Los Angeles ( CNN ) -- Dr. Conrad Murray claimed he was giving up a $ 1-million-a-month medical practice to serve as Michael Jackson 's doctor , a lawyer testified Tuesday . Kathy Jorrie , who negotiated and wrote the contract between AEG Live and Murray , was called as a witness in the wrongful death trial of the concert promoter . Murray , who agreed to work as Jackson 's full-time physician for his comeback concerts for $ 150,000 a month , is serving a prison term for involuntary manslaughter in Jackson 's drug overdose death . Michael Jackson 's mother and three children are suing AEG Live , contending the concert promoter was liable in his death because it negligently hired , retained or supervised Murray . Drug use explored in trial . Murray told Jorrie during negotiations that he was closing down four medical clinics that were making $ 1 million each month to take the job , Jorrie testified . Testimony in Murray 's criminal trial revealed he only operated two clinics -- one in Las Vegas , Nevada , and the other in Houston , Texas . A Los Angeles Police detective testified earlier in this civil trial that Murray was more than $ 1 million in debt and that his Las Vegas medical clinic faced eviction in the months before he was hired to treat Jackson . Jackson lawyers argue AEG Live executives were negligent because they failed to check Murray 's background , which they contend would have revealed his debts and misrepresentations about his successful practices . Michael Jackson trial : Who is Debbie Rowe ? AEG Live executives testified that they relied on assurances by Jackson that Murray was his `` longtime personal doctor , '' concluding that he was competent for the tour position . A music industry veteran hired as an expert witness by Jackson lawyers testified earlier that AEG Live 's negotiations with Murray were `` highly inappropriate . '' The agreement to pay Murray $ 150,000 a month set up an `` egregious '' conflict of interest in which the physician was beholden to the company and himself before Jackson 's interests , David Berman , who once headed Capitol Records and worked for decades as an entertainment lawyer , testified . The contractual relationship between AEG Live and Murray was `` not unlike the team doctor for a football team , where the quarterback is injured and the doctor comes to the medical conclusion that the quarterback should be taken out of the game for a period of weeks , but the team does n't want him out , '' Berman said . `` There is an inherent conflict . '' Bad news hurt Jackson 's earning potential . Berman , called as an expert witness on music industry contracts , also noted that the contract said AEG Live could terminate Murray if concerts were postponed or canceled . `` The fact that if the tour is even just postponed that AEG Live has the ability to cease any further compensation for Dr. Murray , giving Dr. Murray even greater conflict of interest since he was in financial dire straits . He did need this gig and if it was postponed , which could hypothetically be in the best interest of Michael Jackson , he ran the risk of losing any further compensation , '' he testified . Berman testified that AEG Live executives should have recognized there could be a problem with Murray when he initially asked for $ 5 million for one year as Jackson 's doctor . `` That is a pretty bizarre amount , '' he said . The eventual agreement to pay the doctor $ 150,000 a month was still `` an exorbitant amount , more than any other person on the tour was paid , '' he said . `` Even more of a red flag since AEG was aware of another doctor who was willing to take the job for $ 40,000 a month . '' Murray told investigators that he gave Jackson nightly infusions of the surgical anesthetic propofol for two months to treat his insomnia . The coroner ruled Jackson died from a propofol overdose on June 25 , 2009 . The wrongful death trial , in its 15th week , is expected to continue into September . Read more : Ex-bodyguard testifies about singer 's drug use .
Lawyer Kathy Jorrie negotiated and wrote the contract between AEG Live and Dr. Murray . Murray told Jorrie he was closing four profitable clinics to take the job as Jackson 's doctor . An investigator testified Murray was $ 1 million in debt and his clinic faced eviction . Jackson lawsuit contends AEG Live failed to check Murray 's background .