MICHAEL JACKSON

Relatives of Maniela Gomez Ruiz sued Jackson and Marian Medical Center in Santa Maria, California, for infliction of emotional and mental distress, claiming the 73-year-old was kept from critical care after she had a heart attack on the same day in 2005 that the Thriller hitmaker was brought in suffering from flu-like symptoms.

But now judge Rodney Melville has dropped Jackson from the lawsuit in response to a challenge from the star's legal team.

The lawsuit claimed Ruiz was on life-support after suffering a massive coronary and died after she was moved out of a two-bedroom room so Jackson could occupy it solely. The papers complained of an "outrageous, circus-like atmosphere" in the last hours of her life.

Source: WENN