Michael Jackson's 2005 hospital visit spurs suit
By Leslie Parrilla
lparrilla@thetribunenews.com
The family of a Santa Maria woman who died at a hospital there is suing the facility and singer Michael Jackson for allegedly inflicting emotional distress and other harm on them after the pop star's visit the same day caused a stir.
San Luis Obispo attorney James McKiernan is handling the case for the family.
The suit filed Thursday in Santa Barbara Superior Court claims Jackson's visit to Marian Medical Center on Feb. 15, 2005 -- during Jackson's trial on child molestation charges -- resulted in conspiracy, elder abuse of 73-year-old Manuela Ruiz and false imprisonment of her family members.
The 10 family members, also of Santa Maria, are asking for an unlimited amount of punitive, general and special damages. The lawsuit is not a wrongful death complaint and does not allege Jackson's visit caused or contributed to the death of Ruiz.
"This is a hospital for the sick and dying," McKiernan said. "A family brought their critically ill mother there for treatment. I think that's the expectation anyone would have."
Lawsuits present only one side of a claim.
Jackson's attorney could not be reached for comment Friday evening, and a statement released by Marian Medical Center on Friday said, "The care provided to Mrs. Ruiz was exceptional" and the complaint "appears to be another frivolous claim to generate publicity."
A hospital representative declined to comment on the specific allegations in the lawsuit.
McKiernan said his clients expected a certain level of care at the hospital, but instead their dying mother was allegedly "hustled" aimlessly about the hospital and unhooked from a life support system to create privacy for Jackson and his entourage in the trauma room.
Ultimately, Jackson was released from the hospital after he reported flulike symptoms that did not warrant being admitted to the facility, the suit claims.
The lawsuit describes Ruiz as being removed from a two-bed trauma room to accommodate Jackson after she suffered a massive heart attack earlier that day. The second bed was empty.
Nurses hand-pumped oxygen into her while as they wheeled her about "aimlessly" for about 20 minutes until they found an exam room without life-support systems, the suit claims.
And family members said they were blocked from walking down the hallway to Ruiz's room by Jackson's and the hospital's security guards and hospital staff surrounding the celebrity.
The complaint also claims the hospital has a covert VIP policy for celebrities such as Jackson that allowed him to receive superior treatment and resulted in Ruiz suffering humiliation, neglect and intimidation as her family watched the day she die
Nece se pojaviti na idolu !!! Al dobro,bolje nek se bazira na novi album !!! 
ako nije,onda su ovi kreteni...
