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American Morning

Questions About Who's Controlling Jackson's Day to Day Matters

Aired December 31, 2003 - 08:17   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson reportedly struck a deal with CBS to be paid an additional million dollars for both an "Entertainment" special on Friday night and this past Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview. The "New York Times" quoting a Jackson business partner as saying CBS agreed to pay the money so Jackson would grant the interview. The money was also tied to a $5 million deal for the once postponed special, which will now air on the 2nd of January.
"60 Minutes" denied that there was any payment involved in that interview.

But meanwhile, there are questions about who is controlling Jackson's day to day matters. Leaving us with the question, yet again, what's really happening inside of Michael Jackson's inner circle?

Firpo Carr, a Jackson family spiritual adviser, is with us this morning for his take from Los Angeles.

Good morning to you.

Happy new year.

FIRPO CARR, JACKSON'S SPIRITUAL ADVISER: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: Thanks for joining us on this holiday.

How does the Nation of Islam help the cause of Michael Jackson here?

CARR: Well, I think it needs to be set straight, that is, the record set straight, in that Michael Jackson is his own man. So he makes his own decisions. And to characterize this situation as being one that Nation of Islam is itself controlling is a mischaracterization, Bill, and that's just the fact of the matter.

And, also, I'd like...

HEMMER: What is the characterization then?

CARR: Well, it's quite simple. The Nation of Islam approached Michael Jackson and said hey, listen, we'd be happy to provide security for you. They've done the same thing with O.J., with Johnnie Cochran and with other individuals. It doesn't mean that Michael has joined the Nation of Islam, because he has not. It's no more, again, it's comparable, I should say, to, say, the Secret Service. They are always around the president, as they should be. But they don't have anything to do, I'd like to think, with foreign policy or decisions as far as domestic policy is concerned.

So it is with his security force, if you will, his being Michael Jackson's, bodyguards. Yes, they are doing this free of charge. They have done that. And they are simply individuals who might offer some counsel from time to time. But Michael is his own man and he makes his own decisions.

HEMMER: Let me try and clarify this just a little bit. You mentioned security several times in your answer, and also a little bit of advice apparently is given, too.

What's incorrect about what we're reporting here at CNN, then?

CARR: Well, I would say that to characterize the Nation of Islam as running his day to day affairs or having business dealings with Michael Jackson, is, in fact, an unfair characterization. I would say that Michael Jackson, once again, calls his own shots, as Mark Geragos has stated in the public, that he decides for himself. Leonard Muhammad is not telling him what to do. And to say that Michael Jackson is being unduly influenced, if you will, by the Nation of Islam, or anyone, for that matter...

HEMMER: But they are having involvement, then. You're confirming that?

CARR: Just insofar as providing security, and that is free of charge, as they...

HEMMER: Is...

CARR: As they have done with other people.

HEMMER: Is the Nation of...

CARR: So let's just keep that in mind.

HEMMER: Is the Nation of Islam now getting in between Mark Geragos and Michael Jackson? Is the Nation of Islam responsible for pushing Stuart Backerman, a long time ally and associate of Michael Jackson, away from the pop star?

CARR: It is my understanding that that's not the case. Stuart and I have talked. We met on December 20 at the farm, or the ranch, I should say. It's the same with Mark Geragos. All of us, at one time or another, talked or spoke with each other. The same with Leonard Muhammad. And it struck me as rather a normal procedure that they would all interface or talk with one another.

Now, I did not get the impression, I did not get the impression that someone was being forced out at that time. Stuart was very friendly. We had a nice conversation, a few conversations, and it was very cordial. So to say once again that the Nation of Islam has forced him out, I, while I don't know everything, I would -- I think it's safe to assume that that may or may not be the case.

HEMMER: One more point here I want to bring out. You're holding a press conference today to talk about a violation, possibly, of Michael Jackson's civil rights. He says he was mishandled by police. The police are saying we've got tapes that can prove it wasn't the case and no formal complaint has been filed, so this claim has no foundation.

Your point today at your press conference will be what? And has Michael Jackson approved what you're about to say later today?

CARR: Well, first of all, I would defer to Michael's counsel, legal counsel, as far as what is approved or not approved. However, I'm a private citizen, so of course as long as we have freedom of speech in this wonderful country, then I can say what I like, as you know.

But as far as the police are concerned, I'd like to say -- and this might be surprising to many viewers -- I work for the Los Angeles Police Department. I've been with them for 10 years. There are a lot of things that have gone on in the past in various police departments that I'm sure the chiefs of police and others in the -- other individuals who might be in control are not very proud of.

So to say that, say -- and that's not to say that the LAPD is one of these individuals or one of these departments. They are a fine department. But you have certain individuals who are out of control and who have been out of control in the past, which has been well publicized. So it's not, if you -- we're talking about the Santa Barbara Police Department or the sheriff's department, I should say, I'm sure you can have some individuals who are out of control. And to say that hey, we have a tape, a videotape that would exonerate us or would clear is us not saying very much, because you can edit those. And, of course, you can do a lot of things off camera.

And I would like to emphasize this. I don't know of one police department where you have a few individuals who have taken the law into their own hands and who have -- and consequently invited the press in to see them brutalize someone. So that's not going to happen.

HEMMER: We've got to go. Firpo Carr in L.A.

CARR: OK.

HEMMER: Thanks.

