LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Sources "very close" to Michael Jackson's family denied claims by former British child acting star Mark Lester that he could be the biological father of the singer's daughter Paris, People magazine reported.
Lester, who played Oliver Twist in the 1968 film musical "Oliver!" told the News of the World: "I gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids -- and I believe Paris is my daughter."
The 51-year-old Briton, who was a friend of Jackson and is godfather to all three of his children, said he was willing to take a paternity test to establish whether or not he is the father of 11-year-old Paris.
But People, citing sources close to the King of Pop's family, said Lester has never claimed to be Paris's father, although they acknowledged he had donated sperm to Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50.
"They twisted his words around. He's not claiming to be the father of Paris Jackson," one source told the magazine, which specializes in news about entertainment stars.
The family's lawyer Londell McMillan downplayed the reports, saying "these are just merely claims with no legal standing whatsoever."
The probate court, he added, has no reason to go against its finding that Jackson was the father to Paris, Prince Michael, 12, and Prince Michael II, 7.
The birth mother of the two eldest children is former nurse Debbie Rowe, and the youngest, who is known as "Blanket," was conceived by a surrogate whose identity has not yet been revealed.
Lester "has known Michael (Jackson) for many years and his children play with Michael's children," Brian Oxman, a long-time family friend and former lawyer told the magazine, saying Lester had never hinted he was Paris' father.
Marc Schaffel, another Jackson associate, said the pop star made Lester godfather to all three of his children at a small, private ceremony in October 2003 when they were baptised.
Lester says Jackson first told him he was desperate to be a father in 1996. Both were then aged 37 and Lester already had three children.
Lester suggested the donation and Jackson agreed, with the arrangements being made through a Harley Street clinic in February of that year.
Eight months later, Jackson announced he had married nurse Debbie Rowe and three months later, the couple revealed the birth of Prince.
Paris was born just over a year later, in April 1998.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
'This is It': Jackson film out in October
US pop megastar Michael Jackson pointing to fans during the Sony music awards in 1996 at the Sydney Opera House. Sony studios announced Monday it would release on October 30 a film about Michael Jackson, "This Is It," drawn from hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage taken in the days before he died.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Fans will get to see Michael Jackson's final rehearsals in a film to be released on October 30, just four months after the sudden death of the King of Pop, Sony studios announced Monday.
"This Is It," is drawn from hundreds of hours of backstage footage of Jackson rehearsing and will feature interviews with some of his closest friends and creative collaborators.
It is named after the series of 50 London concerts the star had planned to perform for his July farewell -- before his death from an apparent cardiac arrest on June 25 at a rented mansion in Los Angeles shocked the world.
Sony said the film "will offer Jackson fans and music lovers worldwide a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the performer, his career and the stage spectacular that would have been."
Most of the footage was shot in June 2009 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, home of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team, which later became the site for the Jackson tribute watched by millions of people around the world. Other scenes were shot at The Forum in Inglewood, California.
The footage was "captured in high definition with state-of-the-art digital sounds," Sony said, adding that select sequences would be in 3-D.
Sony Pictures Entertainment and Sony Music Entertainment will co-produce the film with AEG Live and the estate, while Sony Pictures will distribute the film worldwide, Sony said.
The pop icon's mother, Katherine Jackson, also gave her approval to the multi-million-dollar deal approved by Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Beckloff.
Neither Sony nor the court released figures of the deal reached with Jackson's estate and concert promoters AEG Live, but media reports said Sony paid 60 million dollars for rights to the footage.
AEG Live has yet to give its approval on the sharing of profits from the distribution of the footage.
Kenny Ortega, Jackson's creative partner on the "This Is It" concerts, said, "the world will see what our team was so fortunate to experience, which was the full commitment, passion and creativity that Michael put into this project."
It, "will show Michael as he truly was, creatively involved with every aspect of the production, from the staging and choreography, to the music, lighting, production design and conception of the original short films and video backdrops," he said.
The film announcement came as the Los Angeles County coroner's office said it had completed a "thorough and comprehensive" autopsy but would not release the results until police complete their investigation.
The probe has so far revealed that Jackson had a long addiction to painkillers.
Separately, Judge Beckloff said he was considering appointing a special guardian to represent the financial interests of Jackson's three orphaned children who are now heirs to his massive music empire.
The decision is intended to uphold the interests of Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II -- known as "Blanket" -- independently of the managers of Jackson's estate and their grandmother, who is their guardian.
More than a month after the singer's death, Jackson's family has yet to decide on a burial site.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Doctor gave Jackson drug that killed him: CNN
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's doctor administered the powerful drug police believed killed the music superstar, CNN quoting a source with knowledge of the investigation reported.
Doctor Conrad Murray has become the focus of the probe into Jackson's death amid reports that bottles of the potent anesthetic propofol were found at the star's mansion after his tragic June 25 demise.
A report on CNN's website did not give further information and a spokeswoman for Murray's legal team refused to comment. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department also declined to comment.
Jackson's cause of death has been deferred pending the outcome of toxicology tests following a June 25 post mortem. Those test results could be released later this week.
The report comes just days after federal agents and detectives swooped without warning on Murray's Houston office, revealing for the first time in a search warrant that Jackson's death was being treated as possible manslaughter.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say it should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist and there could be no reason for it to be in Jackson's home.
Lawyers for Murray said in a statement last week the doctor was keen to assist authorities in their investigation and was preparing for a third meeting with police after two earlier interviews.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.
Murray is currently in Las Vegas, his legal team said, and Chernoff insisted that "based on Dr Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges.
"Dr Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him," Chernoff said.
"Dr Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice."
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding Murray.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine,'" family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Doctor Conrad Murray has become the focus of the probe into Jackson's death amid reports that bottles of the potent anesthetic propofol were found at the star's mansion after his tragic June 25 demise.
A report on CNN's website did not give further information and a spokeswoman for Murray's legal team refused to comment. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department also declined to comment.
Jackson's cause of death has been deferred pending the outcome of toxicology tests following a June 25 post mortem. Those test results could be released later this week.
The report comes just days after federal agents and detectives swooped without warning on Murray's Houston office, revealing for the first time in a search warrant that Jackson's death was being treated as possible manslaughter.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say it should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist and there could be no reason for it to be in Jackson's home.
Lawyers for Murray said in a statement last week the doctor was keen to assist authorities in their investigation and was preparing for a third meeting with police after two earlier interviews.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.
Murray is currently in Las Vegas, his legal team said, and Chernoff insisted that "based on Dr Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges.
"Dr Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him," Chernoff said.
"Dr Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice."
