AEG Trial Day 86: Final Closing Argument by AEG's Defense Counsel

Today's court session was devoted to the final arguments of the company's defense counsel, Marvin Putnam. His speech was unwelcome to many of Michael Jackson's fans. He blamed the Jackson family for filing the lawsuit, since the trial had resulted in Michael's most private financial and medical information being aired publicly in the media. Putnam said: * AEG is not responsible for Michael Jackson's death. He made his own choices. He was an adult. He was responsible for his own death. He was responsible for his own health. He was responsible for his own choices. He chose his doctor and the drug that killed him. * Michael Jackson's death would have happened with or without AEG. * MJ would not accept "no" for an answer. If he wanted something, he got it. * He had half a billion dollars in debt. * He bought doctors to inject him with the drugs he wanted. * MJ and Murray never told AEG the truth. When MJ's room was searched, his secrets were exposed. * If AEG had known that MJ was playing Russian roulette in his room every night (with propofol injections), they would never have invested in the tour. * Murray was never hired by AEG. If he had been, they would have paid him. There was no contract between them. * The fact that Randy Phillips said AEG had hired Murray does not mean AEG hired Murray. * Murray was hired by MJ. MJ introduced him to AEG as his doctor and asked that he join the tour. * MJ always paid Murray himself; he gave his children money to pass on to Murray. * AEG was lending money to the bankrupt Jackson so he could pay Murray. * AEG did not know that Murray was injecting MJ with propofol behind the closed door of his bedroom. * The Jackson attorneys could not prove that AEG knew about the danger Murray posed. * There were no signs to warn AEG that Murray was an incompetent doctor. * AEG played no supervisory role over Murray's work. * AEG believed MJ was in perfect health. He was healthy and ready to perform. Putnam played a video of Michael's rehearsal from June 5 to show that Michael's weight was normal and he was healthy. * Jackson was sick on June 19, but no one knew why. * Company executives met with him to check on him. MJ, this fifty-year-old man, said he was fine. * He gave outstanding performances two nights before his death. Putnam showed the rehearsal video from June 23. * Jackson had told various people on multiple occasions that he used propofol in different circumstances. Various doctors injected him. * Debbie Rowe told Jackson that propofol was dangerous, but he continued to use it. * He would permanently remove from his life any doctors who refused to carry out his requests. * The damages figure the Jacksons are seeking is ridiculous. * If you consider him responsible for his own death, you cannot place the blame on AEG's shoulders. Source: eMJey.com / ABC7 & LA Times