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Jackson's Shady Inner Circle
Michael Jackson is carried by bodyguard Chris Carter. (Axelle / Bauer-Griffin.com)
The Daily Beast's Gerald Posner uncovers disturbing new details about the men who ran Michael Jackson's security team prior to his child-molestation trial—including their strange job qualifications, an arrest history, and how they helped him get drugs.
Yesterday, CNN obtained a confidential 2004 document from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department containing interviews with two of Jackson's former security guards while officials were preparing for Jackson’s child-molestation trial. The guards interviewed provided information about the extent of Jackson’s drug use, some of the doctors involved, the ways Jackson tried to hide his abuse, and how he obtained extra prescriptions.
CNN refused to disclose the names of the security guards named in the document, but The Daily Beast has learned that one is Chris Carter, who worked as the chief of security for Jackson prior to the first police raid on Neverland in 2003. It was Carter who told investigators that he would get Xanax (used usually as an antianxiety and panic-disorder drug) for Jackson under various fictitious names, including even his own and the names of other employees.
Michael spotted an attractive young African-American man across a casino floor as he and his entourage walked through and asked to see if he might be someone worth “hiring.”
But beyond adding to the emerging portrait of Jackson’s longtime drug abuse, the real story about Carter is not necessarily his disclosures about drugs and Michael Jackson five years ago, but rather what The Daily Beast has learned about Carter, and the insights it provides into how badly Jackson chose the people who were supposed to provide his security and safety.
Mike LaPerruque, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department sergeant, was Jackson’s security chief from 2001 to 2004 and again from 2007 to 2008. When he was with Michael Jackson in Las Vegas during his first stint with the pop star, Michael spotted an attractive young African-American man across a casino floor as he and his entourage walked through. That man was Chris Carter. Jackson asked LaPerruque to talk to the young man and see if he might be someone worth “hiring.”
After a few minutes, LaPerruque returned and told Jackson that the person was not someone Michael wanted on his staff. Jackson ignored the advice and hired Chris Carter as LaPerruque’s deputy. Carter had no background in security work.
When LaPerruque left Jackson’s employment in 2004, Chris Carter replaced him as the chief of security. Later, while Carter and Jackson were in a skateboard shop near Neverland, Jackson spotted a young, attractive blond surfer teenager behind the counter. Jackson this time asked Carter to quiz the 17-year-old, who he subsequently hired as the deputy to Carter. When Carter left a year later, few people knew that Michael Jackson’s entire security team was being directed by an 18-year-old named Joey, who had no prior experience.
This farcical situation, as Jackson’s trial on sexual-abuse charges drew near, prompted Grace Rwaramba, Jackson’s longtime nanny, to seek help. Jermaine Jackson had converted to Islam. He helped bring in the Nation of Islam and the Chris Carters and Joeys were gone. The Nation of Islam employees remained ensconced in key positions around Jackson until his death (those employees have consistently refused any comment despite my many emails and telephone calls).
As Jackson’s former security chief, Carter was expected to be the prosecutor’s star witness in the star’s 2005 sexual-abuse trial. He was set to testify that he saw Jackson and the boy who had been allegedly abused drink wine together. He was also to say that Jackson was an active, involved manager of his ranch, bolstering the prosecution's allegation that no conspiracy could have occurred without the singer's approval. But during the trial, Carter was arrested in Las Vegas. He was charged with several felony counts, including federal bank-robbery charges and state charges of armed robbery and kidnapping. Carter never made it to the stand, leaving a gaping hole in the prosecution's case.
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"the nation of Islam"? This is HUGE!!! i am reminded of the Howard Hughes/Morman thing.
It's old news. The Nation was seen seen escorting Jackson at his last trial.
Note the news is that the Nation was called to come in and clean up the mess, not that they were the source of the problem.
I never thought they were the source.
If I recall correctly, the Nation of Islam is a domestic African American construct from over 40 years ago. the people inside this organization tend to be fairly principled and honest as well as Moslem.
From what I read from Roger Friedman's column, Jermaine is a Muslim and has some connection to the Nation and the Saudi families. Maybe the family felt that the Nation was a better protector of Michael than the people he had.
But I also know, the Nation gets paid for security.
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I've been saying that MJJ and Howard Hughes situations are very, very similar. The serious accident leading to pain medication addiction and then becoming recluses who when they died were fragile shadows of their former selves. And the hangers on and isolation imposed by the vultures around them!
