Chris Tucker's Testimony, Summary

This is only the direct here it is : ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Summary of Chris Tucker's Direct examination : - Chris met MJ through Gavin - Chris met Gavin at the laugh factory. David Arvizo came up to Chris at the laugh factory and told him he had a son who loved him and was dying from cancer. - David Arvizo invited Chris to the benifit at the laugh factory for raising money for Gavin's medical bills - Gavin told him a couple of days after the benifit was held that the benifit didn't raise any money. so he wired them $1500 or more. He thought it was for medical expenses. - He took the kids shopping and bought them clothes and stuff and their father was with them. he only saw David with the kids. - He once took the kids with his son to some rides, to have a good time. it was him, his son, Star, Devillen, Gavin, David Arvizo and his son's mother. - The first time he met Janet was in 2001 in Vegas on the set, he didn't really talk much with her because he was busy shooting a movie. the whole family was there including David. (Chris invited them, he concidered them his friends at the time) - The family stayed for a week or two, and the people on the set were trying to get them to leave. - On the set, Gavin told Chris that he talked to one of MJ's people, and that he was going to call them the next day and they would talk on the phone because Gavin knew he was a fan of MJ's. - Chris talked to MJ on the phone the next day. - Chris said that he was paying for the family's stay in Vegas. He said they must've stayed for weeks. - Janet called him on the phone after the Vegas trip. She started crying alot, and she said that he was their "brother". Chris said that phone call was confusing and he doesn't remember what was said ... he just remember her crying, and him telling her "everything will be alright" cuz he didn't know what else to say. - Chris never called Janet or David, he doesn't think David ever called him either, it was mostly Gavin. Gavin called him alot. - The next time he saw the family, was when they came to his house in LA. They called him and told him they wanted to go out of town and they wanted to find out where Michael was. This time it was only the kids and the mother, their father wasn't with them. (Chris invited them to his home) - Chris spoke to Janet on the phone before they came up to his house. - The first time Chris met Gavin at the laugh factory, Gavin asked for Chris's phone number and Chris gave it to him because he felt sorry for him. - After the fund-raiser, Gavin used to call Chris on a regular basis. Star sometiems called him with Gavin. But Devillen never called. - The Arvizos visited his home in LA about 3 times. The first visit was shortly after the fund-raiser at the laugh factory. - Chris said that after the fund-raiser was held, when he sent the $1500 it was after Gavin asked him for the money at Chris Tucker's house. He said he was very sad looking, he said he was a little suspicious when Gavin said that because he saw people at the fund-raiser but he wanted to help him cuz he was feeling sorry for him. - Janet only went to Chris Tucker's house once, the other couple of times the kids were with their father, the first time Janet was at Chris's house was in Feb 2003. - Chris says that he remembers a member of the Arvizo family asking his fiancee Azja to get a car from her. He says that they kept calling her asking her for the keys to the truck, and Chris told her not to give it to them. He said that the kids kept calling asking for the keys. - The kids kept telling him that they needed a car so he offered to give them the truck, but then he said "no" because he was getting nervous and suspcious and he thought he was doing too much for them. - So as a result, he never gave any member of the Arvizo family a car. - After the first time Chris talked to Michael on the phone in Vegas, he and MJ made plans and met in NY after Chris finished filming and he stayed in contact with Michael after that to this day. - He learned through his son's mother about Janet and David seperating and he didn't stay in contact with David after that, but the children still called him from time to time. - Before 2003, Chris went to Neverland about 5 or 6 times, one or two of those visits the Arvizos were there. - Michael was not always there at Neverland when he visited. Chris only saw MJ at neverland once or twice before 2003 - He once took the family to Oakland. He took his son, Devellin, Star, Gavin and David to a Raiders game in Oakland, it was a one day trip and he paid for everything. - Chris talked to Gavin after LWMJ aired. he thinks that he called Gavin once but he is sure that Gavin also called him too. Gavin told him that it was hard to get around because they had no transportation, and the media was following them everywhere. Chris doesn't remember if he talked to any other Arvizo about the