"Smoking Gun" Email Revealed In The Katherine Jackson Vs. AEG Civil Case.
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"Smoking Gun" Email Revealed In The Katherine Jackson Vs. AEG Civil Case.
by WeAreTheWorld. Sun Mar 03, 2013 9:43 pm
Alleged 'smoking gun' e-mail revealed in Michael Jackson death suit
By Alan Duke, CNN
March 3, 2013
Los Angeles (CNN) -- A "smoking gun" e-mail allegedly connecting a concert promoter to Michael Jackson's death was revealed this week as a judge unsealed documents in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Jackson's mother and children.
The trial next month in Los Angeles could shed new light on the pop icon's last days as Dr. Conrad Murray, who did not testify at his own involuntary manslaughter trial, and Jackson's oldest son Prince, 16, are on the witness list.
Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009. E-mails suggested that the promoter was worried about Jackson's missed rehearsals and they sought Murray's help in getting him ready.
Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson and their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, contend that AEG Live's pressure on Murray to have Michael Jackson ready for daily rehearsals despite his fragile health led to his death from an overdose of surgical anesthetic.
The judge ruled Wednesday that Jackson lawyers have shown enough evidence that AEG Live hired and supervised Murray to warrant a jury trial. She also ruled there was evidence to support the Jacksons' claim that AEG Live executives could have foreseen that Murray would use dangerous drugs in treating the pop icon.
"Now that the court has ruled that there is evidence that it was foreseeable that AEG's actions resulted in Michael Jackson's death, the Jackson family feels vindicated from the public smear campaign that AEG has waged against them," Jackson lawyer Kevin Boyle said Sunday. "The truth about what happened to Michael, which AEG has tried to keep hidden from the public since the day Michael died, is finally emerging. We look forward to the trial where the rest of the story will come to light."
A cornerstone of the Jacksons' case is an e-mail AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's June 25, 2009, death. The e-mail to show director Kenny Ortega addressed concerns that Murray had kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before: "We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him."
Jackson lawyers, calling it a "smoking gun," argue the e-mail is evidence that AEG Live used Murray's fear of losing his $150,000-a-month job as Jackson's personal physician to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health.
Ortega, who had worked closely with Jackson on previous tours, sounded a loud warning about his health after Jackson showed up for a rehearsal shivering just over a week before his death. He wrote in an e-mail to AEG Live President Randy Phillips: "It is like there are two people there. One (deep inside) trying to hold on to what he was and still can be and not wanting us to quit him, the other in this weakened and troubled state. I believe we need professional guidance in this matter."
Phillips responded with a glowing endorsement of Murray: "This doctor is extremely successful (we check everyone out) and does not need this gig so he is totally unbiased and ethical."
Jackson lawyers point to another e-mail exchange as evidence that Phillips was directly involved with pressuring Murray to have Jackson at rehearsals. The e-mail was sent by AEG Live tour accountant Timm Woolley to an insurance broker two days before Jackson died: "Randy Phillips and Dr. Murray are responsible for MJ rehearsal and attendance schedule."
Murray told investigators two days after Jackson's death that he used the surgical anesthetic propofol every night for two months to help him rest for rehearsals. It was a procedure Jackson demanded, he said. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Jackson had died from an overdose of propofol in combination with sedatives. Murray is serving a prison sentence for his involuntary manslaughter conviction.
AEG Live argues it has no liability in Jackson's death because Murray was not its employee. AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam did not respond Sunday to CNN calls for comment, but he did give a short statement last year: "Defendants did not hire Dr. Murray nor were they responsible for the death of Michael Jackson."
The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died in 2009. If AEG Live is found liable, it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential. AEG Live is a subsidiary of AEG, a global entertainment company that is now for sale with an $8 billion asking price.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos, in her ruling rejecting AEG Live's request to have the case thrown out, said she agreed that the Jackson lawyers provided evidence that AEG Live didn't do "a sufficient background check of Dr. Murray, which would have established that Murray was deeply in debt."
