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« on: May 23, 2013, 04:23:06 PM »
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Register or LoginLos Angeles (CNN) -- A top AEG executive referred to Michael Jackson as "a freak" and another called him "creepy" just hours before their company signed the pop icon to a huge concert deal. The revelation brought an audible gasp in the Los Angeles courtroom at the wrongful death trial Wednesday and left fans crying. Jackson's mother and children are suing AEG Live for the negligent hiring, retention or supervision of Dr. Conrad Murray, the physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death. Katherine Jackson watched from the front row as her lawyer questioned AEG Live Senior Vice President and General Counsel Shawn Trell about an e-mail exchange with his boss at parent company AEG. "Is it the policy of AEG to talk in derogatory terms about the artist you're going to do business with?" Jackson lawyer Brian Panish asked. "No," Trell answered. Panish then showed jurors an e-mail Trell sent on January 28, 2009, to Ted Fikre, AEG's chief legal officer, letting him know he was about to go to Jackson's home for the signing of the contract for his "This Is It" concert tour. "Does that mean you get to meet the freak?" Fikre replied. Trell responded: "Apparently. Not sure how I feel about that. Interesting for sure, but kind of creepy." The e-mail exchange happened less than four hours before Trell and other AEG excutives visited Jackson's Los Angeles home. "This is a man you hoped to make millions and millions of dollars from?" Panish asked Trell. "Didn't your mom ever say if you don't have anything good to to say about someone don't say anything?" Trell earlier testified that he was excited to meet Jackson for the first time and was impressed with his "good, firm handshake." "I may not have necessarily agreed with some of the life choice Michael Jackson made but I certainly had enormous respect for him as an entertainer." A dry reviewMost of Wednesday's session was a dry review of Jackson and Dr. Murray's contracts as AEG Live's defense team worked to convince jurors that Murray was not hired by the concert promoter. Jackson chose, hired and supervised the doctor, they contend. Murray signed his contract the day before Jackson's June 25, 2009, death, but AEG executives and Jackson never put their signatures on it. Jackson lawyers, however, argue he was already working for two months based on an oral contract. The Jackson lawsuit contends that AEG Live executives ignored red flags that should have warned them Jackson was in danger from Murray's treatment. The coroner ruled that Jackson died from an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, which Murray told police he was using to treat the singer's insomnia.
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« on: May 17, 2013, 05:46:04 PM »
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Register or LoginMichael Jackson's former maid says King of Pop threatened her life if she ever snitched, told her: ‘What happens at Neverland, stays in NeverlandAdrian McManus tells Inside Edition, Jackson 'groomed the little boys…I think he was getting them drunk.'Michael Jackson’s former maid is airing her biggest load of dirty laundry yet. The King of Pop’s one-time house-keeper, Adrian McManus, told Inside Edition that not only does she believe her boss committed child molestation — Jackson also pointedly threatened her life if she ever snitched. “If you ever go on a talk show, or a TV show, we can hire a hit man and have your neck slit,” McManus told the television news magazine. “They’ll never find your body. We can hire a sniper to take you out.” McManus, who worked for Jackson in the ‘90s and testified against her boss in his 2005 trial on charges he plied a teenager with alcohol and then sexually molested him, apparently got over that fear in the interview that aired Friday. Jackson was ultimately found not guilty, but not in he eyes of McManus. “He groomed the little boys…I think he was getting them drunk,” she told Inside Edition. “He told me, ‘What happens at Neverland, stays in Neverland.’” The new interview comes less than a month after McManus told Britain’s Daily Mirror newspaper that workers twice found Jackson near death from drug overdoses during her tenure at Neverland. “Michael was not a pop hero, but a messed-up, depraved junkie, who was manipulative, twisted and demonic,” she said in that sitdown interview. Jackson died at the age of 50 from an overdose of Propofol, administered by his personal doctor Conrad Murray to cure the music icon’s insomnia, in 2009. Murray is in prison after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter two years later. McManus’ tell-all tour comes amid a new round of child molestation claims from choreographer Wade Robson, who claims Jackson abused him during his childhood and has filed a lawsuit against the singer’s estate.
