Bill Whitfield - Remember the Time: Protecting Michael Jackson in His Final Days

REMEMBER THE TIME

Copyright 2014 by Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the Publisher. For information address Weinstein Books, 250 West 57th Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10107.

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ISBN 978-1-60286-251-7 (e-book)

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FIRST EDITION

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I dedicate this book to Prince, Paris, and Blanket. Their father guided and prepared them for a world that he knew would be challenging for them. Through his spirit he will continue to guide them and, when called upon, I will be there for them as well.

Bill

I dedicate this book to my twin, Jovon. I wish you were here to share this moment with me. Rest in peace. Gone but never forgotten. Love you always! I also dedicate this book to Michael Jackson. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the opportunity of a life time. And to Prince, Paris, and Blanket. It was a pleasure serving you. You guys were one of the highlights of coming to work every day. Im always here if you need me.

Javon

You would not be reading this if Michael Jackson was still alive.

For over two and a half years, from December 2006 until his death in June 2009, we were employed as the personal security team for Michael Jackson, the most famous and most successful entertainer in history. For a significant part of that time, we were the only gatekeepers between his family and the outside world, and we have a story to tell.

The world of personal security is not something that most people are familiar with. People see us on TV, and they probably think were just a bunch of thick-necked bruisers in black suits standing by the door. Thats not who we are. Were not bouncers. Many of us are former law-enforcement, sometimes ex-military, people who have studied and trained in the art of private security. In todays celebrity-obsessed culture, the lives of movie stars and professional athletes are valuable currency. Their privacy is under constant assault. Executive protection is a serious business. Were entrusted with the welfare of spouses, children, and classified documents. We run countersurveillance in hotels, restaurants, and hospital rooms. We set up false identities to move people around the globe in secret. And when we leave, if weve done our jobs right, its like we were never there. But were always therestanding in the background, listening, and observing. We know the things the tabloids pretend to know. We know the things you wish you knew.

In private security, getting hired is not just based on experience and skill. Someone has to vouch for you. You dont bring someone into this business unless you know they can be trusted. People who tell stories out of school, they dont stick around. Thats how it works. You see everything. You hear everything. You know nothing. If youre asked, you dont recall. If youre subpoenaed, you make yourself scarce. Thats how it works in this profession, and that is how we handle the affairs of our clients today.

Michael Jackson was not a typical client. We were the sworn keepers of his secrets in life, but his death has forced us into a position weve never been entirely comfortable with. The questions surrounding his deathwho had access to him at what times and for what purposeput a glaring spotlight on our role as his first line of defense. Weve tried to keep our profile as low as possible. Weve turned down repeated cash offers from tabloids trying to get us to spill secrets about the more controversial aspects of Mr. Jacksons life. Compelled to testify in the murder trial of Dr. Conrad Murray and deposed in the civil litigation between the Jackson estate and AEG Live, the promoters for Mr. Jacksons never-performed comeback show, This Is It, we answered the questions put to us, truthfully and to the best of our knowledge, but provided no more information beyond what was legally required of us. We had no desire to be dragged into that circus.

We have spoken publicly only twice before, in brief televised interviews with Nightline and Good Morning America, which aired in March 2010. Our purpose in doing so was simple: to tell the truth about the Michael Jackson we knew. We wanted the world to see a glimpse of the good man and wonderful father that we had the privilege of serving. Mr. Jacksons fans, whom he deeply appreciated and loved, deserve to see that part of him. Our purpose has not changed. We decided that a book written by usa direct account unfiltered by reporters and commentatorswould be the most effective means to set the record straight.

We have tried our best to strike a balance between the need for honesty and our obligation to secrecy. The individuals that you will see named in this bookMr. Jacksons famous siblings; Raymone Bain, his manager; Grace Rwaramba, his childrens nannyare all public figures well known to anyone who has followed Michael Jacksons story in the past. Therefore we feel there is little breach of confidentiality in identifying them here. They have been included because it would be impossible to tell the story without doing so. Otherwise, we have done our best to leave the names of private individuals out of our account. Besides, more than enough has been written about the hordes of lawyers, managers, and hangers-on who populated the fringes of Mr. Jacksons life. Our focus is on the only person in this story that readers really care about.

In many ways, this is a story that only we can tell. While hundreds of people came in and out of Michael Jacksons life at various points, in his final years, before This Is It, there was almost no one else around. Days and weeks went by when it was just us, Mr. Jackson, and his three children, Prince, Paris, and Blanket. Mr. Jackson has been robbed of the chance to tell the story himself. His children were too young to remember or fully grasp everything that transpired, and they deserve to have these events recorded and remembered as they actually happened. So that leaves us.

Just as there are those who seek to drag Mr. Jacksons name through the mud, there are those who insist that he was a saint, an angelic figure to be put on a pedestal. He was neither. Michael Jackson was, like all of us, a complicated human being. A deeply religious man who gave millions to charity and brightened our lives with his talent, he also struggled with personal pain in a way that few can really understand. This book celebrates the good times and great achievements of his life, but it does not shy away from the more difficult and troubling moments that he endured. Our aim is simply to present the whole story in an honest, sympathetic light in order to give a well-rounded view of the events that we witnessed.

Lastly, given the unseemly behavior that has surrounded the handling of Michael Jacksons tremendous fortune, we would like to make one thing clear: we are not writing this book for financial reward. As we mentioned, we have already turned down substantial cash offers to tell our story. When Mr. Jackson died, we had two years left on our contract with his management company. Though we were legally within our rights to pursue what was owed to us, we had no desire to join the stampede of creditors rushing in to get their pound of flesh. When Mr. Jackson passed away, we considered any outstanding debts to be wiped clean. Unlike many others, we have pursued no claims against his estate.