Arts & Entertainment
Quincy Jones $9.4 Million Award Upheld
Jones wanted $30 million Michael Jackson's estate wanted to pay $392,000.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A judge Friday upheld a jury's award of $9.4 million to Quincy Jones in his lawsuit against a company created by Michael Jackson before his death
In its July 26 verdict, the panel found that the Grammy Award-winning music producer was entitled to royalties for the use of the singer's recordings that the plaintiff helped produce and which were later used in the film "This is It" and other projects.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Stern found that the jury's conclusions were reasonable based on the evidence.
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However, the judge denied Jones' request for an additional $3.3 million in prejudgment interest, noting that there was a significant disparity between the $30 million Jones sought and what was awarded.
Jones, 84, sued MJJ Productions Inc., now part of Jackson's estate, in October 2013.
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In deciding that the defense was not entitled to judgment despite the verdict, Stern wrote in a one-page ruling that the jury took into account a four-decade relationship between Jones and Jackson and found that the plaintiff was entitled to joint venture profits, remix damages and other claims.
"The jury reviewed the contracts presented and provided its interpretation of the language therein," Stern wrote.
"This is It" is a 2009 documentary that traces Jackson's rehearsals and preparation for a series of London concerts that never happened. The singer had been preparing for the shows when he died in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009 of drug overdose at age 50 -- 18 days prior to the tour's start date.
Jones said master recordings he worked on were wrongfully edited and remixed so as to deprive him of bonus profits. He also maintained that a 2009 joint venture between MJJ and Sony should have increased his royalties share and that he was denied credit for his contribution on the singer's works released after his death.
Jones made agreements with Jackson in 1978 and 1985 for work on the singer's solo albums, in which the producer claims he was to be given first opportunity to re-edit or remix any of the master recordings.
He also said the coupling of master recordings with other recordings required his permission, and that he was to be given producer credit for each of the master recordings.
Lawyers for Jones argued that their client was entitled to $30 million, but defense attorneys said he should be paid no more than $392,000.
Lawyer Zia Modabber, who argued on behalf of MJJ Productions, said Jones never owned Jackson's master recordings. He said after Friday's hearing that although he was disappointed with Stern's decision not to grant judgment in favor of the defense, he understands that judges do not like to disturb jury verdicts.
Lawyer Howard Weitzman, also representing MJJ Productions, said previously that the hundreds of millions of dollars the Jackson estate executors have accumulated since the singer's death have benefited the entertainer's three children; his mother, Katherine Jackson; and various charities.
-CNS; By Canadian Film Centre, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia
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