Jury Rejects Suit Against Michael Jackson

A jury rejected a wrongful termination lawsuit Tuesday brought against Michael Jackson by five former Neverland Ranch employees and awarded him $60,000 in damages in a countersuit.

The Santa Barbara County Superior Court jury found that Jackson and five staff members were not liable in a lawsuit that charged, among other reasons, that workers were forced out for cooperating in a child molestation probe.

One defendant, Andrew Merritt, also was found not liable of sexually harassing plaintiff Melanie Bagnall.

Jackson’s countersuit said two of the former workers stole sketches, personal notes, hats, toys and candy from the ranch and sold some items to tabloid newspapers.

The wrongful termination suit and Jackson’s cross-complaint went to trial in September. The jury got the case Thursday.

Bagnall, Kassim Abdool, Ralph Chacon, Adrian McManus and Sandy Domz said they were harassed and threatened by security guards and fired or forced to quit in 1994.