problem. - Mez asked Chris what he told Gavin when he was complaining about the problem. Chris said that he told him that he felt sorry for him, and if there was anything he could do, he would try to do something ... and Mez asked Chris if Gavin made any requests and Chris said that Gavin was always complaining that he couldn't get around and that's what made Chris say "okay, I'll try to do what I can to try to get them transportation", but he says he was very cautious with that. - Chris said at the same time he thought to himself that they can't get around and the media is hounding them so he'll just give them a car or something, he made that offer in 2003. - Chris said he knew at the time that MJ had given them a car, but he said that they still kept saying that they couldn't get around and that made him suspicious. - Chris said that this family did alot of things that he didn't see, and his people (his brother and a few assistants) were telling him to watch out. - His people were on the set and watching Gavin's behavior, and Star behavior and they told him that it was time for them to leave and that they were doing alot of stuff (Sneddon cut him off with an objection and it was sustained) - Chris said that he observed alot of suspicious stuff but he always gave it the benifit of the doubt because he felt sorry for Gavin and always tried to help him and so, he let alot of stuff go by. - Mez asked Chris what kind of stuff he observed, Chris said that they stayed a long time in Vegas, and they wanted to move to his hotel and they wanted the same room he had and also, the people on the set were complaining because Gavin wouldn't sit down and was being bad, but Chris said that he wanted him to have fun and just be a kid. Chris said the director told him that it was time for the famly to leave and that they have to go, he said it was very hard to film and it got out of hand, they wouldn't be quiet when it was time to shoot... and that kind of stuff. Chris said he was aware of what the family was doing but he was just too busy to do anything about it (which I think was exactly the case with MJ. sure he was suspicious but he was too busy doing damage control after LWMJ aired). - Mez asked Chris if the parents were on the set with their children and Chris said "yes". and then Mez asked "are you saying that the parents didn't seem to discipline the children very well on the set" and chris said "no" and Sneddon objected so Mez had to rephraze the question, the important thing is that Chris said that the parents did not discipline their kids. - Everybody on the set was complaining about the kids and all of them were telling Chris that this family had to leave because they had a job to do and they were not being able to do it with these kids around. - Chris said that he expected the family's visit to Las Vegas to last a few days but they ended up staying for weeks and he was paying for everything. - Chris's brother told him that this family wanted to stay where he was staying and they wanted the same room. - Chris said that he was hoping that the family wasn't taking advantage of him but that's what he felt like. - Gavin was the one in the family who called him the most. and sometimes Star called too, but he would always give the phone to Gavin. "it was always Gavin and Star". - Chris didn't always know where Gavin was calling him from, but he did know that he sometimes stayed at his grandmother's and sometimes in other places. - Janet, Gavin, and Star used to always say that Chris was their brother and that they loved him. Mez asked him what his reaction was to that and he said he was getting a little nervous. Chris said "because my whole thing was to just help the kid, not to get attached to the whole family" and he said he tried to be careful and tried to pull back a little bit. - He said Devillen used to always tell him "you're like a big brother to Gavin and Star" and that she apreciated everything he was doing for her brothers and stuff. - Mez asked Chris why he took the Arvizos to Miami. Chris said that Gavin called him and said they couldn't get around because the media was following them and they wanted to find Michael and Chris said that he was trying to help them so they can get out of town so the media would leave them alone. Gavin told him that they wanted to be with Michael and that they were looking for MJ, and they somehow found out MJ was in Miami and they wanted to go to Miami (it's very suspicious how they found that out). - Mez then put on the screen a phone record of Jay Jackson's house. At first Chris didn't know who Jay was, but then remembered it was her boyfriend. - There were 2 calls on February 4th to Chris Tucker's house the calls were in the evening. - Mez asked Chris if he remembers who was the one calling him that day and he said it was Gavin. Chris said that was the conversation where Gavin said he wanted to be with Michael in Florida and Chris