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« on: May 11, 2013, 05:18:46 PM »
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Register or LoginMichael Jackson wrongful death trial: Witness says Jacko's beating heart visible to naked eye in days before his deathMakeup artist said she was in the King of Pop’s private quarters at Los Angeles’ Staples Center when costumer emerged wide-eyed from a bathroom after witnessing Jackson’s unclothed body.Michael Jackson's beating heart was visible to the naked eye in the two days before his death, but his skeletal condition was shrouded in lies after his June 2009 overdose, a jury heard Friday. Makeup artist Karen Faye testified she was in the King of Pop’s private quarters at Los Angeles’ Staples Center in late June 2009 when costumer Michael Bush emerged wide-eyed from a bathroom after witnessing Jackson’s unclothed body. “He said, ‘Oh my God, Turkle, I could see Michael’s heart beat through the skin in his chest,’ ” Faye, whose tour nickname was Turkle, told jurors. Faye said Bush was clearly “upset.” “It was like, ‘Oh my God!’ He was pretty much in shock,” Faye said of Bush. The woman who served as Jackson’s primary makeup artist for nearly three decades said she personally prepared Jackson’s body for his family to view in his casket. She broke down crying, describing the intimate experience and how she later was asked to “help retouch” footage of Jackson for the posthumous documentary “This Is It.” Faye declined the offer. “It was a lie. I didn’t want a lie,” she told jurors. “Everybody was lying after he died, (saying) that Michael was well. Everybody knew that he wasn’t. I felt retouching Michael was just a part of that lie.” Faye, 60, testified for Jackson’s mother Katherine on the ninth day of a civil trial pitting the “Thriller” singer’s heirs against AEG Live, the promoter of his ill-fated comeback concerts. Katherine Jackson, 82, claims AEG negligently hired Dr. Conrad Murray, the now-disgraced cardiologist serving four years for feeding Michael the milky anesthetic that killed him on June 25, 2009. AEG denies any wrongdoing, claiming it was Jackson who hired Murray and caused his own self-destruction behind closed doors. Faye’s Friday testimony offered a behind-the-scenes look at Jackson’s last two rehearsals on June 23 and 24. She said while rehearsal footage from those final days shows Jackson dancing and singing on stage, he was a frail mess under his layers of multiple bulky shirts. She said backstage in Jackson’s Staples Center dressing room, she overheard his manager Frank DiLeo inquire about his low weight and dismissively order someone to “get him a bucket of chicken.” She wiped tears as she recalled the moment during the singer’s last 48 hours alive. “It was so cold. It was such a cold response. It broke my heart,” she said. Under cross examination by AEG lawyer Marvin Putnam, Faye admitted she had no idea whether anyone else stepped in to retouch the “This Is It” footage. She also described being let go from Jackson’s entourage during his 1996 HIStory tour. Faye said Jackson’s ex-wife Debbie Rowe — the biological mother of his two eldest children —- apologized to her years later for playing a role in her firing. “Debbie Rowe was pregnant, Sir, and she was obviously in love with Michael Jackson,” Faye testified. “She (later) told me she was jealous of me being there as Michael’s makeup artist. She thought that Michael liked me better than her.”
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« on: May 06, 2013, 08:48:41 AM »
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Register or LoginFRAIL Michael Jackson was unable to sing and dance at the same time as he prepared for his comeback shows, documents reveal.Bombshell emails between execs at concert organisers AEG show the King of Pop was set to lip-synch to old recordings at London’s O2 Arena. The exchanges will be used by the Jackson family in their £25.7billion lawsuit against AEG. They say pressure over the gigs contributed to his death in 2009. Personal doctor Conrad Murray was jailed for manslaughter in 2011 for killing Jacko with a sedative overdose.
