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“Dangerous” Deposition Exoneration

Date confirmed in “Los Angeles Times” (archived) (“Michael Jackson was exonerated Tuesday [February 15, 1994”])

“Los Angeles Times” (February 16, 1994) (archived)

For the second time in as many months, Michael Jackson was exonerated Tuesday in a lawsuit that accused him of stealing someone else's song.

It took a U.S. District Court jury 3 1/2 hours to find Jackson not guilty of copyright infringement for his hit "Dangerous." Denver songwriter Crystal Cartier had alleged that Jackson stole her song after hearing a demonstration tape.

Jackson took the stand Monday and testified that he wrote "Dangerous" while listening to the bass track from another of his songs. He said no one helped him write it, and he denied ever hearing Cartier's song before she filed her lawsuit.

On Jan. 12, a Los Angeles jury found in Jackson's favor in a similar lawsuit involving his hits "Thriller," "The Girl Is Mine" and "We Are the World."

Cartier was not present when the verdict was read. She left the courtroom in tears earlier Tuesday during the closing argument of Jackson's attorney, Dan Hoffman.

Cartier's testimony contained discrepancies and revealed "a fundamental reality that simply doesn't exist," Hoffman said.

“UPI” (February 15, 1994) (archived)

A federal court jury decided Tuesday that pop star Michael Jackson did not steal the idea for his hit song from a Denver woman.

The eight-person jury deliberated less than four hours before reaching a unanimous verdict in the copyright infringement suit in which the woman claimed Jackson stole the idea for 'Dangerous' from a demo tape she sent him in 1990.

'We were quite delighted with the outcome and feel that justice was served today,' Jackson's attorney Eve Wagner said outside court after the six-day trial.

Jackson was not in court for the verdict, but testified Monday that he did not steal the song. He said he was inspired to write it while listening to the bass track to another of his own songs, 'Street Walker,' and said he never listens to unsolicited demo tapes like the one Crystal Cartier sent to him because the prospect of such lawsuits makes it 'dangerous.'

Cartier claimed Jackson's hit evolved from a demo tape she had copyrighted and sent to Jackson. But the tape she produced as evidence dated to October 1990, after Jackson recorded a demo version of his own song that was released in 1992.

'Therefore copying was physically impossible,' Wagner said.

The defense portrayed Cartier as an obsessed Jackson fan, pointing to a fantasy novel she wrote, 'Immortal Obsessions,' in which the leading lady's song is copied and a character apparently modeled on Jackson leaps to her defense.

Cartier may have hindered her own credibility when she showed up for court on the day Jackson was to testify, wearing what Wagner described as 'a very revealing black leather dress.' The judge ordered her to wear a coat for the remainder of the morning and then to go home and change clothes before the afternoon session of the trial.

Cartier has made one record, 'Love Story Act I,' which sold fewer than two dozen copies at local record outlets, Wagner said.

It was Jackson's second copyright lawsuit this year. Last month a Los Angeles federal jury also voted unanimously in his favor, finding that he did not steal the music to his hit 'We Are The World.' He also prevailed in a 1984 suit involving his album 'Thriller.'

Wagner said Jackson, as a successful singer-songwriter, frequently is threatened with legal actions like these but no other cases have gone to trial.

“Variety” (February 15, 1994) (archived)

A Denver Federal court jury ruled Tuesday that pop star Michael Jackson did not steal the hit song “Dangerous” from a local songwriter.

The four-man, four-woman U.S. District Court jury deliberated for less than three hours before reaching its verdict in the five-day copyright infringement case brought by aspiring recording artist Crystal Cartier.

“It’s three out of three,” said Los Angeles lawyer Eve Wagner, who along with Dan Hoffman represented Jackson during the trial. “We’re glad justice has been done,” she said.

Jackson has been exonerated in two previous copyright infringement cases, including last month’s ruling by a Los Angeles District court jury that Jackson did not steal the hit songs “We Are the World,”Thriller” and “The Girl Is Mine” from three childhood acquaintances. The singer won a copyright action in 1983 brought by a Chicago songwriter.

Hoffman’s blistering summation during closing arguments caused Cartier to flee the courtroom in tears, when he told jurors that her testimony was fraught with discrepancies. Cartier did not return to the court to hear the verdict.

“You would have to conclude that right down the line every (defense) witness came to lie under oath,” Hoffman said. “That’s the only way you can believe Miss Cartier.”

On Monday, Jackson testified he wrote the music and lyrics to “Dangerous” and demonstrated his songwriting technique to the court.

Gretchen Eberhardt, one of Cartier’s attorneys, said no decision has been made on whether to appeal the verdict.