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Michael Jackson father refiles wrongful death case

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Joe Jackson
Image caption,

Joe Jackson initially filed the legal action in June

Michael Jackson's father has refiled a wrongful death claim against the late singer's doctor in a Los Angeles court.

Joe Jackson is seeking damages from Dr Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty in a separate criminal case to involuntary manslaughter of the singer.

Mr Jackson has added as a defendant a Las Vegas pharmacy that sold the doctor a powerful anaesthetic blamed for Jackson's death in Los Angeles in 2009.

Coroners blamed Jackson's death on intoxication from the drug propofol.

Court records show the anaesthetic was sold by Applied Pharmacy Services the month before the singer's death.

Mr Jackson has accused the pharmacy of selling Dr Murray excessive quantities of propofol, which is normally administered in hospital settings.

But authorities have said the sale was legal as a doctor licensed in two states can buy propofol in one and administer it in another.

Dr Murray is licensed in California, Nevada and Texas.

"Much to discover"

Mr Jackson initially filed the legal action against Dr Murray in federal court on 25 June, the anniversary of his son's death, but a judge ruled that it should be handled in state court, where it was refiled on Tuesday.

Mr Jackson's attorney Brian Oxman said the facts of the singer's death had been "way too slow in emerging" adding there was "still much to discover".

Mr Jackson claims Dr Murray was negligent in administering propofol to Jackson, and that he did not tell paramedics or an emergency room doctor that he had given the singer the drug.

Dr Murray admits administering the drug to Jackson on the day he died but denies any wrongdoing, saying he had been injecting him with the drug to help him sleep.

Dr Murray is due in court in the new year to face criminal charges.