as i said it was a good call for MJ to release Geragos
Brafman was a perfectly good lawyer
i assume He just left with geragos
But as i suspected
It wasn't MJ's Call..,
Recently
MJ's Brothers and the Nation of islam have been meddling in his affairs
and have giving him advice

Blame Brother Randy Jackson?

26/04/2004

Michael Jackson, seemingly committed to blowing up his own case, fired his lawyers and hired new ones this weekend based on the advice of his brother Randy.

Jackson fired Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman on Sunday, giving them no notice. He hired Robert Blake's former attorney, Thomas Mesereau Jr., after summoning him to the mansion he's renting in Orlando, Fla. The hiring was apparently a surprise to Mesereau, too, since it was just a couple of days ago that he ran into another member of the Jackson legal team, and neither of them knew what was afoot.

Brafman and Geragos were increasingly frustrated by their lack of direct access to Michael, and that they were forced to go through Randy and Leonard Muhammad, of the Nation of Islam, when they needed to contact their client.

Mesereau is said to be someone who Randy preferred because of his involvement in many black causes. According to his Web site, Mesereau — who claims he convinced the San Bernardino County District Attorney's office not to file rape charges against Mike Tyson — "obtained seven (7) acquittals and two (2) hung juries [in a one-year period] in cases involving murder, drive-by shootings, robbery, assault and illegal weapon possession."

Of course, the abrupt change means that Geragos — who I am also told by sources was totally surprised — may wind up being a witness in Jackson's case. Hired by former Jackson manager Dieter Wiesner in January 2003 ostensibly to sue Sony Music, Geragos was involved from the beginning with the family now accusing Jackson of child molestation.

Why would Michael let brother Randy get involved in all this? I told you back on Feb. 18 that Randy almost derailed Michael's new extended loan deal with Bank of America when he tried to force in his own deal, only to have it fall apart. Michael has a bizarrely dysfunctional relationship with members of his family. When his back is against the wall, he listens to them first. I am told that Randy and friends have a lot of ideas for Michael to make money in the next few months. They are all considered hare-brained schemes and would involve convincing Judge Rodney Melville to return Michael's passport to him.

And here's an interesting take from one inside observer, who told me: "This case should be an acquittal. But only if Michael stays focused. And I don't know that he even understands what's going on."

Ironically, Michael's accountants, I am also told, recently sent Geragos a check for services still to be rendered — money the pop star will not be able to get back now.

family Members Convince jackson to fire nation of islam
well guys as i was aware of Jackson aint callin the shots
he's panicking and his family is taking control

Michael Jackson Fires The Nation Of Islam?

27/04/2004

Michael Jackson is ending his relationship with the Nation of Islam, sources tell Foxnews.com. Jackson has apparently decided, in the wake of firing his lead attorneys over the weekend, to also get rid of his controversial recent "business manager" Leonard Muhammad, son in law of Louis Farrakhan.

The change in Jackson's camp reflects the sudden rise to power of Michael's brother Randy, and his own advisor, Brian Oxman who have gained leverage with the singer of late. It was Randy and Oxman who engineered the hiring of Thomas Meserau as Jackson's new lead attorney in his child molestation case. One of Meserau's requirements in taking the job was that Jackson rid himself of the NOI. But it won't be so easy to get rid of Muhammad. According to my sources, he is resisting Jackson's decision.

"He won't go without a fight," says a source.

More on that tomorrow morning in the Fox411.

Brafman speaks...

Benjamin Brafman Talks To ABC News

27/04/2004

In an exclusive interview with ABCNEWS, Michael Jackson's newly fired attorney said the "King of Pop" was unwise to drop his high-profile legal team, but believes his former client has a chance for acquittal in his child molestation case.

Jackson fired Benjamin Brafman, along with Mark Geragos, over the weekend, just days before his scheduled arraignment in a Santa Barbara Court on grand jury charges.

Brafman, who won an acquittal for Sean "P. Diddy" Combs on bribery and weapons charges in 2001, criticized Jackson's decision, saying he and Geragos — who is representing Scott Peterson in the slayings of his wife Laci and their unborn son — have proven records.

In their place, Jackson's hired Thomas Mesereau Jr., who represented actor Robert Blake in his murder case until the two parted over irreconcilable differences.

In his exclusive interview with Good Morning America, Brafman — who was recently hired as an ABCNEWS legal consultant — declined to give specifics about the firing, but said the parting had been coming for some time.

"It was a combination of factors, and I don't think it is appropriate to discuss the actual dialogue that brought about the decision," he said. "It was a decision that sort of has been happening over time, and I think at the end of the day it is probably better that it is resolved this way."

Brafman said he wishes Jackson well and that the pop star has a real chance to win an acquittal.

"I don't wish him any harm," Brafman said. "To the contrary, I hope he wins this case. I think he has every chance to win this case. I think the [legal] team has to understand that it is not business as usual. They have to be focused."

While the decision to fire his legal team days ahead of a scheduled arraignment on Friday may raise eyebrows, Brafman said Jackson's new legal counsel should be ready for trial when the judge sets a date.

"There are two views: one that it is late, one that it is early," Brafman said. "The indictment is a formality, and if the lawyer who comes in knows what he's doing, he should be ready to try this case when the judge suggests."

But, added Brafman, "I don't think it is a good idea to change lawyers when, A: they are doing a good job and, two, they have a proven record of success."

Brafman said there is no tension between him and Jackson and rejected speculation that friction with members of the Nation of Islam working in Jackson's camp led to his dismissal.

Brafman also denied the rift was caused by the spectacle surrounding Jackson's case — highlighted by Jackson's modest dance step on top of an SUV outside the Santa Barbara courthouse following his initial court appearance in January.

While Brafman sidestepped questions about whether Jackson's brothers Randy and Jermaine and other consultants called for a new legal team, he did suggest the singer has too many people advising him on decisions.

"That's probably a fair observation," he said. "That's not a confidential observation. That's apparent when you see how the camp operates."

Geragos, who is overseeing jury selection in Peterson's trial, has declined to comment on the firing. Mesereau, who met with Jackson over the weekend in Florida, said he would not talk about his hiring until Jackson appears in court.

The exact charges returned by the grand jury will be revealed publicly when Jackson is arraigned Friday.

I have to pardon for me being late today
was sick
but i got the info

Well, good luck to Michael. I am sure that he's innocent.