Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
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Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
by MJ Mod Fri May 31, 2013 8:33 pm
CNN NEWSROOM
May 31, 2013
You know, the more we hear about Michael Jackson's wrongful death trial the more this question just keeps coming up. Did concert bosses care about Michael?
The co-chairman of AEG Live -- that's the company that promoted Michael's last tour -- gets back up on that witness stand again today and the lawyer for the Jackson family just keeps confronting him with e-mail, some e-mails he didn't even write.
CNN's digital reporter Alan Duke joins me now from Los Angeles.
OK. Alan, this has not been looking good for AEG. We are in the plaintiff's case, but get me up to speed after yesterday's blockbuster stuff. There's just even more that keeps coming out.
ALAN DUKE, CNN DIGITAL REPORTER: Yes, this trial promises to keep giving and looking forward to the next month or so of testimony. What we had yesterday and will continue today is AEG's lawyer trying to basically rehabilitate the memory, if you will, and the reputation of the co-CEO of the company in the eyes of the jurors. They were literally laughing in the last couple of days as he constantly repeated, "I don't recall," talking about e-mails.
He know he says I don't recall because now he says he just never read them or it's just been so long, he doesn't remember writing them. Pretty remarkable, some of them, for example, he was asked, is it not true that Randy Philips, your boss, asked you when you were editing the "This is It" documentary, the one showed up what happened in the last days of rehearsals for Michael Jackson. He told him to take out some shots that make him -- made him look emaciated.
These are e-mails that were read in court, for example, "Make sure we take out the shots of MJ in that red leather jacket at the soundstage where the mini-movies were being filmed. He looked way to thin -- think," he meant to say "thin" we found out. "And skeletal."
And then there were comments from Michael Jackson's stylist and later from the production manager that he was pretty thin in his last two weeks. One of them, production manager Bugzee Houghdahl, wrote, "He needs some cheeseburgers with a bunch of Wisconsin cheesehead bowlers and a couple of brats and cheese. Jeez."
That was just 11 days before Michael Died, but four days later, Bugzee had a more serious assessment of Jackson's condition, writing, "I've watched him deteriorate in front of my eyes over the last eight weeks. He was able to do multiple 360 spends back if April. He'd fall on his *** if he tried now."
And those are very, very serious comments. And of course, we know just six days later, Michael Jackson, in fact, was dead.
BANFIELD: What are the juror look -- I mean, when I read those comments, I winced. I felt very uncomfortable about people talking about Michael Jackson as though it would be as easy to help him, just give him a cheeseburger on a Brat, or that he fall on his *** if you try to do it as a magical stint. How did the jury take that?
DUKE: Well, I think the jury was laughing at times by some of this not because it was particularly funny, but it was kind of odd the way it unfolded. And as I reported, what happened earlier, yes, the ghost of Elvis Presley erupted -- entered into this trial this week in a really interesting and odd way.
I mean, you and I both remember when Elvis died back if August of 1977, that was the big story. The big story after that was when Michael Jackson died and two found a nexus here at the trial. In fact, there was an e-mail that, John Gongaware, the man who's on the stand now wrote just two weeks after Michael's death.
John -- I mean, Paul Gongaware, by the way, was the last tour promoter for Elvis Presley when he died. And guess what, he was the last tour promoter and producer for Michael Jackson when he died. And his friend sent him condolences about Michael's death and he replied in e- mail, "I was working on the Elvis tour when he died, so I kind of knew what to expect. Still quite a shock."
So what's happening yesterday and again today is the AEG lawyer is going to try to explain that e-mail, as well he knew what was -- there was going to be big public mourning and --
BANFIELD: And layoffs, right?
DUKE: And trouble of Elvis' death. Not --
BANFIELD: That all the concert staff would be -- yes, that the concert staff would be laid off. He's sort of explaining it as the shock was the ramifications and the fallout, not the shock that the death resulted because I have been down this road before.
Alan, stay with me for a minute if you will. I want to bring back CNN's legal analyst Paul Callan, who is not only a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor but a teacher of law as well. Part of his expertise is in cases involving professional liability. And also with us, another favorite HLN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson who has loads of experience defending clients under the glare of cameras.
First to you, Paul, I have to remind everybody, we are in the plaintiff's case, so it is -- you know, we sort of think at this moment, yikes, this case is over, but it's not, isn't it?
JOEY JACKSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Always the voice of reason, Ashleigh.
(LAUGHTER)
BANFIELD: Well, I try. Go ahead, Paul.
PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, it's far from over. And it's just one tragedy after another when you look at Michael Jackson's life. But I think ultimately what we have to remember is the jury is going to be looking at what -- the concert promoter, AEG, what's their responsibility here?
I mean, they're not his parents. They're not his relatives or his family. They hire him to do some concerts. And is it their job to make sure he's eating peanut butter sandwiches and hamburgers? Is it their job to make sure he's got the right doctor? Their defense ultimately is, hey, he's a professional. It's not our job to do this.
So as embarrassing as these e-mails are to them, in the end, I think their lawyers are going to say, he's a professional. He's got lawyers and doctors.
