Michael Jackson Family Given Approval to Sue AEG Live
A judge ruled Wednesday (Feb. 2) that Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, can sue concert promoter AEG Live for their involvement in his death. Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos dismissed AEG's request to throw out the lawsuit holding them responsible for the medical decisions made by Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.
Marvin S. Putnam, an attorney for AEG, argued that his clients had no knowledge that extremities involving Jackson's medical treatment, would result in his death. "It's not foreseeable that Michael Jackson or anyone else was going to die in their own home of propofol," he said. Putnam went on to state that the decision to hire Murray, was made by Jackson himself.
Despite allowing the suit to go forward, Judge Palazuelos denounced claims of a possible conspiracy involving the company, noting that concert promoters and Murray were not conspiring in criminal medical practices. "If the object was to get him to rehearsals, I don't see that as a wrongful or an illegal act," Palazuelos said.
The lawsuit was originally filed by Katherine on behalf of Jackson's three children on Sept. 15. The suit alleges that Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael, suffered trauma after seeing his father suffer on the day of his death. According to the suit, the 50-year-old, who was prepping for his This Is It tour residency in London, was put through a grueling rehearsal regimen which was taking a toll on him physically. The pop icon suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009, less than one month before the tour was set to begin. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office later concluded that Jackson's death had been brought on by a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofal, which he was said to have used to treat insomnia.
Murray, who admitted to injecting Jackson with propofal, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter charges, and will go to trial next month. Lawyers for AEG have 20 days to amend their complaint, while a case management conference has been scheduled for March 22.
Watch Michael Jackson's 'This Is It'
More From TheBoombox
