The behind-the-scenes world of "King of Pop"
Michael Jackson was laid bare during five months of evidence and
"ugly" testimony in the civil trial between his family and final
concert promoter.
The star's son Prince, ex-wife Debbie Rowe and mother
Katherine took the stand during a brutal examination of his life and death.
Jackson's constant physical pain, his insecurities and
struggles to perform, his use of prescription drugs and his relationship with his
children were all picked over in forensic detail.
Jackson's family launched the wrongful death suit against
AEG Live, alleging they were negligent in hiring and supervising Dr Conrad
Murray.
The physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter over
the death of Jackson at his Los Angeles home in June 2009. He died from an
overdose of the surgical anaesthetic Propofol.
Jackson had been due to start a series of 50 comeback
concerts in London.
AEG Live maintained it never hired Dr Murray and that
Jackson himself chose and employed the doctor.
In court, one AEG executive described the Jacksons' claim as
"nothing more than a shakedown".
Lawyers for the Jacksons claimed the promoter had put profit
ahead of the star's health. They produced emails which they said showed AEG
believed it did employ Dr Murray.
They showed the jury a clip of a Sky News interview with AEG
chief Randy Phillips, conducted in the days immediately after Jackson's death,
in which he said "so we hired him (Murray)".
In one email read to court, an AEG employee referred to
Jackson as a "freak".
Jackson's 16-year-old son Prince told the jury about seeing
his father as he lay dying in his bedroom. He said Murray told him: "Sorry
kids, dad's dead."
Prince said his father had tried to give his children as
humble an upbringing as possible. He also said his father predicted the
comeback tour was "going to kill" him.
Debbie Rowe gave her first ever public insight into the
couple's marriage, including Jackson's joy at having children.
But she also revealed much about the star's history of using
drugs to control pain.
But AEG said it would never have financed the "This Is
It" comeback if it knew Jackson was using propofol, "playing Russian
roulette in his bedroom every night".
It told the jury it should not be held responsible for what
Jackson did in private, in his own bedroom at night.
At times the trial descended into open hostility between the
two sides. The judge was forced to warn the lawyers about their behaviour after
a shouting match in the court corridors.
At the heart of the trial - which has racked up legal fees
running into the millions - was the question of how much Jackson's legacy is
truly worth.
And one friend of Jackson, who cared for his children during
recording sessions, told Sky News it was wrong for the family to put the
children through the court ordeal.
Melissa Vardey said: "He didn't want his children to
have that pressure. He just wanted them to grow up as natural kids.
"I loved Michael Jackson, I love his children and I
want people to know that he was a completely authentically beautiful
parent."
Dr Murray refused to give evidence at the trial.
He is still appealing his conviction although he is due to
be released from prison later this month.
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