Quincy Jones Wins $9.42M in Royalties Dispute with Michael Jackson's Estate

Quincy Jones (R) and Chris Tucker attend the 50th anniversary screening of "In the Heat of the Night" on April 6. Jones was awarded $9.42 million in a dispute with the estate of Michael Jackson. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UP| License Photo

 

July 27 (UPI) -- Music producer Quincy Jones was awarded $9.4 million in damages Wednesday in a dispute over unpaid royalties with the estate of Michael Jackson.

A Los Angeles jury sided with Jones who took Jackson's estate to court for underpaid royalties stemming from Jackson concert film This Is It and two Cirque du Soleil shows that used the pop icon's music following his death in 2009, Variety reported.

Jones sought $30 million in damages when he sued the estate in 2013 stating that he was unfairly cut out of posthumous deals made for the film and Cirque du Soleil shows. The estate countered that he was only due $392,000 due to minor accounting errors.

"This lawsuit was never about Michael," Jones said a statement, The New York Times reported. "It was about protecting the integrity of the work we all did in the recording studio and the legacy of what we created."

"I view it not only as a victory for myself personally, but for artists' rights overall," he added.

"Any amount above and beyond what is called for in his contracts is too much and unfair to Michael's heirs," Jackson estate lawyer Howard Weitzman said following the verdict.

Jones collaborated with Jackson and produced three of his most successful albums, Off the Wall, Thriller and Bad.

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