A Year After Michael Jackson's Death, Joe Jackson, Still Trying to Upstage Son, Files Lawsuit

There could only be one person on the planet who would want to upstage Michael Jackson on the first anniversary of the King of Pop's death -- his own father, Joe Jackson. Regardless of whether or not his wrongful death lawsuit has merit, Joe Jackson's obvious play to symbolism rings a bit false given his history of shameless self-promotion at his son's expense. But amidst all the radio and television tributes and documentaries, the flashbacks and retrospectives, and the King of Pop monument unveiling in Michael Jackson's birthplace of Gary, Indiana, Joe Jackson would have his day in court make the news. TMZ reported Friday that Joe Jackson's attorney, Brian Oxman, filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Dr. Conrad Murray for unspecified damages in federal court in Los Angeles.

Joe Jackson couldn't even let his son have the first anniversary of his death without trying to focus some attention his way.

Of course, the world knew the lawsuit was coming. Joe Jackson had announced that he would be filing a wrongful death lawsuit against Conrad Murray months ago. His attorney sent Conrad Murray a letter of intent to sue, a prerequisite in California, which TMZ obtained a copy of Tuesday.

TMZ reported that the intent document alleged that Murray was at a strip club drinking the night Michael Jackson died. The claim also alleged that the 50-year-old singer had been showing poor signs of health prior to his death and that Conrad Murray's administration of a "polypharmacy" of drugs to the King of Pop was what eventually killed him. The intent papers stated that the doctor had not only caused Michael Jackson's deteriorating health but also failed to "ignored the signs" of his condition as well.

Oxman notes of Murray: "His conduct was inhuman. It was an extreme violation of the standard of care."

But in the paperwork filed in federal court Friday, the night out at the nightclub was left out. (Conrad Murray's friends and colleagues state that he never drinks.)

Murray's legal team told TMZ that the "allegations were absolute, utter nonsense."

An allegation in the lawsuit maintained that Michael Jackson was still alive when he arrived at the UCLA Medical Center and that, if Dr. Conrad Murray had disclosed the drugs he had allegedly administered, the King of Pop could have been saved. The allegation seems to run contrary to the death investigation, which concluded that Michael Jackson died before the ambulance arrived at his Los Angeles home.

The filing stated: "Mr. Jackson believes there are other parties responsible for Michael Jackson's death but has not yet gathered sufficient information regarding their potential liability or responsibility." The lawsuit would be amended, according to the papers, as soon as corroborating information was gathered.

TMZ also found out that the intent document was served Conrad Murray on March 27. By California law, Joe Jackson then had to wait 90 days before filing his lawsuit. That 90th day was the date of the anniversary of Michael Jackson's death.

There was a point when it was almost for naught and the lawsuit nearly did not happen on the date of Michael Jackson's death. According to TMZ, the federal court clerk found an error in the paperwork and sent it back to Joe Jackson's attorney. However, Oxman quickly corrected the error and sent the paperwork back to court to be filed.

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Source:

TMZ.com