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding Murray.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine,'" family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Police search Vegas home of Jackson doctor
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AFP) - - Police and federal agents swooped on the Las Vegas home of Michael Jackson's doctor on Tuesday as speculation about possible criminal charges in the case intensified.
Local television networks showed several police cars outside doctor Conrad Murray's residence in the Nevada gambling haven, less than a week after authorities carried out a raid on the doctor's Houston office.
Lawyers for Murray said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) had executed a search warrant for Jackson's medical records.
"The search warrant authorized investigators to look for medical records relating to Michael Jackson and all of his reported aliases," Murray's legal team said in a statement.
Murray was present during the search and assisted officers who seized cell phones and a computer hard drive, the doctor's lawyers said.
Agents also carried out a search of Murray's Las Vegas office. A red curtain was erected in front of the doorway to the office to prevent outsiders from seeing activity inside, an AFP reporter witnessed.
Officers were combing both paper and computerized records, a source familiar with the investigation told AFP.
Last week DEA agents and police descended on Murray's Houston, Texas practice with a search warrant seeking evidence for the "offense of manslaughter."
CNN reported Monday that police believe Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of an anesthetic Propofol, which is marketed under the trade name Diprivan.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say the drug should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist under strict monitoring conditions.
The possibility that Murray gave Jackson the drug intravenously has fueled speculation he may be charged with homicide.
Lawyers for Murray, who have repeatedly insisted he is innocent of criminal wrongdoing, issued a statement late Monday urging calm amid the flurry of reports suggesting the physician faced criminal charges.
"Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long delayed toxicology results... Things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
TMZ.com reported that Murray had told police in an interview he gave Jackson Propofol via an intravenous drip.
The website reported police believe Murray may have fallen asleep while the drug was being administered, and awoke to find the singer already dead.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office confirmed that results of tests carried out on Jackson's body will be revealed by the end of the week, a move that could enhance the likelihood of criminal charges depending on the findings.
ABC News reported Tuesday that pathologists also discovered a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in Jackson's emaciated body, including the powerful painkillers OxyContin and Demerol.
In the aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding the doctor's role, citing Murray's failure to call paramedics immediately after discovering the star.
Murray was also criticized for attempting to give CPR to Jackson while he lay on a bed, even though established medical practice calls for the patient to be placed on a hard surface.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation," family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
Jackson died aged 50 on June 25 in Los Angeles as he prepared to make a gruelling 50-date series of comeback concerts in London.
Local television networks showed several police cars outside doctor Conrad Murray's residence in the Nevada gambling haven, less than a week after authorities carried out a raid on the doctor's Houston office.
Lawyers for Murray said Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents and detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) had executed a search warrant for Jackson's medical records.
"The search warrant authorized investigators to look for medical records relating to Michael Jackson and all of his reported aliases," Murray's legal team said in a statement.
Murray was present during the search and assisted officers who seized cell phones and a computer hard drive, the doctor's lawyers said.
Agents also carried out a search of Murray's Las Vegas office. A red curtain was erected in front of the doorway to the office to prevent outsiders from seeing activity inside, an AFP reporter witnessed.
Officers were combing both paper and computerized records, a source familiar with the investigation told AFP.
Last week DEA agents and police descended on Murray's Houston, Texas practice with a search warrant seeking evidence for the "offense of manslaughter."
CNN reported Monday that police believe Murray gave Jackson a lethal dose of an anesthetic Propofol, which is marketed under the trade name Diprivan.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say the drug should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist under strict monitoring conditions.
The possibility that Murray gave Jackson the drug intravenously has fueled speculation he may be charged with homicide.
Lawyers for Murray, who have repeatedly insisted he is innocent of criminal wrongdoing, issued a statement late Monday urging calm amid the flurry of reports suggesting the physician faced criminal charges.
"Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long delayed toxicology results... Things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
TMZ.com reported that Murray had told police in an interview he gave Jackson Propofol via an intravenous drip.
The website reported police believe Murray may have fallen asleep while the drug was being administered, and awoke to find the singer already dead.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office confirmed that results of tests carried out on Jackson's body will be revealed by the end of the week, a move that could enhance the likelihood of criminal charges depending on the findings.
ABC News reported Tuesday that pathologists also discovered a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in Jackson's emaciated body, including the powerful painkillers OxyContin and Demerol.
In the aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding the doctor's role, citing Murray's failure to call paramedics immediately after discovering the star.
Murray was also criticized for attempting to give CPR to Jackson while he lay on a bed, even though established medical practice calls for the patient to be placed on a hard surface.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation," family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
Jackson died aged 50 on June 25 in Los Angeles as he prepared to make a gruelling 50-date series of comeback concerts in London.
AP source: Michael Jackson's inner sanctum chaotic
By THOMAS WATKINS,Associated Press Writer AP - Tuesday, July 28
LOS ANGELES - With towering ceilings and an elaborate facade, Michael Jackson's rented Beverly Hills mansion was the epitome of opulence.
Inside, on the top floor, the scene was less elegant, according to a law enforcement official.
Clothes and other items were strewn about and handwritten notes stuck on the walls. One read: "children are sweet and innocent." And no one working in the house was allowed upstairs to clean up the mess.
The description of Jackson's private sanctum provides a glimpse into how the pop star was living in the weeks before he died. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, also told The Associated Press on Monday that Jackson's personal doctor administered a powerful anesthetic to help him sleep, and authorities believe the drug killed the pop singer.
Authorities arrived at the singer's house after his death to find a chaotic scene. The temperature upstairs was stiflingly hot, with gas fireplaces and the heating system on high because Jackson always complained of feeling cold, the official said.
The singer's bedroom was a mess, with items seemingly thrown about and some 20 handwritten notes stuck on the walls.
A porcelain girl doll wearing a dress was found on top of the covers of the bed where he slept, the official said.
The official said Jackson regularly received propofol to sleep, relying on the drug like an alarm clock. A doctor would administer it when he went to sleep, then stop the intravenous drip when he wanted to wake up. On June 25, the day Jackson died, Dr. Conrad Murray gave him the drug through an IV sometime after midnight, the official said.
Murray's lawyer, Edward Chernoff, has said the doctor "didn't prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Michael Jackson." When asked Monday about the law enforcement official's statements he said: "We will not be commenting on rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources."
In a more detailed statement posted online late Monday, Chernoff added that "things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
Toxicology reports are still pending, but investigators are working under the theory that propofol caused Jackson's heart to stop, the official said. Jackson is believed to have been using the drug for about two years and investigators are trying to determine how many other doctors administered it, the official said.
Murray, 51, has been identified in court papers as the subject of a manslaughter investigation, and authorities last week raided his office and a storage unit in Houston. Police say Murray is cooperating and have not labeled him a suspect.
