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Business News Jacksons v AEG Timeline Legal Live Business
Judge likely to let stripped back Jacksons v AEG case to proceed
By Chris Cooke | Published on Wednesday 27 February 2013
The judge overseeing Katherine Jackson’s lawsuit against AEG in relation to the death of her son Michael said she was likely to let the case proceed to court earlier this week, though with its claims and listed defendants likely to be limited a bit.
As much previously reported, the Jackson matriarch claims that AEG, promoter of the ill-fated Michael Jackson ‘This Is It’ London residency, should be held liable for the actions of Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted for causing the late king of pop’s death through negligent treatment.
Mrs Jackson argues that AEG hired and paid Murray, and is therefore liable for his negligence. The live firm, though, insists that, while it paid Murray’s bills, he was hired at Jackson’s request, and managed day to day by the singer himself, meaning the company is not responsible for the medic’s actions.
AEG’s lawyers have been trying to get the case dismissed, but LA judge Yvette Palazuelos said in a tentative ruling on Monday that she was likely to let the claim that AEG was negligent in hiring Murray proceed to court. However, some other claims are likely to be removed from the lawsuit by the judge, and the list of defendants is likely to be reduced as well, to just the AEG Live tour promotions business, taking parent company AEG Inc and its CEO Tim Leiweke out of the mix.
AEG’s legal team welcomed Palazuelos’s comments, adding that they hoped to still persuade the judge to dismiss the entire case. Though, assuming they fail in that bid, the stripped down lawsuit looks likely to reach court in April.