Paris Jackson was taken to a nearby hospital early Wednesday morning, after reportedly harming herself.
The pressure of testifying in the high-stakes legal showdown over Michael Jackson’s death drove Paris Jackson to attempt suicide by slitting her wrist, sources close to the family told the Daily News.
The King of Pop’s only daughter is due to take the stand by the end of the month in the wrongful-death lawsuit pitting the Jackson family against the promoter of his doomed run of concerts, AEG.
But the worldwide attention and the millions of dollars on the line were too much for the 15-year-old Jackson, a source said.
"She's just a wreck. She was getting more and more emotional about having to take the stand as the day gets closer,” the source told The News. “This is a plea for help. She is broken.”
Mike/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES/Mike/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
That source, in addition to another insider, said that Paris cut one of her wrists early Wednesday following a series of ominous tweets.
But the legal source scoffed at the notion that Jackson was forced into a courtroom battle the teenager was not mentally capable of handling.
Blue Wasp / Splash News/Blue Wasp / Splash News
“She wanted to testify. She willingly gave her deposition under subpoena by AEG and was graceful and articulate,” the legal source said. “She thinks these people (AEG) killed her father!"
Now, it’s unlikely Jackson will be called to the stand by her family’s lawyers — though AEG has her on a list of witnesses, as well.
"The plaintiff's side wouldn't even consider putting her in harm's way," the legal source said.
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But Jackson may have knowledge key to determining whether AEG was negligent in hiring Michael Jackson — and his drug-pushing doctor, Conrad Murray.
“What she has got to say is going to contradict and embarrass a lot of people,” the source said. “She is going to call out a lot of people. Michael told her a lot of things about the people involved. The weight of her testimony was taking its toll."
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Court documents have shown that the promoters of the tour were concerned with Jackson’s mental state during preparation for the 2009 run of concerts in London.
Lawyers for the Jackson family did not dispute the notion that the loss of her father was a major factor in the incident.
@ParisJackson via Twitter
“Being a sensitive 15-year-old is difficult no matter who you are. It is especially difficult when you lose the person closest to you,” said family attorney Perry Sanders. “Paris is physically fine and is getting appropriate medical attention.”
Another lawyer, who did not wish to be identified by name, echoed that sentiment.
"She's suffered with the loss of her father," the lawyer said. "But we don't know what she was exposed to that precipitated this."
@ParisJackson via Twitter
The latest shockwave to rock the Jackson family began at 1:27 a.m. when LA County firefighters were called to the Calabasas mansion where the teen lives with her grandmother, Katherine Jackson, for “a possible overdose.”
A spokesman for the Fire Department, Inspector Scott Miller, did not have further information regarding the nature of Jackson’s injuries.
LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images
Speculation spread like a California wildfire throughout the afternoon regarding how Jackson hurt herself and what drove her to do it.
TMZ initially reported Jackson, 15, had cut her wrists multiple times before being wheeled out of her home on a stretcher, thrown in an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital.
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The website also reported that Jackson used a meat cleaver to slice her wrist and that she left a suicide note.
Jackson also called a suicide hot line, which resulted in the operator calling 911, TMZ reported.
MARK J. TERRILL / AP POOL/EPA
Jackson’s biological mother, Debbie Rowe, told Entertainment Tonight that Jackson remains hospitalized and that she has had "a lot going on."
Messages on Jackson's Twitter account Tuesday and Wednesday suggested the teenager was distressed.
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images Paris Jackson tearfully spoke at the memorial service for her late father in 2009.
Around the time of the incident she posted lyrics to the Beatles song "Yesterday."
"Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as though they're here to stay," she wrote.
Before that, Jackson tweeted "I wonder why tears are salty?" and "omg… that conversation escalated quickly."
PARISJACKSONWORLD via YouTube Michael Jackson’s only daughter was taken out of her Calabas home on a stretcher, TMZ reports.
A TMZ source close to the teenager also suggested Jackson has attempted suicide "in the past" but added that this time it was "far more serious."
"It was not a cry for help," said the source.
