Trial update

TRIAL UPDATE: In his closing argument on Wednesday, lead defense attorney Marvin Putnam told jurors that AEG Live didn’t hire Dr. Conrad Murray or have a contract with him, as the Jackson family’s defense team contends, and had no idea the doctor was consistently dosing Michael Jackson with propofol. "Plaintiffs want you to hold a concert promoter liable for Michael Jackson’s overdose, in his bedroom, at night, behind locked doors,” Putnam said. “He made some bad choices and it resulted in a horrible tragedy, but you shouldn’t blame someone else for Mr. Jackson’s bad choices… Ultimately it was his money, his doctor and his choice.” In his payoff, Putnam asserted that AEG would have never agreed to finance the tour "if it knew Mr. Jackson was playing Russian roulette in his bedroom every night." As for the $1.5 billion in economic damages sought by the Jacksons, Putnam said, I'm sorry, that's an absurd number. And they haven't even remotely proved it." Plaintiffs’ attorney Brian Panish will make a final statement today, after which the case goes to the jury. (9/26a)