Debbie Rowe,
who is the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, has rarely given
interviews since her divorce from the pop icon. But she must testify
under oath in the wrongful death trial of AEG Live.
AEG Live contends that
Jackson used the surgical anesthetic propofol for years to treat his
insomnia, including when Rowe was traveling with him in Europe in the
1990s.
The coroner ruled Jackson
died on June 25, 2009 from a propofol overdose administered by Dr.
Conrad Murray, who is serving a prison sentence for involuntary
manslaughter.
Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's ex-wife and mother of two of his children, is seen here in 2005.
"Ms. Rowe will tell you
that she saw Mr. Jackson using propofol on tours," AEG Live lawyer
Marvin Putnam told jurors in his opening statement 16 weeks ago. "She
saw several doctors put Mr. Jackson to sleep in hotel rooms while on
tour."
Rowe, who met Jackson
when she worked as a nurse in the Beverly Hills office of Dr. Arnold
Klein, witnessed doctors put Jackson to sleep in Munich, London and
Paris hotels, according to Putnam.
"She would always insist
on being there" to make sure it was an anesthesiologist who did the
"incredibly dangerous" procedure, he told jurors.
AEG Live executives, who
were promoting and producing Jackson's comeback concerts, had no way of
knowing that Dr. Murray was infusing him with propofol each night for
two months in the spring of 2009, Putnam said.
"Almost no one knew until after his death," he said. "AEG Live certainly didn't know about it."
Jackson lawyers contend
that the promoters ignored warning signs that Jackson's health was
deteriorating during the two months before his death. Instead of getting
him to another doctor who might have saved his life, they gave Murray
the responsibility to get Jackson to rehearsals, they argue.
Michael Jackson's mother
and three children contend AEG Live is liable in his death because it
negligently hired, retained or supervised Dr. Murray. The company's
agreement to pay Murray $150,000 a month put the doctor in a conflict of
interest because he was in deep debt and could not risk losing the job
by refusing Jackson's demands for propofol, their lawyers contend.
AEG Live argues that
while its executives negotiated with Murray to serve as Jackson's
physician for the "This Is It" tour, it was Jackson who chose and
controlled the doctor.
Wednesday is the 69th
day of testimony in the trial, which the judge told jurors would likely
go to them for a decision in late September.
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