MJ’s Grand Jury: Videographer Called In

[b]MJ’s Grand Jury: Videographer Called In[/b] by Roger Friedman The grand jury in Santa Barbara has already successfully subpoenaed one witness: Christopher Robinson, the videographer who worked for Michael Jackson’s video producer, Marc Schaffel. But Schaffel, I am told, is nervous that the Santa Barbra District Attorney has other plans for him, like possibly an indictment for violating the rights of the family involved in the case. The mother in the family has told the D.A. that Jackson — through Schaffel and his intermediaries — held them hostage and kept them from leaving Neverland. In the last week, Schaffel also received some kind of mysterious visit, he has told friends, from the Internal Revenue Service. But District Attorney Tom Sneddon’s efforts to prove this part of his case may bear no fruit. Schaffel has witnesses — including actor Chris Tucker and a woman identified as Tucker’s girlfriend — that the family was free to come and go and do whatever they wanted. Schaffel will also be able to count on testimony from two Jackson aides, Frank Tyson (Cascio) and Vinnie Amen, who will recount in detail their activities concerning the “minding” of the family for Schaffel. Both Tyson and Amen are said to have taken copious notes and kept lots of detailed records to prove that the mother of Jackson’s 13-year-old accuser was an opportunist who didn’t want to leave Jackson’s world, rather than other way around. So far, subpoenas have not reached Schaffel, Tyson, or Amen. Yet another witness in this part of the case would be Jackson’s former manager, Dieter Wiesner, who dealt with the family at Neverland before Schaffel, Tyson, and Amen took over. Wiesner, who is German and can’t be compelled to answer a subpoena, had a contentious relationship with the mother for about 10 days after she and her family were exposed to the world on the TV special “Living with Michael Jackson.” The details of their conflict — during which time Jackson was absent — could be more interesting than the rest of the case. (Continue…)