offered to take them to Florida. Chris said that he was thinking about going out of town himself so he said that they can fly with him. - Mez asked Chris if he thought that Gavin was awfully sophisticated for someone his age and Chris said "yes" Mez asked him to explaine that so Chris said "he was really smart, and he was cunning at times, but I always overlooked it because I felt sorry for him. But I knew he was ... he was a little kid, but he was cunning. And his brother Star was definitely cunning" - Mez asked Chris to explain what he meant by cunning. Chris said "Always says stuff like, "Chris, let me have this. Let me have this. Let me get this. Come on, I'm not feeling good" stuff like that. And I knew it was going a little too far but I always said, "he's sick" you know, "he's got alot of problems, family problems" so I always just overlooked it". - Chris said that everybody was happy and excited on the plane and were relieved to get away from California. Gavin was happy, ready to go see Michael, and he was excited. - Before they went to the airport, the family (Janet, Devillen, Gavin, and Star) were dropped off at Chris's house. Chris had a discussion with Janet about a truck that he was going to lend to Janet but he said he got really uncomfortable when he was getting ready to loan her the turck because she started crying frantically, he said the way she cried wasn't like something normal, but like something was wrong with her. Chris said that he just didn't feel right about it and he thought that he was going too far because something mentally wasn't right with her lol .. but he gave her the keys even though he didn't feel comfertable about it at all. - Mez asked Chris if any member of the Arvizo family gave him the impression that they were going to Miami against their will and Chris said "no". - Chris said that when they got to Florida, he told Michael to "watch out for Janet" because he felt suspicious about her. - Mez asked Chris if he told MJ why he was suspicious of Janet and Chris said "yes". - Chris said that while he was trying to talk to Michael, Janet kept interrupting and Chris didn't know why she was doing that so he pulled Michael in the room and said "you need to watch out. Just be careful" and he told Michael "something aint right". - Chris said that Janet and Gavin always said that Michael was like a father to them, and Chris was like a brother to them, and they were saying that alot in Miami. - Janet called the mother of Chris's son asking her for the keys of the truck cuz she lost them. - Chris stayed in Florida for about 2 weeks and then returned to California. When he returned he still had the truck in his posetion but he didn't do anything to get a new set of keys for the truck (remember, he gave her the keys on the same day they were leaving for Miami so she didn't get the chance to take the truck). - After the trip to Florida, Janet didn't call him but he got alot of messages from the kids wanting another pair of keys for the keys for the truck. - Chris said the truck was worth $14,000 at the time. - Gavin continued to call him after the trip to Florida and he talked to him. - The kids were constantly calling him for the truck and Chris felt like the mother was making them call for the truck and it was getting on his nerves. - Mez asked Chris if Gavin himself ask him about the truck and Chris said "yes" - Chris said that Azja, the mother of his son, was still in contact with the family at this point (after the trip to Miami) and he discussed his concerns about the family with her. Chris told her about the truck and told her not to give it to them because he felt uncomfertable and he felt like he did enough for them. - Azja told him that the family kept on calling her about the truck because it was with her. - The last time Chris spoke with any of the Arvizo family was a year or two ago...most likely a year ago and he spoke with Gavin for a quick second. Chris was the one who called. - Mez asked him why he called him and he said that he was going through some old notepads and he was throwing away alot of numbers and he ran across his name he didn't think the number worked anymore and he called to check and he answered the phone. Chris said : "I said, "Gavin" and he said, "Chris." Like real happy, like, to hear from me because he hadn't heard from me for a long time. And he was like, "Hey, Chris," and I said, "Hey, Gavin." And all of a sudden I heard a "Get off that phone - now," and the phone just -- click. And I knew it was Janet". - Chris said he was really concerned at that time because he thought that was really really strange because he didn't know what was going on and since that day he hasn't spoken with any member of the Arvizo family. - Chris said before that phone call, the last time he talked to Gavin was after the Miami trip because he wanted to distance himself and of course that was after he warned MJ about these people.

