Business News Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal Live Business

AEG removed from Joe Jackson’s wrongful death lawsuit, Conrad Murray prosecutors object to bail application

By | Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012

Michael Jackson

A judge has agreed to remove AEG Live from Joe Jackson’s wrongful-death lawsuit, meaning the late king of pop’s father is now just suing Dr Conrad Murray and a Las Vegas pharmacy he bought prescription drugs from.

Jackson Senior’s original lawsuit specifically targeted Murray, the doctor convicted last year of involuntary manslaughter in relation to Michael Jackson’s 2009 death. But then the singer’s mother chose to sue AEG, promoters of the ill fated ‘This Is It’ show, who were paying Murray’s fees. Katherine Jackson argued that, as Murray’s effective employer, the live firm must accept some liability for her son’s death at the hands of the medic.

Joe Jackson then added AEG as a defendant on his lawsuit too, possibly recognising that even if he won against Murray, the doctor has no money. But AEG’s lawyers argued that if Joe Jackson wanted to sue the company, he should join his wife’s lawsuit, rather than pursuing his own litigation. They also argued that Mr Jackson was not a legitimate heir to his son’s fortune because he was estranged from the singer and excluded from his son’s will.

And, according to the City News Service, the judge overseeing Jackson Senior’s litigation yesterday agreed, dismissing AEG as defendants. The judge particularly agreed with the argument that it was inappropriate for two separate heirs to pursue separate litigation over the same issue. Joe Jackson’s people are yet to respond to the ruling.

In related news, the prosecution in the criminal case against Murray have, unsurprisingly, formally objected to the doctor’s application for bail. As previously reported, Murray last month requested that he serve his jail term out of prison, possibly under house arrest, so that he can better prepare for his appeal.

However, prosecutors yesterday said the prison sentence should be enforced, claiming Murray remained a hazard to society, that he could flee California if let out of jail, and adding that the doctor was still remorseless about his part in Michael Jackson’s death. Prosecutors David Walgren and Deborah Brazil have told the courts: “Based on his failure to accept responsibility for the decisions he made, his complete lack of remorse and lack of insight into the danger of his criminally negligent conduct, he remains a danger to the community”.

The LA courts are due to consider Murray’s bail application on Friday.



READ MORE ABOUT: | | |