Photo: WENN
Lawyers for concert promoters AEG have blamed Michael Jackon's own 'bad choices' for his death, claiming that he was playing 'Russian roulette with drugs'.
The comments in the closing argument of the Jackson family's negligence case against AEG, who argue that they caused his 'unlawful death' in the lead up to his residency of This It It comeback concerts at London's O2 Arena.
Billboard reports that AEG's Defense lawyer Marvin Putnam said that Jackson kept his heavy use of hospital anesthetic propofol to overcome his chronic insomnia a secret from concert producers, and that if AEG had have known then they'd have scrapped the shows.
"AEG would have never agreed to finance this tour if they knew Mr. Jackson was playing Russian roulette in his bedroom every night," Putnam told the jury.
Putman also stressed that AEG tried to deter Jackson from taking on Dr Conrad Murray, who was later jailed for his manslaughter, but the Thriller star "wouldn't take no for an answer" - claiming that AEG urged MJ to hire a different doctor in London instead.
"He didn't ask AEG," said Putman. "He said, `We're using this doctor.' He was a grown man of 50 and as a grown man he is responsible for his own health and his own choices no matter how bad those choices may be."
He continued: "It was his money and he certainly wasn't going to take no for an answer."
Watch Jackson rehearsing 'Earth Song' for the This Is It concerts below
Dr Conrad Murray was found guilty of manslaughter after he prescribed an overdose of propofol to Jackson - a drug that's not supposed to administered outside of operating theatres.
Putman also showed excerpts from the This is It documentary, and refferred to footage Jackson 'perfectly' performing 'Earth Song', before adding: "And 12 hours later, he was dead.
"AEG Live did not have a crystal ball. Dr. Murray and Mr. Jackson fooled everyone. They want to blame AEG for something no one saw."
Jackson's family will get the chance to argue against AEG's claims in their closing statement in court today.
