Michael Jackson - Stalked by a psychopath

Protecting the public from psychopaths.

From movie stars to us ordinary folk, everyone is at risk from those without conscience. 

 

                                                                                             by Melinda Pillsbury-Foster 

From movie stars to us ordinary folk, everyone is at risk from those without conscience.

Michael Jackson stood trial for a crime. He was found to be innocent, but the cost exacted on Jackson's career and on him emotionally, financially, and physically, was enormous. Jackson was an unusual man, uniquely talented, whose art changed the world. He was victimized by those without conscience who saw his vulnerabilities and were determined to victimize him. As bad as it was, it could have been worse.

You have heard about the Arvizo family. But another man Jackson trusted, and invited into his home, also lied without conscience. If the Duke of Manchester had had just a little more credibility Michael Jackson might not have avoided being unjustly convicted of a crime he did not commit.

It is time all of us take steps to reduce the risk presented by psychopaths. We have the tools. We just need to use them.

On one level, Alexander Montagu is a hereditary peer of the realm holding multiple titles, the highest being Duke of Manchester. On another, he is a man whose life has focused him on victimizing others.

The Duke of Manchester, has been identified as, “having psychopathic tendencies,” since 1984, when Dr. Williamson of Pine Lodge Clinic, conveyed this opinion to Montagu's solicitor, Mr. Voltan Varszenghy, who repeated this assessment to Judge Lisink, during a hearing held September 6, 1984, this appearing in the transcript from the hearing.

Montagu had inherited the title of Viscount of Mandeville, given to the ducal heir in June, 1985 at the death of his uncle, the previous Duke. His father, Angus, had succeeded to the title, becoming the 12^th Duke. Alex's reaction was recorded in this article, published in Australia,June 5^th, titled, “Mary and Alexander: It's a title fight.”

Two months later Alexander was standing in the dock, facing conviction on multiple criminal charges. The Age, an Australian paper, published this article, titled, “Duke's jailed heir weeps in dock.” Included is a quote from Judge Byrne, who heard the case. The paper summarized Byrne's remarks as, “Montagu's pathetic state and gross personality disorder were largely responsible for his crimes, but he (the judge) said that the offenses had been, “carried out with a degree of cunning.” The direct quote is telling.

The Manchester estates were even then were seriously depleted in status due to the excesses of previous holders.

Splendour and Squalor, the book by Marcus Scriven, includes the shocking excesses of the 12^th duke, barely touching on the 13^th, Alex. This will most likely change as Scriven has not given up following the ducal antics and is very aware of the problems presented by psychopaths.

In 1985 Alex had not yet developed a reliance on using his title to gain continuing access to credulous potential victims. His methods had been more direct.

This changed. After being released from prison in Australia in 1985 Montagu began traveling, eventually ending up again arrested for lying upon entry to Canada in September, 1991, as reported by the Sun Journal from a release credited to AP. The article, titled, Diana's Cousin Selling Title appeared September 21, 1991. His techniques began to focus on the use of his title.

A spate of articles, published between 1986 and 1991 follow, all are shocking and filled with direct quotes from the Viscount. Then, a calm fell on his life. Although he had neglected to get a divorce from his first wife, Marion Stoner, Alex had, again, married.

Unknown to the bride, the marriage was bigamous. Alex then faced a serious need to avoid deportation from the United States. He signed the marriage license as 'never married,' and failed to mention even Stoner's name to Wendy Buford, who soon afterward gave birth to their son, Alexander, Jr., according to Buford Montagu.

Over the next 15 years the couple was evicted 11 times, according to Wendy, each time because Alexander spent the money for rent or the mortgage elsewhere. Psychopaths court chaos because it keeps their victims off balance and under control.

Wendy was never permitted to know anything about their finances. Asking if the rent was paid was pointless. Alexander would always lie, Wendy said.

When evicted for non-payment of rent or mortgage, Alex focused anger on the landlord, routinely destroying the property. This has included pouring cement down the toilets. according to his present wife Laura.  With Montagu the barrage of such behavior was constant and consistent, according to Wendy. 