With Chiderah Monde
The King of Pop’s only daughter is due to take the stand by the end of the month in the wrongful-death lawsuit pitting the Jackson family against the promoter of his doomed run of concerts, AEG.
But the worldwide attention and the millions of dollars on the line were too much for the 15-year-old Jackson, a source said.
"She's just a wreck. She was getting more and more emotional about having to take the stand as the day gets closer,” the source told The News. “This is a plea for help. She is broken.”
Mike/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES/Mike/FAMEFLYNET PICTURES
Paris Jackson tweeted that an argument had escalated - though she did not say with whom.
But the legal source scoffed at the notion that Jackson was forced into a courtroom battle the teenager was not mentally capable of handling.
Blue Wasp / Splash News/Blue Wasp / Splash News
Jackson, 15, photographed with her mother Debbie Rowe, who says the teen has 'a lot going on.'
“She wanted to testify. She willingly gave her deposition under subpoena by AEG and was graceful and articulate,” the legal source said. “She thinks these people (AEG) killed her father!"
Now, it’s unlikely Jackson will be called to the stand by her family’s lawyers — though AEG has her on a list of witnesses, as well.
"The plaintiff's side wouldn't even consider putting her in harm's way," the legal source said.
COBO FLIX GOLD KAMA/ AKM-GSI
Debbie Rowe received a visit from police investigators to speak about daughter Paris Jackson on Wednesday.
But Jackson may have knowledge key to determining whether AEG was negligent in hiring Michael Jackson — and his drug-pushing doctor, Conrad Murray.
“What she has got to say is going to contradict and embarrass a lot of people,” the source said. “She is going to call out a lot of people. Michael told her a lot of things about the people involved. The weight of her testimony was taking its toll."
Lester Cohen/WireImage
Paris Jackson and her brothers are currently in the care of their grandmother, Katherine Jackson.
Lawyers for the Jackson family did not dispute the notion that the loss of her father was a major factor in the incident.
@ParisJackson via Twitter
Paris Jackson posted a series of eyebrow-raising tweets Tuesday night.
Another lawyer, who did not wish to be identified by name, echoed that sentiment.
"She's suffered with the loss of her father," the lawyer said. "But we don't know what she was exposed to that precipitated this."
@ParisJackson via Twitter
Jackson doesn't mention who or what she's referring to in her series of tweets.
A spokesman for the Fire Department, Inspector Scott Miller, did not have further information regarding the nature of Jackson’s injuries.
LEON NEAL/AFP/Getty Images
Michael Jackson's children, Prince Jackson (L), Blanket Jackson (C) and Paris Jackson (R).
“I don't know if there were any self-inflicted injuries,” Miller told the Daily NewsSpeculation spread like a California wildfire throughout the afternoon regarding how Jackson hurt herself and what drove her to do it.
TMZ initially reported Jackson, 15, had cut her wrists multiple times before being wheeled out of her home on a stretcher, thrown in an ambulance and taken to a nearby hospital.
STRINGER/BRAZIL/Reuters
Paris's father - Michael Jackson - passed away in 2009. She has said she wants to follow in his famous footsteps.
The website also reported that Jackson used a meat cleaver to slice her wrist and that she left a suicide note.
Jackson also called a suicide hot line, which resulted in the operator calling 911, TMZ reported.
MARK J. TERRILL / AP POOL/EPA
Singer Janet Jackson (L), Michael Jackson's daughter Paris Jackson (C) and La Toya Jackson (R) onstage at the conclusion of the memorial service for Michael Jackson in 2009.
Messages on Jackson's Twitter account Tuesday and Wednesday suggested the teenager was distressed.
GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images Paris Jackson tearfully spoke at the memorial service for her late father in 2009. "Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as though they're here to stay," she wrote.
Before that, Jackson tweeted "I wonder why tears are salty?" and "omg… that conversation escalated quickly."
PARISJACKSONWORLD via YouTube Michael Jackson’s only daughter was taken out of her Calabas home on a stretcher, TMZ reports. "It was not a cry for help," said the source.
With Chiderah Monde
