A member of the Jackson staff says Paris still cries and talks about her late father. Michael Jackson's former personal chef, Kai Chase, said that as the singer prepped for his comeback tour, he was upbeat, excited and energized in April 2009. Two months later, a nightmare was unfolding at his home.
On Tuesday, Chase broke down describing the day of Jackson's death. She said Jackson's children were crying and praying. Chase testified she now works for Katherine Jackson and the singer's three children.
The family is suing Jackson's tour producer, AEG Live, alleging that executives hired Conrad Murray, whose use of the hospital sedative propofol led to Jackson's death.
Chase described Jackson's home life and said he was an involved and loving father adored by the children. She said she was fired in 2009 from Jackson's home because of management changes, but then rehired within weeks. By that time, she says Jackson was very weak. She testified he told her that he needed her to keep him healthy and told her, "They are killing me."
The testimony comes in the eighth week of the trial, marked by many testy arguments between counsels.
It came to a head in the chambers of Judge Yvette Palazuelos. She questioned the battling attorneys about alleged acts of rudeness on Monday. "Inappropriate gesturing" is what the judge called it, according to a transcript obtained by Eyewitness News.
The judge addressed Jackson attorney Brian Panish, "It's been brought to my attention that you have been gesturing something to Mr. Putnam."
AEG attorney, Marvin Putnam, said to Panish, "You've given me the finger twice."
Panish denied it, and redirected attention to an AEG lawyer, calling her uncivil, disruptive and attacking.
Putnam told the judge that the finger gesture happened twice and that there had been a practice of uncivil behavior for two months. Palazuelos ended the sidebar saying, "No gesturing please."
