Jackson sued by veterinarian at Neverland

By Quintin Cushner/Senior Staff Writer

 

The chief veterinarian at Michael Jackson's Neverland Valley Ranch near Los Olivos has sued the pop star in Santa Barbara County Superior Court for $91,602.05 in past fees.

 

Plaintiff Martin Dinnes, who owns the Dinnes Memorial Veterinary Hospital in Santa Clarita, filed suit Dec. 27 in Santa Maria, naming Jackson and several entities controlled by the singer.

 

Dinnes has for the past 15 years helped Jackson acquire the diverse animals living in Neverland's zoo - including flamingos, giraffes, elephants and orangutans, said Dinnes' attorney, Brenton Horner.

 

The veterinarian continues to treat the animals at the 2,700-acre ranch on a near weekly basis, Horner said.

 

?He filed this (lawsuit) with great reluctance,"? Horner said, adding that his client hoped the case would settle quickly. ?He has a lot of admiration for Michael. This is just a business matter."?

 

Dinnes accuses Jackson of breach of contract and seeks payment for services rendered and legal costs.

 

The first hearing in the case is set for May 2 in the Santa Maria courtroom of Judge Zel Canter. Jackson would not be required to attend the civil matter.

 

Canter has handled other Jackson civil cases in the past, including a trial pitting the singer against concert promoter Marcel Avram. At the conclusion of that trial, a jury found that Jackson reneged on a performance contract with Avram and ordered him to pay $5.3 million.

 

Dinnes, 65, did not return calls for comment Thursday. He is renowned for his expertise in zoo and aquatic animal medicine and surgery, according to a press release from his alma mater, the University of California, Davis.

 

Jackson, 47, was last seen in a Santa Maria courtroom on June 13, when a jury acquitted him of child molestation and conspiracy charges after a five-month trial. The singer has recently spent time in the Middle East, primarily in Bahrain.

 

Because the lawsuit has not yet been served on Jackson, his spokeswoman Raymone Bain declined comment Thursday.

 

?I can't respond because I know nothing about this,"? Bain said.

 

Calls to longtime Jackson attorney Robert Sanger were not returned Thursday afternoon.

 

Testimony at Jackson's criminal trial by a forensic accountant for the prosecution indicated that Jackson may be as much as $285 million in debt. Though that amount was disputed by his defense attorneys, the testimony called into question how long Jackson could afford to maintain Neverland, which includes a zoo and amusement park.

 

Pete Miller, supervising animal control officer for the Santa Barbara County Animal Services Department, said that there is no investigation into the quality of treatment of animals at Neverland.

 

?We have no first-hand accounts or complaints of any mistreatment,"? Miller said.

 

Quintin Cushner can be reached at 739-2217 or [email protected].

 

January 6, 2006

 

http://www.santamariatimes.com/articles/20...ocal/news04.txt

 

 

Everyone seems to be trying to sue Michael for something now!

But this seems like something to actually sue over. If you dont get paid by your employer for the work you do, you should sue. It's only fair.

Not another sueing cant leave the guy alone and let him be.

Not another sueing cant leave the guy alone and let him be.

 

this guy has been working for michael as an empoyee and hasn't gotten paid for a while. What do you expect him to do?

he isn't sueing michael to hurt michael. he is sueing him to get his paycheck! he has to support himself also!

He said only good things about michael also.

 

Its been in the press for a couple months now or longer that staff at Neverland havent been getting their paychecks which i think come every other week. I think there is maybe a reason so many ex-employees are after michael. maybe they didnt get paid or what.

 

I dont blame michael for this though. I doubt he even handles his budget. I blame the people around him and who ever controls his finances. Everyone around him wants his money so i seriously doubt its something he thinks about. I wouldnt think about something much that stressed.

 

So i dont blame him and i feel sorry for the employees who need money to pay bills and aren't getting paid.

Dang. Michael need to talk to whoever is in charge of paying his people, LOL, because something is amiss here!

 

I, too, think this guy is in the right. I hope Michael understands why he is suing him, and doesn't hold it against him personally.

wow do problems ever stop?

I can't believe this after reading an article on a web site http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?I...festyle&Topic=0 (its just the same as what's at the to of this topic), if he has not been through enough already that he has to go back to the same court of where he was accused on the highly publicized sex-abuse trial took place in 2005.

