Promoter ‘failed in duty of care to Jackson’

Concert giant AEG Live failed in its duty to properly investigate the doctor who treated Michael Jackson because it was concerned about its own fortunes, an attorney for the late singer’s mother has told a jury.

Katherine Jackson is suing AEG claiming it failed to properly investigate Conrad Murray, the former physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter over Jackson’s death in Jun 2009.

Attorney Brian Panish made his remarks in an opening presentation filled with slides detailing the case against AEG, which was promoting Jackson’s This Is It comeback concerts.

Millions, and possibly billions, of dollars are at stake.

Katherine Jackson sued the company in Sept 2010, claiming it failed to properly investigate Murray before allowing him to serve as Jackson’s tour doctor. She is also suing on behalf of her son’s three children, Prince, Paris and Blanket.

AEG denies it hired Murray and its attorneys have said they could not have foreseen the circumstances that led to Jackson’s death at age 50. A jury convicted Murray of giving Jackson a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol in 2011. The hospital-grade anaesthetic was being administered as a sleep aid.

Panish told jurors they would be putting together a puzzle, with three pieces being Jackson, Murray and AEG Live.

He told the panel that Jackson suffered from addiction to prescription medications and Demerol at times during his life, and the problem increased when he was keeping up a rigorous schedule.

“Over the years Michael’s family and people who knew him believed he had a problem with prescription medication,” Panish told jurors. He said the only group that would claim they didn’t know about Jackson’s addiction issues were AEG and its executives.

Panish also detailed Murray’s money problems, including an impending foreclosure and other debts. AEG also had issues as well, the lawyer told jurors, saying the company was feeling intense pressure from concert promoter Live Nation.

He said AEG saw the Jackson shows as a way to make a lot of money and better compete with Live Nation.

He said the company was so concerned with getting Jackson to perform “they didn’t care who got lost in the wash”.

Jackson’s mother and his two oldest children, Prince and Paris, are listed as possible witnesses. An AEG attorney said yesterday that the company intends to call Murray as a witness.

Murray did not testify at his criminal trial.