Jackson's previous relationship with Murray, who treated him and his children for minor illnesses in Las Vegas, did not relieve AEG Live of liability, "although the fact may be relevant in determining proportional liability and damages," she said.
While the AEG Live lawyers argued the company could not have foreseen that Murray might use dangerous drugs on Jackson in preparation for the tour, Palazuelos said there was evidence that Gongaware had "previous tour experiences" with Jackson in which "tour doctors" gave "large amounts of drugs/controlled substances to him." Gongaware testified in Murray's trial that he worked as tour manager for Jackson's "Dangerous" and "History" tours before joining AEG Live.
The judge cited "Gongaware's general knowledge of the ethical issues surrounding 'tour doctors' and the practice of administering drugs to performing artists."
"There is a triable issue of fact as to whether it was foreseeable that such a physician under strong financial pressure may compromise his Hippocratic Oath and do what was known by AEG Live's executives to be an unfortunate practice in the entertainment industry for financial gain," the judge wrote.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
By Alan Duke, CNN
March 3, 2013
Los Angeles (CNN) -- A "smoking gun" e-mail allegedly connecting a concert promoter to Michael Jackson's death was revealed this week as a judge unsealed documents in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Jackson's mother and children.
The trial next month in Los Angeles could shed new light on the pop icon's last days as Dr. Conrad Murray, who did not testify at his own involuntary manslaughter trial, and Jackson's oldest son Prince, 16, are on the witness list.
Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009. E-mails suggested that the promoter was worried about Jackson's missed rehearsals and they sought Murray's help in getting him ready.
Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson and their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, contend that AEG Live's pressure on Murray to have Michael Jackson ready for daily rehearsals despite his fragile health led to his death from an overdose of surgical anesthetic.
The judge ruled Wednesday that Jackson lawyers have shown enough evidence that AEG Live hired and supervised Murray to warrant a jury trial. She also ruled there was evidence to support the Jacksons' claim that AEG Live executives could have foreseen that Murray would use dangerous drugs in treating the pop icon.
"Now that the court has ruled that there is evidence that it was foreseeable that AEG's actions resulted in Michael Jackson's death, the Jackson family feels vindicated from the public smear campaign that AEG has waged against them," Jackson lawyer Kevin Boyle said Sunday. "The truth about what happened to Michael, which AEG has tried to keep hidden from the public since the day Michael died, is finally emerging. We look forward to the trial where the rest of the story will come to light."
A cornerstone of the Jacksons' case is an e-mail AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's June 25, 2009, death. The e-mail to show director Kenny Ortega addressed concerns that Murray had kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before: "We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him."
Jackson lawyers, calling it a "smoking gun," argue the e-mail is evidence that AEG Live used Murray's fear of losing his $150,000-a-month job as Jackson's personal physician to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health.
Ortega, who had worked closely with Jackson on previous tours, sounded a loud warning about his health after Jackson showed up for a rehearsal shivering just over a week before his death. He wrote in an e-mail to AEG Live President Randy Phillips: "It is like there are two people there. One (deep inside) trying to hold on to what he was and still can be and not wanting us to quit him, the other in this weakened and troubled state. I believe we need professional guidance in this matter."
Phillips responded with a glowing endorsement of Murray: "This doctor is extremely successful (we check everyone out) and does not need this gig so he is totally unbiased and ethical."
Jackson lawyers point to another e-mail exchange as evidence that Phillips was directly involved with pressuring Murray to have Jackson at rehearsals. The e-mail was sent by AEG Live tour accountant Timm Woolley to an insurance broker two days before Jackson died: "Randy Phillips and Dr. Murray are responsible for MJ rehearsal and attendance schedule."
Murray told investigators two days after Jackson's death that he used the surgical anesthetic propofol every night for two months to help him rest for rehearsals. It was a procedure Jackson demanded, he said. The Los Angeles County coroner ruled that Jackson had died from an overdose of propofol in combination with sedatives. Murray is serving a prison sentence for his involuntary manslaughter conviction.
