Jackson family lawsuit blames AEG for Michael's death

By Matthew Belloni

Michael Jackson's family has sued AEG Live claiming the event production company is responsible for Jackson's death.

Here's the complaint, filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court by Katherine Jackson on behalf of the family. The lawsuit claims AEG, president and CEO Tim Leiweke, Anschutz Entertainment and others are responsible for Jackson's death because his contract with AEG for the planned "This Is It" tour created a legal duty to keep him healthy.  

"By the nature of their contractual, joint-venture, and special relationship, AEG had legal duties to Michael Jackson to treat him safely and to not put him in harms' way," the lawsuit alleges. "But AEG, despite its knowledge of Michael Jackson's physical condition, breached those duties by putting its desire for massive profits from the tour over the health and safety of Michael Jackson."

The Jackson family says AEG was negligent in insisting that Jackson drop his own doctor and use Dr. Conrad Murray, hired by AEG to care for Jackson in advance of the concerts. Murray allegedly administered Propofol without necessary resuscitation equipment or nursing support, and Jackson died with the drug in his system. 

Kenny Ortega, director of the "This Is It" tour, is also named as a defendant. We've reached out to AEG for comment and will update with a response.

The complaint for unspecified damages alleges causes of action for breach of contract, negligent hiring, training and supervision, fraud and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

The family is repped by Brian Panish at Panish Shea Boyle, who released a statement saying "The purpose of this lawsuit is to prove to the world the truth about what happened to Michael Jackson, once and for all."