 

Alexander's mother, Lady Mary, evidently realizing the potential for a public relations disaster, carried the paperwork for the Stoner divorce in 1996, asking Alexander only to sign and return papers. This was accomplished and the divorce secured. However, Montagu and his mother, Lady Mary Montagu, still failed to mention the issue to the wife and daughter-in-law who was enduring continual chaos, trying to do the right thing in her lights.

Alex did not legitimize their union even though another child was born in 1999.

This was the status quo when Diana, Princess of Wales, died in 1997. As people around the world reeled in disbelief, many looked for the opportunity to say 'goodby' to a woman who had touched them deeply.

Michael Jackson was, also, an ardent admirer of Princess Diana. Jackson was moved to pay his respects to Britain's Princess but was unwelcome in London. Instead, he attended the private memorial service taking place in Los Angeles, September 13, 1997, at St. James Episcopal Church as a guest of the Manchesters, returing with them to their hotel afterward for refreshments.

An AP photo of the group leaving the service appears here. The woman at the right of Jackson is Wendy Buford Montagu. Once at the hotel, Jackson made the acquaintance of Alexander, Jr.. Charming movies were taken of the 4 year old lad playing hide-and-go-seek with the megastar, oblivious to the identity of his new friend, but delighted to find someone willing to take time to play.

Jackson invited the family to Neverland on Martin Luther King Day in 1998, where young Alex again delighted in spending time with his mother and her friend and child, with Jackson on the rides at Neverland.

While young Alex never saw Jackson again, according to both him and his mother, Wendy Buford Montagu, these moments remained very much alive for him, bright points in a life otherwise often frightening because of his manipulative father.

Jackson had settled a law suit filed for sexual abuse by the Jordan Chandler and his parents on January 25, 1994 for $15331250. This occurred three years before Alexander, Duke of Manchester, asked Jackson back to his hotel and introduced him to his young son.

FROM THE WIKI: On July 2, 1993, in a private telephone conversation, Chandler was tape-recorded as saying,

There was no reason why he (Jackson) had to stop calling me ... I picked the nastiest son of a bitch I could find [Evan Chandler's lawyer, Barry Rothman], all he wants to do is get this out in the public as fast as he can, as big as he can and humiliate as many people as he can. He's nasty, he's mean, he's smart and he's hungry for publicity. Everything's going to a certain plan that isn't just mine. Once I make that phone call, this guy is going to destroy everybody in sight in any devious, nasty, cruel way that he can do it. I've given him full authority to do that. Jackson is an evil guy, he is worse than that and I have the evidence to prove it. If I go through with this, I win big-time. There's no way I lose. I will get everything I want and they will be destroyed forever ... Michael's career will be over.[14]

—Evan Chandler”

In the same recording Chandler dismisses all concern for his son.

In 2003 Jackson was, again, targeted, and again it appears financial gain might have been the motivating factor. Before filing a criminal complaint the potential litigant contacted Barry Rothman, the attorney who had handled the 1993 case, according to this article on Wikipedia. Although people who had signed into the register at the Jackson estate in Santa Ynez had been contacted, no credible victims of possible sexual assault were eventually included with the case of Gavin Arvizo.

People v. Jackson was a media circus, costing tax-payers millions. Jackson was found innocent after exhaustive efforts by Los Angeles DA Tom Sneddon.

As a Jackson trial became likely, news of the previous multi-million dollar settlement rippled through the media.

The subject was discussed by Wendy Montagu and her husband, the Duke. During this time Wendy received a call from Montagu telling her he had been subpoenaed. Wendy was unaware Alexander had provided a Declaration for the court. The Declaration was entered into the court record on April 20^th, 2005.

According to Wendy Montagu, and her son, Alexander, Jr., now an adult, the declaration is a fabric of lies with only the faintest relationship to the truth.

