Emails show concern for Michael Jackson deterioration

photo In this March 5, 2009, file photo, Michael Jackson announces several concerts at the London O2 Arena at a news conference at the London O2 Arena.

A stage manager who worked on Michael Jackson's ill-fated "This Is It" concert warned an AEG executive days before the star's death that he was in a physical and mental decline and needed help, according to an email shown to jurors on Thursday.

The message from John Hougdahl was written five days before Jackson died in June 2009. The stage manager told AEG executive Randy Phillips that he had seen Jackson deteriorate before his eyes and felt he needed help.

Jackson's mother, Katherine, is suing the entertainment giant's parent company, AEG Live LLC, for negligence in the hiring of Jackson's doctor, who was later convicted of killing the pop superstar with an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.

The trial was recessed until Tuesday when AEG executive Paul Gongaware is scheduled to testify.

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