The most anticipated witness at the Jackson Family/AEG Live lawsuit (outside of the family members themselves) took the stand on Wednesday. Debbie Rowe, Jackson's former wife and the mother of his two oldest children, testified that Jackson had a drug problem, implying that AEG Live was not responsible for his death.
Rowe, who met Jackson when she was working for his dermatologist, said that different doctors would compete for Jackson's business by claiming they had the most effective painkillers.
"Michael had a very low pain tolerance, and his fear of pain was incredible," Rowe said. "And I think that doctors took advantage of him that way."
Rowe testified that Jackson trusted his coterie of doctors, and that's why he was so easy to take advantage of. She referred to all of his doctors as "idiots," including her former employer, Arnold Klein. Rowe did give credit to physician Allen Metzger however. She claimed however that Metzger had applied propofol to Jackson while on tour in Europe during the '90s, whereas Metzger testified during the trial of Conrad Murray that he had never given Jackson the drug.
"Michael respected doctors immensely, that they went to school, that they studied and to do no harm," Rowe said. "Unfortunately, some of the doctors decided that when Michael was in pain or something that they would try to outbid on who could give him the better drug and so he listened to those doctors."
Rowe revealed that Jackson was so paranoid about cosmetic issues that surgeons would treat him even if there was nothing wrong. During a specific incident, Jackson claimed to have scarring on his nose, and a surgeon put Jackson under before simply placing medical tape on his nose.
