The five month trial between concert promoter AEG Live and Michael Jackson’s family came to a close Wednesday with the verdict ruling in favor of AEG Live.
The Jackson family had filed a civil lawsuit against the concert promoter for hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in June of 2009 for giving Jackson deadly doses of propofol. Jody David Armour, a University of Southern California law professor expressed, “There were two strong narratives here, and this jury was most persuaded by the personal-responsibility narrative,” he says. “There was evidence that Michael Jackson wanted Dr. Murray – personal choice. He’s a big boy.”
While the Jury did find that AEG did hire the former doctor, they answered no to whether Murray was incompetent or unfit in order to be Jackson’s doctor. One of the Jackson family attorneys, Kevin Boyle stated, “We didn’t really expect the jury to find against us on that question,” Boyle also suggested that the jury was “confused” about the phrasing of the question.
On the contrary, AEG Live senior vice president and general counsel, Shawn Trell, argued that Jackson’s lawyers had made contradictory points throughout the trial. “The jury heard what poor condition Michael Jackson was in, how he had deteriorated, he was frail, underweight, he wasn’t going to be able to do the 50 shows,” he says. “Then when it came to damages, somehow he was going to tour more from age 50 to 66 than he did at any point in his life. The jury could pick up on that. They couldn’t have it both ways.”
After the trial, Trell released a statement to Rolling Stone stating, “”I heard Katherine Jackson get on the witness stand and say that the filing of this lawsuit was about a search for the truth. I think it was obvious to everybody this had nothing to do with the truth. It had everything to do with money.”
One of the Jackson family lawyers, Kevin Boyle, said their team will make a decision shortly after studying their options on whether or not they will appeal.
Do you think the Jackson family should appeal or do you agree with the verdict?
