Michael Jackson Promoter Withdraws Insurance Claim Over Singer's Death

September 12, 2012 10:40 AM ET Chief Executive Randy Phillips of AEG.

AEG Live, the concert promoters for Michael Jackson's planned 2009 comback tour, have dropped a $17.5 million insurance claim stemming from Jackson's death after leaked e-mails showed that AEG executives were concerned about Jackson's health and worried about his stability shortly before his death that June, Reuters reports.

When Jackson died before he could begin a run of concerts in London, AEG filed an insurance claim with Lloyd's of London, citing losses in up-front costs for Jackson's "This Is It" tour. Lloyd's later filed suit against AEG Live, contending that it didn't owe the money.

AEG executives had long been skeptical about whether Jackson was capable of performing, according to e-mails obtained by the Los Angeles Times that openly discussed the matter. CEO Randy Phillips sent one particularly revealing message in March 2009 while he was in London with Jackson to announce the shows. "MJ is locked in his room drunk and despondent," wrote Phillips. "I [am] trying to sober him up." Despite the suggestion that AEG Live was aware of Jackson's troubles while negotiating its insurance policy with Lloyd's, AEG attorneys maintain the company's withdrawal has "nothing to do with the recent leak" of the emails.

"We are standing by AEG's lawyers comments that the withdrawal of the claim was not related to the leaked emails, said Paul Schriffer, an attorney for Lloyd's. An attorney for AEG, Marvin Putnam, said the company informed Lloyd's in June that it was dropping the claim, citing reimbursement from the Jackson estate that covered the company's losses.

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Whitney Houston's Final Autopsy Report: Cocaine Found in Singer's Room

Whitney Houston performs at the American Music Awards.Kevin Winter/AMA2009/Getty Images for DCP

Cocaine and related paraphernalia were discovered in the Beverly Hills Hotel room where Whitney Houston died, the singer's final autopsy report has revealed. 

According to the 42-page report, detectives found a "small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" on the bathroom counter. They also found cocaine on a portable mirror that was stashed in a drawer in the hotel room. 

An initial coroner's report released two weeks ago concluded that Houston's official cause of death was accidental drowning, although cocaine use and a heart condition were listed as contributing causes. Measurable amounts of marijuana, Benadryl, Xanex and Flexeril were found in the singer's system, but they were not considered contributing factors in her death.

Houston, who had a long history of drug use, died on February 11th just one day prior to the Grammy Awards. An assistant left her alone in her hotel room for less than an hour while she shopped for items for Houston's scheduled appearance at a pre-Grammy party later that night. When she returned, she found Houston's limp body in the bathtub with her face down in the water.

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Whitney Houston's Final Autopsy Report: Cocaine Found in Singer's Room

Whitney Houston performs at the American Music Awards.Kevin Winter/AMA2009/Getty Images for DCP

Cocaine and related paraphernalia were discovered in the Beverly Hills Hotel room where Whitney Houston died, the singer's final autopsy report has revealed. 

According to the 42-page report, detectives found a "small spoon with a white crystal-like substance in it and a rolled up piece of white paper" on the bathroom counter. They also found cocaine on a portable mirror that was stashed in a drawer in the hotel room. 

An initial coroner's report released two weeks ago concluded that Houston's official cause of death was accidental drowning, although cocaine use and a heart condition were listed as contributing causes. Measurable amounts of marijuana, Benadryl, Xanex and Flexeril were found in the singer's system, but they were not considered contributing factors in her death.

Houston, who had a long history of drug use, died on February 11th just one day prior to the Grammy Awards. An assistant left her alone in her hotel room for less than an hour while she shopped for items for Houston's scheduled appearance at a pre-Grammy party later that night. When she returned, she found Houston's limp body in the bathtub with her face down in the water.

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Ray Charles Foundation Sues the Singer's Children

Ray Charles performs in Montauk, New York in 1996.

The Ray Charles Foundation is suing seven of the late singer's children for attempting to obtain copyrights on some of Charles' songs, The Wrap reports.

According to the lawsuit, Charles gave each of his children $500,000 in 2002 under the condition that they would not seek further inheritance claims on his musical estate. The Ray Charles Foundation, which provides funding for research into hearing impairment and educational programs, currently owns all the rights to the intellectual property of Charles, who died in 2002.

The foundation claims that several of Charles' children are now violating their agreement by seeking copyrights for more than 50 songs.

"In complete disregard of the confidence, trust, and belief in his own children that their father reposed in them," the lawsuit says, "by undertaking the actions described below in this Complaint, Defendents have reneged on and are in breach or other violation of this agreement." 

