Michael Jackson's family has lost a fight for huge
damages after a court dismissed claims that concert promoter AEG Live was
negligent over his death.
A jury has rejected a claim that the promoter of
Michael Jackson's comeback concerts was negligent in hiring the doctor who
killed the superstar with a drug overdose.
The verdict was read Wednesday, roughly five months
after opening statements in the case filed by Jackson's mother, Katherine, 83.
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.
After a five-month trial and three days of
deliberations, a jury in Los Angeles determined that AEG Live was
responsible for hiring Dr Conrad Murray before the singer's planned comeback
concerts but that the firm was not to blame for his wrongdoing.
The disgraced medic was convicted in 2011 of
involuntary manslaughter for giving Jackson an overdose of the surgical
anaesthetic propofol in 2009.
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.
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