Michael Jackson called 'the freak' in email from top AEG lawyer

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Michael Jackson fans from left, Karlene Taylor, Yvonne Francis, Latrenda White and Jamie Lee, speak out against AEG Live. A jury found Wednesday that AEG Live was not liable in the death of the pop superstar. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Jury foreman Gregg Barden, center, listens to a reporter’s question about their verdict in the civil trial over the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Katherine Jackson and three grandchildren against AEG Live in the death of singer Michael Jackson. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos gathers the verdict documents moments before they were publicly disclosed. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Attorneys for Katherine Jackson, Deborah Chang, left and Kevin Boyle listen as jurors are polled following the verdict in the civil trial that lasted for five months. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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AEG attorney Marvin Putnam smiles during verdict polling at the conclusion of the Katherine Jackson v. AEG Live civil trial in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The jury found AEG not liable in Michael Jackson’s death. AEG attorney Jessica Stebbins Bina is at left. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Brian Panish, left, attorney for the Michael Jackson family, speaks with Kathryn Cahan and Marvin Putnam, attorneys with AEG Live LLC ,in Los Angeles County Superior Court in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death trial Thursday in downtown Los Angeles. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Bailiffs are sworn in to protect the jury as Brian Panish, attorney for the Michael Jackson family, waits during the trial in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Thursday. The singer’s family has sued the entertainment firm AEG Live LLC, saying the company negligently hired and supervised Conrad Murray, the doctor who administered the dose of propofol that killed the singer. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Brian Panish, an attorney for the Michael Jackson family, delivers his closing argument to jurors in a packed courtroom in downtown Los Angeles on Sept. 24. The promoters of Michael Jackson’s last tour were “so excited” about making huge profits that they hired an unfit doctor to care for the star, his family’s lawyer said. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Marvin Putnam, lead attorney for AEG Live LLC and co-counsel Jessica Stebbins-Bina, listen to closing arguments by Michael Jackson family’s attorney, Brian Panish, in a packed courtroom Sept. 24. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Brian Panish, attorney for the Michael Jackson family, delivers his closing argument to jurors in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death lawsuit against concert promoter AEG Live LLC on Sept. 24. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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AEG attorney Marvin Putnam gives closing arguments in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death case on Sept. 25. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

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Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos listens to a rebuttal argument in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death case on Sept. 26. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson’s former wife and mother of two of his children, leaves Los Angeles County Superior Court after testifying at the trial in the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by Jackson’s mother, Katherine Jackson, against AEG Live. (Nick Ut / Associated Press)

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Television crews report live outside Los Angeles County Superior Court in downtown Los Angeles on the first day of the trial in the wrongful-death lawsuit. (Joe Klamar / AFP/Getty Images)

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In this file photo dated Sept. 27, 2011, Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson arrives outside Los Angeles County Superior Court to hear opening statement in the involuntary manslaughter trial of pop superstar Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray. Murray was convicted and sentenced to prison. (Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty Images)

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Singer Janet Jackson, left, Paris Katherine Jackson, Prince Michael Jackson II and LaToya Jackson are seen on stage during the memorial service for Michael Jackson at Staples Center in Los Angeles on July 7, 2009. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

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Entertainer Michael Jackson announces on March 5, 2009, that he will play a series of comeback concerts at the London O2 Arena in July. Jackson died before the concerts could be held. (Joel Ryan / Associated Press)

By Jeff Gottlieb and Corina Knoll

May 23, 2013 6:59 AM PT

An email shown to the jury in the Michael Jackson wrongful-death lawsuit revealed the top attorney for AEG called the pop star “the freak” before he signed multimillion-dollar contracts for his London concerts.

The revelation came during the last 15 minutes of court Wednesday and enlivened the day’s testimony in the case that Jackson’s mother and children have filed against AEG, the promoter of his comeback concert series.

The email was shown to the jury during the third day of testimony by Shawn Trell, general counsel and senior vice president for Anschutz Entertainment Group.

FULL COVERAGE: AEG wrongful death trial

Jackson attorney Brian Panish asked Trell about his visit to the singer’s house to sign the contracts. “It was exciting to meet Michael Jackson,” he said.

Panish built toward a climax, asking Trell if it were company policy to speak in derogatory terms about an artist it was about to sign to a huge deal.

“I may not have necessarily agreed with some of the life choices Michael Jackson made,” Trell said, “but I certainly had enormous respect for him as an entertainer.”

PHOTOS: Michael Jackson | 1958-2009

Panish asked Trell, “Did Mr. Fikre say to you that Michael Jackson was a freak?” a reference to Ted Fikre, chief legal and development officer and a member of the board of parent company AEG, before slowly unraveling the emails.

The email chain starts Jan 28, 2009, with AEG Live executive Paul Gongaware writing to Randy Phillips, president and chief executive of AEG Live: “MJ still on today?”

Phillips emails back. “Yes. 5 p.m. 100 Carolwood Dr. You and Shawn should be there,” referring to Trell.

Trell forwarded the email to Fikre, who replied two minutes later: “Does this mean you get to meet the freak?”

Trell replies: “Apparently. Not sure how I feel about that. Interesting for sure, but kind of creepy.”

Panish then scolded Trell as he sat in the witness box: “Didn’t your mother ever tell you if you don’t have anything good to say about someone not to say it?”

Asked outside court about the email, Jessica Stebbins Bina, an attorney representing AEG, replied, “I think it speaks for itself.”

The Jacksons are suing AEG, contending the company negligently hired and supervised Conrad Murray, the doctor who administered a fatal dose of propofol to Jackson in June 2009. AEG says that Jackson hired Murray and that any money the entertainment company was supposed to pay the doctor was an advance to the singer.

Murray is in jail after being convicted of involuntary manslaughter.

Earlier in the day, Trell testified that he had been told that Jackson passed a medical exam for an insurance policy “with flying colors” a few months before his death. A second insurance exam had been scheduled for July 6, 2009 -- about two weeks after Jackson died.

The exams were necessary so AEG could buy cancellation insurance for Jackson’s “This Is It” concerts.

Cancellation insurance, Trell said, is a typical way to recoup advances made to an artist when an event falls through. According to its contract with Jackson, AEG had advanced the singer close to $30 million.

Insurance carriers, however, were “skittish” due to tabloid reports about Jackson’s health, Trell said. Stebbins Bina said their concerns did not include drugs, painkillers, alcohol or sleep disorders.

In addition to the tour contract, Trell said Jackson and AEG had an agreement that proposed developing as many as three films together, one of which was related to his “Thriller” video.

When nothing was developed by the agreement’s June 1, 2009, deadline, AEG sent a proposed amendment to extend that date to Jackson’s representatives, Trell said.

“I think the interest was still there on Mr. Jackson’s side, and I know we were interested in helping him realize what he wanted to accomplish,” Trell said.

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jeff.gottlieb@latimes.com

corina.knoll@latimes.com