Members of Michael Jackson's extended family were both inspired and guided by the pop icon, according to court testimony.
TJ is currently co-guardian for Jackson's children, tending them along with their grandmother, Katherine Jackson. TJ testified to the family's loss. He told the jury that Jackson had become like a surrogate parent to him, saying, "He was just everything," as he broke down.
"My mother was murdered a month after I turned 16. My world crumbled and my uncle Michael saved it," said TJ.
TJ ,now 35, said it was one reason he agreed to help care for the Jackson children. He described how close they had been to their father. Blanket always wrapped around his legs and Prince acted like his father's assistant. Paris, he testified, was daddy's princess and took it the hardest.
The children and their grandmother are suing AEG Live for millions of dollars in damages for allegedly hiring the doctor who caused Jackson's death. The complaint accuses AEG executives of pressuring Jackson to attend rehearsals for his upcoming tour in London and ignoring signs that he might not be healthy.
TJ testified that he saw his uncle at a family gathering six weeks before his death. Under cross-examination, he said that his uncle appeared happy and that he didn't see any sign of ill health and didn't notice any weight change.
TJ told the jury about his last conversation with his uncle and that Michael Jackson said, "See you in London."
In a late development, Jackson attorneys said the singer's daughter, Paris, will not be called to testify, at least not by the plaintiffs.
