Posted by A Los Angeles judge has denied a new trial for an air charter service ordered to pay $20.25 million for secretly videotaping Michael Jackson and his lawyers as the pop star flew in from Las Vegas to face charges in 2003.
According to the Associated Press, Superior Court Judge Soussan G. Bruguera rejected the motion filed on behalf of Santa Monica-based XtraJet Inc. and its owner, {tag Jeffrey Borer}. In March, Bruguera ordered {tag XtraJet} to pay damages to Jackson lawyer Mark Geragos and his associate Pat Harris for invading their privacy in a scheme to sell the video of Jackson to the media. The singer was a plaintiff in the original 2003 lawsuit, but later withdrew from the case.
Borer pleaded guilty to conspiracy last year, receiving a sentence of six months home detention so he could attend to his sick wife. Arvel Jetter Reeves, the mechanic who installed cameras on the plane, received an eight-month prison sentence.
Borer’s lawyer, Lloyd Kirschbaum, said he planned to appeal, claiming the judge mistakenly believed the videotape included sound. Kirschbaum said without audio being present, Geragos and Harris could not claim a breach of the attorney-client privilege. He also said trying to collect money from the now-defunct XtraJet would be "like trying to get money from Enron."
Geragos attorney Brian Kabateck said even if the tape had no audio on it, it was Borer and Reeves’intention to record conversations. The tape is currently in the FBI’s possession.
Source: KBSRadio.ca