJet Inc. and its owner Jeffrey Borer.
In March, the judge ordered XtraJet to pay the afore said amount to Michael Jackson's lawyer, Mark Geragos, and his associate, Pat Harris, for invading their privacy.
Jeffrey Borer and Arvel Jetter Reeves, who installed cameras in the plane, pleaded guilty of conspiracy last year. Borer was sentenced to six months home detention, while Reeves sentenced to eight-months of imprisonment.
Lloyd Kirschbaum, a lawyer of Borer said he would appeal the compensatory and punitive awards.
Kirschbaum said the judge ignored crucial evidence in favor of his client because she mistakenly believed that the tape included sound.
Michael Jackson was at first also a plaintiff in the case, but later withdrew.
Geragos' attorney, Brian Kabateck, praised the decision. He said that though Kirschbaum's motion raised the same issues, the defense had argued unsuccessfully before.
Kabateck said that even if the tape, which is in the hands of the FBI, had no audio on it when obtained by authorities, the intention was to record conversations. |
News / Gossips by jdchuck