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« on: May 05, 2013, 07:41:57 AM »
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Register or LoginMichael Jackson's kids are mine and a DNA test will prove it, says Brit star Mark LesterOliver! actor who donated sperm to the superstar a year before singer's first child was born wants to see his three offspringBrit actor Mark Lester has dramatically vowed to have DNA tests to prove he is the father of Michael Jackson’s three children, the Sunday People can reveal. Former Oliver! child star Mark – godfather to all Jacko’s kids – believes there is a “good possibility” he is their biological dad. The 54-year-old actor, who was Michael’s best pal for 30 years, donated sperm to the superstar a year before the singer’s first child was born. Now Mark, who has not been allowed to see Prince Michael, 16, Paris, 15, and Blanket, 11, since their father’s death in June 2009, has sent them a message, saying: “I’m here, come and visit England, we’ll look after you.” Speaking exclusively to the Sunday People, Mark said: “After Michael asked me to donate sperm for him I completely forgot about it. “He was a great dad to them, brought them up and was brilliant with the kids so I just didn’t go there but there is obviously a good possibility (that I could be the biological father). “I wouldn’t have a DNA test without the children’s permission but when the children come of age, and it’s not far away, and they decide they want me to do it then I will. It is up to them. “I don’t want to tell them what to do. I just want to reconnect and be the godfather that Michael made me.” In his first interview for almost four years, father-of-four Mark says the resemblance between his 18-year-old daughter Olivia and Jacko’s girl Paris is striking. And young Prince Michael had an astonishing similarity to Mark when he was a child star. But Mark now feels “locked out” by the Jackson family following claims he is the dad. Dozens of his calls have gone unanswered. Last month he was invited to Los Angeles by Jackson’s former manager Dieter Weisner only to discover it would not be possible to see the children. The kids are set to take the stand as witnesses in a £26billion lawsuit brought against concert promoter AEG Live. The family claim the firm, which organised Jacko’s 50 farewell gigs planned for London’s O2 Arena, ignored health fears about the singer. Mark says he would happily give evidence to defend his friend of 30 years. He said: “Michael was a great friend to me and I would defend his name in the court case if I have to.” Mark, who shot to fame at the age of eight when he starred in the Lionel Bart film Oliver!, first met Jacko in 1978 at the Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, North London, where the singer was performing with the Jackson 5. The pair, then both 20, immediately hit it off, sharing burgers and soft drinks and chatting for over three hours. When Michael flew back to America, they kept a long-distance friendship. The singer often phoned Mark at 3am for a chat because he couldn’t grasp the different time zones. Mark said: “We ended up great friends. Michael had so many people and security around him but had very few people that knew him really closely. I became one of those lucky few. “Michael lived in a bubble. He barely knew any famous person outside the music world. “He was once introduced to tennis player Boris Becker in Germany and had no idea who he was.” In 1991 Mark fathered his first child to first wife Jane. Just two years later another daughter Harriet was born and in 1995 he fathered his third daughter Olivia. Just months later Jacko called Mark with an unusual request. Mark said: “I remember Michael ringing and saying, ‘Oh, you don’t have any fertility difficulties do you?’. He was half joking so I joked, ‘Oh, I just look at her and she gets pregnant’. “So then in a light-hearted way he said, ‘Will you help me out?’. Initially I thought he wanted me to do something with his ex-wife Debbie Rowe and I was thinking, ‘I don’t think so’. “Then out of the blue about a year later, he mentioned sperm donation and I agreed. “Michael set it up for me to turn up to a clinic in Harley Street, London to do it. It was weird. “I went in a couple of times to donate but we never talked about it ever again. “It was a really strange request but while Michael was alive I never gave it another thought. I didn’t donate to get something out of it.” In February 1997, Jacko announced the birth of his first son with Debbie Rowe, Prince Michael. Paris followed in 1998 and Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket, arrived in 2002. As the children grew up, a paternity puzzle arose amid speculation Michael looked different to his three kids. He and his family vehemently denied claims the children were not his. Mark, who was made godfather by the superstar to all three kids in 2001, said: “While he was alive, I never ever thought the children were anyone else’s but Michael’s.” Mark’s children, including son Felix, now 13, became close friends with Jacko’s kids and the two families became almost inseparable, spending school holidays and weekends together. Mark, now a trained osteopath living in Cheltenham, Gloucs, said: “Every time Michael came to the UK, which was at least six times a year, I used to take my children to see his. “They always got on really well. Olivia and Harriet would play with Paris. “We always used to stay at an isolated cottage at the Cliveden House hotel in Berkshire. I even took the kids to his home in the US. We were like one big happy family.” Just three months after shakily announcing the AEG Live tour at the O2, Jacko, who was reported to be £100million in debt, was found dead at the age of 50 after overdosing on painkillers and tranquillisers. His doctor Conrad Murray was later convicted of manslaughter and jailed for four years. Mark said: “When I heard the news I was devastated. I never saw him take any drugs. I managed to get to America for his memorial service and that was the last time I saw the children.” Two months after Jacko died, his friend Uri Geller mentioned to Mark that he could be the dad. Mark, who claims he had never previously thought about it, said: “Then I noticed the likenesses in my own children and his. “My daughter Olivia looks like Paris. People have also pointed out similarities between myself when I was younger and Prince.” But after hearing the claims, the Jackson family stopped answering Mark’s calls. He added: “I just feel it is really cruel that our relationship has just been cut off. It is not what Michael would have wanted.”
