Jury Verdict in Shafell’s Financial Lawsuit

The jury members deciding Mark Shafell’s financial lawsuit against Michael Jackson announced their final verdict on Friday. They found Shafell entitled to $900,000—an amount far less than what his attorney had requested in the final court session. On that day, Howard King asked the jury for $1.4 million. The Pop Sultan was also found entitled to $200,000. However, Judge Jacqueline Conner announced that she is also reviewing the case and that her findings could lead to adjustments of the penalties. It is worth noting that only nine of the twelve jury members agreed on this verdict, though that number was sufficient for this case. Shafell initially filed a $3.8 million lawsuit, but during the court sessions, due to insufficient evidence, the figure was reduced to $1.6 million. Thomas Mandehl, Michael’s defense attorney, had also claimed that Shafell owed Michael $660,000. Outside the courtroom, Shafell said: "I’m very happy with this verdict. I got less than what I asked for. But considering the evidence we were able to present in court, I’m satisfied with this outcome." The jury members said they believed Shafell’s claim that he was owed $300,000 for a third party in Argentina at Michael’s instruction, as well as his unpaid wages for producing two television specials. Based on that, they determined he was entitled to $900,000. Two jury members told reporters that they had problems with this case. They also said they did not allow the parties’ claims about each other’s lifestyles to affect their final verdict. Bird, one of the jurors, said: "Shafell’s life is his life, and Michael’s life is his own." Yancy, a student at Brigham University, said he wanted to award Michael more than $200,000, but one of the jurors was "the most firm and stubborn among the members" regarding the verdict. However, all jury members agreed on one point: they were all glad that Michael did not attend the court. They said that the video of his testimony shown in court was enough for them. Yancy said: "If he had been here, there would have been chaos and a breakdown." Source: eMJey / AP / Reuters