Jury reaches verdict in Michael Jackson death trial

[jobeterob]

Los Angeles [[CNN) -- The jury in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial informed the court Wednesday afternoon that it has reached a verdict.

The decision on whether concert promoter AEG Live is liable in Jackson's death is expected to be read at 6:30 p.m. ET.

While waiting for the verdict, Jackson family matriarch Katherine Jackson sat on a courthouse bench playing a game on her iPad.

Jackson's mother and three children sued AEG Live in 2010, contending the company's negligence in hiring, retaining or supervising Dr. Conrad Murray was a factor in the singer's June 25, 2009, death.

Jackson died of an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, which Murray told investigators he was using to treat the singer's insomnia so he could rest for rehearsals. Murray is set to be released from jail later this month after serving two years for involuntary manslaughter.

Jackson died just days before his comeback tour -- promoted and produced by AEG Live -- was set to debut in London in the summer of 2009.

To reach their verdict, jurors had to answer the question: Did AEG Live hire Murray?

The company's lawyers contended Jackson chose Murray, who had treated him for three years as a family physician, but Jackson lawyers argued the promoters chose to negotiate their own contract with the doctor so they could control him.

A "smoking gun" e-mail sent by AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware 11 days before Jackson died said: "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 Jacksons also pointed to a television interview soon after Jackson died in which AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips said AEG Live "hired" Murray.

AEG Live lawyers argued they had no way of knowing that Murray -- licensed to practice in four states and never sued for malpractice -- was a risk to Jackson. The singer was a secretive drug addict who kept even his closest relatives in the dark about his use of propofol to sleep, they contended.

Jackson lawyers contended the company's agreement with Murray created a medical conflict of interest that led him to break his Hippocratic Oath to do no harm. Murray, who was $1 million in debt, was pressured to deliver the risky treatments or else possibly lose the $150,000 monthly salary, they argued.

Executives ignored a series of warning signs that Jackson was at risk in his last weeks, including deteriorating health that included weight loss, inability to perform his trademark dances or remember lyrics to his standard songs and paranoia, the Jacksons argued.

Jurors appeared engaged and entertained during the 21-week trial that included dramatic testimony by Jackson's mother, son and former wife. Several jurors even applauded at the end of testimony by famed choreographer-director Kenny Ortega.

[Kamasu_Jr]

AEG was found not guilty of negligence and that the hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray, whose negligence contributed to Michael's death- was not AEG's fault. In other words, the Jackson Estate, KATHERINE and Jackson's children lost.

[jobeterob]

Wonder what the costs against them are going to be!!!

Frankly, you could see this one coming.

I dislike insurance companies a lot but this was a silly case where they were almost asking the insurer to guarantee Michael Jackson's health as well as behaviour.

[jobeterob]

Los Angeles [[CNN) -- A Los Angeles jury decided Wednesday that AEG Live hired Dr. Conrad Murray, but also concluded that the concert promoter was not liable for Michael Jackson's drug overdose death.

The jury decided that Murray was competent, so even though AEG Live hired him, it was not liable for Jackson's death and didn't owe the Jackson family millions of dollars in compensation.

The verdict brings the five-month-long trial to a close.

The jury accepted AEG Live lawyers' arguments that the company was not negligent because its executives had no way of knowing that Murray -- licensed to practice in four states and never sued for malpractice -- was a risk to Jackson. The singer was a secretive drug addict who kept even his closest relatives in the dark about his use of propofol to sleep, they contended.

Jackson's mother, Katherine, and the singer's three children sued AEG Live in 2010, arguing that the company's negligence in hiring, retaining or supervising Murray was a factor in the singer's June 25, 2009, death.

Jackson died of an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, which Murray told investigators he was using to treat the singer's insomnia so he could rest for rehearsals. Murray is set to be released from jail later this month after serving two years for involuntary manslaughter.

Jackson died just days before his comeback tour -- promoted and produced by AEG Live -- was set to debut in London in the summer of 2009.

Murray's lawyer, Valerie Wass, let out a gasp when she heard the decision and was visibly shaken.

Because jurors concluded that AEG Live was not liable, they did not consider other questions on the verdict form that would have determined how much in damages the promoter would have paid Katherine, Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson.

Jackson lead lawyer Brian Panish suggested a range between $1 billion and $2 billion to replace the earnings lost by Jackson's death at age 50 and the non-economic -- or personal -- damages from the loss of a father and son.

The damage award, however, would have been reduced by the percentage of blame jurors decided Michael Jackson shared in his death. The Jacksons lawyer suggested in closing arguments that they assign 20% of the liability to Jackson.

AEG's lawyers had contended Jackson chose Murray, who had treated him for three years as a family physician, but Jackson lawyers had argued the promoters chose to negotiate their own contract with the doctor so they could control him.