Using propofol to sleep exceeds the drug's intended purpose. The drug can depress breathing and lower heart rates and blood pressure. Because of the risks, propofol is supposed to be administered only in medical settings by trained personnel.
___
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Lynn Elber in Tustin, Calif., Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee, and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles.
LOS ANGELES - With towering ceilings and an elaborate facade, Michael Jackson's rented Beverly Hills mansion was the epitome of opulence.
Inside, on the top floor, the scene was less elegant, according to a law enforcement official.
Clothes and other items were strewn about and handwritten notes stuck on the walls. One read: "children are sweet and innocent." And no one working in the house was allowed upstairs to clean up the mess.
The description of Jackson's private sanctum provides a glimpse into how the pop star was living in the weeks before he died. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, also told The Associated Press on Monday that Jackson's personal doctor administered a powerful anesthetic to help him sleep, and authorities believe the drug killed the pop singer.
Authorities arrived at the singer's house after his death to find a chaotic scene. The temperature upstairs was stiflingly hot, with gas fireplaces and the heating system on high because Jackson always complained of feeling cold, the official said.
The singer's bedroom was a mess, with items seemingly thrown about and some 20 handwritten notes stuck on the walls.
A porcelain girl doll wearing a dress was found on top of the covers of the bed where he slept, the official said.
The official said Jackson regularly received propofol to sleep, relying on the drug like an alarm clock. A doctor would administer it when he went to sleep, then stop the intravenous drip when he wanted to wake up. On June 25, the day Jackson died, Dr. Conrad Murray gave him the drug through an IV sometime after midnight, the official said.
Murray's lawyer, Edward Chernoff, has said the doctor "didn't prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Michael Jackson." When asked Monday about the law enforcement official's statements he said: "We will not be commenting on rumors, innuendo or unnamed sources."
In a more detailed statement posted online late Monday, Chernoff added that "things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
Toxicology reports are still pending, but investigators are working under the theory that propofol caused Jackson's heart to stop, the official said. Jackson is believed to have been using the drug for about two years and investigators are trying to determine how many other doctors administered it, the official said.
Murray, 51, has been identified in court papers as the subject of a manslaughter investigation, and authorities last week raided his office and a storage unit in Houston. Police say Murray is cooperating and have not labeled him a suspect.
Using propofol to sleep exceeds the drug's intended purpose. The drug can depress breathing and lower heart rates and blood pressure. Because of the risks, propofol is supposed to be administered only in medical settings by trained personnel.
___
Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Lynn Elber in Tustin, Calif., Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee, and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles.
Experts: Full criminal probe in Jackson case
LOS ANGELES - The odd array of evidence police collected from Michael Jackson's personal physician's clinic and storage unit shows authorities are trying to follow a trail of drugs and looking into the doctor's record keeping as they attempt to unravel what led to the pop star's death.
Search warrants targeting Dr. Conrad Murray's Houston clinic and his storage unit mean authorities have moved into a full-fledged criminal investigation, looking toward the kind of court case they could build against the physician, legal experts said Friday.
"This is no longer a cause of death investigation," said attorney Mark Geragos, who once represented Jackson. "This is about building a criminal case."
Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson said she expects to see search warrants served at more places associated with Murray and for investigators to be interviewing his employees.
"I do think they believe there's high suspicion that he may be responsible" for Jackson's death, she said.
Los Angeles police and Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed the warrants Wednesday. The language in the documents said the evidence is being gathered as part of a manslaughter investigation targeting Murray.
Authorities have not publicly termed their investigation criminal and still say Murray is not a suspect.
The items seized included 27 tablets of the weight loss drug phentermine, a tablet of the muscle relaxant clonazepam, business cards, storage receipts, notices from the Internal Revenue Service and computer hard drives.
Authorities also took e-mails from and correspondence addressed to Stacey Howe. Records listed Howe as "administrator" at Murray's Las Vegas business, Global Cardiovascular Associates Inc. Attempts to reach her Friday were unsuccessful.
Murray, 51, was hired as Jackson's personal physician not long before he died. He was in Jackson's rented Los Angeles mansion when the pop star was found unconscious the morning of June 25 and tried unsuccessfully to revive him.
Murray has kept a low profile since Jackson's death. He was interviewed twice by police but has not spoken publicly. Doors to his Las Vegas office were locked Friday with red curtains drawn behind them.
Los Angeles County assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said a final determination on Jackson's cause of death is not expected until the end of next week, when toxicology reports should be finished.
Jackson had a long history of prescription drug use and was under anesthesia for many medical procedures over the years.
Propofol, a powerful anesthetic that should only be used by specially trained medical professionals, has emerged as an important part of the investigation. Doses of it were found in Jackson's mansion, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation who is not authorized to speak publicly.
The search warrants granted permission for authorities to seize items "including but not limited to billing records, medication orders, transport receipts, billing receipts, medical records and computerized medical records."
Geragos said that indicates police are following a trail which involves purchases of drugs by Murray and possible shipment of drugs to Jackson's home.
The documents seized from his clinic included a "suspension notice" from Doctor's Hospital in Houston as well as "papers regarding incomplete chart" at the same hospital. Also on the list was an expired medical board certificate.
"I can hear the prosecution opening statement in this case already," Geragos said. "They're going to talk about a doctor who had privileges suspended at a hospital for poor record keeping, has financial difficulties and now he gets this once in a lifetime opportunity to get a large paycheck and be the live-in doctor to Michael Jackson."
Geragos said he was not implying that Jackson committed suicide but that reckless use of a drug or a combination of drugs may have led to death.
Mike Bullard, chief executive officer of Doctor's Hospital, said Murray was on staff and worked in a cardiac lab. He said because Murray lived in Las Vegas he was at the hospital only a few days a month and last was seen there in April.
Bullard refused to confirm whether Murray had been given a suspension notice. But Bullard said that if a suspension notice is not on file with the state of Texas _ and the state has no such record _ then such a notice would likely be for a minor infraction like a paperwork mistake.
It's unclear whether the seized IRS notices were related to recent financial troubles at Global Cardiovascular. In a 10-month period ending last fall Murray's business was slapped with more than $400,000 in court judgments: $228,000 to Citicorp Vendor Finance Inc. in November 2007, $71,000 to an education loan company in June 2008 and $135,000 to a leasing company last September.
Murray took a leave from his Nevada practice to accompany Jackson to London for a planned series of 50 concerts. He was to be paid a reported $150,000 per month.
Greg Scott, a former U.S. attorney and district attorney in California, said it will take strong evidence to lead prosecutors to make the leap from finding negligence to finding criminal negligence, the basis of a manslaughter charge. Even if a charge is filed, he said prosecutors won't have an easy time at trial.