AEG Live argues it has no liability in Jackson's death because Murray was not its employee. AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam did not respond Sunday to CNN calls for comment, but he did give a short statement last year: "Defendants did not hire Dr. Murray nor were they responsible for the death of Michael Jackson."
The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died in 2009. If AEG Live is found liable, it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential. AEG Live is a subsidiary of AEG, a global entertainment company that is now for sale with an $8 billion asking price.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos, in her ruling rejecting AEG Live's request to have the case thrown out, said she agreed that the Jackson lawyers provided evidence that AEG Live didn't do "a sufficient background check of Dr. Murray, which would have established that Murray was deeply in debt."
Jackson's previous relationship with Murray, who treated him and his children for minor illnesses in Las Vegas, did not relieve AEG Live of liability, "although the fact may be relevant in determining proportional liability and damages," she said.
While the AEG Live lawyers argued the company could not have foreseen that Murray might use dangerous drugs on Jackson in preparation for the tour, Palazuelos said there was evidence that Gongaware had "previous tour experiences" with Jackson in which "tour doctors" gave "large amounts of drugs/controlled substances to him." Gongaware testified in Murray's trial that he worked as tour manager for Jackson's "Dangerous" and "History" tours before joining AEG Live.
The judge cited "Gongaware's general knowledge of the ethical issues surrounding 'tour doctors' and the practice of administering drugs to performing artists."
"There is a triable issue of fact as to whether it was foreseeable that such a physician under strong financial pressure may compromise his Hippocratic Oath and do what was known by AEG Live's executives to be an unfortunate practice in the entertainment industry for financial gain," the judge wrote.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
Last edited by WeAreTheWorld. on Sat Apr 06, 2013 4:10 am; edited 1 time in total
WeAreTheWorld.- Posts : 1967
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 27
Location : United States
Do emails show AEG supervised Conrad Murray?
by MJ Mod Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:22 pm
Do emails show concert promoter supervised Michael Jackson manslaughter doc?
By: Hollie McKay
March 05, 2013
LOS ANGELES – This summer marks the fourth anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, but the fallout surrounding his sudden passing continues.
Last week, Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos unsealed email documents in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by mother Katherine Jackson and Michael’s three children -- Prince, Paris and Blanket -- against concert promoter AEG Live.
The judge dismissed all but one count, allowing the Jackson family to go to trial on April 2 with their claim that AEG negligently hired and supervised former cardiologist Conrad Murray.
The ruling dismissed claims that AEG could be held liable for Murray's conduct and breached its duty to properly care for the pop superstar.
The King of Pop died just two weeks before his highly-anticipated, AEG-promoted “This Is It” comeback tour was slated to hit the London stage, but the unsealed email exchanges allegedly indicate that the show organizers may have been aware of Jackson’s fragile health ahead of the big debut.
“The emails reveal that AEG Live and Randy Phillips (the company’s President) knew Michael couldn't perform and that AEG Live hired Murray. They had long denied hiring him,” an inside source told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “This is and always had been one of the things the family noted, and AEG denied, which is that they hired Murray. The family believes now that AEG will be inclined to settle and pay out potentially $500 million.”
A key component in the Jacksons’ suit against the entertainment promotion subsidiary of AEG is an alleged email sent to Phillips from show director Kenny Ortega, a longtime confidante of Jackson, expressing fear over the health of the star performer – who apparently turned up to rehearsals shivering – and asking for “professional guidance in this matter.”
Phillips allegedly responded that Dr. Conrad Murray, who is now serving out a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter having administered a deadly dose of propofol and sedatives to Jackson, was “extremely successful” and that he “does not need this gig and is totally unbiased and ethical.”
Another email sent to Ortega 11 days before Jackson’s death, from AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware, suggested that the promoters were upset Murray kept Jackson from attending rehearsals the previous day, and allegedly cautioned: “we want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him.”
