Day 26 of the AEG trial: Michael Jackson’s “spirit” was summoned

At the 26th day of the trial, an email from Randy Phillips was read aloud, which caused the jury to burst into laughter. In an email to Michael Rath, one of his colleagues, Phillips wrote: “I think I know how MJ died and this Conrad will be cleared.”

What did Phillips know?

He said that his friend—Brenda, the former wife of Lionel Richie—had called him and informed him that she had met Michael Jackson’s “spirit”! Phillips didn’t know whether this connection had been made through an intermediary or directly. Phillips said that this spirit, which claimed to be Michael Jackson, had told Brenda that it had mistakenly caused its own death and that Conrad Murray was innocent.

“Brenda called me to say that she had been in contact with Michael Jackson (spirit!) either through an intermediary or directly. She said that Michael told her that Conrad Murray is not at fault and that he mistakenly caused his own death.”

Although Katherine Jackson’s lawyer objected to this strange testimony—something that served as a court break—Judge allowed the statements to be presented. Many people in the courtroom laughed loudly after hearing Phillips’s words. The Jacksons’ lawyer had said that this testimony shouldn’t be brought up in court because it was hearsay: “The spirit told the intermediary, the intermediary told Brenda, and Brenda Richie told Randy Phillips.”

Phillips said he hadn’t shared this information with the police, the prosecutors, or Conrad Murray’s lawyers because he didn’t think it would be reliable.

Brian Panish, Katherine Jackson’s attorney, then asked: “Do you want Dr. Murray to be cleared?”

Phillips: “I always want an innocent person to be cleared.”

Panish showed part of Phillips’s interrogation video in court, in which he said he didn’t know what information Brenda had given him.

Source: eMJey.com / AP