Claims piece was "false and defamatory."
Vanity Fair felt the proverbial whip of Janet Jackson’s lawyer, who sent the magazine a scathing letter demanding a retraction of an article that will run in the November 2012 issue.
The piece was an excerpt from Randall Sullivan's upcoming book, Untouchable: The Strange Life and Tragic Death of Michael Jackson. In the book, the author claims Janet, 46, delayed her brother Michael Jackson's funeral until she was reimbursed for her $40,000 deposit to secure his plot.
Michael Jackson was buried on September 3, 2009 at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, more than two months after his death.
Blair G. Brown, Janet's attorney, sent Vanity Fair's Editor-in-Chief Graydon Carter a letter stating the story was "false and defamatory."
In the letter, dated October 5, Brown wrote: "Ms. Jackson never delayed the funeral in anyway. In fact, she paid for the funeral and was reimbursed for some of those expenses by Michael Jackson's estate in the year after the services took place."
"In addition," Brown added, “there were other private costs associated with Michael Jackson's passing that Ms. Jackson incurred and for which she has never sought reimbursement. To falsely accuse Ms. Jackson of holding up her brother's funeral over money is outrageous. This story is particularly hurtful and distressing because of Ms. Jackson's strong desire to serve her brother, whom she loved dearly..."
Brown’s letter demanded a retraction of the statement that Janet “refused” to allow Michael’s funeral to take place until she was paid back the money she put up for the burial.
Janet’s lawyer made no threat of legal action in the letter.
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(Photo: Michael Buckner/Getty Images for DeGrisogono)
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