According to the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Central California last week, the offspring in question applied in March 2010 to reclaim the copyrights of the songs, under a provision of the 1976 Copyright Act that is intended to allow artists to renegotiate their royalty rates after a certain number of years if the value of their work has increased.

The foundation claims that, in addition to the prior agreement not to seek any further portion of their father's estate, the "termination of transfer" rule does not apply because Charles had already renegotiated his royalty rates with his publishers in 1980. It also contends that some of the songs were works for hire, in which case the artist cannot claim the same rights.

The foundation's suit seeks to prevent the children from obtaining the copyrights, along with at least $500,000 from each defendant plus court costs, attorneys' fees and interest.

The Ray Charles Foundation argues that it would be particularly hard hit by the loss of those royalties because it is not allowed to solicit or accept any private donations.

"The self-serving attempts on the part of the Defendants to deprive The Foundation of its said intellectual property rights not only is contrary to the express wishes of their father and in breach of the agreement they signed and promises that they made," the lawsuit says, "but it is contrary to the best interest of those innocent parties who would be benefited by the grants made by The Foundation." 

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Ray Charles Foundation Sues the Singer's Children

Ray Charles performs in Montauk, New York in 1996.

The Ray Charles Foundation is suing seven of the late singer's children for attempting to obtain copyrights on some of Charles' songs, The Wrap reports.

According to the lawsuit, Charles gave each of his children $500,000 in 2002 under the condition that they would not seek further inheritance claims on his musical estate. The Ray Charles Foundation, which provides funding for research into hearing impairment and educational programs, currently owns all the rights to the intellectual property of Charles, who died in 2002.

The foundation claims that several of Charles' children are now violating their agreement by seeking copyrights for more than 50 songs.

"In complete disregard of the confidence, trust, and belief in his own children that their father reposed in them," the lawsuit says, "by undertaking the actions described below in this Complaint, Defendents have reneged on and are in breach or other violation of this agreement." 

According to the suit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Central California last week, the offspring in question applied in March 2010 to reclaim the copyrights of the songs, under a provision of the 1976 Copyright Act that is intended to allow artists to renegotiate their royalty rates after a certain number of years if the value of their work has increased.

The foundation claims that, in addition to the prior agreement not to seek any further portion of their father's estate, the "termination of transfer" rule does not apply because Charles had already renegotiated his royalty rates with his publishers in 1980. It also contends that some of the songs were works for hire, in which case the artist cannot claim the same rights.

The foundation's suit seeks to prevent the children from obtaining the copyrights, along with at least $500,000 from each defendant plus court costs, attorneys' fees and interest.

The Ray Charles Foundation argues that it would be particularly hard hit by the loss of those royalties because it is not allowed to solicit or accept any private donations.

"The self-serving attempts on the part of the Defendants to deprive The Foundation of its said intellectual property rights not only is contrary to the express wishes of their father and in breach of the agreement they signed and promises that they made," the lawsuit says, "but it is contrary to the best interest of those innocent parties who would be benefited by the grants made by The Foundation." 

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Whitney Houston Fans Advised to Stay Away From Singer's Funeral

People gather to view a display for Whitney Houston at the New Hope Baptist Church.

Whitney Houston fans are being advised by police to stay away from the singer's funeral in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, noting that security for the service at the New Hope Baptist Church will be very tight. The funeral, which will feature performances by Stevie Wonder and Houston's godmother, Aretha Franklin, and a eulogy by gospel singer Marvin Winans, will be streamed live over the internet by the Associated Press.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed an executive order mandating that all flags in the state will be flown at half-mast in honor of Houston today. "It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Whitney Houston and extend our sincere sympathy to her family, friends, and countless fans," reads Christie's order. "It is appropriate to recognize the achievements and contributions, to honor the memory, and to mark the passing of Whitney Houston."

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Whitney Houston Fans Advised to Stay Away From Singer's Funeral

People gather to view a display for Whitney Houston at the New Hope Baptist Church.

Whitney Houston fans are being advised by police to stay away from the singer's funeral in Newark, New Jersey on Saturday, noting that security for the service at the New Hope Baptist Church will be very tight. The funeral, which will feature performances by Stevie Wonder and Houston's godmother, Aretha Franklin, and a eulogy by gospel singer Marvin Winans, will be streamed live over the internet by the Associated Press.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has signed an executive order mandating that all flags in the state will be flown at half-mast in honor of Houston today. "It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Whitney Houston and extend our sincere sympathy to her family, friends, and countless fans," reads Christie's order. "It is appropriate to recognize the achievements and contributions, to honor the memory, and to mark the passing of Whitney Houston."

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