CARR: Sure, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Matters>


Aired December 31, 2003 - 08:17   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Michael Jackson reportedly struck a deal with CBS to be paid an additional million dollars for both an "Entertainment" special on Friday night and this past Sunday's "60 Minutes" interview. The "New York Times" quoting a Jackson business partner as saying CBS agreed to pay the money so Jackson would grant the interview. The money was also tied to a $5 million deal for the once postponed special, which will now air on the 2nd of January.
"60 Minutes" denied that there was any payment involved in that interview.

But meanwhile, there are questions about who is controlling Jackson's day to day matters. Leaving us with the question, yet again, what's really happening inside of Michael Jackson's inner circle?

Firpo Carr, a Jackson family spiritual adviser, is with us this morning for his take from Los Angeles.

Good morning to you.

Happy new year.

FIRPO CARR, JACKSON'S SPIRITUAL ADVISER: Good morning, Bill.

HEMMER: Thanks for joining us on this holiday.

How does the Nation of Islam help the cause of Michael Jackson here?

CARR: Well, I think it needs to be set straight, that is, the record set straight, in that Michael Jackson is his own man. So he makes his own decisions. And to characterize this situation as being one that Nation of Islam is itself controlling is a mischaracterization, Bill, and that's just the fact of the matter.

And, also, I'd like...

HEMMER: What is the characterization then?

CARR: Well, it's quite simple. The Nation of Islam approached Michael Jackson and said hey, listen, we'd be happy to provide security for you. They've done the same thing with O.J., with Johnnie Cochran and with other individuals. It doesn't mean that Michael has joined the Nation of Islam, because he has not. It's no more, again, it's comparable, I should say, to, say, the Secret Service. They are always around the president, as they should be. But they don't have anything to do, I'd like to think, with foreign policy or decisions as far as domestic policy is concerned.

So it is with his security force, if you will, his being Michael Jackson's, bodyguards. Yes, they are doing this free of charge. They have done that. And they are simply individuals who might offer some counsel from time to time. But Michael is his own man and he makes his own decisions.

HEMMER: Let me try and clarify this just a little bit. You mentioned security several times in your answer, and also a little bit of advice apparently is given, too.

What's incorrect about what we're reporting here at CNN, then?

CARR: Well, I would say that to characterize the Nation of Islam as running his day to day affairs or having business dealings with Michael Jackson, is, in fact, an unfair characterization. I would say that Michael Jackson, once again, calls his own shots, as Mark Geragos has stated in the public, that he decides for himself. Leonard Muhammad is not telling him what to do. And to say that Michael Jackson is being unduly influenced, if you will, by the Nation of Islam, or anyone, for that matter...

HEMMER: But they are having involvement, then. You're confirming that?

CARR: Just insofar as providing security, and that is free of charge, as they...

HEMMER: Is...

CARR: As they have done with other people.

HEMMER: Is the Nation of...

CARR: So let's just keep that in mind.

HEMMER: Is the Nation of Islam now getting in between Mark Geragos and Michael Jackson? Is the Nation of Islam responsible for pushing Stuart Backerman, a long time ally and associate of Michael Jackson, away from the pop star?

CARR: It is my understanding that that's not the case. Stuart and I have talked. We met on December 20 at the farm, or the ranch, I should say. It's the same with Mark Geragos. All of us, at one time or another, talked or spoke with each other. The same with Leonard Muhammad. And it struck me as rather a normal procedure that they would all interface or talk with one another.

Now, I did not get the impression, I did not get the impression that someone was being forced out at that time. Stuart was very friendly. We had a nice conversation, a few conversations, and it was very cordial. So to say once again that the Nation of Islam has forced him out, I, while I don't know everything, I would -- I think it's safe to assume that that may or may not be the case.

HEMMER: One more point here I want to bring out. You're holding a press conference today to talk about a violation, possibly, of Michael Jackson's civil rights. He says he was mishandled by police. The police are saying we've got tapes that can prove it wasn't the case and no formal complaint has been filed, so this claim has no foundation.

Your point today at your press conference will be what? And has Michael Jackson approved what you're about to say later today?

CARR: Well, first of all, I would defer to Michael's counsel, legal counsel, as far as what is approved or not approved. However, I'm a private citizen, so of course as long as we have freedom of speech in this wonderful country, then I can say what I like, as you know.

But as far as the police are concerned, I'd like to say -- and this might be surprising to many viewers -- I work for the Los Angeles Police Department. I've been with them for 10 years. There are a lot of things that have gone on in the past in various police departments that I'm sure the chiefs of police and others in the -- other individuals who might be in control are not very proud of.

So to say that, say -- and that's not to say that the LAPD is one of these individuals or one of these departments. They are a fine department. But you have certain individuals who are out of control and who have been out of control in the past, which has been well publicized. So it's not, if you -- we're talking about the Santa Barbara Police Department or the sheriff's department, I should say, I'm sure you can have some individuals who are out of control. And to say that hey, we have a tape, a videotape that would exonerate us or would clear is us not saying very much, because you can edit those. And, of course, you can do a lot of things off camera.

And I would like to emphasize this. I don't know of one police department where you have a few individuals who have taken the law into their own hands and who have -- and consequently invited the press in to see them brutalize someone. So that's not going to happen.

HEMMER: We've got to go. Firpo Carr in L.A.

CARR: OK.

HEMMER: Thanks.

CARR: Sure, Bill.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com





Matters>