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« on: May 02, 2013, 06:38:12 PM »
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Register or Login(AP) LOS ANGELES - Five days before Michael Jackson died, his manager called the singer's doctor, Conrad Murray, told him Jackson was sick, and implored him to have blood tests done, according to a voicemail played Thursday in court. The message left by Frank DeLeo was retrieved by police from the cellphone of Dr. Murray and played during the trial of a negligence lawsuit filed by Jackson's mother against concert promoter AEG Live. "I'm sure you're aware he had an episode last night," the message said. "He's sick ... We gotta see what he's doing." Plaintiff's lawyer Brian Panish acknowledged outside court that the episode occurred on the day Jackson was told by Kenny Ortega, the director of his "This is It" concert, to go home from a rehearsal because he was pale and shivering. Panish suggested that if DeLeo was aware of the incident, so were AEG executives. The lawsuit claims AEG didn't properly investigate Murray, who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter after prosecutors said he gave Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol. Jurors were not given any further details on the episode. Katherine Jackson and her daughter Rebbie sat in a front row of the courtroom during testimony. AEG denies it hired Murray, and it is likely to blame Jackson for insisting on having Murray as his doctor because of the singer's dependence on propofol, which Jackson used to sleep.
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« on: May 02, 2013, 06:49:27 AM »
Hey, good to see you too! :>
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« on: May 01, 2013, 04:10:50 PM »
Don't know if it were posted, here is an article about use of doubles, but it actually goes into the comparisons of MJ and the doubles, hands, teeth, wigs etc
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Yeah, I made a thread about that.
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« on: April 27, 2013, 07:46:13 PM »
Ikr. xd
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« on: April 27, 2013, 07:23:12 PM »
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Register or LoginThe King of Pop was discovered slumped with no signs of life after visits by his personal “medical staff” on two separate occasions in the 1990s, a maid claims.Michael Jackson was twice found “dead” by frantic staff after popping dozens of pills given to him by dodgy doctors, his former maid claims today. The King of Pop was discovered slumped with no signs of life after visits by his personal “medical staff” on two separate occasions in the 1990s. The startling revelations come just a day before Jacko’s family are set to go head-to-head with concert promoters in a $40billion court case into his death. Adrian McManus, the Billie Jean singer’s personal maid during the 1990s, said she and other staff members frequently stumbled across Jackson “dead” or passed out on a cocktail of prescription drugs. She said: “One day I knocked on his door, but got no answer so I went in to clean. He was lying on the bed, motionless, looking very pale. “I called several times, but he didn’t answer. As I got closer his eyes were open and he appeared not to be breathing. “My heart sank as I thought he was dead. I called his name for several minutes. I feared that he was gone for ever, but then he came to suddenly. He didn’t say a word, but burst into tears.” Adrian said she thought about calling for help, but had been warned before by the singer to not involve “outsiders”. She also reveals that another incident occurred just a few weeks later, in 1993, when Michael’s security guard found him lifeless at the edge of a swimming pool. Adrian said: “The guard thought he was dead. He feared the worst, trying to wake him by shaking and shouting at him. He couldn’t find a pulse and he didn’t appear to be breathing.” Terrified his boss was dead, the worker radioed another guard, who performed life-saving treatment. Adrian added: “Michael made his guards train in CPR so they knew what to do.” Adrian also revealed the singer had dozens of bottles of drugs in his rooms in bags, wardrobes and among clothes. Unknown doctors and medical “professionals” would file into his Neverland ranch in California and lock themselves away with Jackson for hours at a time. She added: “It is a shock that people didn’t realise he had such issues, as it was common knowledge in the 1990s. Michael was not a pop hero, but a messed- up, depraved junkie, who was manipulative, twisted and demonic. I still have nightmares thinking about Neverland.” Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009 from a lethal dose of the surgical anaesthetic Propofol that his doctor Conrad Murray administered for sleep problems. Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in 2011. His mother Katherine, 82, is suing AEG Live — promoters of his ill-fated 2009 “This Is It” tour — in America for the wrongful death of her son, but news of Jackson’s drug taking could adversely affect the family’s claim that AEG Live was negligent in hiring Dr Murray to care Jackson as he rehearsed for the shows. AEG deny any negligence.
