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 . `` Did n't your mom ever say if you do n't have anything good to to say about someone , do n'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 . '' Witness : 'Everybody was lying ' after Jackson died .
Court : Katherine Jackson leaves court weeping Thursday . AEG Live lawyer claims boss idea of meeting Jackson is ` ` kind of creepy '' Jackson 's mother and children claim the concert promoter is liable in his death . ##EG Live : Jackson , not it , chose the people involved in his death .