Late pop icon Michael Jackson's ex wife, Debbie Rowe, broke down at the Los Angeles Superior court while telling that the legendary singer feared "incredible pain." She tesified in Jackson's wrongful death case against concert promoter AEG Live.

"His fear of pain was incredible. I think the doctors took advantage of him that way," Ms Rowe told the jury, as quoted by BBC.

"Unfortunately, some of the doctors decided that when Michael was in pain they would try to see who could give him the best painkiller," she said.

Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, filed the civil action in 2009 against concert promoter AEG Live, accusing them of failing to properly investigate pop icon's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, and ignoring signs of his deteriorating health as well.

Former nurse, Ms Rowe, 54, is mother to Michael Jackson's two children. "Michael had a very low pain tolerance," she said to the jury.

BBC reported that she was with the singer when he was administered surgical anaesthetic propofol in 1997. At the time, he was finding it difficult to sleeping during his HIStory concert tour in Munich. The doctors, according to Ms Rowe, warned of the dangers of using propofol. However, Michael Jackson ignored the advice.

"He was more worried about not sleeping than dying because he couldn't perform [without sleep]," Ms Rowe said, as quoted by BBC.

BBC reported that she also became agitated during her testimony and, at one point, shouted at the lawyers representating the concert promoter.

Concert director Kenny Ortega also broke down in tears last July when he was he was testifying at the Los Angeles court. He said that the legendary singer was "lost, cold, afraid," few days before his death in June 2009 and that his appearance at the rehearsal was "very, very troubling."

"I saw a Michael that frightened me, a Michael that was shivering and cold," Ortega, chocking up with emotions, said in the courtroom as cited in a CNN report.

AEG denied that it hired Murray. The concert promoter is sticking to its position that it could have not known that the doctor was giving Jackson propofol to make him sleep.