Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/455524
ByAnthonyMccartney The Associated Press LOS ANGELES A Califor- nia appeals court on Fri- day upheld a jury's deci- sion that the promoter of Michael Jackson's ill- fated comeback concerts was not responsible for his death. The 2nd District Court of Appeal issued a 39- page ruling a week af- ter attorneys for Kath- erine Jackson argued for a new trial. The court found the verdict in fa- vor of concert promoter AEG Live LLC was legal. The court also up- held rulings by a trial court judge that nar- rowed the case to a sin- gle claim that AEG neg- ligently hired, retained and supervised the doc- tor later convicted of causing Jackson's death. Jackson died in June 2009 while preparing for his "This Is It" shows. His mother sued AEG, claiming executives exer- cised undue control over the doctor and failed to properly investigate be- fore he was hired. A jury listened to five months of testimony dur- ing the 2013 trial before siding with AEG. The justices noted that jurors seemed to under- stand the case and did not appear confused by jury instructions or the verdict form, as Katherine Jack- son's attorneys have con- tended. Lawyers for the Jack- son family matriarch had been hoping to restore some claims against the promoter that Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazu- elos dismissed early in the case, but the court found no basis to do so. It determined that Con- rad Murray, the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death, was an independent contractor of AEG and not an agent of the company. "Today in a strongly worded opinion, the court of appeal found what took a jury two days to see through and that is that AEG was in no way re- sponsible for the tragic death of Michael Jack- son," AEG attorney Mar- vin S. Putnam said. Kevin Boyle, an attor- ney for Katherine Jack- son, said his office was still reading the ruling and did not have an im- mediate comment. AEG LAWSUIT Co ur t de ni es b id f or n ew trial in Michael Jackson case JOELRYAN—THEASSOCIATEDPRESSFILE US singer Michael Jackson is seen at a press conference at the London O2Arena in this file photo. The Associated Press SACRAMENTO Newly filed reports show that Gov. Jerry Brown spent less than his opponent to get re-elected while also passing two bal- lot measures. Final campaign totals re- ported Friday show Repub- lican candidate Neel Kash- kari spent $7.1 million com- pared to $5.9 million for the Democratic governor. 2014 GOVERNOR RACE Jerry Brown spends less than GOP challenger on re-election The Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO Pacific Gas & Electric is set to re- lease tens of thousands of emails between utility em- ployees and officials with the state Public Utilities Commission amid a probe into alleged back-channel dealings. A judge two weeks or- dered PG&E to share about 65,000 emails with the commission and the City of San Bruno by Friday. The commission says it will publish the emails on its website as soon as pos- sible. The content of the emails is unclear but pre- viously emails made pub- lic showed PG&E and com- mission officials discuss- ing pending commission decisions on PG&E rate cases, penalties and other issues. Three senior PG&E offi- cials ended their employ- ment with the state's big- gest utility after those emails were released and former top state regulator Michael Peevey announce he wouldn't seek reap- pointment. UTILITIES PG&E to release thousands of emails with state regulators The Associated Press SANFRANCISCO Visitors to Yosemite National Park will pay more to enter and camp overnight, under fee hikes that start March 1. Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neu- bacher says the park re- ceived more than 3,600 emails and Facebook com- ments and took those into consideration when revis- ing the park fee hikes. A seven-day pass for each car entering Yosemite will rise from $20 to $25 or $30, depending on the season. Between April and Oc- tober, entrance fees will be the higher price. Motorcycle fees will also rise slightly. Officials say the last en- trance fee increase in the park was in 1997. The park's annual pass will increase from $40 to $60. Campers spending be- tween $5 and $20 a night — depending on the camp- site —will pay roughly 20 percent more. The extra money will go into repairing buildings and improving transpor- tation. RECREATION Yo se mi te p ar k fe e hi ke s coming in March PLEASERECYCLETHISNEWSPAPER. 116W.BelleMillRoad Belle Mill Landing 529-1760 20%Off YOURDINEINORDER Valid on Sunday, February 1, 2015 ONLY on regular price items. Not valid on alcohol. PicturedisTheresaWood,owner, Elaine Russel and Luerna White, client. Elaine Russell won the $250 downtown Red Bluff shopping spree. 40 Chestnut Avenue, Red Bluff 530-330-1096 | NEWS | REDBLUFFDAILYNEWS.COM SATURDAY, JANUARY 31, 2015 4 A