"Cases against doctors are extremely difficult," he said. "A jury is being asked to second guess the decisions of a trained professional and we usually don't do that. If a doctor tells us to do something, we do it."
He noted that the standard for conviction is beyond a reasonable doubt and, "If the defense finds even one doctor to testify this was proper treatment, that's reasonable doubt."
___
Associated Press reporters Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Arelis Hernandez in Houston, and researcher Barbara Sambriski in New York, contributed to this report.
Search warrants targeting Dr. Conrad Murray's Houston clinic and his storage unit mean authorities have moved into a full-fledged criminal investigation, looking toward the kind of court case they could build against the physician, legal experts said Friday.
"This is no longer a cause of death investigation," said attorney Mark Geragos, who once represented Jackson. "This is about building a criminal case."
Loyola University law professor Laurie Levenson said she expects to see search warrants served at more places associated with Murray and for investigators to be interviewing his employees.
"I do think they believe there's high suspicion that he may be responsible" for Jackson's death, she said.
Los Angeles police and Drug Enforcement Administration agents executed the warrants Wednesday. The language in the documents said the evidence is being gathered as part of a manslaughter investigation targeting Murray.
Authorities have not publicly termed their investigation criminal and still say Murray is not a suspect.
The items seized included 27 tablets of the weight loss drug phentermine, a tablet of the muscle relaxant clonazepam, business cards, storage receipts, notices from the Internal Revenue Service and computer hard drives.
Authorities also took e-mails from and correspondence addressed to Stacey Howe. Records listed Howe as "administrator" at Murray's Las Vegas business, Global Cardiovascular Associates Inc. Attempts to reach her Friday were unsuccessful.
Murray, 51, was hired as Jackson's personal physician not long before he died. He was in Jackson's rented Los Angeles mansion when the pop star was found unconscious the morning of June 25 and tried unsuccessfully to revive him.
Murray has kept a low profile since Jackson's death. He was interviewed twice by police but has not spoken publicly. Doors to his Las Vegas office were locked Friday with red curtains drawn behind them.
Los Angeles County assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said a final determination on Jackson's cause of death is not expected until the end of next week, when toxicology reports should be finished.
Jackson had a long history of prescription drug use and was under anesthesia for many medical procedures over the years.
Propofol, a powerful anesthetic that should only be used by specially trained medical professionals, has emerged as an important part of the investigation. Doses of it were found in Jackson's mansion, according to a person with knowledge of the investigation who is not authorized to speak publicly.
The search warrants granted permission for authorities to seize items "including but not limited to billing records, medication orders, transport receipts, billing receipts, medical records and computerized medical records."
Geragos said that indicates police are following a trail which involves purchases of drugs by Murray and possible shipment of drugs to Jackson's home.
The documents seized from his clinic included a "suspension notice" from Doctor's Hospital in Houston as well as "papers regarding incomplete chart" at the same hospital. Also on the list was an expired medical board certificate.
"I can hear the prosecution opening statement in this case already," Geragos said. "They're going to talk about a doctor who had privileges suspended at a hospital for poor record keeping, has financial difficulties and now he gets this once in a lifetime opportunity to get a large paycheck and be the live-in doctor to Michael Jackson."
Geragos said he was not implying that Jackson committed suicide but that reckless use of a drug or a combination of drugs may have led to death.
Mike Bullard, chief executive officer of Doctor's Hospital, said Murray was on staff and worked in a cardiac lab. He said because Murray lived in Las Vegas he was at the hospital only a few days a month and last was seen there in April.
Bullard refused to confirm whether Murray had been given a suspension notice. But Bullard said that if a suspension notice is not on file with the state of Texas _ and the state has no such record _ then such a notice would likely be for a minor infraction like a paperwork mistake.
It's unclear whether the seized IRS notices were related to recent financial troubles at Global Cardiovascular. In a 10-month period ending last fall Murray's business was slapped with more than $400,000 in court judgments: $228,000 to Citicorp Vendor Finance Inc. in November 2007, $71,000 to an education loan company in June 2008 and $135,000 to a leasing company last September.
Murray took a leave from his Nevada practice to accompany Jackson to London for a planned series of 50 concerts. He was to be paid a reported $150,000 per month.
Greg Scott, a former U.S. attorney and district attorney in California, said it will take strong evidence to lead prosecutors to make the leap from finding negligence to finding criminal negligence, the basis of a manslaughter charge. Even if a charge is filed, he said prosecutors won't have an easy time at trial.
"Cases against doctors are extremely difficult," he said. "A jury is being asked to second guess the decisions of a trained professional and we usually don't do that. If a doctor tells us to do something, we do it."
He noted that the standard for conviction is beyond a reasonable doubt and, "If the defense finds even one doctor to testify this was proper treatment, that's reasonable doubt."
___
Associated Press reporters Thomas Watkins in Los Angeles, Ken Ritter in Las Vegas and Arelis Hernandez in Houston, and researcher Barbara Sambriski in New York, contributed to this report.
Doctor gave Jackson drug that killed him: CNN
Michael Jackson's doctor administered the powerful drug police believed killed the music superstar, CNN quoting a source with knowledge of the investigation reported.LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's doctor administered the powerful drug police believed killed the music superstar, CNN quoting a source with knowledge of the investigation reported.
Doctor Conrad Murray has become the focus of the probe into Jackson's death amid reports that bottles of the potent anesthetic propofol were found at the star's mansion after his tragic June 25 demise.
A report on CNN's website did not give further information and a spokeswoman for Murray's legal team refused to comment. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department also declined to comment.
Jackson's cause of death has been deferred pending the outcome of toxicology tests following a June 25 post mortem. Those test results could be released later this week.
The report comes just days after federal agents and detectives swooped without warning on Murray's Houston office, revealing for the first time in a search warrant that Jackson's death was being treated as possible manslaughter.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say it should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist and there could be no reason for it to be in Jackson's home.
Lawyers for Murray said in a statement last week the doctor was keen to assist authorities in their investigation and was preparing for a third meeting with police after two earlier interviews.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.
Murray is currently in Las Vegas, his legal team said, and Chernoff insisted that "based on Dr Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges.
"Dr Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him," Chernoff said.
"Dr Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice."
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding Murray.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine,'" family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Doctor Conrad Murray has become the focus of the probe into Jackson's death amid reports that bottles of the potent anesthetic propofol were found at the star's mansion after his tragic June 25 demise.
A report on CNN's website did not give further information and a spokeswoman for Murray's legal team refused to comment. A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department also declined to comment.
Jackson's cause of death has been deferred pending the outcome of toxicology tests following a June 25 post mortem. Those test results could be released later this week.