Wendy stated, for publication, to her knowledge her husband had never met Jackson before the morning of the Princess Diana Memorial on September 13, 1997. She recalls the introduction took place through a quasi-business acquaintance of Montagu's who owned a car refurbishing business in Beverly Hills. Montagu, an obsessive name-dropper, according to Wendy, occasionally mentioned having met Janet Jackson, never Michael.

The agreement with Jackson was for him to attend the service as their guest and then accompany them to their hotel to meet their son. Room service was ordered for a simple snack. Jackson played hide-and-Seek with then four year old Alex. Wendy said she was sure Jackson was there less than two hours, not the twelve hours mentioned in the Declaration.

Afterward, Michael called young Alex a few times and spoke briefly to him. There were less than five phone calls, as Wendy recalls. Jackson allowed young Alex and his father to spend the night at Neverland, in his absence on December 31, 1997. Father and son occupied a guest house with twin beds, never seeing Jackson.

Wendy, a friend, and their two children, along with Alex, the Duke, spent the day at Neverland on Martin Luther King Day in February, 1998. Jackson joined them later in the day, allowing filming of the inside of his home and himself as he, young Alex, and the rest of the party, enjoyed the rides at Neverland. Wendy said she sensed Jackson felt uncomfortable with this unexpected invasion of his private space.

Although they never saw Michael again Alex attempted to arrange the sale of a plane to the star, for which he hoped to get a commission.

Wendy Montagu found out about Alex's involvement and the Declaration when she began receiving calls from her friends on March 25^th, telling her about Alex's interview on MSNBC. She was stunned to hear her husband's claims their home and car had been vandalized. Nothing of the kind had taken place.

Not only did Alex fail to mention it at the time, he and Wendy had carried on occasional chats about the pleasant time they had enjoyed with Jackson. The only sour note Wendy remembered was the non-purchase by Jackson of the plane, on which Alex hoped to make a commission.

Alex may have finally understood he would not be one of a larger number of complaining parties. His testimony would not stand up under scrutiny because Wendy, and the family friend who had also visited Neverland, would contradict his statements in every instance. It is impossible to know what was going through his mind at having made such an outrageous charge.

But this is not atypical of psychopaths. Psychopaths lie. Less intelligent ones, like the Duke, fail to think out the consequences, being used to carrying off lies by using threats, character assassination, and bluffing.

Psychopaths change the story without reference to reality.

In 2006 the Duke, never legally married to Wendy, attempted to force her to pay alimony and child support through a plan which included a perjured account of violence against himself and nine months of stalled attempts to keep the children from seeing their mother. Ultimately, the court awarded physical custody to Wendy. The Duke left the area, abandoning the children and never paying support.

Two years later he informed the Trust, who had been paying support, his children were illegitimate. On July 19, 2011, the Trusts managed to reverse the restriction on providing support to the abandoned children. Telegraph July 20, 2011, Duke of Manchester's illegitmate children have claim to estate, judge rules

Psychopaths are a danger to everyone of us. They use the system for their own ends. There are no limits to their lies or to their desire to either use, or destroy, those around them, costing us in countless ways, they work to kill our trust in each other because in the resulting chaos they are find power and so benefit.

Young Alex has survived. Michael Jackson is dead. It is impossible to assess the impact Alexander Montagu had, individually, on Jackson's health and well being. We will never know. The predator does not always bring down its prey. But we should remember and be warned.

As humanity moves toward understanding the impact psychopathy has had on every part of our world we face a multitude of choices, together and as individuals. A young man, Alexander Montagu, Jr., chooses to remember wonderful moments spent with a world-famous icon, a kind and aware man who could participate in the small delights of childhood. Young Alex did not know Michael Jackson was a global icon. He knew him as a friend who listened and cared. Alex Jr., now 18, is narrating the videos of himself and Jackson so you, too, can see a side of Jackson captured in time.

Always find the good and hold on to it. Good is more powerful than evil, bringing with it the power to heal the deepest wounds. Moments of Happiness, My Time with Michael Jackson narrated by Alex Montagu, Jr.