I've wondered why the Jackson family didn't pay off the debt on the Beatles catalog? They have the money (if each put in 10mil it would not be in Sony's hands). Janet alone made 120 mil in record contracts in the early 80's. Not counting concerts.
Now here's another comparison - The Jackson's and the Osmond's. The difference? The Osmond's were a family FIRST. The parents were strict but loving, and supportive. They made decisions about their career as a family. Maybe they didn't have the flash or record success of the Jackson's but you won't hear about Donny Osmond dying of a drug overdose, disfigured and destitute.
If one of the Osmonds turned out to be gay, I don't think you they would have been supportive.
IF...a frog had wings, he wouldn't bust his butt all the time.
I don't think their lives would have been the same if the Osmonds would have been black.
After the Victory tour, MJ from what I read got disgusted with all the fraud and theft going on. I would like to see a book about that tour, because the co-promoter Sullivan lost $20Mil and MJ gave away his $5Mil salary to charity, he was so disgusted. He never appeared with his brothers again -- exc. on the Motown special. That's when he turned his back on his family (Joe included) because the Tour, while a critical success, there were so many vultures including Don King, that MJ just walked away from it all.
Osmonds and Jacksons had one very big difference. Ethinicity. Just imagine what a black Osmond family would have been like.
The criminal case was a travesty and the earlier civil suit that he settled was probably extortion. BUT Michael Jackson sure was a self-indulgent person. Hopefully there will be some money for those children to go to college and hopefully the family won't cook up some kind of stage act using the children. It is absurd to keep hearing that Michael Jackson was a wonderful father. $500 million in debt. How was he going to pay that off? Why didn't he send the children to school? His shtik was that he was deprived of a normal childhood but then he wouldn't give those 3 children a normal childhood - which means going to school. But for his own convenience, they were "homeschooled."
I hope the children get to establish some control over their lives through lawyers appointed to protect their interests. Neither the grandmother nor Debbie Rowe is reliable to look after their interests.
The children had a nanny who raised them and taught them. Those kids aint stupid.
MJ chose the right executors. He didn't name his family as executors because he knew what time it was. Especially "some" of his brothers like Jermaine.
Don't worry about the kids, everyone is watching over them.
The sale of the Beatles catalog would have gotten him twice what he owed.
You sure seem to know a lot about what's right and wrong.
Curious, though.
Are you the product of a "normal childhood?"
And how do you know what's best for his children? They sure seem like they're healthier, more so than many others who creep around here, trying to smash MJ to pieces.
That sure doesn't seem healthy.
And how do you know what constitutes a "wonderful" father?
Cause I sure would like to hear what you have to say.
My point being... I can't believe how many people underestimate MJs intelligence. It's as though once people decided to brand him a pedophile, there was no turning back. He had no other identity, no other dimension, as far as these people are concerned.
That should've been a clue as to what was going on with the press. Something wasn't right. They had reduced him to a cardboard box figure, something they played with, for their own amusement perhaps.
Now some people are surprised to hear that he made savvy business decisions with those excellent instincts of his.
And he still managed to be a sensitive and caring human being to his kids.
And I don't blame him one bit from shrouding his children from barracudas.
I would too!
I'm sure he was way ahead of the game when he penned his will. His children will be well taken care of. And I'm sure he placed their interests, ahead of anyone else's, including his mother's.
He took good care of them.
He was a great father.
That's what I say.
Agreed 1000%
I hope in his death, MJ will be the catalyst for regulations for prescription drug abuse. The doctors need to have a system to tell whether or not the patients are abusing meds, and the patients need to be aware of doctors who freely administer strong addictive drugs.
huh never gonna happen as long as pharmaceutical companies need money. They will just force medical schools to trickle out more doctors to cover for the bad ones ... then more bad and good ones will continue to surface at the disposal of pharmaceutical companies.
This story is even more far fetched than a bullet riddled can. All of the unnamed sources and good looking people. Gave me a break. This makes you want to barf! The FACTS, FACTS...please you are journalist not some cheap talk show or new rag! Gosh!
Really! The essay seems to be asserting that Jermaine, and the nanny brought in the Nation of Islam, which somehow set up Carter for arrest, and subsequent disparagement, at the crucial time of the pedophile trial. Lots of unconnected dots in this deal.
So true ... what a conspiracy theory to protect people
Actually, I think these people are like cheap, talk show hosts. Facts are secondary to the kind of work they do.
