Billions At Stake As Michael Jackson Trial Moves Into Closing Arguments

Billions of dollars are at stake as the Michael Jackson wrongful death trial moves into its closing arguments, with Katherine Jackson and the King of Pop's three children attempting to persuade a jury that concert promoter AEG Live should pay for its role in hiring Dr Conrad Murray.

The five month trial, which has resembled a circus at times, begins its culmination on Tuesday with the closing arguments. A big crowd, which is rumored to include Prince, is expected for the final arguments, meaning court personnel have moved the proceedings to a much larger courtroom with over 200 seats.

A judge at confirmed to the 12 jurors that only nine had to reach agreement on whether AEG hired, retained or supervised Murray through a contract that was written, oral, or created by intentional conduct, according to the New York Daily News.

The concert promoter continues to deny any wrongdoing in the death of Michael Jackson, still the biggest pop star on the planet at the time of his death. If the jury goes against the promoter giant, then it must decide how much blame the company should assume, compared to Jackson's own negligence.

Jurors could set damage figures for both economic and personal damages, but not punitive damages.

Jackson overdosed on the anaesthetic propofol in June 2009 as he prepared for his This Is It comeback concerts in London.

Murray is now serving four years for recklessly administering the drug in a private bedroom without proper monitoring.

"Michael wasn't alone in what happened to him," Katherine Jackson's lawyer Kevin Boyle said outside court Monday. "The children want their father back," he added, "This is not going to provide them that, but it can provide them with some closure, financial stability and allow them to try to start repairing their lives and moving on."

Boyle declined to give an exact figure for the damages sought, but a paid expert who testified at the trail claim Michael could have earned more than $1 billion more had he survived. AEG disagree.

Michael Jackson At The 'This Is It' Press Conference