Conrad Murray ordered to meet with Katherine Jackson’s lawyers
Will be advised to use his Fifth Amendment right
LOS ANGELES, Calif.—A judge has ordered Dr. Conrad Murray to meet with Katherine Jackson’s lawyers next month for a deposition in her wrongful death lawsuit against concert promoter AEG Live.
The lawsuit, which is set for trial in April, accuses AEG Live of causing the death of Katherine Jackson’s son, Michael Jackson, by pressuring him to prepare for his 2009 comeback concerts while he was in fragile health.
The suit, filed on behalf of Michael Jackson’s mother and three children, says that AEG Live executives hired and supervised Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death.
Murray lawyer Valerie Wass, who unsuccessfully objected to the deposition, said the decision disappointed her. Wass said she would advise Murray to invoke his Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions.
“But Dr. Murray has a mind of his own,” Wass said. “If he decided to answer a question, those parties don’t know what he’s going to say.”
The videotaped deposition is set to take place on March 18 in the Los Angeles County jail where Murray has been serving his sentence since November 2011.
Murray, who was the pop superstar’s personal physician, has never been questioned under oath about Jackson’s death. He did not testify at his trial.
Alan Duke | CNN
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — A top AEG executive referred to Michael Jackson as “a freak” and another called him “creepy” just hours before their company signed the pop icon to a huge concert deal.
The revelation brought an audible gasp in the Los Angeles courtroom at the wrongful death trial Wednesday and left fans crying.
Jackson’s mother and children are suing AEG Live for the negligent hiring, retention or supervision of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer’s death.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Every issue in the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial is so disputed that even giving candy to jurors caused an argument.
AEG lawyers gave a bag of peppermint candy to the bailiff to hand out to the jury this week. Even Katherine Jackson — the pop icon’s mother — enjoyed the treat.
But Jackson’s lawyer raised an objection Tuesday afternoon, suggesting jurors might be influenced if they realized the source of the sweets.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — AEG Live filed an insurance claim to recover losses from Michael Jackson’s death the same day he died, according to a lawyer for Jackson’s family.
That revelation may not relate to the heart of the wrongful death lawsuit against Michael Jackson’s last concert promoter, but Jackson lawyers hope it could sway jurors to see AEG Live executives as motivated by money over the pop icon’s needs.
LOS ANGELES, Calif. — AEG Live considered “pulling the plug” on Michael Jackson’s comeback concerts 11 days before the pop icon died, the show’s choreographer testified Tuesday.
Travis Payne, who worked closely with Michael Jackson in his final days, earlier testified that in Jackson’s last rehearsals before his death he was “not at show standards but he was rehearsing, he was processing.”
LOS ANGELES, Calif. —The portrait of Michael Jackson in the last week of his life, painted by people close to him, is a disturbing picture of an emaciated man, unable to sleep or eat, and unlikely to be ready for his comeback concerts just days away.
“Oh, my God, Turkle, I can see Michael’s heart beat through the skin in his chest,” stylist Michael Bush said after a costume fitting six days before his death on June 19, 2009.
