LOS ANGELES - A CONCERT promoter said on Friday that Michael Jackson insisted the company hire the cardiologist who reportedly was in his Los Angeles mansion when the entertainer collapsed.

Dr Conrad Murray, a physician with a tangled financial and personal history, was hired by AEG Live to accompany the pop star to London for his comeback series of concerts, said AEG Live President and Chief Executive Randy Phillips.

'As a company, we would have preferred not having a physician on staff full-time because it would have been cheaper without the hotels and travel, but Michael was insistent that he be hired,' Mr Phillips told The Associated Press. 'Michael said he had a rapport with him.' The Los Angeles Times reported that Murray was performing CPR on Jackson when paramedics arrived at his home on Thursday, and Dr Murray's car was later towed by police from the home.

Dr Murray, who was Jackson's physician for three years, was in the rented mansion when Jackson slipped into unconsciousness, and police on Friday were preparing to question him about what happened in the minutes before paramedics rushed to the home.

'We do not consider him to be uncooperative at this time,' said police Deputy Chief Charlie Beck, noting that detectives spoke with the doctor after Jackson's death. 'We think that he will assist us in coming to the truth of the facts in this case.' Chief Beck declined to answer questions about how long the doctor had been with Jackson before paramedics were summoned, or if any drugs had been administered to the singer.

Mr Phillips said AEG Live advanced Jackson money to pay for Murray's services as part of the production costs. Phillips said he asked Jackson why he wanted Murray with him full-time.

'He just said, 'Look, this whole business revolves around me. I'm a machine and we have to keep the machine well-oiled,' and you don't argue with the King of Pop,' Mr Phillips said.

The promoter said that sometime in February Jackson submitted to 'five-plus hours of physicals that the insurance underwriter insisted on. We were told he passed with flying colours.' Based on those results and the nature of the comeback shows, all of which were to be held at the same venue from July 13 to March, AEG Live wasn't concerned about Jackson's history of medical issues.

'This wasn't as strenuous as a tour. There was no travel,' Mr Phillips said. 'He and the kids were going to be living in this beautiful home outside London and shows were spread out over six months. For him, it seemed like the perfect way to come back.'

Mr Phillips attended Jackson's rehearsal at Staples Centre on Wednesday night, when the entertainer was on stage for about three hours before leaving at 12:30 a.m.

'He was dancing as well or better than the 20-year-old dancers we surrounded him with,' the promoter said. 'He was riveting. I thought we were home free. I thought this was going to be the greatest live show ever produced. He looked great.' Mr Phillips said AEG Live held multiple insurance policies covering cancellation of the shows.

'We had pretty good coverage, but a lot of it is going to depend on the toxicology results,' he said. 'We need to know what the cause of death was.' Los Angeles attorney Jerry Kroll, who represented the insurer when part of Jackson's 'Dangerous' tour was cancelled in the 1990s, said claims filed in the current case would surely be in the millions. 'This is going to be one of the most watched insurance claims in history,' he said. -- AP

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