Threats for aiding Jax kid? (PJ-Comix Pal Receives Death Threats)

New York Daily News ^ | January 23, 2003 | MATTHEW HELLER and TRACY CONNOR

[PJ-Comix]

The California comedy club owner who introduced Michael Jackson to his 13-year-old accuser said yesterday that he received death threats for defending the ailing child. "I'm getting threatening phone calls - if I don't shut up, they have a bullet for me," Jamie Masada said at a press conference at the Laugh Factory.

"I took the calls very seriously [but] I'm not going to shut up. . . . If something happens to me, I just wanted you guys to know."

Masada said he does not know who was behind the calls, and he did not accuse anyone in Jackson's camp.

A shaken Masada said the caller told him, "We have everything about you."

Ben Brafman, one of four lawyers defending Jackson against child-molestation charges, did not return calls for comment.

Masada has been the cancer kid's most public ally since the case exploded in November. He's the one who hooked up Jackson and the boy, who was deathly ill when he asked to meet the pop star.

In interviews with the Daily News and on television, Masada repeatedly has disputed Jackson's claims that the boy fabricated the charges to shake him down for money. He repeated that assertion again yesterday.

On Tuesday night, Masada said he got two anonymous - and ominous - phone calls at his club. At first, he thought it was a joke by a comedian.

But the caller knew too much about him and even rang the unlisted cell phone number he rarely gives out.

"It was chilling," Masada said.

He called the Los Angeles Police Department and the authorities in Santa Barbara who are prosecuting Jackson, and a probe is under way.

Masada also gave an update on the tenuous health of the child, saying he's "a little better" but desperately needs a new kidney.

"Jamie, please find me a donor," he quoted him as saying.

The case has taken a toll on the sweet-faced boy, he said. The boy "used to be very cheerful, very bubbly," Masada said. "Lately, it sounds like he's withdrawn. It seems like he's sad."

The club owner said he hopes the boy can handle the pressure of testifying against Jackson.

"He has God-given strengths," he said. "I'm hoping he can survive all this."

[PJ-Comix]

I hate to see this happen to my friend, Jamie. I last talked to him about a year ago. I guess now it will be impossible to get in touch with him. If any L.A. Freepers visit the Laugh Factory anytime soon, tell Jamie that PJ in Florida said hello. (And ask him to tell you the funny story about my very strange encounter with supositories).

[MizSterious]

I saw most of this press conference. He really did look shaken, as the article says.

Is the Jackson camp still using the Clintonista thugs to do his dirty work? This incident sure makes it look that way.

[demnomo]

The Jackson camp doesn't need Clintonista thugs--they've got the Nation of Islam to do the dirty work.

IMHO, I don't think it's the work of a disgruntled Jackson fan or nut. The perp knew the guy's private cell number. There have been rumors and accusations of thug behavior coming from Jackson's camp in the past. Looney Louie's boys are well known intimidators...

[contessa machiaveli]

he was on howard stern's radio show about a month ago...he was very circumspect and didn't say anything particularly inflammatory about jackson.
it's such a boring story and i get the feeling that even though he's been accused of an awful crime, he revels in the publicity...what a sick freak.