With the cost of what it is proclaimed that Michael owes 91,602 dollars what would be the costs afterwards, is this going to be another money scam sort of thing?

What is it with people and greed or should I say money grabbers! There's more to life than money.

Anyway I've had my say, I just hope and pray that if this goes through, I hope that Michael wins hands down.

I can't believe this after reading an article on a web site http://www.newindpress.com/Newsitems.asp?I...festyle&Topic=0 (its just the same as what's at the to of this topic), if he has not been through enough already that he has to go back to the same court of where he was accused on the highly publicized sex-abuse trial took place in 2005.

With the cost of what it is proclaimed that Michael owes 91,602 dollars what would be the costs afterwards, is this going to be another money scam sort of thing?

What is it with people and greed or should I say money grabbers! There's more to life than money.

Anyway I've had my say, I just hope and pray that if this goes through, I hope that Michael wins hands down.

 

 

If you worked for someone and they didnt pay you, what would you do?

If you worked for someone and they didnt pay you, what would you do?

 

I know this isn't directed at me, but I'd take legal action immediately!

I know this isn't directed at me, but I'd take legal action immediately!

 

LOL especially if you were owed $70,000!

i think i seen this guy on tv while he was at neverland feeding the animals. I believe it was on vh1. He cost like $1000 a week!

oh YEAH... wasn't he on "The Fabulous Live Of MJ" or something like that?

oh YEAH... wasn't he on "The Fabulous Live Of MJ" or something like that?

 

yea thats him... i think $1,000 a week is a bit much tho. with him makin that much money, should be "fabulous life of MJ's Vet"

LOL totally. That's over $350,000 a year.

That guy must be pretty damn rich.

Why doesn't Michael get a financial advisor or whatever you call them. I don't know what is going on with his money. I think he should open Neverland to the public. That will be an easy way to make money but then again, it's his home. If I was the vet I'll just stop working until I get paid LOL. But that's just me. The Vet seems like a nice person though. I hope Michael can afford to pay him and the other employees.

Why doesn't Michael get a financial advisor or whatever you call them. I don't know what is going on with his money. I think he should open Neverland to the public. That will be an easy way to make money but then again, it's his home. If I was the vet I'll just stop working until I get paid LOL. But that's just me. The Vet seems like a nice person though. I hope Michael can afford to pay him and the other employees.

 

Michael should already have financial advisors... maybe he should get another one or more.

 

This vet seems to really love animals. I think that is why he hasn't stopped working.

he also seems to love Michael and didnt want to really sue but he must feel its the last option.

i read this in the sun newspaper its wrong dont they know what he went through a trial that hurt him then some idiot comes along for fee's for the vets geez just leave him be

i did voluntary work without pay when i did my qualification in retail but yea i get the point bout not gettin paid my brain is like a potato right now cuz ive just had the flu so yea i talk crap

i did voluntary work without pay when i did my qualification in retail but yea i get the point bout not gettin paid my brain is like a potato right now cuz ive just had the flu so yea i talk crap

 

uh okay

 

So you'll work for people and expect to not get paid?

 

You act as if since its "Michael Jackson" that his employees don't need to get paid.

So Donald Trump can stop paying his as well? This isn't some crooked person just aiming and going after Michael for no reason so stop trying to make the vet look like a bad person. If you worked at walmart and they never paid you, you'd sue them as well. You guys are acting as if Michael is the victom, which he could be since his money handlers aren't doing their job, but the employee not recieving his paycheck is the main victom here.

 

You guys cant be blind to everything. It kinda annoys me how michael never ever does anything wrong. Im a huge fan but i can still see and admit whats going on here.

I understand why this is going on and the fact that michael is running out of money as well!!!!!! Poor guy I mean he does a lot for other people and then when it comes to his employers they get shortened or nothing but I believe that michael will do the right thing though

Maybe Michael doesn't know what is going on cause he isn't in the us right now. I dunno. This guy just wants to get paid so he can look after his family and I think he has every right to do so. I don't know why some fans are mad at the vet. He wants what Michael owes him. I think that's fair.

maybe whoever is in charge of this doesnt want to take care of it becuase he doesnt like michael for some weird reason!!!!!