Jackson ordered to pay €4.9m for backing out of concerts

A CALIFORNIAN jury has ruled that Michael Jackson must pay a German concert promoter €4.9 million for backing out of two concerts planned to celebrate the millennium on New Year’s Eve 1999.

Concert organiser Marcel Avram sued Jackson for a total of €19.5m, alleging breach of contract.

Final arguments in the case were made on February 28, and the jury deliberated for nearly two weeks.

“The jury believed Avram; they did not believe Michael Jackson. That’s what the whole thing comes down to,” said Mr Avram’s attorney, Louis “Skip” Miller.

Mr Miller said he plans to appeal about €5.5m in damages that the jury was barred from considering. The pop star had made a handful of sensational appearances in the Santa Barbara County court during nearly four months of testimony, maintaining that it was Mr Avram who cancelled the shows over concerns they would not be profitable. Mr Avram said Jackson agreed to perform two concerts on December 31, 1999. He would have performed in Sydney, Australia, and then flown to Honolulu for another concert, technically within the same calendar day. At one point, the 44-year-old singer hobbled into court on crutches with his left foot wrapped in bandages because of swelling from what he described as a spider bite. He also giggled during questioning and made faces at people in the courtroom.