The jury in the Michael Jackson "wrongful death" trial against AEG Live found the concert promoter not liable for the death of Jackson. It found during the five-month trial that the company had, indeed, hired Conrad Murray to be Jackson's doctor — which AEG had originally contended they had not — but that they had no reason to believe that the doctor was unfit or incompetent.
"The jury's decision completely vindicates AEG Live, confirming what we have known from the start — that although Michael Jackson's death was a terrible tragedy, it was not a tragedy of AEG Live's making," AEG Live attorney Marvin Putnam said to CNN.
The jury unanimously decided that the company had hired Murray but that they had no reason to believe he was unfit for the task. This decision got AEG Live off the hook for a possible $2 billion, which the family was seeking for their losses.
The result of this trial, however, does not change Murray's conviction. He has been serving two years behind bars for involuntary manslaughter by way of administering an overdose of surgical anesthetic propofol for, which caused the King of Pop's death.
Jackson's family initiated the lawsuit against AEG back in 2010, about a year after the singer's death on June 25, 2009. It appears that despite this ruling, the family's lawyers are seeking an appeal.
CNN reports Jackson's lawyers stating, "All options regarding the balance of the jury verdict are be considered."