The report comes just days after federal agents and detectives swooped without warning on Murray's Houston office, revealing for the first time in a search warrant that Jackson's death was being treated as possible manslaughter.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say it should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist and there could be no reason for it to be in Jackson's home.
Lawyers for Murray said in a statement last week the doctor was keen to assist authorities in their investigation and was preparing for a third meeting with police after two earlier interviews.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.
Murray is currently in Las Vegas, his legal team said, and Chernoff insisted that "based on Dr Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges.
"Dr Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him," Chernoff said.
"Dr Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice."
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding Murray.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine,'" family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Police raid Jackson doctor for manslaughter link
AFP - Thursday, July 23US popstar Michael Jackson addresses a press conference at the O2 arena in London, in March 2009. Federal agents and detectives swooped on the offices of Michael Jackson's doctor Wednesday as lawyers for the physician revealed police are treating the star's death as possible homicide.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Federal agents and detectives swooped on the offices of Michael Jackson's doctor, as lawyers for the physician revealed police are treating the star's death as possible manslaughter.
A spokeswoman for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed that a search with the Los Angeles police took place at the offices of the Armstrong medical clinic in Houston, Texas, where doctor Conrad Murray practices.
Murray has emerged as the central figure in the mystery surrounding Jackson's death in Los Angeles on June 25 and was the last person to have seen the tragic pop star alive at his mansion.
The official coroner's report into the 50-year-old singer's demise has deferred the cause of death amid speculation that powerful prescription drugs he was believed to be taking may have been to blame.
Suspicion has also focused on a dangerous sedative -- propofol, which is known by the trade name Diprivan -- used to induce unconsciousness in hospital patients ahead of major surgery, which reports say was also found at Jackson's home.
Television reports showed several law enforcement agents entering Murray's Houston offices in a dramatic new twist to the four-week-old investigation.
Murray's lawyer Ed Chernoff confirmed in a statement that the search warrant served by investigators had been seeking evidence of manslaughter.
"We can confirm that a search warrant was executed today on Dr. Murray's offices in Houston, Texas," Chernoff said.
"The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter."
The wording of the warrant provided the clearest indication yet that authorities are viewing Jackson's death as a criminal matter.
Los Angeles police had previously refused to rule out homicide in the case but had shied away from making any formal announcement that the pop icon's death could result in criminal charges.
In a statement issued by Murray's lawyers late Tuesday, Chernoff said the doctor was anxious to assist authorities in their investigation and that a third meeting with police was to be scheduled after two earlier interviews.
"The coroner wants to clear up the cause of death, we share that goal," Chernoff said. "We don't have access to the most important information in this case... the toxicology report. We're still in the dark like everybody else."
Murray is currently in Las Vegas, his legal team said, and Chernoff insisted that "based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges.
"Dr. Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him," Chernoff said.
"Dr. Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports, he has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard. He can't operate his practice."
In the immediate aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan was unhappy with "unanswered questions" surrounding Murray.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine,'" family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Later Wednesday, an official from the Los Angeles Coroner's office visited the Los Angeles office of Jackson's former nurse Cherilyn Lee to obtain some of the singer's medical records.
Lee said in interviews after Jackson's death that the singer had repeatedly pleaded with her to obtain Diprivan for him but she had refused.
Michael Jackson has fourth child?
Michael Jackson is rumoured to have a fourth child.Omer Bhatti, a 25-year-old Norwegian dancer, is thought to be the 'Billie Jean' singer's child from a one night stand in 1984.
Michael, who passed away last month, is said to have admitted to friends in 2004 he was his father. Omer is now believed to be seeking a DNA test to determine if he is a descendent of the 'King of Pop'.
The performer was also given a front row seat at Michael's memorial service on July 7, sitting next to the star's brothers and sisters, fuelling speculation he is related to the pop icon.
Although Omer's mother Pia and her husband Riz - who have both worked for Michael - refuse to talk about the star, Pia did tell Britain's The Sun newspaper yesterday (21.07.09): "He was the 'King of Pop'. But to us he was so much more."
Omer has also previously spoken about his special bond with the 'Thriller' singer, describing his "loyalty" in 2008.
He said at the time: "Loyalty is the most important thing for me.
"I have contact with Michael, and I think my loyalty to him is the reason we still have our contact. He is an unbelievably good human being."
Omer also lived at Jackson's Neverland ranch home for several years from 1997, and video footage exists of him unwrapping presents with Michael and playing with a toddler, believed to be one of Michael's other children - Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, also known as 'Blanket', seven.
The dancer was also at Neverland, in California, when police raided the property to investigate child molestation allegations in 2003.
Omer first met Michael in Tunisia in 1996 aged 12, and impressed him with his dance moves. He has since performed with the 'Smooth Criminal' singer in public and worked as a Michael tribute act across the globe.
The dancer's stepfather Riz is believed to have worked as a driver for Jackson while his mother is thought to have been a nanny.
Yesterday, Riz confirmed his stepson was in the front row for the emotional memorial concert at the Los Angeles Staples Center.
He said: "I know because I was watching. I told my wife, 'Just wait until the press see this. It's not a small thing.' Make what you like. I don't want to discuss anything."
(C) BANG Media International
Jackson's father suggests foul play in son's death
AP - Tuesday, July 21
LOS ANGELES - The patriarch of the Jackson family says he's taken his son Michael's death "very hard" and believes the doctor who took care of him could be behind the singer's demise.
Joe Jackson appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Monday and implied his son's personal doctor may be to blame for the death.
Joe Jackson told King, "The doctor gave him something to make him rest, and then he don't wake up no more. Something is wrong there."
The family is awaiting the coroner's toxicology report to determine how Michael Jackson died. The results are not expected until next week. The powerful anesthetic propofol was found in the singer's rented home.
LOS ANGELES - The patriarch of the Jackson family says he's taken his son Michael's death "very hard" and believes the doctor who took care of him could be behind the singer's demise.
Joe Jackson appeared on CNN's "Larry King Live" on Monday and implied his son's personal doctor may be to blame for the death.
Joe Jackson told King, "The doctor gave him something to make him rest, and then he don't wake up no more. Something is wrong there."
The family is awaiting the coroner's toxicology report to determine how Michael Jackson died. The results are not expected until next week. The powerful anesthetic propofol was found in the singer's rented home.
Hollywood eyes Michael Jackson movie: report
AFP - Wednesday, July 22LOS ANGELES (AFP)US singer Michael Jackson performs at the World Music Awards in Earls Court, London, in 2006. A Hollywood movie made using footage of Jackson rehearsing for his planned series of comeback concerts could hit theaters by the end of this year, US media reports said Monday.