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« on: April 25, 2013, 07:14:51 PM »
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Register or LoginWACKO Jacko was a secret flasher who used to drop his pants in front of staffThe revelation comes from his former body-guard Michael LaPerruque. The 55-year-old, a retired LA police officer, was a bodyguard for Jackson and his children for 15 years. He said: “One day I got called into Michael’s hotel room and we were in his bedroom and he was talking about having a rash on the back of his legs. “He says: ‘It’s itchy... da-da-da-da.’ And while he was talking to me he just dropped his pyjama bottoms. I just stood looking at him and he’s talking about the rash on the back of his legs.” Jacko’s family are suing gig promoters AEG for £26billion, claiming they “mishandled” him before his death in 2009. They said the company was negligent in hiring doctor Conrad Murray, 60, who gave Jackson a fatal dose of anaesthetic. LaPerruque is one of their 97 witnesses.
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« on: April 25, 2013, 04:48:42 AM »
![]() Michael Jackson's doctor, Arnie Klein, is being hunted down by the U.S. Marshals ... and when he's found, he'll be arrested and dragged into court. According to new documents ... obtained by TMZ ... Klein apparently failed to show up in court for his bankruptcy case, so the trustee could grill him about his assets that might be subject to seizure to satisfy his debts. So today the bankruptcy judge directed the Marshals to arrest Arnie and haul his butt into court. It's not the first time the judge issued a warrant. Back in February, after Klein refused to turn over his Ferrari and more than 100 pieces of wildly expensive pieces of art, the judge ordered the Marshals to arrest the doc and hold him until he turned over the goods. In that case Arnie folded like a cheap suit and told authorities where to find the cache. Klein famously shot MJ up with Demorol scores of times in the months leading up to his death.
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« on: April 22, 2013, 01:43:42 PM »
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Register or LoginRumored use of Michael Jackson body doubles could be raised in trial, sources sayIn the months before and after Michael Jackson's sudden death in 2009, rumors ran rampant that body doubles were being used in an effort to disguise the King of Pop’s ailing health. Now sources connected to the ongoing $40 billion wrongful death suit filed by the Jackson family against AEG tell FOX411’s Pop Tarts column the body double reports will likely be dug back up as the case heads to trial. An insider tells FOX411 that Jackson had strong incentive to ensure he fulfilled his commitments to AEG, as he agreed to do the “This Is It” tour “out of sheer desperation” for fresh funds. Jackson knew if he didn’t fulfill his contractual obligations, he would be forced to pay back the $30 million in advance money and possibly forfeit his share of his prized Beatles catalogue, the source said. Speculation over just how able he was to take the stage first surfaced in March 2009, with some speculating he was so far from ready, a body double was needed in his place. About three months before his death, several spectators and critics started to question whether the jittery figure donning aviator shades and a sparkly jacket while appearing before the masses at the massive tour announcement press conference inside London’s O2 Arena was Jackson, or an impersonator. “It just didn’t seem to be Michael. He was very thin, yet this ‘Michael’ was stronger, had a bigger head and always wore a wig. This London version of Michael also had much bigger hands,” a source connected to the Jackson family said, based on her personal knowledge of the entertainer. Similar questions over Jackson’s health and real identity raced across the Internet, with many also suggesting that the awkward, almost macho stride of Jackson heading into the arena was a far cry from his normally soft-footed walk, and that even his chin looked off. “In my opinion, the man in the clip isn’t Michael Jackson; it’s a man posing as Michael Jackson. The (apparent) body double’s walk is cockier and had more bounce than MJ’s typical stride,” explained Bianca Cobb, a senior instructor at the Body Language Institute. “Michael had a less confident walk with smaller strides and less pep. He also tended to walk with his head down, and deflected attention. The seemingly double spoke more confidently by projecting his voice more and was also a bit deeper. Michael tended to have a softer and lower tone of voice which