Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Trial Settled In Favor Of AEG

Finally, after months of witness hearings, Katherine Jackson’s lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s concert promoter AEG Live LLC is over, with the jury ruling in favor of the company. The trial lasted five months in total and the judges deliberated for three days before delivering their verdict. Katherine Jackson, Michael’s mother, accused the company, which produced the singer’s would-be comeback tour, of being negligent with the late singer’s health.

Katherine Jackson lost the legal battle against AEG.

Jackson’s case hinged upon AEG’s hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray, who was found guilty of sentenced to four years in prison in 2011 for administering a lethal dose of the drug Propofol, which ended up killing the singer. The physician is now scheduled to be released this October.

The jury in this wrongful death case, six men and six women, came back with the conclusion that while AEG did hire Murray, the physician was not incompetent or otherwise unfit to perform the job he was hired to do. This means that AEG was not responsible for Jackson’s death, as the company did not display negligence or any other unlawful behaviour. However, the verdict does not mean anything for Murray’s sentence.

The singer's family will not be getting the requested $40 billion.

"Michael Jackson was used to getting his way,'' juror Kevin Smith said outside the courthouse after the verdict, via USA Today. "He could pretty much get what he wanted... Anybody that said 'no,' they were out of the mix and he'd find somebody else.'' Katherine Jackson was suing the company for a total of $40 billion, with AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam explaining after the trial that a settlement was never on the table, because the Jackson family “weren’t going to allow themselves to be shaken down.” As for the Jacksons themselves, according to their lawyer Kevin Boyle, the family is going to explore other legal options.

The Jackson family will be seeking other legal alternatives, according to their lawyer.