They are hired to...
Fabricate.
Excite
Titillate
i.e., these people are after cheap thrills.
They have nothing to do with journalism.
Another breed altogether.
Drug addicts are so manipulative.and destructie,selfish and self centered It is about them.They find a way to get drugs, liqour,whatever they need.They shuffle poeple like cards,around them Because they are using them.they do not need caring,,people near themThey want people,that they can control,or have a criminal history,or need finacial help,or that jsut do as they told,and follow orders. the moment they are questioned,told no,give them a hard time,or know to much,they are gone.A man like MJ,with his power,stardom,money,power,fame,did what he wanted,bought what he wanted,and no one could stop him..Very sad. for all.
Wow.
You're heavy-handed with the morality, aren't you?
The morality angle.
You know, people who suffer from a medical condition, such as Addiction, which you probably really don't even believe is a disease, because basically you are too stupid-and I use that word as defined by the dictionary-bad people, scum, users and abusers in every respect, right?
No redeeming qualities whatsoever. Correct?
Well, surprise, surprise. Know what?
It's a disease.
Addiction. That's what it's called.
Read up on it. They're NOT evil, as you seem to suggest. Yeah, read something for a change. And drop the negativity. It'll make you feel better in the end.
Believe me.
It's unhealthy.
Might learn something.
Actually, I can tell by the way you write...
You have a good sense of rhythm. The way you write. The way you use words.
Why not use that constructively?
Treat it as a gift.
Make music, or something.
Or in the least, allow yourself to a dose of Michael Jackson's message of positive and healing energy of his lyrics and compositions...yep, right up there with Beethoven's...and his heavenly voice.
Who knows?
Maybe you too can be reached.
Who knows what can happen when one believes great things are possible?
Did you see the video with his hair on fire and then his bloody red scalp? The guy needed pain meds and then got addicted. He needed HELP not negative judgment. Yes even years later, he still needed HELP to get off the pain-continuum offered by pain med use, and obviously did not get it from those around him. Shame on his "handlers".
ya jermaine was a fool to convert to this idiocy which is the nation of negroes. what a sheep. hypocrit. be a leader jermaine not a follower. by the way there are alot of convicts who are islams too. haha.well it appears that mike dodged a bullet with this carter dude. if he had not been locked up for robbing the banks in vegas he would have been a star witness and maybe jackson would be still alive.jail would have scared him straight or it would have killed him, but he wouldnt have overdosed. i wonder what jacksons white relatives in Ireland think of this whole thing?he visited in 2006 and it appeared he was going to buy a castle there.
hotguy,
What are you babbling about? You sound like a babbling brook.
However, where did you dig the stuff up about Ireland?
Curious.
Amapola: Wrote the truth. Anybody who has been around Druggies and alcoholics know how they are. Very controlling and they thrive with enablers.
Having had a few in my life, I agree.
"...including their strange job qualifications,..."????
How about being qualified to SPELL in this article??? 6th Paragraph. 3rd Sentence. Ensconced?
Show some sort of respect for the dead, learn to forgive if you think he made mistakes in your eyes, cause in the court of law he was proved innocent.
Allow his soul to rest in peace.
If his soul is not resting in peace, it's because of the things he did with his life, not because of the things total strangers say about him on the internet. I always find it amusing that people act as if the words of others make any difference to someone after that person is dead.
Amusing, yes. But I also find it scary. To me it appears there is plenty, more than enough of, hate to go round the world at least a zillion times.
Plus, I don't exactly know what you mean by your last sentence?
Everything is released. That's what I think. All that negative energy is scattered through the universe.
As George Carlin said many times, when Earth is done with us, it's gonna flick us off its shoulder as though we were a flea. The Great George Carlin. RIP, man. You too.
Hallelujah.
well said Keepbritainclean, i agree.. media don't stop, for God sake, give him peace. Michael is dead.. whatever they say, world honor Michael Jackson, for his legacy and humanitarian works. he and his siblings were severely verbally and physically abused by the media, tabloids. the bottom line here, for decades media trying so hard to break him even now, he is dead. Please let him rest in peace. He is Human being.
To those who never believe him that he is innocent please read this
Michael Jackson's Accuser "Discredited" in 2005 Case
Airdate: 7/13/2009
He was the star witness at Michael Jackson's child molestation trial, but the jury didn't buy the accuser's lurid story of sexual abuse.
So why did they reject his testimony?
