By: Dana Brenklin
September 25, 2013
Wednesday September 25, 2013 was the last time the jury would ever hear from AEG Live attorney Marvin Putnam as he gave his closing arguments defending the Concert Promoters against a lawsuit filed by the king of pop’s mother Mrs. Katherine Jackson.
As Putnam took the stand with everyone wondering how he would follow the plaintiff’s closing and with Jackson Matriarch along with eldest daughter Rebbie Jackson and grandsons Taj and TJ looking on, he starts off in the same fashion, thanking the jury and the judge for their time.
Immediately Mr. Putnam starts in with, in his bedroom behind locked doors the plaintiffs want you to think the concert promoters are at fault.
He says to think about all the things you’ve heard and tells the jury that Michael Jackson had been seeing Dr. Murray for years and he said this repeatedly during his closing. Michael Jackson saw Murray for about seven years off and on before he died.
He also tells the jury that Michael Jackson was a grown man several times and that he was responsible for his own health. He mistakenly says in the beginning that Michael was a grown man about to turn 50, he was actually already 50 and about to turn 51.
Putnam said that it is a tragedy what happened to Michael Jackson, but it was not AEG’s fault and Michael was playing Russian roulette by taking propofol nightly.
Putnam told the jury in closing that Jackson did not ask to bring the doctor, he told them he was bringing the doctor on his tour.
Putnam says that Michael Jackson was nearly half a billion dollars in debt and Michael Jackson spent decades doctor shopping for pain killers. At the beginning of the trial Putnam said he would show deep and ugly secrets of Michael Jackson, but the only thing that really came out that nobody knew of, was that Michael had a legitimate issue with pain and sleep.
Brian Panish has never said that Michael didn’t have a problem with pain killers or that Jackson searched for something that he thought would help him sleep, so he said yesterday that Michael had some responsibility for his own death, but today AEG’s lead attorney said that Michael Jackson was totally at fault and AEG had nothing to do with his demise and a grown man is responsible for his own health.
Putnam said that AEG knew nothing that went on behind locked doors of the Carolwood home Michael Jackson was occupying and Michael hired Dr. Conrad Murray a long time ago.
Putnam says that it would have happened with or without AEG, even though Jackson lawyer said yesterday that it never happened before a contract and money was involved. Jackson lawyer said yesterday that the king of pop had propofol to sleep in Germany years ago and with Dr. Conrad Murray, but he didn’t die until money and a contract was involved.
AEG’s lawyer told the jury that the damages plaintiffs are seeking is absurd as he went through the jury instructions saying that Panish stopped at number one while telling them everything from 1-5 needs to be answered “no”, which is of course is opposite of the “yes” Panish told them it had to be for their side to win yesterday.
He says that AEG tried to talk Michael out of bringing the doctor, but he insisted, saying he would not take no for an answer.
When it came time to deal with the negligence issue, Putnam says that Michael and Conrad Murray were secretive and all AEG knew was that Murray was his longtime doctor.
Putnam told the jury several times that AEG Live executives could not have known what was going on between the doctor and Michael Jackson behind locked bedroom doors.
Putnam says that Murray had several practices, never had a malpractice, and never had a suspension of his license and that Michael trusted him with his ownchildren.
AEG’s attorney says that Michael and Murray lied to his clients, saying that Michael was alright. He also showed the jury Michael rehearsing two nights and one night before he died from the “This Is It” documentary, to which loyal fans say he did not look great and was too thin.
Plaintiff’s Brian Panish will have the final word, giving his rebuttal tomorrow. The jury will be handed a few final instructions and by tomorrow afternoon should be heading to deliberations.
Related articles
- Jackson Wrongful Death Trial: Who Hired Conrad Murray? (danabrenklinsperspective.wordpress.com)
Dana's Passions | Jazz & Art 