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4.5

Jackson Changes Attorneys

Bertram Fields was the lead attorney during the initial
stages of the investigation. Michael Jackson asked him to in-
tervene on his behalf when Dr. Chandler first started making
accusations of child molestation. Bert Fields is one of the most
prominent entertainment attorneys in the legal field. He nego-
tiated the biggest music deal for Michael Jackson with Sony
Records. However, when the criminal case started heating up,
he brought Howard Weitzman on board, who is one of the top
criminal attorneys in the legal field.
On November 23, 1993, Mr. Fields attempted to delay the
trial in the child molestation case, by stating to a courtroom
full of reporters that a criminal indictment was forthcoming
against Michael Jackson. Mr. Weiztman publicly recanted Mr.
Fields' statement saying that he "miss-spoke himself." How-
ever, Mr. Fields' reason for making such a statement was due
to the fact that according to California and Federal laws, when
a civil defendant faces the possibility of criminal prosecution
for the same factual allegations, the defendant is entitled to a
Stay of Discovery and Trial in civil proceedings until the stat-
ute of limitation has expired on the criminal case. Pacers, Inc.
v. Superior Court, 162 Cal.App.3d 686, Cal.Rptr. 743 (1984).
Although Mr. Fields had a good reason for making this
statement, it did not stop the Court's action in granting Mr.
Feldman's request for Trial Preference and Motion to compel
Michael Jackson's deposition. The Court also denied Mr. Fields'
Motion to Stay Trial and Discovery. Soon after the defense suf-

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