A Hollywood movie made using footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his planned series of comeback concerts could hit theaters by the end of this year, US media reports have said.
Daily Variety reported that Sony Pictures studio was close to agreeing a 50-million-dollar deal for worldwide rights to nearly 80 hours of footage showing pop icon Jackson rehearsing before his death.
The report said AEG Entertainment, the company which owns the material and had been behind Jackson's proposed series of concerts in London, had screened the footage to Hollywood studio executives last week.
Variety reported that Kenny Ortega, the choreographer for Jackson's new "This Is It" concerts and the director of hit film "High School Musical," was expected to direct the movie.
So far only a brief snippet of Jackson's concert rehearsals have been revealed to the public.
Footage released on July 2 showed Jackson practicing a song-and-dance routine at Los Angeles's Staples Center two days before his death, supporting accounts he had been in good health.
Associates of Jackson have described the 50-year-old pop star as being in good form, including at another rehearsal the day before his death.
Jackson collapsed and died on June 25 at his rented Los Angeles mansion. A final cause of death has not been revealed as coroner's await the results of toxicology tests.
Daily Variety reported that Sony Pictures studio was close to agreeing a 50-million-dollar deal for worldwide rights to nearly 80 hours of footage showing pop icon Jackson rehearsing before his death.
The report said AEG Entertainment, the company which owns the material and had been behind Jackson's proposed series of concerts in London, had screened the footage to Hollywood studio executives last week.
Variety reported that Kenny Ortega, the choreographer for Jackson's new "This Is It" concerts and the director of hit film "High School Musical," was expected to direct the movie.
So far only a brief snippet of Jackson's concert rehearsals have been revealed to the public.
Footage released on July 2 showed Jackson practicing a song-and-dance routine at Los Angeles's Staples Center two days before his death, supporting accounts he had been in good health.
Associates of Jackson have described the 50-year-old pop star as being in good form, including at another rehearsal the day before his death.
Jackson collapsed and died on June 25 at his rented Los Angeles mansion. A final cause of death has not been revealed as coroner's await the results of toxicology tests.
Michael Jackson's confused son
Michael Jackson's youngest son thinks his father is on holiday.Prince Michael II, also known as 'Blanket', doesn't realise his singer dad died last month and was left confused after the 'Thriller' star's memorial service in Los Angeles.
Mark Lester - who is godfather to Michael's three children, Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old 'Blanket' - told Hello! magazine: "It is obvious to me that Blanket is still unsure about what exactly happened to his father. He said, 'Where's daddy gone? On holiday?' It was a rhetorical question and it broke my heart.
"Prince was taciturn, unusual for him, but we still had a hug. Paris gave me a tight hug and we just held each other for a while. We were both welling up. I told her that her dad would always lie in her heart and be remembered by at least half of the world. Paris replied, 'I'm just glad he is at peace.' "
British actor Mark, who rose to fame as a child star in movie musical 'Oliver!', also revealed his three godchildren - who are currently being looked after by Michael's mother Katherine Jackson, who has temporary custody of them - have begged to spend this Christmas with him and his family.
He said: "Paris was disappointed my daughters couldn't come to the memorial. She asked me, 'Can we come and stay with you at Christmas and I can bring the presents?'
"I was very touched and still hope it can be arranged. It's difficult to say until the custody arrangements have been finalised."
Mark, who is planning to attend the service when Michael's body is buried, also insisted Prince Michael I and Paris have no relationship with their biological mother, Michael's ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
The 50-year-old star explained: "The children don't know her and haven't seen her for years. The possibility the three children might be split up - 'Blanket', of course, is by another mother - is unthinkable and I believe it would be disastrous for them."
Meanwhile, Michael's father Joe Jackson has denied beating his son when he was growing up.
When asked about allegations he physically harmed Michael as a child, Joe told US TV talk show host Larry King: "That is a bunch of bull. That is not true. I never have. I raised him just like you would raise your kids. Why would I harm Michael? He was my son and I loved him. I still love him."
It was recently alleged Michael was left sterile and unable to have children after Joe kicked him in the testicles when he younger.
C) BANG Media International
Mark Lester - who is godfather to Michael's three children, Prince Michael I, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old 'Blanket' - told Hello! magazine: "It is obvious to me that Blanket is still unsure about what exactly happened to his father. He said, 'Where's daddy gone? On holiday?' It was a rhetorical question and it broke my heart.
"Prince was taciturn, unusual for him, but we still had a hug. Paris gave me a tight hug and we just held each other for a while. We were both welling up. I told her that her dad would always lie in her heart and be remembered by at least half of the world. Paris replied, 'I'm just glad he is at peace.' "
British actor Mark, who rose to fame as a child star in movie musical 'Oliver!', also revealed his three godchildren - who are currently being looked after by Michael's mother Katherine Jackson, who has temporary custody of them - have begged to spend this Christmas with him and his family.
He said: "Paris was disappointed my daughters couldn't come to the memorial. She asked me, 'Can we come and stay with you at Christmas and I can bring the presents?'
"I was very touched and still hope it can be arranged. It's difficult to say until the custody arrangements have been finalised."
Mark, who is planning to attend the service when Michael's body is buried, also insisted Prince Michael I and Paris have no relationship with their biological mother, Michael's ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
The 50-year-old star explained: "The children don't know her and haven't seen her for years. The possibility the three children might be split up - 'Blanket', of course, is by another mother - is unthinkable and I believe it would be disastrous for them."
Meanwhile, Michael's father Joe Jackson has denied beating his son when he was growing up.
When asked about allegations he physically harmed Michael as a child, Joe told US TV talk show host Larry King: "That is a bunch of bull. That is not true. I never have. I raised him just like you would raise your kids. Why would I harm Michael? He was my son and I loved him. I still love him."
It was recently alleged Michael was left sterile and unable to have children after Joe kicked him in the testicles when he younger.
C) BANG Media International
Friday, July 17, 2009
New Michael Jackson song leaked to celebrity website
AFP - Friday, July 17A large screen displays a portrait of Michael Jackson during a memorial service for the music legend at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California, on July 7, 2009. A new Michael Jackson song titled "A Place with No Name" was unveiled on the celebrity news website TMZ.com on Thursday, three weeks after the death of the "King of Pop."
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - A new Michael Jackson song titled "A Place with No Name" was unveiled on the celebrity news website TMZ.com on Thursday, three weeks after the death of the "King of Pop."
The website, the first media outlet to report Jackson's death on June 25, carries a snippet of the song, saying it was unclear when it was recorded.
The lyrics and the tune are similar to the 1971 hit ballad "A Horse with No Name" by the group America.
