LOS ANGELES (CelebrityAccess) — California's Court of Appeals has put the kibosh on attempts by Michael Jackson's family to revive their lawsuit against promoter AEG Live over the death of Michael Jackson, saying the family did not have standing to pursue the case.
According to the New York Daily News, the 2nd District Court of Appeals upheld the previous court's decision that AEG was not liable for negligence in Michael Jackson's death.
"After a six-month trial, a jury unanimously found that AEG was in no way responsible for the tragic death of Michael Jackson. Today, in a strongly worded opinion, the California Court of Appeal agreed, holding the Jacksons had absolutely no basis to claim otherwise," AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam told The Daily News.
The lawsuit, initially filed in 2010 by Michael's mother Katherine Jackson, sought USD 1.5 billion in damages from AEG, asserting that the company was negligent in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, who administered the powerful sedative that led to Jackson's death.
However, the appellate court disagreed, writing in its opinion that:. "AEG did not owe Michael a duty to refrain from exerting pressure over Dr Murray, AEG did not undertake to provide protective services to Michael and AEG owed Michael no duty arising out of the contract with Dr Murray."
"The undisputed facts establish that Dr Murray was an independent contractor as a matter of law, AEG is not liable under the peculiar risk doctrine as an independent contractor and Dr Murray is not an agent of AEG." – Staff Writers
