Michael Jackson - Judge Dismisses Jackson Lawsuit

A judge in California has dismissed a lawsuit brought against pop superstar MICHAEL JACKSON by the family of a woman who died at a hospital shortly after she was moved to make room for the star.

Relatives of Maniela Gomez Ruiz sued Jackson and Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, California, for infliction of emotional and mental distress, claiming the 73-year-old was kept from critical care after she had a heart attack on the same day in 2005 that the Thriller hitmaker was brought in suffering from flu-like symptoms.

But now judge Rodney Melville has dropped Jackson from the lawsuit in response to a challenge from the star's legal team.

The lawsuit claimed Ruiz was on life-support after suffering a massive coronary and died after she was moved out of a two-bedroom room so Jackson could occupy it solely. The papers complained of an "outrageous, circus-like atmosphere" in the last hours of her life.