"The band was honored that Michael chose to do their song and they hope it becomes available for all Michael's fans to hear," Jim Morey, America's current manager, told TMZ.com.
Morey was also Jackson's manager in the late 1980s and early 1990s, according to TMZ.com.
Jackson's death, at the age of 50 from an apparent cardiac arrest, has fueled sales of his music worldwide.
New video shows Jackson's head catching fire
AFP - Friday, July 17
NEW YORK (AFP) - - A US entertainment magazine has released never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's hair catching fire while filming a commercial in 1984, an accident it said led to an addiction to painkillers.
The harrowing video shows Jackson dancing down stairs for the commercial completely unaware that his head is in flames.
The "King of Pop" was making a Pepsi advert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 27, 1984 when the horrific accident took place, caused by fireworks that exploded too early.
Jackson suffered severe burns to his hair and scalp. "He was never the same after the accident," Us Weekly said in a report accompanying the release of the video late Wednesday. The 50-year-old superstar died on June 25 from an apparent cardiac arrest.
Still images of the accident had been released but the video had never been shown publicly before. Contacted by AFP, Us Weekly refused to reveal how it obtained the copy.
"As a policy we do not comment on how we acquire material," said Cheryl Crowley, a spokesperson for the magazine.
Jackson, 25 and at the height of his "Thriller" fame when the video was shot, made the commercial with his brothers with thousands of fans in the audience.
In the video, the first try appeared to go smoothly, with Jackson dancing down the steps in his signature moves, but the director ordered more takes.
It was the sixth take that went horribly wrong, the video showing Jackson facing the audience beneath a lighting rig when the fireworks exploded around him. He kept dancing and spinning, unaware that his hair and head were burning.
The flames went out when he twisted around as part of his routine. But others saw the accident and security guards rushed to the scene in a split second. His brother Jermaine turned to see Michael Jackson in trouble.
As Jackson emerged, it became clear some of his hair had burnt off.
Pictures were released at the time of Jackson being taken away in an ambulance, his head in bandages, but still holding up his trademark sequined white glove.
"To relieve the second and third-degree burns on his scalp and body (and later to help him tolerate multiple surgeries on the scorched spot on his head), Jackson was prescribed several medications -- which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery," Us Weekly quoted sources as saying.
Friends and relatives have said since Jackson's sudden death that he was addicted to painkillers.
But one of Jackson's former agents, Jay Coleman, told AFP that it was "reckless and totally unjustified" to blame the accident during the Pepsi commercial for his drug addiction.
"Pepsi is being made a scapegoat here. It is grossly unfair for the media to blame this incident as the start of all his troubles," said Coleman who managed the Pepsi-Michael Jackson relationship for 10 years.
Jackson "never put a blame on Pepsi. Pepsi made a donation of over a million dollars to start a burns center in his name and they paid for all the medical expenses," Coleman said.
"The issue for Michael -- and I worked with him and his entourage for 10 years -- wasn't this incident, it was the fact that for over 25 years he had constant surgery.
"He had lots of procedures and those procedures and surgeries continually led him to take painkillers. That addiction developed over a long period of time and you need doctors who will enable him to continue to take those drugs."
Los Angeles police said Wednesday they were investigating Jackson's death, but would not confirm it was being treated as a homicide investigation, as reported by entertainment website TMZ.com.
TMZ, citing "multiple" law enforcement sources, said "the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol (Diprivan) as the primary cause of Jackson's death" and that the Los Angeles Police Department was focusing on Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray.
NEW YORK (AFP) - - A US entertainment magazine has released never-before-seen footage of Michael Jackson's hair catching fire while filming a commercial in 1984, an accident it said led to an addiction to painkillers.
The harrowing video shows Jackson dancing down stairs for the commercial completely unaware that his head is in flames.
The "King of Pop" was making a Pepsi advert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on January 27, 1984 when the horrific accident took place, caused by fireworks that exploded too early.
Jackson suffered severe burns to his hair and scalp. "He was never the same after the accident," Us Weekly said in a report accompanying the release of the video late Wednesday. The 50-year-old superstar died on June 25 from an apparent cardiac arrest.
Still images of the accident had been released but the video had never been shown publicly before. Contacted by AFP, Us Weekly refused to reveal how it obtained the copy.
"As a policy we do not comment on how we acquire material," said Cheryl Crowley, a spokesperson for the magazine.
Jackson, 25 and at the height of his "Thriller" fame when the video was shot, made the commercial with his brothers with thousands of fans in the audience.
In the video, the first try appeared to go smoothly, with Jackson dancing down the steps in his signature moves, but the director ordered more takes.
It was the sixth take that went horribly wrong, the video showing Jackson facing the audience beneath a lighting rig when the fireworks exploded around him. He kept dancing and spinning, unaware that his hair and head were burning.
The flames went out when he twisted around as part of his routine. But others saw the accident and security guards rushed to the scene in a split second. His brother Jermaine turned to see Michael Jackson in trouble.
As Jackson emerged, it became clear some of his hair had burnt off.
Pictures were released at the time of Jackson being taken away in an ambulance, his head in bandages, but still holding up his trademark sequined white glove.
"To relieve the second and third-degree burns on his scalp and body (and later to help him tolerate multiple surgeries on the scorched spot on his head), Jackson was prescribed several medications -- which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery," Us Weekly quoted sources as saying.
Friends and relatives have said since Jackson's sudden death that he was addicted to painkillers.
But one of Jackson's former agents, Jay Coleman, told AFP that it was "reckless and totally unjustified" to blame the accident during the Pepsi commercial for his drug addiction.
"Pepsi is being made a scapegoat here. It is grossly unfair for the media to blame this incident as the start of all his troubles," said Coleman who managed the Pepsi-Michael Jackson relationship for 10 years.
Jackson "never put a blame on Pepsi. Pepsi made a donation of over a million dollars to start a burns center in his name and they paid for all the medical expenses," Coleman said.
"The issue for Michael -- and I worked with him and his entourage for 10 years -- wasn't this incident, it was the fact that for over 25 years he had constant surgery.
"He had lots of procedures and those procedures and surgeries continually led him to take painkillers. That addiction developed over a long period of time and you need doctors who will enable him to continue to take those drugs."
Los Angeles police said Wednesday they were investigating Jackson's death, but would not confirm it was being treated as a homicide investigation, as reported by entertainment website TMZ.com.
TMZ, citing "multiple" law enforcement sources, said "the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol (Diprivan) as the primary cause of Jackson's death" and that the Los Angeles Police Department was focusing on Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Jackson's Hair Horror 'Sparked Pill Addiction'
A harrowing accident that happened while Michael Jackson was filming a commercial may have fuelled his addiction to painkillers, it has been claimed. Skip related content
Shocking new video footage has revealed the star was severely injured when his hair caught fire from a special effects explosion. 
