LOS ANGELES - The spotlight will shine again on Michael Jackson's lavish spending and bizarre lifestyle when the fallen pop idol's $3.8 million court battle with a former business associate kicks off tomorrow.
In the civil suit, Jackson's former video producer, Marc Schaffel, [pictured] alleges the debt-drenched star owes him $2.1 million for unrepaid loans and expenses, $1 million in unpaid salary, $664,000 in proceeds from two Fox TV specials and $74,000 in legal fees.
Jackson's counterclaim alleges Schaffel, a former porn film producer, took $250,000 worth of the singer's artworks and pocketed proceeds from the post-9/11 charity single "What More Can I Give."
Jackson and Schaffel deny each other's claims.
Lawyers are slated to hammer out last-minute details tomorrow and pick a jury on Tuesday in Santa Monica Superior Court. Opening statements will follow.
The singer, who has been living in Bahrain, "won't be there for the first part" of the trial, when Schaffel's side presents his evidence, but he may show up later, said his lawyer, Thomas Mundell.
If Jackson, 48, does not appear, Schaffel's lawyer, Howard King, may play his two-part, videotaped deposition for the jury.
During the deposition, the wacky singer testified under oath that he got all his spending money in 2003 through "the leasing of cows on the [Neverland] estate .... Yes, believe it or not," he is quoted in court papers as saying.
At other times, Jackson seemed to have amnesia about his finances, often replying, "I'm foggy about what happened," court papers show.
Schaffel alleged Jackson's "excessive use of drugs and alcohol impelled him into irrational demands for large amounts of money and extravagant possessions," according to court papers.
When Jackson was facing child-molestation charges in late 2003, Schaffel produced two TV specials, "Michael Jackson: The Footage You Were Never Meant to See" and "Michael Jackson's Private Home Movies" to boost his image. Jackson reportedly grossed $12 million from the Fox-aired programs, according to court papers.
Jackson was acquitted of all charges last June.
This trial is expected to provide yet another glimpse of what insiders call "Michael's World."
"Jackson carried no credit cards, wrote no checks, carried no walking-around money and had people attending to his every need," Schaffel's trial brief says.
The pop star was known for leaving rambling incoherent voicemail messages, some of which will be played for the jury, including this one he left for Schaffel in 2001.
"Marc, it's Michael Jackson calling and I would like to go over orally the agreement 'cause you excited me very much last night - and what you said about how we would make the acquisition of the code word ...."
Court papers also allege that the pop star shelled out $1 million to his pal Marlon Brando and spent $600,000 on a necklace for Elizabeth Taylor to get their cooperation on entertainment projects.
