A California jury on Wednesday dismissed a lawsuit brought by Michael Jackson’s family seeking massive damages from tour promoter AEG Live over the pop legend’s 2009 death.
At the climax of a five-month trial, the six-man, six-woman panel agreed that AEG Live hired doctor Conrad Murray, but found that he was not unfit or incompetent for the job he was hired to do, a key requirement for the Jackson lawsuit to have succeeded.
Jackson’s 83-year-old mother, Katherine, alleged that AEG Live negligently hired and supervised Murray, seeking damages of more than US$1 billion for her and the icon’s three children.
Photo: AFP
AEG Live lead lawyer Marvin Putnam welcomed the verdict, which came after the jury deliberated for three days.
“The jury’s decision completely vindicates AEG Live, confirming what we have known from the start — that, although Michael Jackson’s death was a terrible tragedy, it was not a tragedy of AEG Live’s making,” he said in a statement.
Kevin Boyle, one of the Jackson family’s lawyers, voiced disappointment at the verdict, and did not rule out an appeal.
“We are of course not happy with the result as it stands now. We will be exploring all options legally and factually and make a decision about anything at a later time,” he told reporters outside court.
Jackson died in 2009 from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol, given by Murray at the star’s rented mansion in Los Angeles.
Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a criminal trial in 2011 for giving the drug to the star — who suffered from chronic insomnia — to help him sleep. He was jailed for four years, but is expected to be released in the next few weeks.
In the civil trial, the singer’s mother — who gave testimony, as did his eldest son Prince, 16 — alleged that AEG Live missed a series of red flags about the star’s failing health in the run-up to his death.
The “This is It” tour was Jackson’s bid at a comeback four years after his infamous child molestation trial. He was acquitted, but his image was destroyed, and he desperately needed to make money.
The Jacksons wanted AEG Live to pay US$85 million to each of the star’s three children for emotional loss, and an unspecified amount for economic losses, estimated at up to US$1.6 billion. AEG’s lawyers called the figures ridiculous.
AEG Live executive Randy Phillips, one of two key managers who testified at the trial, said after the verdict: “I counted Michael Jackson a creative partner and a friend.”
“We lost one of the world’s greatest musical geniuses, but I am relieved and deeply grateful that the jury recognized that neither I, nor anyone else at AEG Live, played any part in Michael’s tragic death,” he said.
One of the jurors, speaking outside the court afterwards, also underlined that it was not a victory for anyone.
“There are really no winners in this,” Greg Barden said. “Somebody had to die for us to be here... We don’t walk away thinking it was a victory on one side or the other. It was really a tragic situation.”
About 20 fans were in court for the verdict. Some, wearing Jackson T-shirts, chanted “Michael, Michael” outside the building as the AEG Live lawyers were holding a press conference.
“I really hope the Jacksons go through with another trial, try to do an appeal, they deserve it,” Jamie Lee said. “Katherine is just looking for answers, her son is dead. I think she deserves to know the truth. AEG should be punished for involving themselves and hiring the man who took his life.”
‘GREAT OPPRTUNITY’: The Paraguayan president made the remarks following Donald Trump’s tapping of several figures with deep Latin America expertise for his Cabinet Paraguay President Santiago Pena called US president-elect Donald Trump’s incoming foreign policy team a “dream come true” as his nation stands to become more relevant in the next US administration. “It’s a great opportunity for us to advance very, very fast in the bilateral agenda on trade, security, rule of law and make Paraguay a much closer ally” to the US, Pena said in an interview in Washington ahead of Trump’s inauguration today. “One of the biggest challenges for Paraguay was that image of an island surrounded by land, a country that was isolated and not many people know about it,”
DIALOGUE: US president-elect Donald Trump on his Truth Social platform confirmed that he had spoken with Xi, saying ‘the call was a very good one’ for the US and China US president-elect Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) discussed Taiwan, trade, fentanyl and TikTok in a phone call on Friday, just days before Trump heads back to the White House with vows to impose tariffs and other measures on the US’ biggest rival. Despite that, Xi congratulated Trump on his second term and pushed for improved ties, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. The call came the same day that the US Supreme Court backed a law banning TikTok unless it is sold by its China-based parent company. “We both attach great importance to interaction, hope for
‘FIGHT TO THE END’: Attacking a court is ‘unprecedented’ in South Korea and those involved would likely face jail time, a South Korean political pundit said Supporters of impeached South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol yesterday stormed a Seoul court after a judge extended the impeached leader’s detention over his ill-fated attempt to impose martial law. Tens of thousands of people had gathered outside the Seoul Western District Court on Saturday in a show of support for Yoon, who became South Korea’s first sitting head of state to be arrested in a dawn raid last week. After the court extended his detention on Saturday, the president’s supporters smashed windows and doors as they rushed inside the building. Hundreds of police officers charged into the court, arresting dozens and denouncing an
‘DISCRIMINATION’: The US Office of Personnel Management ordered that public DEI-focused Web pages be taken down, while training and contracts were canceled US President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday moved to end affirmative action in federal contracting and directed that all federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) staff be put on paid leave and eventually be laid off. The moves follow an executive order Trump signed on his first day ordering a sweeping dismantling of the federal government’s diversity and inclusion programs. Trump has called the programs “discrimination” and called to restore “merit-based” hiring. The executive order on affirmative action revokes an order issued by former US president Lyndon Johnson, and curtails DEI programs by federal contractors and grant recipients. It is using one of the
RSS