<p>Concert giant AEG Live LLC did not conduct any background checks or supervise the doctor who was later convicted of killing Michael Jackson, a corporate attorney testified in a lawsuit claiming the promoter was negligent in hiring him.<br /><br /></p>.<p>AEG Live General Counsel Shawn Trell told jurors that no legal or financial checks were done involving <u>Conrad Murray</u> or anyone else who worked as an independent contractor on the "This Is It" comeback shows.<br /><br />Jackson's mother, Katherine, is suing AEG claiming it failed to properly investigate Murray, who was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's tour physician in 2009 for USD 150,000 a month. Murray was convicted in 2011 of administering a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol to Jackson.<br /><br />Murray's employment status is a central issue in the case. Katherine Jackson's lawyers contend he was hired by AEG, but the company denies it hired him.<br /><br />Trell also acknowledged while testifying that numerous people in the company knew of concerns that Jackson's health was declining.<br /><br />Five days before Jackson died, AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips alerted the promoter's parent company that Jackson had missed a rehearsal and didn't appear to be ready for his comeback concerts.<br />"We have a real problem here," Phillips wrote in the message to the CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group.<br /><br />Hours after Phillips sent the warning email, attorney John Branca, who later became co-executor of Jackson's estate, offered to enlist a spiritual and substance abuse specialist to help Jackson, according to an email shown in court.<br /><br />On that same day, Phillips and others met with Jackson and Murray at the singer's home.<br />Hours later, Phillips sent an email to tour director Kenny Ortega telling him not to worry. Ortega had expressed grave concerns about Jackson.<br /><br />"This doctor is extremely successful we check everyone out and he does not need this gig so he (is) totally unbiased and ethical," Phillips wrote.<br /><br />Panish called Phillips' statement "a flat out lie." Outside court, AEG's attorney Marvin S. Putnam declined comment on the email or Panish's characterisation of it.</p>
<p>Concert giant AEG Live LLC did not conduct any background checks or supervise the doctor who was later convicted of killing Michael Jackson, a corporate attorney testified in a lawsuit claiming the promoter was negligent in hiring him.<br /><br /></p>.<p>AEG Live General Counsel Shawn Trell told jurors that no legal or financial checks were done involving <u>Conrad Murray</u> or anyone else who worked as an independent contractor on the "This Is It" comeback shows.<br /><br />Jackson's mother, Katherine, is suing AEG claiming it failed to properly investigate Murray, who was deeply in debt when he agreed to serve as Jackson's tour physician in 2009 for USD 150,000 a month. Murray was convicted in 2011 of administering a fatal dose of the anaesthetic propofol to Jackson.<br /><br />Murray's employment status is a central issue in the case. Katherine Jackson's lawyers contend he was hired by AEG, but the company denies it hired him.<br /><br />Trell also acknowledged while testifying that numerous people in the company knew of concerns that Jackson's health was declining.<br /><br />Five days before Jackson died, AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips alerted the promoter's parent company that Jackson had missed a rehearsal and didn't appear to be ready for his comeback concerts.<br />"We have a real problem here," Phillips wrote in the message to the CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group.<br /><br />Hours after Phillips sent the warning email, attorney John Branca, who later became co-executor of Jackson's estate, offered to enlist a spiritual and substance abuse specialist to help Jackson, according to an email shown in court.<br /><br />On that same day, Phillips and others met with Jackson and Murray at the singer's home.<br />Hours later, Phillips sent an email to tour director Kenny Ortega telling him not to worry. Ortega had expressed grave concerns about Jackson.<br /><br />"This doctor is extremely successful we check everyone out and he does not need this gig so he (is) totally unbiased and ethical," Phillips wrote.<br /><br />Panish called Phillips' statement "a flat out lie." Outside court, AEG's attorney Marvin S. Putnam declined comment on the email or Panish's characterisation of it.</p>