Michael Jackson lawsuit: AEG did not carry out background check on Conrad Murray 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 $150,000 a month. Murray was convicted in 2011 of administering a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson. "We have a real problem here," Phillips wrote in the message to the CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group. 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. On that same day, Phillips and others met with Jackson and Murray at the singer's home. Hours later, Phillips sent an email to tour director Kenny Ortega telling him not to worry. Ortega had expressed grave concerns about Jackson. "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. Panish called Phillips' statement "a flat out lie." Outside court, AEG's attorney Marvin S. Putnam declined comment on the email or Panish's characterization of it.