MJJF - CHRIS TUCKER, May 24, 2005 After being sworn in, Mr Mesereau conducts the direct examination with Chris Tucker. Mesereau begins by questioning Tucker’s relationship with Jackson. Tucker says “it’s funny” he met Jackson through Gavin Arvizo, and the two have been friends ever since for about 3 to 4 years. He says he had know Jackson for quite some time though the two formally met in New York and conversed over the phone a couple of times prior to that too. When questioned about how he met Gavin Arvizo, Tucker stated that since he is a stand up comedian, he was doing work at the Laugh Factory when the boy’s father approached the actor and told him that his son was dying of cancer, loves Tucker a lot and would like him attend a fund raiser that was being organised at the Laugh Factory, to which Tucker said that he would do his best to be there although he was in and out of town frequently. The first time Tucker met Gavin Arvizo was at a benefit organised at the Laugh Factory for kids aspiring to be comedians. Funds were raised at these benefits for these children for various needs. David Arvizo (Gavin’s father) invited Tucker to this benefit where he met Star Arvizo too. Mesereau proceeded to question Tucker about any funds that he may have contributed at the benefit he attended that was supposed to have raised funds for the ill Gavin Arvizo. Q. Do you recall whether or not you contributed money on that occasion? A. I don’t -- not that night, but I did contribute some money, yes. Q. And explain that, if you would. A. I was asked a few days later to give some money, because they didn’t raise any money. They didn’t make any money. So I did. I wired some money to their foundation. Q. Okay. Who told you they hadn’t raised any money at the benefit? A. Gavin told me, and his father -- well, Gavin told me. Gavin told me. Q. So Gavin told you they didn’t make a dime at that fund-raiser? A. Yeah, they said they didn’t make any money, and they needed some money. They couldn’t – you know, they needed some money. So -- Q. And you then wired them some money? A. Yeah, I wired them some money. Q. How much did you send them; do you know? A. It was probably 1500 or more. Q. Okay. And you believe that was for medical expenses? A. Yes, I was hoping it was for that. Q. Okay. Now, did you see the father from time to time? A. Yeah, only with the kids. Mesereau continues to question about the occasions the comedian met with the Arvizos. Q. Okay. And where would you see the father? A. When they visited. I took them to Knott’s Berry Farm one time. I took them to the mall a few times to buy them clothes and stuff. Those were the times I seen them. Only with the kids. Q. Okay. Now, you say you took them to Knott’s Berry Farm? A. Yeah. Q. And please explain what you did. A. Well, I took them also with my son, went to some rides to make him, you know, have a good time. We rode rides, and that was -- that was about it. Q. And who -- who was on that trip, that you can remember, every person that was there? A. It was my son, Star, Gavin’s brother, Davellin, I think my son’s mother, and -- yeah, that was -- yeah, my son’s mother, and David, the father. Q. And who arranged that trip? A. I did. Q. And did you arrange for transportation? A. Yes, I think we went in my car and they followed us in a car. Q. Now, you said you bought clothes for the Arvizo children at a mall; is that correct? A. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Q. And explain what you did, if you would. A. We went to, like, a sports store. They liked the Raiders, and bought them Raiders stuff,shirts and hats and shoes and stuff like that. Q. And who was with you when you bought these clothes for the Arvizo children? A. The father. Q. Okay. A. And -- David. Q. Did you ever meet the mother? A. I met her in -- the first time in -- in Las Vegas. Q. Okay. And her name was Janet? A. Janet, yes. Q. Okay. And please explain the circumstances under which you met Janet Arvizo in Las Vegas. A. Yeah, it was real brief a few times, because I was filming, and it was -- I didn’t really have a lot of time so it was real brief. So, it was just, “Hello,” “Hello,” because we was filming a movie the first time. Q. Was this on the set that you met Janet Arvizo? A. On the set, yes. Q. Who was with her, if you remember? A. I think David, her husband, and all the kids came up to Las Vegas on a road trip to visit me on the set. I invited them to the set. Q. To your knowledge, who arranged for that trip? Was it David or the mother? A. I don’t know. I think it was David, because at that time I never met her. It was always the kids and the father. Q. And approximately what year do you think this was? A. I think it was 2001. Q. Okay. Mesereau asks Tucker about the first time he met Gavin’s mother Janet Arvizo. Tucker says that it was at a film set that was being shot in Las Vegas. Tucker goes on to state that he was exetremely busy but stopped to have very brief conversations with Janet Arvizo. The Arvizo kids, Gavin Star and Davellin would come to the set quite often and Tucker told the people that they were his guests and that they could stay. The Arvizo family was supposed to stay for a week but stayed of for several weeks. Months later Tucker invited the family to his home in Los Angeles. Q. And how long after the Las Vegas trip did Janet and the children