Dr. Conrad Murray, AEG Live Connection Sparks New Michael Jackson Death Lawsuit
A judge in Los Angeles ruled on Feb. 28 that there is sufficient evidence to warrant a trail by Michael Jackson's family against AEG Live for the company's connection with Dr. Conrad Murray.
The new lawsuit by the Jackson family accuses AEG Live of hiring Dr. Murray to get Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health and that his actions lead to the death of the pop star, according to AceShowbiz.
Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, is heading the lawsuit against AEG and provided a "smoking gun" email that allegedly implicates the concert promoter in Michael's death by hiring Dr. Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the superstar's case.
The email was written 11 days before Michael died (on June 25, 2009) by AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware, who used a potential loss of Dr. Murray's $150,000 per month payment as pressure for the physician to get the singer in performance-ready health.
"We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him," the email stated after show director Kenny Ortega kept Michael from a rehearsal, according to CNN.
The Jackson family said the email backs up their claim that AEG hired and supervised Dr. Murray's negligent care, which led to Michael's death. The judge also ruled there was evidence to support the claim that AEG Live executives could have foreseen that Murray would use dangerous drugs in treating Michael.
The pop icon died two weeks before his This Is It comeback concerts were to have debuted in London in 2009. AEG Live argued that it has no liability in Jackson's death because Murray was not its employee and the company will defend itself in the wrongful death trial set for April in Los Angeles, according to WYTV.
