LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Jackson's estate will begin making its case to a
jury that a businessman working with the singer's mother should be forced to
pay millions of dollars for infringing on several copyrights.
The amount is the sole issue
at stake in a trial set to begin on Tuesday against Howard Mann, who has
collaborated withKatherine Jackson on
several projects, including a book.
A judge has already ruled
that Mann violated Jackson
estate copyrights and
ordered his website shut down. His attorneys argue the estate doesn't actually
own the proper rights and the ruling should be tossed out, but a judge has
refused to reconsider his ruling.
The infringed works include
cover art from Jackson's posthumous film "This Is It,"
and a silhouette of the singer dancing to his hit "Smooth Criminal."
The estate's case is
expected to hinge on one expert witness who has estimated the cost of a license
for the works is between $5 million and $12 million.
Mann's attorneys rejected a
settlement offer last week of $2 million. Jackson's estate, who sued over the
works in January 2011, is also asking that Mann be forced to pay its attorneys'
fees.
Mann's lawyers have sought
to introduce evidence that they were given bad legal advice about having to
license the works, and have considered calling Katherine Jackson as a witness.
The Jackson familymatriarch
is one of the beneficiaries of the singer's estate, along with his three
children.
U.S. District Judge Dean D. Pregerson has noted that Mann doesn't appear to
have the resources to pay a large judgment.
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