BANFIELD: So --
CALLAN: It's up to him to take care of himself.
BANFIELD: So. Joey, listen, does it -- look, you can say all you want. You can make them out to be monsters if you want. But does it all come down to who hired the doctor who is sitting in jail because of the killing?
JACKSON: You know what, Ashleigh, I think that's a huge part of it because remember this is not only about what they knew. It's about what they should have known. And when you have an e-mail that talks about, I worked on the Elvis tour, I knew what to expect, what you're saying is, you're equating it to what happened to Elvis Presley and his unfortunate demise.
And if that's something that you as a company was on notice of, then certainly you had an obligation to insure that his health would be proper, that he would be able to perform adequately, that he could fulfill his obligations. And to do that, he needs to be healthy. And so it comes down, Ashleigh, to the issue of negligent hiring.
And did you adequately supervise this hiring? Did you adequately do what you were supposed to do? And if the answer is no, and you were on notice of his health, negligence and therefore liability.
BANFIELD: And that --
CALLAN: So this means if Joey Jackson were representing Elvis Presley, we would have no Elvis Presley music.
BANFIELD: Oh that --
CALLAN: Because Joey would not let him perform or record.
JACKSON: Amen.
CALLAN: So, you know, I mean, I take --
BANFIELD: This is his heartbreak hotel right here.
CALLAN: There you go. There you go.
BANFIELD: OK. Listen, all of you, thank you. Alan Duke, Paul Callan, Joey Jackson. I just adore you all. And you're so smart.
(CROSSTALK)
All right, we can talk --
JACKSON: Not as much as we adore you.
BANFIELD: Oh, precious. OK. Well, I'm going to have you back, in fact, in just a few minutes, you're going to come back, if you can, Joey. Because I have this other story that I want to get out to our viewers. A young man trying to get a girl to notice him. This happens all the time but this guy's alleged plan went so horribly wrong he is now charged with murder. What if he meant no harm? We are seeking daytime justice.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Video (thank you WeAreTheWorld. for providing this link) : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
May 31, 2013
You know, the more we hear about Michael Jackson's wrongful death trial the more this question just keeps coming up. Did concert bosses care about Michael?
The co-chairman of AEG Live -- that's the company that promoted Michael's last tour -- gets back up on that witness stand again today and the lawyer for the Jackson family just keeps confronting him with e-mail, some e-mails he didn't even write.
CNN's digital reporter Alan Duke joins me now from Los Angeles.
OK. Alan, this has not been looking good for AEG. We are in the plaintiff's case, but get me up to speed after yesterday's blockbuster stuff. There's just even more that keeps coming out.
ALAN DUKE, CNN DIGITAL REPORTER: Yes, this trial promises to keep giving and looking forward to the next month or so of testimony. What we had yesterday and will continue today is AEG's lawyer trying to basically rehabilitate the memory, if you will, and the reputation of the co-CEO of the company in the eyes of the jurors. They were literally laughing in the last couple of days as he constantly repeated, "I don't recall," talking about e-mails.
He know he says I don't recall because now he says he just never read them or it's just been so long, he doesn't remember writing them. Pretty remarkable, some of them, for example, he was asked, is it not true that Randy Philips, your boss, asked you when you were editing the "This is It" documentary, the one showed up what happened in the last days of rehearsals for Michael Jackson. He told him to take out some shots that make him -- made him look emaciated.
These are e-mails that were read in court, for example, "Make sure we take out the shots of MJ in that red leather jacket at the soundstage where the mini-movies were being filmed. He looked way to thin -- think," he meant to say "thin" we found out. "And skeletal."
And then there were comments from Michael Jackson's stylist and later from the production manager that he was pretty thin in his last two weeks. One of them, production manager Bugzee Houghdahl, wrote, "He needs some cheeseburgers with a bunch of Wisconsin cheesehead bowlers and a couple of brats and cheese. Jeez."
That was just 11 days before Michael Died, but four days later, Bugzee had a more serious assessment of Jackson's condition, writing, "I've watched him deteriorate in front of my eyes over the last eight weeks. He was able to do multiple 360 spends back if April. He'd fall on his *** if he tried now."
And those are very, very serious comments. And of course, we know just six days later, Michael Jackson, in fact, was dead.
BANFIELD: What are the juror look -- I mean, when I read those comments, I winced. I felt very uncomfortable about people talking about Michael Jackson as though it would be as easy to help him, just give him a cheeseburger on a Brat, or that he fall on his *** if you try to do it as a magical stint. How did the jury take that?
DUKE: Well, I think the jury was laughing at times by some of this not because it was particularly funny, but it was kind of odd the way it unfolded. And as I reported, what happened earlier, yes, the ghost of Elvis Presley erupted -- entered into this trial this week in a really interesting and odd way.
I mean, you and I both remember when Elvis died back if August of 1977, that was the big story. The big story after that was when Michael Jackson died and two found a nexus here at the trial. In fact, there was an e-mail that, John Gongaware, the man who's on the stand now wrote just two weeks after Michael's death.
