The Michael Jackson wrongful death trial, which Jackson’s mother Katherine started against concert promoter AEG, seems to have hit a standstill. At this point, after all of the unpleasant details that have been revealed about Jackson’s final days and his deteriorating mental state, the case hinges on a few seemingly easy to clear up points – whether AEG was responsible for hiring Dr Conrad Murray, who administered the drug that killed Jackson and, if so, whether that constitutes negligence on the company’s part.

Murray, who has already been convicted, was even brought in to testify on the case. The proceedings have been going on for more than two weeks now and both sides have a lot on the line. While AEG stands to lose over $5 million in damages, the case has already been very demanding on the Jackson family and their reputations as the details of Jackson’s life and final days are revealed, in perhaps even greater detail than at Dr. Murray’s criminal trial. The evidence so far includes testimonies by people, who were close to the pop star in his final days, like makeup artist Karen Fay and choreographer Alif Sankey.

“I had a very strong feeling that Michael was dying,” Ms. Sankey said.

An email was also presented, which seems to point that Murray was in fact hired by AEG and not Jackson himself. Part of the email, sent to the physician himself, reads: “We want to remind him that it is A.E.G., not M. J., who is paying his salary. We want to remind him what is expected of him.” However, nothing is clear just yet and it seems like neither side will come out of this trial completely unscathed.

Michael Jackson, Tom's Toys LA
As the trial continues, more embarassing details about Jackson's life are coming to light.