The Jackson family has long advocated that AEG Live put tremendous pressure on Jackson’s personal physician to keep his $150,000 per month job tending to the world’s biggest musical star and ensuring that he be ready for the tour, irrespective of his health.
The Jackson family’s attorney, Kevin Boyle did not respond to a request for comment. However, AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam vehemently denied any wrongdoings on his client’s behalf.
“The emails that have been unsealed are two out of thousands in this case. They have been cherry-picked by plaintiffs and twisted to say something they simply do not say. The Court’s ruling on Friday specifically found that AEG Live did not control Dr. Murray’s treatment of Jackson. Moreover, as we have said repeatedly, AEG Live never paid Dr. Murray a penny. Nor did it pay for any of his equipment or the propofol he used to treat Jackson,” he said. “ In fact, Dr. Murray purchased that propofol and was treating Jackson long before Jackson told AEG Live that he wanted to add Dr. Murray to his Tour Party.”
As for AEG’s knowledge regarding Jackson’s health, Putnam referred to the testimony given by Ortega, Phillips, and Gongaware in the criminal trial of Murray last year.
“(Michael) appeared ill one night during rehearsals, June 19, 2009. Ortega suggested that AEG Live reach out to Michael and his personal physician, Dr. Murray, to make sure Michael was okay. Randy Phillips did so, and as the very emails you have show, Dr. Murray told Phillips that Jackson was healthy and well, and that stopping the show would be the worst possible thing for him,” he said. “The next day, Phillips and Ortega met with both Jackson and Dr. Murray. Jackson appeared well, and insisted to everyone that he was fine. Dr. Murray likewise assured everyone that Jackson was fine. He then took a couple of days off, and came back to rehearsals later that week with the best performances he’d had the entire rehearsal period.”
But a source close to the Jackson’s contended that the famous family – who are seeking a financial sum equal to the money Jackson would have earned in his future years if not for his premature death – remain confident that they will receive some form of monetary compensation as the case heads to trial.
“They feel that a lawsuit victory or settlement proves their theory that Michael's death was more of a conspiracy than just Murray giving a lethal dose of propofol,” said the insider.
Putnam told the Associated Press he expects the company to win at trial, and that Katherine Jackson's lawyers will be unable to prove that AEG should have foreseen that Murray was a danger to the "Thriller" singer.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
By: Hollie McKay
March 05, 2013
LOS ANGELES – This summer marks the fourth anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, but the fallout surrounding his sudden passing continues.
Last week, Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos unsealed email documents in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by mother Katherine Jackson and Michael’s three children -- Prince, Paris and Blanket -- against concert promoter AEG Live.
The judge dismissed all but one count, allowing the Jackson family to go to trial on April 2 with their claim that AEG negligently hired and supervised former cardiologist Conrad Murray.
The ruling dismissed claims that AEG could be held liable for Murray's conduct and breached its duty to properly care for the pop superstar.
The King of Pop died just two weeks before his highly-anticipated, AEG-promoted “This Is It” comeback tour was slated to hit the London stage, but the unsealed email exchanges allegedly indicate that the show organizers may have been aware of Jackson’s fragile health ahead of the big debut.
“The emails reveal that AEG Live and Randy Phillips (the company’s President) knew Michael couldn't perform and that AEG Live hired Murray. They had long denied hiring him,” an inside source told FOX411’s Pop Tarts column. “This is and always had been one of the things the family noted, and AEG denied, which is that they hired Murray. The family believes now that AEG will be inclined to settle and pay out potentially $500 million.”
A key component in the Jacksons’ suit against the entertainment promotion subsidiary of AEG is an alleged email sent to Phillips from show director Kenny Ortega, a longtime confidante of Jackson, expressing fear over the health of the star performer – who apparently turned up to rehearsals shivering – and asking for “professional guidance in this matter.”
Phillips allegedly responded that Dr. Conrad Murray, who is now serving out a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter having administered a deadly dose of propofol and sedatives to Jackson, was “extremely successful” and that he “does not need this gig and is totally unbiased and ethical.”