come to your home in Los Angeles? A. It had to be -- I was filming, so it had to be a couple of months, a few months. Q. So do you think we’re still in 2001? A. I think so. Q. Okay. Did Janet call you on the phone after the Las Vegas trip? A. Yes. Q. And did you speak to her on the phone? A. Yes. Q. Did -- what did she say to you? A. I talked to her one morning, and I remember because we was promoting a movie and we was talking about something, and she started crying on the phone, was crying, crying, crying, and, you know, she always said I was their brother, the kids’ brother, and all that stuff. And we -- you know, I can remember this phone call, because she was crying. And I was -- you know, I was always saying, you know, “Everything’s going to be all right,” because that’s about as much as I could do. And that phone call was kind of confusing, so I don’t remember what was said and all that stuff. Q. But you remember her crying? A. Yeah. Q. Okay. Did you invite her to your home during that phone conversation? A. No. No, that was another conversation. Q. Okay. After that first conversation, did she call you again? A. I don’t recall. Q. Okay. Do you recall whether or not you ever called Janet? A. No, I never called her. Q. Did you ever call David on the phone, to your knowledge? A. Never called him, no. Q. Did he ever call you on the phone? A. Not that I can recall. It was mostly Gavin. Q. So Gavin would call you on the phone? A. Yes. Q. Did he call you often? A. Yes. Mesereau proceeds to question Tucker about how Gavin Arvizo received his number. The actor states that he gave the boy his number at the fund raiser held at the Laugh Factory because he felt sympathy towards the boy who was then as they had told him was undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer and the boy had no hair. Tucker says the boy subsequently started calling him frequently after the find raiser. Q BY MESEREAU. All right. Now, after that fund-raiser, Mr. Tucker, did he start calling you on a regular basis? A. Yes, he did. Yes. Q. And when you say “a regular basis,” like how often would Gavin Arvizo call you on the phone? A. He called -- he called a lot. And then -- and then -- he called a lot. It wasn’t my main number, but I knew it was -- I checked all the time,because I was always different places. So I checked it so I can tell how many times he called. But I always called him back when I got a chance, because I wanted to let him -- you know, just to call him and say hello. Q. And when Gavin would call you, did you ever believe his mother was on the line? A. No. I didn’t -- no, I only talked to him. I didn’t think nobody was on the line, no. Q. Did Star ever call you? A. Star, he called sometimes with Gavin, yes. Q. Okay. How about Davellin? A. Davellin never called, no. Q. How many times did the Arvizos visit your home in Los Angeles? A. Probably once -- probably three times. Probably three times, yes. Q. Were all of these visits after the Las Vegas trip? A. No. They was before. I think one of them was afterwards, but the rest of them was before. Q. Okay. Now -- now, the first time they visited your home, was that after the fund-raiser? A. Yes. At the fund Raiser, the comedian went on to state that he met a lot of other kids. Mesereau continues to question Tucker about the fund raiser held for Gavin Arvizo. Q. And was it your understanding that everyone was there to raise money for Gavin? A. That’s what I was told, yes. Q. Okay. Did you see Gavin in the lobby of The Laugh Factory, if you recall? A. I met him upstairs after -- well, I think right after, right after it was over, I met him upstairs in The Laugh Factory. Q. Do you recall, when you entered The Laugh Factory, if Gavin was at a table? A. Don’t know. Don’t know. Q. Do you recall if any member of the Arvizo family was at a table in the lobby of The Laugh Factory collecting money? A. I don’t know Q. Okay. So after it was over, you say you met Gavin upstairs? A. Yes. Q. Was anybody with Gavin? A. I think his father and his brother was there when I was introduced to them. Q. Okay. And did you spend time talking to Gavin upstairs? A. Yes. I was talking to him. Q. Is that when you gave him your number? A. I gave him my number and a pair of shoes, Nike shoes that I got. Q. How did you end up buying Nike shoes from them? A. I get them for free from NikeTown, so I called them and told them I was meeting a kid, and I wanted to get him something, a gift. Q. His father was there when you gave him the shoes? A. Yes. Q. And Star and Davellin were there also? A. Star was there, yes. Yes. Q. Was Davellin there, if you know? A. I think she was. I don’t know. Q. Okay. So was the first visit to your home shortly after that fund-raiser? A. Yes. Q. Okay. Q. And that was after you gave Gavin your phone number at the fund-raiser, right? A. Yes. Yes. Q. Okay. Was that the only fund-raiser you ever attended for Gavin? A. Yes. Tucker goes on to state that Gavin called him often between the first visit and the second visit to Tucker’s home. At this point, the court interrupts testimony to proceed with some other matters pending. The discussions are held in open court outside the presence of the jury hence the jury is dismissed and Mr Tucker asked to step down from the witness stand. The court accommodates Mr Sneddon who has an issue that needs to be resolved.