Michael Jackson's Estate Claims Man STOLE Late Singer's Pajamas After Death
By Kristin Myers on June 25, 2022 at 3:55 PM EDT
Updated on June 25, 2022 at 3:59 PM EDT
The estate of late singer Michael Jackson is suing a man who was engaged to one of his siblings for stealing property from the late singer’s home after he passed away.
The “Smooth Criminal” singer passed away on June 25, 2009 – exactly 13 years ago today. The lawsuit was filed on Friday in the Los Angeles County courts. The Blast obtained the legal documents, which reveal that the family isn’t just suing for recovery of property, but also wrongful taking of property, conversion, and declaratory relief.
Michael Jackson’s Estate Alleges That Someone Stole The Pajamas He Was Wearing When He Died
Jeffre Phillips was reportedly engaged to one of Michael’s siblings when the “Thriller” singer passed away. The lawsuit doesn’t say which Jackson sibling that he was engaged to. He had been staying in Jackson’s Carolwood House for nine days and decided to take personal and private property with him when he left, the court documents allege.
The estate claims that Phillips stayed in the home on June 25, 2009, the day that Jackson passed away. They allege that he stole Jackson’s iPhone, as well as those of his young children, his driver’s license that was issued in the state of California, prescription bottles that still had pills in them, and clothes belonging to the late “Heaven Can Wait” singer.
In addition, the estate also alleges that Phillips took handwritten notes, a briefcase filled with business papers and personal notes, as well as more expensive items, like video cameras, computers, and hard drives. The estate believes that these items contained “Jackson’s home videos and music written and/or recorded by Jackson, and likely far more.”
The most shocking allegation, though, is Jackson’s estate claims that Phillips stole the pajamas that Jackson had been wearing in the hours leading up to his death. The pajamas were reportedly removed by paramedics while they were trying to save his life. If that wasn’t enough, they claim that Phillips also took the resuscitator tube used on him as well.
The court documents state:
“In extremely appalling and inhumane acts: (1) Phillips even stole the pajamas Jackson was wearing in the final hours of his life (they had apparently been taken off Jackson by paramedics or others trying to medically assist Jackson); and (2) Phillips stole a resuscitator tube that seems to have been used on Jackson by those who were trying to save Jackson’s life in the frantic time period before his passing.”
Michael Jackson’s Estate Alleges The Theft Wasn’t Discovered Until December 2021
Although it seems hard to believe that so many items could go missing for so long, the estate claims that they only discovered the theft in 2021 “when a person contacted the Estate to inquire about the provenance of certain items of Jackson’s personal property that Phillips was trying to consign for sale at auction.”
Apparently, Phillips had admitted that he took the property while he was staying at the Carolwood House for nine consecutive days after Michael Jackson had passed away. The estate claims that they were able to retrieve “numerous” items that Phillips stole.
That being said, the court documents state that “Phillips has refused to return many other items of property that he obtained during his nine-day stay at Jackson’s home including, on information and belief, Jackson’s home videos, music that Jackson had written and/or recorded, and apparently, other clothing that Jackson wore before his death.”
The estate claims “this property undisputedly belongs to the Estate and must be returned.”
Several Alleged Stolen Items From Michael Jackson’s Estate Almost Made It Up For Auction
The auctioneer forwarded an email to the estate from Phillips, saying that he had various items of the late Michael Jackson that he wanted to put up for auction. This includes sunglasses that he said were kept “in a plastic bag since [Jackson] passed away.” Phillips claimed that the sunglasses still have “makeup on it from his face.”
Phillips also has a “Balmain shirt that [Jackson] wore during rehearsal for the THIS IS IT tour” and a “Turquoise Indian style shirt that [Jackson] wore.” He also claimed to have a John Galliano vest made for him by Galliano himself, and a Dolce & Gabbana Suit Jacket with Burgundy Mr. Alex Shirt that Phillips claimed “was the last outfit Michael [wore] to a public outing in London on March 9, 2009.”
It’s surprising that Phillips waited until 2021 to try to sell the property, but hopefully, it ends up back with his estate where it belongs soon.
