MICHAEL JACKSON29

A judge on Wednesday ruled the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson's mother can proceed against concert promoter AEG Live, setting up a legal showdown between Katherine Jackson and the company she blames for the "Thriller" singer's demise.

The lawsuit accuses AEG of being responsible for medical decisions made by Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, whose care was funded by the company.

Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's June 25, 2009, death, age 50, from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol which the doctor gave as a sleep aid and other sedatives and painkillers.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos on Wednesday denied a motion by AEG, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, to dismiss Katherine Jackson's case against the company.

But the judge said lawyers for the singer's 80 year-old mother would need to show evidence of fraud, negligent infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.

Palazuelos said she had doubts about civil conspiracy, because there were no details in the lawsuit saying AEG and Murray had an agreement to break the law, in providing medical care to Jackson.

"If the object was to get him to rehearsals, I don't see that as a wrongful or illegal act," she said.

Jackson was preparing for his "This Is It" series of 50 comeback concerts in London when he died, and Murray was going to accompany him to Britain for the shows.

AEG attorney Marvin Putnam, in arguments before the judge, said the company could not have realized beforehand that Murray's medical decisions would lead to Jackson's death.

"It's not foreseeable that Michael Jackson or anyone else was going to die in their own home of propofol," Putnam said.

During a preliminary hearing last month in the criminal case against Murray, witnesses testified that propofol is administered in surgery and never recommended for home use.

The judge in that separate case found there was sufficient evidence to try Murray, and he wondered out loud why the doctor would have used propofol on Jackson as a sleep aid.

Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial is scheduled to begin on March 28. He faces a maximum of four years in prison.

Katherine Jackson's wrongful death lawsuit was filed in September and includes the singer's three children as co-plaintiffs.

Kenny Ortega, a choreographer who was directing Jackson's rehearsals, was originally named as a defendant. But Katherine Jackson's attorneys recently dropped him from the suit, citing new information.

In court papers, AEG's attorneys said the company "did not choose or hire Dr. Murray" and merely conducted negotiations aimed at "retaining him as an independent contractor."

The next hearing in Katherine Jackson's civil case is scheduled for March 22.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

Reuters Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Michael Jackson's mother can go forward with her civil lawsuit against entertainment giant AEG Live involving the death of the pop superstar, a judge ruled Wednesday.

City News Service reported that Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos turned down a motion by AEG Live to dismiss the case that claims the company is responsible for medical decisions made by Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.

The lawsuit filed Sept. 15 on behalf of Katherine Jackson and the pop star's three children suggests Jackson was forced to maintain a grueling rehearsal schedule for his planned "This Is It" concerts in London, and was showing signs of physical stress in the months before his June 25, 2009 death.

The judge said she had doubts about a conspiracy claim in the suit because there were no details in the complaint stating AEG Live and Murray had an agreement to do something unlawful, City News Service reported.

"If the object was to get him to rehearsals, I don't see that as a wrongful or an illegal act," Palazuelos said.

Attorneys for AEG Live have said Jackson made his own medical decisions and hired Murray to accompany him on the tour.

Attorney Marvin S. Putnam, who represents AEG Live, argued that his clients could not have realized Murray's decisions would lead to Jackson's death.

"It's not foreseeable that Michael Jackson or anyone else was going to die in their own home of propofol," Putnam said.

A coroner found that Jackson died of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic combined with other drugs he was using to induce sleep.

Katherine Jackson's lawsuit claims the star was cold and shivering during the summer rehearsals for his show while others were perspiring from the heat. She claims he was told by AEG to stop taking medication, and that if he missed even one rehearsal the tour would be cancelled.

The suit also claims Michael Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael, suffered "great trauma and severe emotional distress" when he saw his father suffering on the day he died.

The judge commented, "The question is, did he witness the negligence and did he understand what was going on."

She gave the plaintiffs' lawyers 20 days to amend their complaint and set a case management conference for March 22.

AP
Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!

MICHAEL JACKSON29

An insurer for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death has asked a judge to rule that it is not responsible for the physician's legal bills in two high-profile court cases and fights to retain his medical license.

Medicus Insurance Co. argues that Dr. Conrad Murray's medical malpractice policy doesn't cover his defense costs because the cases stem from alleged criminal wrongdoing, according to documents filed Wednesday in state court in Houston. Murray's policy, which was purchased roughly a month before Jackson's death in June 2009, did not cover incidents involving general anesthesia, the company argues.

Murray faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in Los Angeles, where authorities accuse him of administering a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol to the pop star in the bedroom of his rented mansion.

The criminal case is just one of the legal challenges Murray faces. He has been sued by Jackson's father for wrongful death in federal court in Los Angeles, and authorities have sought to either suspend or limit his medical license in Texas, California and Nevada. One of Murray's clinics is in Houston.