Another email sent to Ortega 11 days before Jackson’s death, from AEG Live Co-CEO Paul Gongaware, suggested that the promoters were upset Murray kept Jackson from attending rehearsals the previous day, and allegedly cautioned: “we want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him.”
The Jackson family has long advocated that AEG Live put tremendous pressure on Jackson’s personal physician to keep his $150,000 per month job tending to the world’s biggest musical star and ensuring that he be ready for the tour, irrespective of his health.
The Jackson family’s attorney, Kevin Boyle did not respond to a request for comment. However, AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam vehemently denied any wrongdoings on his client’s behalf.
“The emails that have been unsealed are two out of thousands in this case. They have been cherry-picked by plaintiffs and twisted to say something they simply do not say. The Court’s ruling on Friday specifically found that AEG Live did not control Dr. Murray’s treatment of Jackson. Moreover, as we have said repeatedly, AEG Live never paid Dr. Murray a penny. Nor did it pay for any of his equipment or the propofol he used to treat Jackson,” he said. “ In fact, Dr. Murray purchased that propofol and was treating Jackson long before Jackson told AEG Live that he wanted to add Dr. Murray to his Tour Party.”
As for AEG’s knowledge regarding Jackson’s health, Putnam referred to the testimony given by Ortega, Phillips, and Gongaware in the criminal trial of Murray last year.
“(Michael) appeared ill one night during rehearsals, June 19, 2009. Ortega suggested that AEG Live reach out to Michael and his personal physician, Dr. Murray, to make sure Michael was okay. Randy Phillips did so, and as the very emails you have show, Dr. Murray told Phillips that Jackson was healthy and well, and that stopping the show would be the worst possible thing for him,” he said. “The next day, Phillips and Ortega met with both Jackson and Dr. Murray. Jackson appeared well, and insisted to everyone that he was fine. Dr. Murray likewise assured everyone that Jackson was fine. He then took a couple of days off, and came back to rehearsals later that week with the best performances he’d had the entire rehearsal period.”
But a source close to the Jackson’s contended that the famous family – who are seeking a financial sum equal to the money Jackson would have earned in his future years if not for his premature death – remain confident that they will receive some form of monetary compensation as the case heads to trial.
“They feel that a lawsuit victory or settlement proves their theory that Michael's death was more of a conspiracy than just Murray giving a lethal dose of propofol,” said the insider.
Putnam told the Associated Press he expects the company to win at trial, and that Katherine Jackson's lawyers will be unable to prove that AEG should have foreseen that Murray was a danger to the "Thriller" singer.
Source: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]
MJ Mod- Posts : 1486
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Age : 35
Re: "Smoking Gun" Email Revealed In The Katherine Jackson Vs. AEG Civil Case.
by WeAreTheWorld. Sat Apr 06, 2013 4:09 am
This will be important during the trial.
WeAreTheWorld.- Posts : 1967
Join date : 2012-07-22
Age : 27
Location : United States
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Similar topics» Setback In The Katherine Jackson vs. AEG Civil Case.
» Katherine Jackson Civil Case Appeal information: 2nd Appellate District
» LA Superior Court 'Civil Courts' Case Summary Page "KATHERINE JACKSON ET AL VS AEG LIVE"
» O’Melveny Represented AEG in Jackson civil case articles-see links
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» Katherine Jackson Civil Case Appeal information: 2nd Appellate District
» LA Superior Court 'Civil Courts' Case Summary Page "KATHERINE JACKSON ET AL VS AEG LIVE"
» O’Melveny Represented AEG in Jackson civil case articles-see links
» Michael Jackson civil case jury pool grows to 104
MJ's L.O.V.E. Is Magical :: II. Michael Jackson & Law (Criminal & Civil Legal Cases/Lawsuits) :: MJ Lawsuits & Civil Litigations-Entire AEG Case-News/Updates
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