Heal The World Organization Ordered To Stop Exploiting Michael Jackson's Name
April 27 2010, Published 10:44 a.m. ET
The executors of Michael Jackson's estate, John Branca and John McClain, went to federal court recently to stop a group, Heal The World, from exploiting Michael Jackson's name.
United States District Court Judge Dolly M. Gee granted the request on April 23rd for a preliminary injunction enjoining Heal The World Foundation from further exploiting Michael Jackson's image, name and likeness and also from using any Michael Jackson trademarks.
The injunction is the result from a lawsuit filed on September 29, 2009 in the United States District Court in Los Angeles.
The lawsuit targeted Melissa Johnson of the Palm Springs area who had been using the Heal The World name.
Michael Jackson did have a Heal the World Foundation, it had been inactive for many years prior to his death on June 25th.
Judge Gee wrote in her order that Johnson's entities "convey to consumers a false affiliation with Michael Jackson and have in fact, misled consumers into believing that Defendants are are associated with Michael Jackson or Jackson's foundations.
"Michael had no ties to this Heal the World Foundation," Vincent Chieffo, attorney for the estate tells RadarOnline.com. "We believe the court made the correct decision to protect Michael's fans from being misled into believing they are either contributing to either an official Michael Jackson charity or one of his causes."
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