The doctor is relying on four attorneys in California and Texas to defend him in the criminal and civil cases. He has argued that he needs to maintain his medical license to pay for his criminal defense.

Medicus, which is based in Austin, claims it is not required to defend Murray's medical license in the three states. The insurer argues that scrutiny by Texas and California officials came as a result of allegations of wrongdoing in Jackson's death, and that Nevada attempted to suspend Murray's medical license because he was behind on child support payments, not for his medical work.

The court filings do not indicate how much Murray's defense in the various cases may cost.

"We believe Medicus is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law," Murray's attorney, Charles Peckham, said Wednesday. "We believe there should be coverage."

Peckham asked the judge in a court filing Monday to delay the case until after the criminal matter is decided, arguing that defending it would violate the doctor's Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

"He simply can't engage in this kind of case," Peckham said, adding that coverage Murray applied for, and the insurer initially accepted, would have covered all the claims.

Medicus filed its case in August, but the legal fees dispute was disclosed in a court filing Wednesday in the wrongful death case.

The company's lawsuit states that Murray's policy only covers the doctor's actions in Texas. The company filed its case after Murray asked the insurer to pay for his defense in the California court cases and medical board hearings in other states, according to the complaint.

Murray is due back in Los Angeles next week for a hearing in the criminal case, and prosecutors are expected to lay out some of their evidence against him during a preliminary hearing in January.

Last week, a federal judge in Houston ruled that Lloyd's of London was not required to pay millions of dollars in legal fees for jailed financier R. Allen Stanford and two former executives charged in a massive Ponzi scheme. The insurer had argued the men's insurance policy did not cover money laundering charges.

AP
Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!

MICHAEL JACKSON29

IT was always going to be a spectacle when JEDWARD finally got their mitts on their mountains of cash.

The "deadly" duo went berserk on t'internet and splashed out £20,000 on memorabilia including one of MICHAEL JACKSON's old bedsheets for £3,000.

I hope it's been through the wash.

X Factor stars Jedward, real names JOHN and EDWARD GRIMES, went with no sleep for two nights while bidding on China-based icons auction Legends.

Edward said: "It's really good stuff - nobody else in the world has it.

"We bought a BRITNEY SPEARS suit she wore in a Pepsi commercial.

"We've got a signed, limited-edition Michael Jackson doll and a signed bedsheet of his also signed by MACAULAY CULKIN. We also bought some outfits from Batman, like The Riddler's, and some clown thing."

Sounds like they didn't know quite what they were bidding for - but some of their haul is pictured below.

The Britney suit has a signed white jacket cuff. Other buys include a Batman gang costume, Demolition Man police uniform and DEAN CAIN Superman kit.

They plan to use some of the new outfits on tour, maybe in 2011. John added: "We bought these spaceman and Superman costumes. They will look awesome on stage."

Edward said they now have £2million in the bank but have not bought "anything else". And they will cash in more with gigs like the Scooby-Doo! one pictured here.

They sang with the cartoon character at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, south London, to launch a UK tour of kids' Scooby show the Mystery Mansion.

Even more dough will roll in if they crack the States - and they already have a big fan in KATY PERRY.

They met the US singer at The X Factor studios on Sunday before she sang on the show and they chatted later on The Xtra Factor.

Edward said: "Katy told us we're the perfect pop act and were really, really cool. We are preparing for America and hope they like us."

With their gallons of hair gel and all this junk they won't be travelling light.

The Sun
Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!

MICHAEL JACKSON29

An auction of some 100 items of Michael Jackson memorabilia has fetched more than $1 million, with a basketball autographed by the late singer and Michael Jordan netting $245,000.

Showing the lingering appeal of the "King of Pop," the sale Saturday in the southern Chinese city of Macau drew bidders from around the world.

An unidentified Internet bidder paid $180,000 for a black crystal-studded glove and an arm brace Jackson wore while filming a promotional video for his 1995 album "HIStory." An Internet bidder also bought the basketball.

Of the 435 items up for sale, other non-Jackson items sold included a costume worn by Bruce Lee during the filming of "Game of Death" and a costume Madonna donned during her Girlie Show world tour.

journalgazette
Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Michael Jackson's video for One More Chance is being released for the first time.

The clip is included in a complete library of the late star's videos which is being restored and rereleased.

The Michael Jackson's Vision box set includes more than four hours of material, including the full version of Black Or White, which was cut short after its initial release due to violent imagery and Jackson's gyrations.

Jackson also made a short film for the song One More Chance, which was never released. He was charged with sexual molestation in 2003, right around the time the single was released. He was acquitted in that case.

Other videos include Martin Scorsese-directed Bad and his most famous video, Thriller.

belfasttelegraph
Share

http://michaeljackson29.blogspot.com/

CHOICES YOUR DREAMS, WANTS AND NEEDS
www.video2be.com

Read more!