Trial Date Set in Michael Jackson Wrongful Death Suit

A trial date has been set in Michael Jackson’s wrongful-death lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court, and opening statements are set to begin on Monday.

The lawsuit was filed by Jackson’s 82-year-old mother, Katherine, against concert promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group Live over Jackson’s untimely death on June 25, 2009, at age 50.

The suit alleges that AEG Live acted negligently in hiring Dr. Conrad Murray to provide medical care for the pop star during rehearsals for a series of upcoming concerts that were to run from July 2009 to March 2010. Murray administered a lethal dose of propofol, a surgical anesthetic, to help the singer sleep.

Murray is currently serving a four-year prison term after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter in November 2011.

Katherine Jackson, who is also the legal guardian of Michael’s children Prince, Paris and Blanket, is seeking damages in the amount of $40 billion, the estimated amount of money Jackson would have earned in his lifetime had he not died.