michael jackson an 'emotionally paralyzed mess,' aeg email says
by byjeff gottlieb
june 5, 2013, 12:21 p.m.
http://touch.latimes.com/#section/-1/article/p2p-76181192/
Despite the apparent suicide attempt by michael jackson’s daughter, testimony resumed wednesday in a wrongful death case brought by the pop singer’s children and mother against entertainment titan aeg.
Paris jackson, one of the plaintiffs in the case, was rushed to the hospital early wednesday morning, according to sources. The l.a. County fire department described the medical emergency call it received as a "possible overdose."
jackson's former wife and paris' mother, debbie rowe, told entertainment tonight that paris jackson tried to commit suicide.
In its suit, which is being heard in a downtown l.a. Courthouse, the family accuses aeg of being responsible for the doctor who administered a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to jackson as he was preparing for his return to the stage.
On the stand wednesday, the chief executive of the company producing and promoting michael jackson's 2009 "this is it" concerts testified it was a "miracle" that the singer showed up at a news conference in london to announce his comeback.
Randy phillips testified that jackson was hung over, although in emails he says the singer was drunk.
"the fact that the press conference even happened is a miracle," phillips wrote to jackson's manager.
In another email he wrote to tim leiweke, then-chief executive of parent company anschutz entertainment group, phillips said: “mj is locked in his room drunk and despondent. Tohme [another jackson manager] and i are trying to sober him up and get him to the press conference with his hairdresser/make-up artist.”
in a second email to leiweke, phillips wrote: “i screamed at him so loud the walls are shaking. Tohme and i have dressed him and they are finishing his hair and then we are rushing to the o2. This is the scariest thing i have ever see. He is an emotionally paralyzed mess riddled with self loathing and doubt now that it is show time. He is scared to death. Right now i just want to get through his press conference.”
in another email phillips wrote to a business partner: “i haven’t pulled it off yet. We still have to get his nose on propery (sic). You have no idea what this is like. He is a self-loathing, emotionally paralyzed mess.”
the emails were shown to the jury in the wrongful death suit filed by jackson's mother and three children against aeg live. The jacksons charge that the company negligently hired and supervised conrad murray, the doctor who administered the propofol. Aeg says that jackson hired murray and that any money the firm was going to pay the doctor was an advance to the pop star.
No family members appeared in court wednesday. This is one of the few days of the trial when no jackson relatives have appeared to watch the proceedings.