Lawyer Tom Mesereau defended Jackson during the grueling five month trial in 2005. Speaking with INSIDE EDITION he says he felt the accuser, 13-years-old at the time sheriff's deputies shot the deposition video, was just not believable. "I spoke to the jury foreman after the trial and he told me they looked at that taped interview in the jury room and they discredited everything he was saying - that they had problems with his demeanor, problems with his answers."
He continues, "I felt like he was prepped for that interview before the cameras started to roll."
The boy, a cancer survivor, testified at Jackson's trial as did his mother.
At the trial, Mesereau painted the family as con artists.
Jackson was acquitted of all ten charges.
In a news conference after the verdicts, the jurors were asked if they were persuaded by Mesereau's portrayal of the family as grifters.
In a press conference, a juror spoke up. "Things just didn't add up. So yes, the thought was there several times."
Mesereau says that during the trial, the fate of Jackson's children was uppermost in the singer's mind.
"He was terrified over what would happen to his children if he were convicted. This was a very, very stressful situation for him," says Mesereau.
And he says Jackson's mother, Katherine, will be a superb guardian for the children now that their father is gone. "She will be fabulous. She is an absolutely wonderful woman - kind, gentle, very spiritual. She was Michael's strength in that trial. She's a wonderful lady. It's a great choice for a parent."
HE IS TRULY INNOCENT ..
What I think is most upsetting is the fact that this is making headlines when our soldiers are dying everyday... Not mention that living in LA, it angers me more that we will have to flip the bill for this. YES, it will come from tax payers and we dont have it. and we have an 11.5% unemployment... It should come from the family or the people who went. If this had been a regular person, we would have to pay for the costs...
Any loss of life is tragic when cut short, esp if could have been avoided. His was. But I also see a man who for his whole life was dying a slow death. He hated himself. The plastic surgery proves it. We can blame the people around him including the Nation because they have been for many years, but the bottom line is he did this to himself. I do believe that most of the allegations for the most part where true. I do believe the allegations had some truth to them. There were many many many accusations for many boys that never made it to trial and they were paid out. Most of them with the same story. What made me sad was to see the old MJ (up to Thriller) and see what was once a true talent turn into a very sad human being.
You're right: MJ was NOT a "regular" person. The "regular person" does not donate over $300 million to charities as he did.
Someone like MJ comes through maybe once in a lifetime. Show some respect and recognize that for Pete's sake.
Remember when nobody knew George Michael was gay? And now you look back and go "Oh my God, I can't believe I didn't realize he was gay!" Why isn't anybody saying that about Michael Jackson? Come on man! Think about it. If you were a gay guy who could have anything you wanted and/or associate with anybody you wanted, what would you do? You would become good friends with Liz Taylor (gay icon), Liza Minelli (gay icon), Brooke Shields (gay icon), Diana Ross (gay icon), Princess Diana (gay icon). You would make a remake of the Wizard of Oz (huge favorite of the gay community). You would never be known to have had public and legitimate heterosexual relationships. You would have children through surrogates. You would wear flashy, Liberace-like costumes. He was effeminate in speech and actions. All the indicators are there. The man was gay. Not that it matters, of course, but he was definitely gay. The fact that nobody sees that is amazing.
And also, look through the photos of the raid on Michael Jackson's ranch back that were posted online. Giant posters/photos of Versace and Marilyn Monroe all over the place. Definitely gay.
My goodness, Gerald.
What anonymous source do you post from today?
In reply to katiewon: You made the comment about the Jacksons and the Osmonds. How could you have even come up the thought of those two groups. Same era, true enough. But totally different kinds of music. You said you will never hear of Donnie Osmond dying of an overdose. That's probably true. But would you bet your life on it? I'm not saying Donnie does drugs because I doubt it too. But there is nothing in this world that makes him less qualified for the addiction than anyone else. It happens to ones that you least expect. Who would have ever thought Marilyn Monroe or Elvis's would do what they did? Who would have ever thought that some celebrities would die of aids? Who would have ever thought some of them would be gay? or bi sexual? Alcoholics? have aneroxia? have bulimia? Look at Anna Nicole Smith? And there are many others who well know or famous people who have been forgotten simply because people choose not to remember them and their names are never mentioned again. Careful before speak. Your own skeleton may just slip out of your closet. And break. And ooooh what a mess that might be.
My goodness, Gerald.
What anonymous source do you post from today?
Thank you.
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