Michael Jackson was preparing for a rare night out on February 27, 2007. His close friend Elizabeth Taylor was celebrating her 75th birthday near Las Vegas and Jackson planned to surprise her. He was reportedly so excited that designer Roberto Cavalli had been brought to Las Vegas to create a custom outfit for the occasion. Then a Mercedes SUV appeared at Jackson’s gate.
According to bodyguards Bill Whitfield and Javon Beard, the vehicle forced its way toward the property while Whitfield had no idea who was behind the wheel. He moved between the SUV and Jackson’s house, drew his pistol and aimed its laser sight directly at the driver’s chest. Whitfield later recalled believing that whoever was inside was about to be shot. Then the driver raised his head. It was Michael’s younger brother Randy Jackson.
Michael Jackson’s Bodyguard Kept This Secret for Years
What followed was not a friendly family visit. Beard recalled Randy angrily demanding money he claimed Michael owed him and refusing to leave. Whitfield put his weapon away once he recognized him and tried to calm the confrontation. Michael, meanwhile, reportedly refused to see Randy and instructed his security team to get him away from the property. Eventually their father Joe Jackson was called to help settle the situation.
Whitfield later remembered another disturbing thought from those seconds with his gun drawn: what would have happened if he had fired before recognizing Randy. In his account, he imagined the inevitable headline about Michael Jackson’s brother being shot by the star’s security. ABC News later documented that Randy’s representative disputed key parts of the guards’ version, although she confirmed Randy had gone to the Las Vegas residence that day.
Michael Jackson Performs for Elizabeth Taylor at Her 65th Birthday
That older performance explains why the timing of the 2007 confrontation mattered so much. Jackson and Taylor had shared a close friendship for years and he had famously performed “Elizabeth, I Love You” during her 65th birthday celebration in 1997. A decade later, he was preparing to celebrate another milestone with her. Instead, Whitfield and Beard said the confrontation with Randy left Michael devastated. He abandoned the birthday plans and went to bed.
Michael Jackson spent his life surrounded by extraordinary fame, from the Jackson 5 and Thriller to the moonwalk and some of the biggest concerts of his generation. Yet the scene outside his Las Vegas home showed how turbulent life could become when the stage lights disappeared. Watch the videos above to hear the bodyguard account and see why the night Michael was supposed to celebrate one of his closest friends became something entirely different.