New Michael Jackson Mess: Ex-Assistant Files Big-Bucks Suit Over Lost Wages From King of Pop's Untimely Death

"Thriller" crooner may be gone, but his legacy lives on in the form of lawsuits; the latest comes from a former staffer over King of Pop's botched "This Is It" tour

By Josh Grossberg Nov 14, 2012 1:50 PMTags
Michael Jackson,This Is ItSony Pictures

Michael Jackson's former personal assistant is beating it to court.

Michael Amir Williams has filed a class-action lawsuit against AEG Live claiming the concert promoters stiffed him and others out of more than $7.5 million dollars in compensation stemming from the King of Pop's death in June 2009.

The complaint, a copy of which was obtained by The Wrap, alleges AEG was to blame for their financial loss because the company hired Dr. Conrad Murray to monitor the "Gone Too Soon" singer's health leading up to his heavily hyped This Is It tour at London's O2 Arena.

The cardiologist, of course, later ended up being convicted of manslaughter for causing Jackson's death.

According to court papers, Jackson bargained for Williams, along with several other plaintiffs, "to be paid by AEG up to $7.5 million and any amount over $7.5 million to be paid for by Michael Jackson" in order for the singer to give a "first-class performance."

Alas for Williams and company, Murray put an end to that opportunity after he treated the music legend's insomnia by giving him the fatal dose of propofol that, along with other drugs in Jackson's system, killed him.

Williams' class-action suit seeks unspecified damages, citing breach of express terms of contract, breach of implied terms of contract, and breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing.

AEG's lawyer, Marvin Putnam, has fired back in a statement, vehemently denying the allegations.

"This lawsuit is clearly frivolous; it is literally barred by at least four different legal doctrines," Putnam said. "The easiest is that Mr. Williams was a personal employee of Michael Jackson's, and was never a beneficiary of Mr. Jackson's contract with AEG Live. As such he has no legal standing to sue on that contract. Nor can he legally bring a claim for Mr. Jackson's wrongful death."

He also labeled the class-action suit a money grab.

"It is truly unfortunate that so many see Mr. Jackson's demise as an opportunity to grab as much for themselves as possible," added the legal eagle. "This is just the latest wrongful-death lawsuit with someone hoping to profit from Michael Jackson's tragic death in the same way they profited from his life."