Quincy Jones Faces Off With Michael Jackson’s Company In Jury Trial
“Both of these men are musical geniuses,” said one potential juror of Michael Jackson and Quincy Jones. “I am so, so sorry this trial is going on. This is a tragedy.”
The retired University of Pennsylvania professor was thanked for her time and excused from an L.A. courtroom Tuesday morning. Also excused was a young woman whose father was an editor on the “Thriller” music video. Ultimately two men and 10 women were chosen — and they’re tasked with evaluating how credit and money should be split for posthumous revenue as part of a royalty dispute between the legendary producer and the King of Pop’s business.
By way of background, this fight began in 2013 when Jones sued Sony Entertainment and MJJ Productions, a song company controlled by the King of Pop’s estate, claiming master recordings he produced were wrongfully edited and remixed to deprive him of backend profit participation. He also says a 2009 joint venture between MJJ and Sony should have increased his royalties share, but didn’t. The works at issue include songs from Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad and the This Is It film and soundtrack album, among others.
L.A. Superior Court judge Michael A. Stern in January shut down MJJ’s summary judgment motion, finding the complex issues in the case warranted more scrutiny. (Stern also denied a previous motion for summary judgment in February 2016.) The jury won’t hear about Jones’ elder abuse claims, which were barred following a pre-trial motion.
Jones’ attorney Mike McKool led off opening statements Tuesday by painting a picture of the producer’s illustrious career — aided by actual photos projected onto a very large screen in the…