Jurors appeared engaged and entertained during the 21-week trial that included dramatic testimony by Jackson's mother, son and former wife.

[smark21]

I just started a similar thread in the main forum. Here’s the article from the NY Times. IMO, the correct verdict was reached.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/business/media/concert-promoter-found-not-liable-in-death-of-michael-jackson.html?ref=us

[jobeterob]

There's no question, they reached the verdict that was expected by all the legal commentators. It was almost like the Jacksons were asking the promoter to be responsible for the fact their main benefactor was an addict.

[jobeterob]

Conrad Murray is to be released later this month.

[Roberta75]

The jury reach the right verdict imo.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

The claimants here were the children and Katherine; I don't think they were well advised; I wonder who paid the lawyers? The cost would have been in the millions. I guess the revenue from Cirque du Soleil.

[jaybs]

I feel the complaint should have been, did AEG completely monitor Dr Conrad.

[marybrewster]

Without question, MJ was one of the most talented entertainers of all time. He was also an addict. If he didn't get his drugs from Murray, he would have gotten them from someone else.

I think Katherine started this lawsuit as a way to cope; a way to heal. It's easier to deal with things if you can place the blame on others.

It's like trying to sue Smirnoff because you're an alcoholic.

[kenneth]

For once, a good decision out of a Los Angeles courtroom and not a national [[or international) embarrassment! The family deserved nothing. Michael Jackson was responsible for his own decisions, although of course Dr. Murray was guilty of negligence in his death.

On other related news:

http://newsone.com/2647567/conrad-murray-early-release/

[lakedistrictlad1]

Call me cynical but isn't this just another saga in the milking of the Jackson family cash cow? When is this family going to give up?
Michael Jackson was a grown man who made his own decisions and was responsible for himself. As we all are. Nobody put those drugs down his throat but himself. This 'compensation - blame someone else' culture is crazy.
Thank goodness the only sane conclusion was reached in this case.

[jobeterob]

In a way, I feel bad for these people. Who knows how they get led down the garden path, usually starting with prescription drugs and leading to something as bizarre as sleeping with propofol.

They are given so much materially and so fortunate to have such a career with so much money and big concerts and hit records. And yet, they have nothing for a life.

And the family seems to be led down another garden path. A lot of law is just common sense and you can see from the news articles and the individual posts that this claim made little sense at all. They seem to suggest that grown adults who have millions of dollars are not responsible for any part of their lives or what they do to their bodies.

It would be very interesting to know how much it cost the Jackson family to make this claim and how it was paid for and what the costs are that they will owe AEG. It would be millions and millions of dollars either way. I wonder what assets Katherine transferred to the lawyers prior to the trial commencing.

I wonder if the flow of money coming in from Michael's death has fallen off any.

[kenneth]

@jobeterob,

It might have been taken on a contingency. I hope not for their sake but if so, the lawyers would get nothing. Don't you think if they offered in their closing arguments that MJ might be 20% liable they pretty much knew they'd lost the case? I wondered about that.

[jobeterob]

@jobeterob,

It might have been taken on a contingency. I hope not for their sake but if so, the lawyers would get nothing. Don't you think if they offered in their closing arguments that MJ might be 20% liable they pretty much knew they'd lost the case? I wondered about that.

It could have been taken on contingency, I agree. They would have to be crazy to do such a thing though. I think there were some pretty expensive experts called as well and they had to be paid.

During the trial, I read articles that indicated the trial was not going well for the Jacksons, particularly around the time Debbie Rowe testified. I think she was straightforward, take me as I am, and regarded as reliable.

Yes, I agree that at the 20% stage, they might have been grasping at straws.

[midnightman]

Right verdict. I wouldn't have blamed a touring company for someone else's death. And also suing for a billion dollars? All the Jacksons who agreed to this lawsuit can go sit somewhere with that.

[Roberta75]

[QUOTE=midnightman;193499]Right verdict. I wouldn't have blamed a touring company for someone else's death. And also suing for a billion dollars? All the Jacksons who agreed to this lawsuit can go sit somewhere with that.[/QUOTE I think you had Jermaine and Randy who are real greedy imo pushing broken hearted Mrs Jackson to into this lawsuit. Poor Mrrs Katharine Jackson is still in mourning and this lawsuit couldnt be good for her health.

[midnightman]

[QUOTE=midnightman;193499]Right verdict. I wouldn't have blamed a touring company for someone else's death. And also suing for a billion dollars? All the Jacksons who agreed to this lawsuit can go sit somewhere with that.[/QUOTE I think you had Jermaine and Randy who are real greedy imo pushing broken hearted Mrs Jackson to into this lawsuit. Poor Mrrs Katharine Jackson is still in mourning and this lawsuit couldnt be good for her health.

The main ones anyway. I've been done with Jermaine but Randy can go sit down too.