U.a.Michael Amir Williams verklagt AEG
Michael Jackson Concert Promoter Sued for Hiring Conrad Murray
By MATT REYNOLDS
LOS ANGELES (CN) -
Hiring Michael Jackson's personal doctor for what was to be the pop
icon's comeback tour "brought about the demise" of the singer and the
show, a class claims in court.
Jackson's personal assistant
Michael Amir Williams filed a class action against AEG Live LLC in
Superior Court, claiming that the class of concert workers would have
earned $7.5 million if for the series of 50 concerts at the O2 Arena in
London making up the "This Is It" tour.
AEG hired Jackson's
physician, cardiologist Dr. Conrad Murray, after Jackson "had problems
keeping up with the pace of tour's rigorous schedule and physical
demands," the class says.
The promoter told the Associated Press that Murray negotiated a salary of $150,000 to travel with Jackson to London.
For
the final two months of Jackson's life, Murray prescribed surgical
anesthetic propofol to help the singer sleep. Jackson died in his Holmby
Hills residence on June 25, 2009, roughly three weeks before he was
scheduled to appear at the first London concert.
The Los Angeles
County coroner ruled that the singer had died of acute propofol
intoxication, and roughly a year ago a California jury found Murray
guilty of voluntary manslaughter.
According to the new class
action, AEG "ignored" Murray's "qualifications, experience, and medical
specialty" focusing instead "on cost and the benefits" the doctor could
bring to the concert promoter, including "insurance coverage for tour
and managing Michael Jackson so that he could meet all deadlines and
timetables AEG set in place."
Those "acts and omissions brought about the demise of Michael Jackson," the class says.
In addition to breach of contract, the class alleges breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.
It is represented by Fletcher Bernard Brown of Mountain House, Calif.