didn’t project across the room.” Cobb also pointed out that Jackson had straighter teeth than what was evident during the conference, and the alleged double’s chin – although containing a cleft – was overall more tapered, and that Michael’s upper lip didn’t elevate as much as the alleged double’s upper lip at full smile. “The apparent double’s smile had a lift on the side which is the commisures,” she told us. (The commisures is where the upper and lower lip meet.) “MJ’s smile was flatter than the (person at the conference) as their smile was more arched.” Another source, who worked closely with the star across his career, wasn’t convinced it was him, but wasn’t convinced it wasn’t him either. “There are inflections in his voice that sound true to me. His lower voice I have not heard and yet, within them, I recognize his voice. But this is not an easy call,” the insider said. “The walk is something I have never experienced. His lower voice I have not heard yet, so these things make me wonder.” Officials at the arena, as well as the Jackson camp, vehemently denied that it was anybody but the real deal at that conference, and another source close to Jackson assured us it was him. Well, at least him on something. “There is no question it was Michael. The gangster walk was really him. The problem is that he was heavily intoxicated during this press conference, which ironically, is one of the things I believe will be an exhibit during this trial,” said the insider. “He was drinking heavily and extremely high on at least a couple of substances. Even when Joseph (Jackson, father) saw the press conference he became concerned. In fact, that was about the same time Michael began calling his dad again seeking ‘protection.” And by “protection” we’re told Michael kept saying that people were “after him” and his catalogue he was paranoid that everyone he came in contact with was trying to kill him. And these aren't the only body double allegations potentially slated to be raised during the trial. Just four months after Jackson’s passing, the rumors resurfaced when Columbia Pictures released the “This Is It” documentary, chronicling the King of Pop’s rehearsals for the sold-out “This is It” tour, which was scheduled to begin just a few weeks after he died. Many speculated that Jackson doubles – a dime in a dozen in Hollywood – were used to fill gaps in the film. Such claims were only perpetuated after Joe Jackson declared that it was “mostly body doubles.” However, the film’s distributor was quick to shoot down the widespread accusations. “This story is pure garbage and there are no body doubles… Every time they see the King of Pop they will know that every frame is unquestionably and undeniably Michael as he rehearses and prepares for the London concerts that were to have begun this past summer,” stated Steve Elzer, Senior Vice President of Media Relations at Sony Pictures, at the time. Others close to the star aren’t quite so confident. “The doubles or stand-ins were used in rehearsal footage we saw in ‘This is It,’” argued a Jackson insider. “Look specifically at the performances of ‘Human Nature’ and ‘Thriller’ in the film, there are others too... The lips are off with the words and the real person doing the dancing requires much too much effort. MJ was effort-less and this stand in was obviously good, but not MJ good by any stretch.” And don’t expect either side to play nice in this intense trial, which comes almost four years after Jackson’s death. “AEG is coming in with guns blazing. They are intent on bringing up everything including the child molestation, and will attempt to embarrass Michael and the Jackson family,” added our source. Lawyers for AEG and the Jackson family did not respond to a request for comment.
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« on: April 18, 2013, 07:27:06 PM »
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Register or LoginMichael Jackson’s daughter has vowed to “karate chop” convicted doctor Conrad Murray to make him appear at the family’s trial.Martial arts expert Paris, 15, believes his evidence is key to winning a £26 billion payout from concert promoter AEG. A wrongful death lawsuit claims AEG negligently hired Murray, who killed Jacko with a lethal propofol dose in 2009. Murray refuses to face the Los Angeles court to say if he was forced to pump the King of Pop full of drugs for shows. His lawyer feels it may harm his appeal against involuntary manslaughter. A source said: “Paris wants to kick Murray’s butt. She wants him to explain what pressure he was under to make Michael perform. When she gives evidence she plans to tear him apart.”
