Jacksons’ AEG Dispute Ongoing
Posted on Friday November 18, 2011 at 07:01 AM 3 | 76
The Jackson family’s wrongful death lawsuit against Anschutz Entertainment Group regarding Michael Jackson’s death in 2009 has a clearer path since Dr. Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter.
The civil suit, filed in September 2010 on behalf of Katherine Jackson and Michael’s three children, accuses AEG and its subsidiary, AEG Live, of contributing to the late King of Pop’s death, according to the Los Angeles Times.
“The conviction of Dr. Murray is just the beginning of bringing forth the truth on what happened to Michael Jackson,” Jackson family attorney Brian Panish told the Times. “Forces much larger than Dr. Murray were involved with the tragedy.”
The lawsuit seeking an unspecified amount of money claims AEG reps pressured the singer to do 50 shows at London’s O2 Arena that MJ couldn’t physically handle by threatening to cancel the “This Is It” tour if he didn’t comply.
AEG officials deny the allegations, saying no one tried to control the performer and Murray assured them Jackson was healthy, the paper said.
“Michael Jackson was not helpless or incompetent; he lived in his own home, negotiated his own contracts, engaged his own attorneys, and cared for his family,” AEG lawyers wrote in a court filing. “He at all times retained the option of refusing Dr. Murray’s services, or of canceling his agreement with AEG.”
AEG Live Co-CEO Randy Phillips testified during Murray’s trial that Jackson was up for the concert residency when the initial plan was for 31 shows. Phillips said Jackson agreed to do the additional shows to break Prince’s record at the London O2 and to have some stability for his family during the run.
“He was very specific,” Phillips said. “He wanted 16-plus acres, running streams, horses. He wanted to give them a pastoral country vibe.” Jackson’s other conditions were that Phillips have the run documented by the Guinness Book of World Records and that Murray would go to London as Jackson’s private physician.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Home 
