Did concert promoting giant AEG indirectly cause Michael Jackson's death?
AEG Live is a huge concert promoter. It even owns Goldenvoice, the company that puts on the yearly Coachella music festival in southern California.
AEG was the company backing Michael Jackson's "This is It" comeback tour in 2009. The tour obviously had to be canceled when Jackson died shortly before it was to begin.
AEG was apparently very concerned that Jackson was missing rehearsals, and seems to have put pressure on his personal doctor, Conrad Murray, to make sure he was ready.
Murray was convicted of manslaughter and malpractice for giving Jackson a dangerous sedative every night to help him sleep in preparation for rehearsals.
The "smoking gun" against AEG was this e-mail from AEG Co-CEO Paul Gongaware, to director Kenny Ortega:
Quote:
We want to remind (Murray) that it is AEG, not MJ, who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him.
Murray was receiving $150,000 per month as Jackson's doctor. He was deeply in debt and badly needed the money.
While there does not seem to be any direct evidence that AEG told Murray to use dangerous sedatives to help him sleep (or do anything else illegal), the e-mail seems to strongly imply that Murray would lose his high-paying job if he didn't make sure Jackson was "ready" for rehearsals.
I don't think this excuses what Murray did, as he was the one ultimately responsible for administering the drugs, and could have refused. However, I do think AEG bears some responsibility in this mess.
http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/03/showbi...uit/index.html
There is currently a civil suit against AEG for this, which could result in billions in damages if they are found liable. I have a feeling they will settle out of court.
