AEG ‘not liable’ for pop sensation Michael Jackson’s death

Michael Jackson's family lost a fight for damages after a court dismissed claims that concert promoter AEG Live was negligent over his death. The lawsuit was brought by Jackson's mothers.

Lawyers were seeking huge payouts of $85m for each of the star's three children, as well as an unspecified amount for economic losses, estimated at up to $1.6bn.

But after a five-month trial and three days of deliberations, a jury in Los Angeles determined that AEG Live was not responsible for Dr Conrad Murray's wrongdoing.

AEG Live was responsible for hiring Murray - convicted in 2011 of involuntary manslaughter - before the singer's planned comeback concerts.

Murray was accused of giving Jackson an overdose of the surgical anaesthetic propofol in 2009.

The family had claimed AEG Live negligently hired Murray as Jackson's personal physician and ignored signs the Thriller singer was in poor health before he died.

The trial heard testimony from Jackson's son Prince, his ex-wife Debbie Rowe and mother Katherine, as well as details of his struggles to perform, his use of prescription drugs and his relationship with his children.

Testimony at the civil trial showed only Jackson and Murray knew he was taking propofol.