Claim: Jacko's Rep Threatened Harm From Nation of Islam By Roger Friedman Published March 24, 2009 | FOXNews
It should be rockin’ at the Hard Rock Café in New York today where famed auctioneer Darren Julien is exhibiting items from the forthcoming Michael Jackson memorabilia sale.
Last week, Julien and his partner Martin Nolan entered affavadits into Los Angeles Superior Court claiming that an associate of Jackson’s suggested they were in danger from the Nation of Islam if they didn’t stop the auction scheduled for Los Angeles next month.
Jackson’s representative, James R. Weller, Julien says, met with him and Nolan on February 9, 2009 and threatened him with reciprocity from the Nation of Islam. For most of 2004, Jackson was managed by Leonard Muhammad, son in law of Louis Farrakhan. His security was provided by the NOI as well throughout his 2005 trial for child molestation.
Julien says that Weller, who is partners with Jackson’s manager Tohme R. Tohme in an enterprise called TRW Advertising, asked to meet them at a fast food restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard. There, Julien and Nolan each claim in sworn statements, Weller made a veiled threat on behalf of Jackson and Tohme.
"During the meeting, Weller told Martin and me that our lives would be in danger if we did not postpone the auction. Weller said if we refused to postpone it, we would be in danger from "Farrakhan and the Nation of Islam; those people are very protective of Michael."
Julien’s statement continues: "He told us that Dr. Tohme and Michael Jackson wanted to give the message to us that "our lives are at stake and there will be bloodshed."
The next day, Tohme insisted on meeting Julien and Nolan at a Starbucks, Julien says in the declaration. "At that meeting, Tohme dnied any knowledge of Weller’s threats, and said that he accepted the auction would need to proceed as agreed."
I wrote about this Tohme R. Tohme in this column last week. Although he refers to himself as "doctor" and lets others do so as well, he conceded to me that he is not now a licensed physician. He refused to say if he ever was one, what kind, or where he received a degree.
On the website for TRW Advertising, Tohme — who is Lebanese — asserts that he’s Ambassador at Large to the country of Senegal. Yesterday I spoke with a representative for that country at their Washington embassy who said he’d never heard of Tohme R. Tohme. "There are two ambassadors at large," said Mr. Mansour Gueye. "He isn’t one of them."
Weller, accused of making the threat, did not return messages. In contrast to Tohme, Weller is considered legit. On the TRW site he lists over twenty years of experience in the advertising world, much of it in Republican politics and verifiable. An associate says he’s known Weller for most of that time, and he’s on the up and up. Tohme is a different story.
Neverland in ‘Shambles’
Darren Julien, owner of the auction house that is about to sell of the contents of Neverland, couldn’t believe the condition of the place when he was summoned there last summer.
In his declaration filed with the Los Angeles Superior Court, Julien lays out what he saw back on July 23, 2008:
"When I arrived at Neverland," he writes, "I was surprised to see that it was in shambles. Buildings, amusement rides, industrial equipment, personal automobiles, and Jackson’s personal zoo and Tipi village were falling apart. Gardens and lawns were overgrown. Joe Marcus [Jackson’s chief of security] and Tohme informed us that Jackson had abandoned the property and has not been there since the trial in 2005."
Julien took pictures of the property, which are attached to the declaration. They show the former fantasy property gone to seed, a mere shell of its former glory.
By August 8, Julien — with signed contracts in hand — began the process of dismantling and cataloging Jackon’s belongings.
"At that time, Dr. Tohme" — Julien didn’t know Tohme was not actually a doctor — "confirmed that Jackson had already removed from Neverland whatever personal items he wanted to keep. Dr. Tohme encouraged me and my employees to take whatever property we though we could sell at auction or that would have value. Tohme urged me to take chandeliers, fireplace mantles, carpets and even the brass oven hoods in the kitchens."
Tohme, of course, was not only managing Jackson but working for Colony Capital LLC, the firm that had bought the $23.5 million note on Neverland.
