The
promoters of Michael Jackson’s doomed last
tour should pay hundreds of millions of dollars
in damages to the late pop icon’s family over
his 2009 death, a lawyer said in closing
arguments
In a heartstrings-tugging final presentation
wrapping up a five-month trial, attorney Brian
Panish urged jurors to award $85 million to
each of the star’s three children and $35
million to his mother in so-called non-
economic damages, such as the loss of love
and comfort.
On top of that were economic damages, for
which he did not set a figure, but cited
analyses suggesting that the self-styled King of
Pop could have made up to $1.6 million if he
had lived and pursued a comeback world tour.
In the day’s most arresting moment, he played
a 15-minute video compilation of Jackson’s
hits, including “Thriller” and the star
moonwalking to “Billie Jean,” combined with
home-movie clips of the singer playing with his
children.
“That I think is the best evidence of whether
Mr. Jackson could have sold tickets,” he said
after the extended video, which left some of
the dozens of fans in court sobbing and
hugging each other.
Panish insisted however he wasn’t trying to
play on the jury’s emotions. “We’re not looking
for sympathy, we’re looking for justice,” he
told the trial, which moved to a larger 300-
person capacity courtroom for its final stage.
Presiding judge Yvette Palazuelos unexpectedly
ruled that the final few days of the trial, which
started in April, can be televised.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009 from an
overdose of the anesthetic propofol at his
rented mansion outside Los Angeles, where he
was rehearsing for the “This is It” shows at
London’s 02 Arena. He was 50 years old.
Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist, was
convicted of involuntary manslaughter in a
criminal trial in 2011 for giving the drug to
the star — who suffered from chronic
insomnia — to help him sleep. Murray was
jailed for four years.
In the civil trial, the singer’s mother Katherine
Jackson, 83, alleges that AEG Live negligently
hired an inappropriate and incompetent doctor
and missed a series of red flags about his
failing health in the run-up to his death.
“They chose not to check anything about Dr.
Murray’s background .. They chose to run the
risk, to make a huge profit, and they lost and
they’re responsible,” said Panish.
“AEG wanted the King of Pop in their arena in
London. They would do whatever it took to get
him on stage… They were so excited about how
much money they were going to make,” he
added.
“They knew what they were getting. Now they
want to come in and deny it.”
If the jury decides in the Jackson family’s
favor, Panish suggested the jury split whatever
compensation amount they decide on in the
ratio of 30 percent for each of the three
children, and 10 percent for Jackson’s 83-year-
old mother Katherine, “because Katherine has
a lesser life expectancy.”
But he stressed that the jury will make the
final decision. “Thats up to you,” he said.
AEG Live counters that it did not sign a
contract with Murray, and that a promised $
150,000 a month for his services would come
from an advance it was making to Jackson,
meaning effectively that the star hired his own
doctor.
The issue of who hired Murray is crucial to the
case, and Panish re-played video clips of AEG
Live CEO Randy Philips, in which he told Sky
News that Murray was “willing to leave his
practice for a very large sum of money.
“So we hired him,” said Philips, in what could
prove decisive in the jurors’ decision-making
process.
AEG Live’s lead lawyer, Marvin Putnam, is due
to present his side’s closing arguments on
Wednesday. Panish will then make final
rebuttals on Thursday, before the jury retires
to consider its verdict.