Re: Michael - The Great Album Debate (Only Go Here if You Want To Continue The Controversy)
Have you got any proof that he was rehired by Michael Jackson post-2003?
Well, the proof is that Branca did not return the originals. Branca should have never possessed Michael's will.
Famous
February 2003 firing letter of Branca
http://www.scribd.com/doc/43788480/You-Re-Fired
In case you didn't know famous Interfor investigation was finished in
April 2003.
Not so famous
July 2003 letter of Branca to Koppelman in which he is raising his concerns about the proposed refinancing deal
The first point is making sure that Michael keeps his ownership over the catalogs. Yes "evil" Branca is against Michael giving up his publishing rights
http://www.scribd.com/doc/43789064/Branca-s-Secret-Letter
It shows that Branca was back working for Michael unless you want to claim the evil Branca that Michael fired was sending letter on his own to protect Michael. Even if that's your agreement it only shows Branca to be a friend of Michael even though he was fired.
For the rest I'll copy and paste from
mjandjustice4some blog
Here are the highlights of Branca's employment with MJ from 2003-2006:
-- After the investigation, Michael must have realized that John Branca did not embezzle any money, because in November of 2003, Branca was once again Michael Jackson's attorney. In November of 2003, Neverland was raided by the Santa Barbara Police Department. On November 19, 2003 a
New York Times article regarding the raid stated that "
John Branca, Mr. Jackson's lawyer, did not return a phone call seeking comment."
~In late 2003, CBS would not air the special "Michael Jackson's Number Ones" until Michael publicly denied the child molestation allegations against him. Michael did an interview with Ed Bradley on 60 minutes, and
Branca is credited for negotiating that deal. Source is
here. If you don't believe the Daily News, here is a source from MTV News that states, "though some sources say that (Leonard) Muhammad was involved in brokering the '60 minutes' interview,
lawyer John Branca and former EMI executive Charles Koppelman negotiated the CBS interview in exchange for the network putting Jackson's 'Michael Jackson's Number Ones' back on its programming schedule." Source is
here.
~In January, 2004, there are numerous reports that Michael Jackson's advisors met together at the Beverly Hills Hotel to strategize their next move prior to Jackson's arraignment hearing. The picture above is from one of the articles, from NBC Miami
website. USA Today reported that although Michael "was nowhere to be seen, the entertainer had been on a conference call with his advisers at that time. Source is
here. This same article reported that despite the rumors, "
John Branca, one of the singer's business attorneys, stated 'Michael is in charge.'"
Branca is sitting on the left, Koppelman and Geragos is present as well.
In April, 2004, the
Los Angeles Times wrote an article which I could only access when I paid for it. However, this article was written when Michael was gearing up for the trial. Many were counting on the downfall of Michael Jackson, as most of us realize now. Yet, the LA Times states that "
Jackson's longtime attorney, John Branca says it would be a mistake to count him out. Michael was counted out once before, when the Jackson Five lost popularity and came back bigger than ever, Branca said. Michael speaks to a worldwide audience like no other artist in history."
-- A
Times Online article maintains that Branca was advising Michael Jackson in early June of 2005 regarding the ATV catalog. The article states that Michael "
is being advised in the matter by John Branca, a well-known music industry lawyer, and Charles Koppelman..."
--
Branca states that by 2006, Michael was listening to an increasingly odd set of advisers who Branca feared did not have the singer's best interests at heart. "
He was surrounded and I had to resign. He (Jackson) did not ask me to stay. I resigned amicably." In 2006, after MJ fired other attorneys, reporters contacted Branca, and he maintained that he had left MJ's employ in
april of 2006.
-- and even if you don't find Branca credible, go and read Joe Jackson lawsuit about removing Branca as an executor in which his attorney
Brian Oxman freely admitted Branca worked for Jackson until 2006.
-- and his
2009 rehiring letter is filed with the probate court.
In short you can see that he was fired but rehired in 2003 and worked with Michael till 2006 (as Joe Jackson also agrees with this). And came back a short time before MJ's death.
------ and why are we even discussing Branca on this thread? ------
