Posted by Tavasci Testifies in Jackson Civil Trial MB#311 JULY 5 2006 – Evvy Tavasci testified June 30 2006 in the civil trial now taking place involving Marc Schaffel. Both Jackson and Schaffel are suing each other. Schaffel claims Jackson owes him over $3M. Jackson says Schaffel owes him money, engaged in self-serving side-dealing, kept false books of account, concealed funds, commingled funds, misappropriated funds, and wrongly profited from being associated with him (Jackson counter-sues former aid). Schaffels attorney is still presenting what little case he has. However, due to time scheduling conflicts, the Judge allowed Jackson attorney Thomas Mundell to call Evvy Tavasci to the stand early. Tavasci has known Jackson for 15 years. She became Jacksons executive administrator and personal assistant in 1993. Though her contact with Jackson was episodic, she says Jackson is creative but he doesnt maintain a good memory for facts day to day (pg 5 of Partial Court Transcript, lines 12-13). There is no question that Jackson delegates much of his day to day business affairs to accountants, attorneys, managers and advisors. Thats how many of them have been able to rip him off. Tavasci confirmed Jacksons trusting nature to the jury. She also told the reported 6 man, 6 woman jury Jackson sometimes trusts people too soon after meeting them. From her testimony:
MUNDELL: Do you know whether — have you had occasion to, from your interaction with Mr. Jackson, form any opinion on the degree to which he trusts the people around him, trusts people he knows? TAVASCI: I would have to say he places trust in people immediately, and sometimes too soon. (pg 6 lines 24-28, pg 7 line 1)
Tavasci certainly wouldnt be the first person to have that opinion about Jackson. Many people, including many fans, also think Jackson sometimes trust the wrong people; and much too soon, as well. Perfect example: the Arvizos. Even certain witnesses who were called to testify by the prosecution in the 2005 trial talked about Jackson being taken advantage of by those whom hes trusted. Everyone from Ann Kite (Gabriel) to Debbie Rowe talked about how employees, associates and advisors around Jackson were not exactly acting in his best interests, to put it mildly. Tavasci testified in the civil trial that she met Schaffel in 2001 and had interactions with him. She learned of Schaffels background in pornography in 2001 when she received a phone call from Michelle Bly. Bly works with Jacksons musical director, Brad Buxel. After people were notified about Schaffel, Tavasci said she learned that Schaffels business relationship with Jackson was terminated. From the transcript:
MUNDELL: After that series of communications did you at any time learn Mr. Schaffel’s relationship with Mr. Jackson was being terminated? TAVASCI: Yes. MUNDELL: How did you learn about that? TAVASCI: Through Mr. Moddabar. MUNDELL: It was that November 2001? TAVASCI: Yes.
Moddabar was Jacksons attorney at the time. Tavasci faxed the info about Schaffel to him after she received info from Howard Bernstein and Associates regarding Schaffel. She testified that after that point in time, 2001, she didnt have any more direct interaction with Schaffel. More from her testimony:
MUNDELL: Did you have interaction with Mr. Schaffel, after you heard about that termination, from the last part of ’01 through 2002? TAVASCI: No. MUNDELL: No more calls or messages? TAVASCI: No. Not that I can recall. MUNDELL: Did you have any discussions with Mr. Jackson concerning Mr. Schaffel’s termination by Mr. Moddabar? TAVASCI: I had one conversation with him. (pg 9 lines 25-28, pg 10 lines 1-6)
Apparently, King (Schaffels attorney) didnt want the jury hearing details about that conversation because he objected. At some point, Tavasci said, she learned that Schaffel had somehow gotten back into the fold. She was surprised by this. He wouldnt be the first to talk his way back into Jacksons pockets. From all accounts, Jackson is a very forgiving person; mostly too forgiving. On cross-examination, Tavasci confirmed that she is loyal to Jackson; something which a number of ex-employees including Schaffel cant say. He preferred to use the media to bash Jackson after he was thrown from the gravy train for good. To every other Jackson-addicted ex-employee and whacked-out parent of an accuser, Jackson magically transforms from a benevolent angel to a drug-addicted devil when he severs ties with them. Fitting with that theme, Schaffel has tried to slander him in the court of public opinion by alleging all sorts of unfounded accusations concerning Jacksons spending habits and sobriety. And with all of them, none of these allegations-come-lately seemed to matter to him as long as he had access to Jacksons money. __Get your hands off that__ Tavasci became part of the 2005 trial when her home was searched Sept 15 2004 by desperate law enforcement who took attorney-client privileged information. Tavasci would often send documents and info from Jackson to his attorney at the time, Thomas Mesereau. They reportedly took folders labeled Mesereau and a fax sent on behalf of the client to his lawyer regarding possible trial witnesses, from Tavasci (see Prosecutors Break Atty-Client Privilege Again MJEOL Bullet #201). Needless to say, these actions caused a furious defense team to complain that this was a violation of the privilege between the attorney and his client, and filed an Emergency Application with the court outlining what the prosecution and police did. __History of Misconduct__ Raiding Tavascis home wasnt the only time law enforcement officials were accused of engaging in outrageous misconduct in and around the 2005 trial. They also raided the offices of the private investigator working for Jacksons then-attoeney, Mark Geragos. Prosecutors got off, thanks to Melville, with the ridiculous excuse that they didnt know Miller was working for a defense attorney. Sneddon was also accused of misconduct because he secretly met with Janet Arvizo by himself, in a parking lot behind a building where he took what he claimed was evidence from her. He also gave her papers to get money from the California Victims Compensation Fund at that secret meeting, as well as showing her photographs of witnesses in the case. What made their explanation absolutely absurd is that Sneddon himself confirmed to defense attorneys that he knew Miller was working for the defense attorney, only later to claim he made a mistake with that admission. Add to that the fact Sneddon himself engaged in personally investigating Miller before his office was raided, and the raiding of Tavascis home just seems to fit right into their pattern of behavior. Other questionable actions revolved around a report that the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Dept warned child services (Los Angeles Dept. of Children and Family Services) to stay away from Arvizo family DURING the prosecutions false molestation timeline. As written in MJEOL Bullet #248, two reports one from NBC and another from the now defunct Celebrity Justice (CJ) talked about the familys past run-ins with child services. The CJ report dealt directly with the sheriffs department reportedly calling child services and telling them not to interview the family (see SBSD Warned DCFS to Stay Away from Family During Timeline? MB #248 ). As you remember, the Santa Barbara Sheriffs Dept. started their first investigation, lasting 2 months, into possible alleged molestation right in the middle of the prosecutions timeline. That investigation was later closed for lack of evidence, and the cops who closed it for lack of evidence were reportedly reassigned. What does this have to do with Evvy Tavasci? Nothing directly. However, it does show a pattern here involving the way law enforcement have acted with regards to those witnesses who they perceived were supportive of Jacksons side during the trial. Of which, Tavasci was one. Testimony in the civil trial resumes today (Wednesday, July 05, 2006). -MJEOL