John -- I mean, Paul Gongaware, by the way, was the last tour promoter for Elvis Presley when he died. And guess what, he was the last tour promoter and producer for Michael Jackson when he died. And his friend sent him condolences about Michael's death and he replied in e- mail, "I was working on the Elvis tour when he died, so I kind of knew what to expect. Still quite a shock."
So what's happening yesterday and again today is the AEG lawyer is going to try to explain that e-mail, as well he knew what was -- there was going to be big public mourning and --
BANFIELD: And layoffs, right?
DUKE: And trouble of Elvis' death. Not --
BANFIELD: That all the concert staff would be -- yes, that the concert staff would be laid off. He's sort of explaining it as the shock was the ramifications and the fallout, not the shock that the death resulted because I have been down this road before.
Alan, stay with me for a minute if you will. I want to bring back CNN's legal analyst Paul Callan, who is not only a criminal defense attorney and former prosecutor but a teacher of law as well. Part of his expertise is in cases involving professional liability. And also with us, another favorite HLN legal analyst and criminal defense attorney Joey Jackson who has loads of experience defending clients under the glare of cameras.
First to you, Paul, I have to remind everybody, we are in the plaintiff's case, so it is -- you know, we sort of think at this moment, yikes, this case is over, but it's not, isn't it?
JOEY JACKSON, CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY: Always the voice of reason, Ashleigh.
(LAUGHTER)
BANFIELD: Well, I try. Go ahead, Paul.
PAUL CALLAN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: You know, it's far from over. And it's just one tragedy after another when you look at Michael Jackson's life. But I think ultimately what we have to remember is the jury is going to be looking at what -- the concert promoter, AEG, what's their responsibility here?
I mean, they're not his parents. They're not his relatives or his family. They hire him to do some concerts. And is it their job to make sure he's eating peanut butter sandwiches and hamburgers? Is it their job to make sure he's got the right doctor? Their defense ultimately is, hey, he's a professional. It's not our job to do this.
So as embarrassing as these e-mails are to them, in the end, I think their lawyers are going to say, he's a professional. He's got lawyers and doctors.
BANFIELD: So --
CALLAN: It's up to him to take care of himself.
BANFIELD: So. Joey, listen, does it -- look, you can say all you want. You can make them out to be monsters if you want. But does it all come down to who hired the doctor who is sitting in jail because of the killing?
JACKSON: You know what, Ashleigh, I think that's a huge part of it because remember this is not only about what they knew. It's about what they should have known. And when you have an e-mail that talks about, I worked on the Elvis tour, I knew what to expect, what you're saying is, you're equating it to what happened to Elvis Presley and his unfortunate demise.
And if that's something that you as a company was on notice of, then certainly you had an obligation to insure that his health would be proper, that he would be able to perform adequately, that he could fulfill his obligations. And to do that, he needs to be healthy. And so it comes down, Ashleigh, to the issue of negligent hiring.
And did you adequately supervise this hiring? Did you adequately do what you were supposed to do? And if the answer is no, and you were on notice of his health, negligence and therefore liability.
BANFIELD: And that --
CALLAN: So this means if Joey Jackson were representing Elvis Presley, we would have no Elvis Presley music.
BANFIELD: Oh that --
CALLAN: Because Joey would not let him perform or record.
JACKSON: Amen.
CALLAN: So, you know, I mean, I take --
BANFIELD: This is his heartbreak hotel right here.
CALLAN: There you go. There you go.
BANFIELD: OK. Listen, all of you, thank you. Alan Duke, Paul Callan, Joey Jackson. I just adore you all. And you're so smart.
(CROSSTALK)
All right, we can talk --
JACKSON: Not as much as we adore you.
BANFIELD: Oh, precious. OK. Well, I'm going to have you back, in fact, in just a few minutes, you're going to come back, if you can, Joey. Because I have this other story that I want to get out to our viewers. A young man trying to get a girl to notice him. This happens all the time but this guy's alleged plan went so horribly wrong he is now charged with murder. What if he meant no harm? We are seeking daytime justice.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Video (thank you WeAreTheWorld. for providing this link) : [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Last edited by MJ Mod on Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:40 am; edited 2 times in total
MJ Mod- Posts : 1486
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Age : 35
Re: Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
by WeAreTheWorld. Fri May 31, 2013 10:33 pm
I saw part of this this morning; glad to have the transcripts to read!
WeAreTheWorld.- Posts : 1967
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 27
Location : United States
Re: Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
by WeAreTheWorld. Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:34 am
WeAreTheWorld.- Posts : 1967
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 27
Location : United States
Re: Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
by MJ Mod Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:38 am
Thanks WATW, I'll add it to the OP!
MJ Mod- Posts : 1486
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 35
Re: Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
by WeAreTheWorld. Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:40 am
Anytime MJ Mod!
WeAreTheWorld.- Posts : 1967
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 27
Location : United States
Re: Transcripts & Video From Alan Duke On CNN News Room This Morning (5/31/2013)
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