In the end, Julien says, "I did return certain items to Jackson, including some items that I believed might be embarrassing to him." He doesn’t elaborate.
Last Edited by on Oct 01, 2010 4:33 AM
Looking at this logically, realistically and without emotion, the fact of the matter is that this Thome-Thome person would indeed be entitled to receive his 15-20% cut of profits from the series of concerts that he supposedly helped negotiate for Michael. Since the concerts never happened, he might well be able to make a legal claim for some monetary payment for his services regarding bringing Michael and AEG and Randy Phillips together somehow. “This is It” and the Estate have made millions and millions of dollars, so Thome-Thome could well have a legitimate claim.
Once again, I find myself rather pleased that yet another lawsuit may be filed, as yet another potential player in Michael Jackson's life (towards the end of it, to be specific) is coming forward. . .
Yes, IrinaHale, there would seem to have been THREE key men who allegedly played the role of Artist Manager to Michael Jackson.
Chronological order would place them as: 1) Thome-Thome (January 2009-March or April 2009, possibly earlier) 2) Leonard Rowe (February/March 2009-May 2009) 3) Frank Dileo (May 2009- )
To quote key phrases or statements made by each of these men:
Thome-Thome: "Michael Jackson is an institution and needs to be run like an institution."
Leonard Rowe: Paraphrasing him: "Michael Jackson was not fit to do 50 concerts, he did not agree to do 50 concerts, and he was in need of help. Michael Jackson, without getting the help he needed, was never going to make it to London. . .I was told by Randy Phillips to shove off."
Frank Dileo: Paraphrasing him: "Mike was never under any pressure to do these concerts. . .he had always agreed to do 50."
It will be most interesting when Thome-Thome brings his case to court. He will surely request Jermaine Jackson to bear witness, as it was Jermaine who introduced Thome-Thome to Michael, from what I have learned from Michael's fans and from what I have read online. If this is true, Jermaine will have some information regarding what he personally knew regarding Thome-Thome's position in Michael's life.
Thome-Thome has stated that he just wanted to help Michael hold on to Neverland and regain his financial footing, which meant taking DRASTIC steps and measures. If one of those drastic steps and measures included bumping the number of concerts up from 10 to 50, then there MUST be legal and legitimate documentation of it. That documentation had better include a LEGITIMATE signature of acknowledgement by THE Michael Jackson. Of course, such documentation cannot exist if, as Leonard Rowe and others have stated, Michael never originally agreed to do 50 shows and was never consulted about this change of plans.
There are other ways that the true original number of concerts can be learned or discovered, but that discussion does not belong on a public forum.
Also to note, if the lawsuit being filed by Katherine and the children is factual in regards to the allegations or accusations made, then Branca was hired AFTER Dileo. Dileo came on board at the end of May 2009. Dileo, from what I read in an article or interview of him, claimed to have called Branca in late May or early June 2009, stating "Mike wants you back."
I do find it extremely bold of Katherine and her attorneys to make the statements they're making, and I admire their great courage in doing so. I also found myself thinking, after I read the entire legal document, that Oxman, Rowe and all the other attorneys involved must have some form of proof to back up the claims they are making.
They appear to be prepared to back up their statements.
Warmly, Carmen
Edited for spelling and to add: If the lawsuit filed by Katherine against AEG is true and correct in its accusations or statements regarding AEG having COMPLETE CONTROL OVER MICHAEL JACKSON IN TERMS OF HIS HEALTH, HIS MONEY, HIS WORK SCHEDULE AND HIS LIFE, then it stands to reason that AEG chose and hired Murray, and AEG CHOSE AND HIRED DILEO AND BRANCA!!!
AND THERE WAS NOTHING MICHAEL JACKSON COULD DO TO FIGHT THIS OR CHANGE IT.
Last Edited by on Oct 06, 2010 8:18 PM