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« on: March 18, 2013, 03:05:50 PM »
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Register or LoginLos Angeles (CNN) -- Dr. Conrad Murray, who was Michael Jackson's personal physician, is refusing to testify in the wrongful death lawsuit that the singer's mother filed against concert promoter AEG Live. If called, he will plead the fifth so as not to incriminate himself, the doctor said in a statement sent to the Jackson family. Murray has never been questioned under oath about Jackson's death, which occurred on his watch. He did not testify at his trial, where he was found guilty of causing Jackson's death on June 25, 2009, by administering a deadly overdose of sedatives and the surgical anesthetic propofol in what he told police was an attempt to cure the singer's insomnia. He is serving a four-year sentence but could be out in two. On Monday, he was supposed to be deposed in the wrongful death suit. But lawyers for Jackson's mother, Katherine, and her three children called off their jailhouse visit because Murray swore "he would not answer any questions at the deposition or the trial," Jackson lawyer Kevin Boyle told CNN. He said the Jackson case would not suffer without his testimony. AEG's lawyer suggests the Jacksons canceled Murray's deposition because his testimony would "destroy" their case. "They are not interested in the truth," said the lawyer, Marvin Putnam. Asserting his 'Fifth Amendment privilege' The cancellation came after Murray's attorney Valerie Wass sent the Jacksons a sworn statement signed by Murray making it clear he would not answer any questions while his involuntary manslaughter conviction in Michael Jackson's death is being appealed. "Accordingly, if I am called or ordered to testify at deposition or trial in the Katherine Jackson vs AEG wrongful death case, I will be asserting my Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination and refuse to answer any questions," Murray's declaration said. Jury selection in the civil trial is set to begin April 2 in a Los Angeles County court. Prince Jackson, the pop star's oldest son, is expected to testify about his father's last days. Jacksons: Focus back on AEG The Jackson lawsuit contends that AEG Live is responsible for Jackson's death because it hired and supervised Dr. Murray, who was administering the surgical anesthetic propofol to Jackson each night for a month to induce sleep as he prepared for a series of concerts organized by AEG Live. A jury found Dr. Murray guilty of involuntary manslaughter after hearing testimony that he violated medical standards in his treatment of Jackson. "Dr. Murray's choice to keep quiet puts the focus back on the company, AEG, that hired Dr. Murray and agreed to pay him over $1.5 million a year, and provide Murray with a large house and drivers and other perks, to make sure that the company's biggest asset, Michael Jackson, made it to the shows on time, no matter what," Boyle, the Jacksons' lawyer said. A judge ruled last month that Jackson lawyers could question Murray at the Los Angeles County jail, where he is serving his prison sentence. AEG: Testimony destroys Jacksons' claim "The Jacksons told the world that they wanted Dr. Murray's deposition, and then when the Court gave it to them, they canceled it," Putnam, the AEG lawyer, told CNN on Sunday. "They have had all of their claims dismissed except negligent hiring, and they don't want Dr. Murray to be deposed because he will tell them what he already told the police: that he worked for Michael Jackson; that Michael Jackson, not AEG, was his employer; and that Michael Jackson personally invited him to join the 'This is It' tour long before anyone at AEG had even heard of him. The Jacksons canceled the deposition because that testimony destroys the only claim they have left. They are not interested in the truth." Back and forth The Jacksons' lawyer argued, in response to Putnam's comment, that AEG was not interested in having Murray take the stand in the trial. "AEG did not even try to get Dr. Murray to talk," Boyle said. "AEG is simply not telling the truth. AEG can't run from the fact that they hired the man who is in jail for killing the greatest entertainer the world has ever known." Wass, who unsuccessfully objected to the deposition, said she advised Murray to invoke his Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions because of his appeal. The appeal brief is expected to be filed next week. Jacksons plan to use e-mails Jackson died two weeks before his "This Is It" comeback concerts, organized by AEG Live, were to have debuted in London in the summer of 2009. E-mails the Jackson's plan to use in their case suggested that the promoter was worried about Jackson's missed rehearsals and they sought Murray's help in getting him ready. Prince, Paris and Blanket Jackson and their grandmother contend that AEG Live's pressure on Murray to have Jackson ready for daily rehearsals despite his fragile health led to his death from the propofol overdose. A cornerstone of the Jacksons' case is an e-mail AEG Live co-CEO Paul Gongaware wrote 11 days before Jackson's death. The e-mail to show director Kenny Ortega addressed concerns that Murray had kept Jackson from a rehearsal the day before: "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." Jackson lawyers, calling it a "smoking gun," argue the e-mail is evidence that AEG Live used Murray's fear of losing his $150,000-a-month job as Jackson's personal physician to pressure him to have Jackson ready for rehearsals despite his fragile health. Billions at stake The lawsuit seeks a judgment against AEG Live equal to the money Jackson would have earned over the course of his remaining lifetime if he had not died. If AEG Live is found liable, it could cost the company several billion dollars, according to estimates of Jackson's income potential. AEG Live is a subsidiary of AEG, a global entertainment company that was recently for sale with an $8 billion asking price. The company announced last week it was no longer for sale.
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