The son of an Arab monarch took the King of Pop to court Monday, charging that Michael Jackson took $7 million as an advance on an album and an autobiography that he never produced.

Lawyers for Sheikh Abdulla bin Hamad Al Khalifa say their client fronted money for Jackson’s expenses as an advance payment for a book and joint recording project with the sheikh, who is an amateur musician. Jackson maintains that the money was a gift from a friend.

Attorneys for Al Khalifa said the royal prince spoke to Jackson, 50, by phone when the singer was standing trial in California as a result of his 2003 arrest on child molestation charges. Attorney Bankim Thanki said that Al Khalifa wanted to collaborate with Jackson and help to rebuild his career. Jackson’s finances were diminished after his arrest and he was desperately in need of cash.

The sheikh allegedly paid $35,000 for the utility bills for Jackson’s ranch home and amusement park, Neverland. Following Jackson’s acquittal, Al Khalifa paid an additional $2.2 million for Jackson’s legal bills.

In addition, Jackson and associates lived in Al Khalifa’s palace in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and gave him hundreds of thousands of dollars in gifts, expenses, and vacations. During the time the two became close, however their relationship was strained after Jackson reportedly failed to deliver on a business arrangement.

Voters have decided to ban alcohol consumption on the city’s stretches of beaches, making the temporary ban that was imposed after a massive beach brawl last year permanent.

Proposition D received 53 percent of votes with all precincts reporting Wednesday morning.

San Diego has had a back-and-forth debate about removing booze on its beaches for decades but efforts to prohibit alcohol consumption remained stagnant until now.

In a 2002 attempt, voters rejected a trial ban on some beaches that tend to attract large crowds. The City Council had approved the measure but a referendum forced it to the ballot.

A similar effort to ban alcohol on the beaches was rejected in 1991.

After a Labor Day incident the City Council passed a temporary booze ban last November after a drunken brawl in the city’s Pacific Beach neighborhood. 70 police officers, including some in riot gear, were needed to break up the melee.

The temporary ban was scheduled to run out on Jan. 14, 2009.

Advocates said they wanted to make beaches safer for families and tourists.

Opponents refuted the ban as an overreaction because most incidents are limited to big holiday weekends and to select beaches. They argued that the ban would hurt businesses in beach communities, which are magnet for tourists.

The ban applies to all city beaches and Mission Bay Park.