TMZ Sued For Broadcasting Interview with Michael Jackson's Ex

TMZ is in trouble again stemming from its use of police sources. Back in October, the site invited the ire of the LAPD for using police informants in their coverage of Mel Gibson's drunk-driving arrest. This time TMZ is being sued by F. Marc Schaffel Prods. for airing confidential portions of an interview conducted with Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe -- which had been confiscated by Santa Barbara sheriffs. The Hollywood Reporter's law blog THR, Esq. has the story: After Michael Jackson was indicted for child molestation in December 2003, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff obtained and executed a search warrant on Schaffel's home and seized the interview. Two years later, the County Sheriff represented that he returned the property and hadn't released the "confidential outtakes" to anyone. But last July, TMZ broadcast those confidential outtakes that included a conversation where Rowe talks about needing sedatives... After TMZ aired the interview, Schaffel and Rowe demanded that the confidential outtakes be removed. TMZ first claimed the source of the video as coming from a British TV station, then fessed up that it came from the Santa Barbara Sherriff's Department. The plaintiff says that when confronted, TMZ rescinded the story and claimed its source was confidential. Back in June, The New York Times lauded TMZ for having "sources everywhere," during their coverage of Michael Jackson's death, but brought up the possibility that the site was paying off police for information -- a charge TMZ founder Harvey Levin denied. The Rowe case has the potential to unlock just how Levin's news gathering team operates.

Fishbowl

TMZ Sued For Broadcasting Interview with Michael Jackson's Ex

Matthew Fleischer

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Matthew Fleischer