Los Angeles (CNN) -- A top AEG executive referred to Michael Jackson as
"the freak" and another called him "creepy" just hours
before their company signed the pop icon to a huge concert deal.
The revelation brought an audible gasp in the Los Angeles courtroom at
the wrongful death trial Wednesday and left fans crying.
Jackson's mother and children are suing AEG Live for what they say was
the negligent hiring, retention or supervision of Dr. Conrad Murray, the
physician convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's death.
Katherine Jackson watched from the front row as her lawyer questioned
AEG Live Senior Vice President and General Counsel Shawn Trell about an e-mail
exchange with his boss at parent company AEG.
The Jackson family matriarch began weeping when Trell returned to the
witness stand Thursday morning. She left the courtroom and did not return.
Sweet controversy at death trial
"Is it the policy of AEG to talk in derogatory terms about the
artist you're going to do business with?" Jackson lawyer Brian Panish
asked."No," Trell answered.
Panish then showed jurors an e-mail Trell sent on January 28, 2009, to
Ted Fikre, AEG's chief legal officer, letting him know he was about to go to
Jackson's home for the signing of the contract for his "This Is It"
concert tour.
"Does that mean you get to meet the freak?" Fikre replied.
Trell responded: "Apparently. Not sure how I feel about that.
Interesting for sure, but kind of creepy."
The e-mail exchange happened less than four hours before Trell and
other AEG executives visited Jackson's Los Angeles home.
AEG execs face questions about Jackson's death
"This is a man you hoped to make millions and millions of dollars
from?" Panish asked Trell. "Didn't your mom ever say if you don't
have anything good to to say about someone, don't say anything?"
Trell earlier testified that he was excited to meet Jackson for the
first time and was impressed with his "good, firm handshake."
"I may not have necessarily agreed with some of the life choices
Michael Jackson made, but I certainly had enormous respect for him as an
entertainer."
Manager's e-mails found, could be key
A dry review
Most of Wednesday's session was a dry review of Jackson and Murray's
contracts as AEG Live's defense team worked to convince jurors that Murray was
not hired by the concert promoter. Jackson chose, hired and supervised the
doctor, they contend.
Murray signed his contract the day before Jackson's June 25, 2009,
death, but AEG executives and Jackson never put their signatures on it. Jackson
lawyers, however, argue he had been already working for two months based on an
oral contract.
The Jackson lawsuit contends that AEG Live executives ignored red flags
that should have warned them that Jackson was in danger from Murray's
treatment.
The coroner ruled that Jackson died from an overdose of the surgical
anesthetic propofol, which Murray told police he was using to treat the
singer's insomnia.
Panish -- the Jackson family's lead lawyer -- questioned Trell Thursday
about his previous testimony that there were no "red flags" to alert
AEG executives about Jackson's declining health.
He showed jurors an e-mail sent to AEG Live President Randy Phillips
and Co-CEO Paul Gongaware by "This Is It" stage manager John
"Bugzee" Houghdahl on June 19, 2009 -- six days before Jackson died.
"I have watched him deteriorate in front of my eyes over the last
8 weeks," Houghdahl wrote. "He was able to do multiple 360 spins back
in April. He'd fall on his ass if he tried now."
Another Prince
The name of Prince Rogers Nelson -- the artist commonly known as Prince
-- came up when Trell acknowledged that while AEG Live had promoted about 100
tours, it had produced only one other concert tour the size of Jackson's shows.
When Panish suggested Prince had not had "a very favorable
experience" with AEG, Trell said he'd not spoken to him about it.
Panish: "Did you ever try to get a doctor for $150,000 a month for
Prince?"
Trell: "No."
Panish: "And is Mr. Nelson is still alive today?"
Trell: "Yes."
SCRIPTURES
JEREMIAH 2:33Why trimmest thou thy way to seek love? therefore hast
thou also taught the wicked ones thy ways.
1 JOHN 2: 15Love not the world, neither the things that are in the
world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For
all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and
the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17And the world
passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth
for ever.
DEUTERONOMY 28: 33The fruit of thy land, and all thy labours, shall a
nation which thou knowest not eat up; and thou shalt be only oppressed and
crushed alway: 34So that thou shalt be mad for the sight of thine eyes which
thou shalt see. 35The LORD shall smite thee in the knees, and in the legs, with
a sore botch that cannot be healed, from the sole of thy foot unto the top of
thy head. 36The LORD shall bring thee, and thy king which thou shalt set over
thee, unto a nation which neither thou nor thy fathers have known; and there
shalt thou serve other gods, wood and stone. 37And thou shalt become an
astonishment, a proverb, and a byword, among all nations whither the LORD shall
lead thee.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment