---

FOX News, USA
Apr. 27, 2004
Roger Friedman
www.foxnews.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 7010 • Posted: Wednesday April 28, 2004  

---

Michael Jackson is ending his relationship with the Nation of Islam, sources tell Foxnews.com.

Jackson has apparently decided, in the wake of firing his lead attorneys over the weekend, to also get rid of his controversial recent “business manager” Leonard Muhammad, son-in-law of Louis Farrakhan.

The change in Jackson’s camp reflects the sudden rise to power of Michael’s brother Randy and Randy’s own advisor, Brian Oxman, who have gained leverage with the singer of late. It was Randy and Oxman who engineered the hiring of Thomas Mesereau as Jackson’s new lead attorney in his child molestation case.

One of Mesereau’s requirements in taking the job was that Jacko rid himself of the NOI. But it won’t be so easy to get rid of Muhammad. According to my sources, he is resisting Jackson’s decision.

“He won’t go without a fight,” said one source.

Indeed, Muhammad was telling at least some people last night that he was still working with Jackson, even though it was clear that he was out.

Jackson’s housecleaning of lawyers and security may not stop there. Late last night there was also talk that he was planning to drop his current publicist, Raymone Bain.

This would be wise, since this woman has yet to give a straight answer or give one true statement to the press since taking over from Jackson’s much-admired former PR guy, Stuart Backerman.

So what’s going on?

“Michael wants to get back to where things used to be,” is how one insider put it last night. “He wants to go home to Neverland, back to his community in Santa Barbara and get back to his life.”

That would be sensible, although Michael Jackson is not known for that trait. He’s leaving the Orlando mansion he rented, and on July 1st he has to leave the Beverly Hills estate for which he plunked down $700,000. That lease will be up at the end of June and Jackson could stand to stop spending money for a while.

The big question is: How will all these changes affect Friday’s arraignment in Santa Maria? We’ll know more tomorrow.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Michael Jackson Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Michael Jackson Read Another Article Previous entry: Former SLA member sentenced to four years Next entry: Satya Sai Baba has never voted! RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Michael Jackson Most Popular Today NewsChannel 10 allowed inside self proclaimed messiah’s compound Wanda Barzee pleads guilty to charge in Elizabeth Smart case Judge cancels hearing in case against Warren Jeffs Atheists ‘just as ethical as churchgoers’ research shows

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.