The singer was filming a TV ad for Pepsi in the Los Angeles Auditorium in January 27, 1984 when disaster struck.
Usmagazine.com's clip shows Jackson dancing on stage in a glittering suit while pyrotechnic displays explode around him, as planned.
But during the sixth take the stunt goes horribly wrong - the fireworks go off too early and Jackson's hair catches on fire.
At first Jackson is apparently unaware his head is on fire and continues dancing for several seconds until the crew descends on him to douse the flames.
Jackson suffered second and third-degree burns on his scalp, face and body for which he had to have surgery.
To relieve his injuries, the star was prescribed several medications, which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery, Usmagazine.com says.
Sources close to Jackson have claimed he was never the same after the accident, the website adds.
Powerful painkillers were discovered in Jackson's body when he died from a suspected cardiac arrest on June 25, aged 50.
Reports have said Jackson regularly took a cocktail of up to eight painkillers to help him deal with the pain of his surgery and injuries.
The day after his death, Jackson family lawyer Brian Oxman described the King of Pop's use of opiates as "extensive".
Usmagazine.com's clip shows Jackson dancing on stage in a glittering suit while pyrotechnic displays explode around him, as planned.
But during the sixth take the stunt goes horribly wrong - the fireworks go off too early and Jackson's hair catches on fire.
At first Jackson is apparently unaware his head is on fire and continues dancing for several seconds until the crew descends on him to douse the flames.
Jackson suffered second and third-degree burns on his scalp, face and body for which he had to have surgery.
To relieve his injuries, the star was prescribed several medications, which kicked off his addiction to painkillers and obsession with plastic surgery, Usmagazine.com says.
Sources close to Jackson have claimed he was never the same after the accident, the website adds.
Powerful painkillers were discovered in Jackson's body when he died from a suspected cardiac arrest on June 25, aged 50.
Reports have said Jackson regularly took a cocktail of up to eight painkillers to help him deal with the pain of his surgery and injuries.
The day after his death, Jackson family lawyer Brian Oxman described the King of Pop's use of opiates as "extensive".
LA police do not confirm reported Jackson homicide probe
Los Angeles police on Wednesday said they were investigating pop icon Michael Jackson's death, but would not confirm it was being treated as a homicide investigation, as reported by entertainment website TMZ.com.
"It's a death investigation, still an investigation, ongoing as death investigation, that's the only thing that we can say," LAPD spokesperson Amanda Betat told AFP.
TMZ.com reported the Los Angeles Police Department is treating Michael Jackson's death as a homicide and is focusing on doctor Conrad Murray.
The pop icon's family has spoken of "unanswered questions" concerning Murray's role in the final hours of Jackson's life. Murray's lawyers insist he has been cleared of wrongdoing.
TMZ, citing "multiple" law enforcement sources, said "the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol as the primary cause of Jackson's death."
Law enforcement sources told TMZ there was already "plenty of powerful evidence" pointing to Murray, 51, as the person who administered the drug, whose brand name is Diprivan, to the "King of Pop."
The evidence, TMZ said, includes items found in Jackson's rented mansion, including Propofol, an IV stand and an oxygen tank.
The report came after the Los Angeles County Coroner's office subpoenaed the superstar's dermatologist Arnold Klein on Tuesday, seeking "additional medical records" from the physician's Beverly Hills office.
Investigators have been scrutinizing the possible role of drugs in the death of Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.
"It's a death investigation, still an investigation, ongoing as death investigation, that's the only thing that we can say," LAPD spokesperson Amanda Betat told AFP.
TMZ.com reported the Los Angeles Police Department is treating Michael Jackson's death as a homicide and is focusing on doctor Conrad Murray.
The pop icon's family has spoken of "unanswered questions" concerning Murray's role in the final hours of Jackson's life. Murray's lawyers insist he has been cleared of wrongdoing.
TMZ, citing "multiple" law enforcement sources, said "the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol as the primary cause of Jackson's death."
Law enforcement sources told TMZ there was already "plenty of powerful evidence" pointing to Murray, 51, as the person who administered the drug, whose brand name is Diprivan, to the "King of Pop."
The evidence, TMZ said, includes items found in Jackson's rented mansion, including Propofol, an IV stand and an oxygen tank.
The report came after the Los Angeles County Coroner's office subpoenaed the superstar's dermatologist Arnold Klein on Tuesday, seeking "additional medical records" from the physician's Beverly Hills office.
Investigators have been scrutinizing the possible role of drugs in the death of Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.
Police treating Jackson's death as homicide: report
AFP - Thursday, July 16
The late pop icon Michael Jackson in London in March. The Los Angeles Police Department is treating Jackson's death as a homicide and is focusing on doctor Conrad Murray, entertainment website TMZ.com has reported.
LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - The Los Angeles Police Department is treating Michael Jackson's death as a homicide and is focusing on doctor Conrad Murray, entertainment website TMZ.com reported on Wednesday.
The pop icon's family has spoken of "unanswered questions" concerning Murray's role in the final hours of Jackson's life. Murray's lawyers insist he has been cleared of wrongdoing.
TMZ, citing "multiple" law enforcement sources, said "the evidence points to the anesthesia Propofol as the primary cause of Jackson's death."
Law enforcement sources told TMZ there was already "plenty of powerful evidence" pointing to Murray, 51, as the person who administered the drug, whose brand name is Diprivan, to the "King of Pop."
The evidence, TMZ said, includes items found in Jackson's rented mansion, including Propofol, an IV stand and an oxygen tank.
The drug is used to induce unconsciousness in hospital patients ahead of major surgery and experts say it should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist.
The LAPD has already had "multiple conversations with the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office, even though the case has not yet been formally presented to the district attorney, the celebrity website said.
The report came after the Los Angeles County Coroner's office subpoenaed the superstar's dermatologist Arnold Klein on Tuesday, seeking "additional medical records" from the physician's Beverly Hills office.
Investigators have been scrutinizing the possible role of drugs in the death of Jackson, who died on June 25 aged 50 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his home in Los Angeles.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Jackson's ex-wife denies giving up kids
Reuters - Wednesday, July 15By Alex Dobuzinskis
Michael Jackson and ex-wife Debbie Rowe pose for a wedding photo minutes after their wedding ceremony in California in this November 14, 1996 file photo.
LOS ANGELES - An attorney for Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe on Tuesday angrily denied reports that she had agreed to take millions of dollars to give up parental rights to her two children with the King of Pop.
In a letter to the New York Post, attorney Eric George said that Rowe, who was married to Michael Jackson from 1996 to 1999 and is the mother of his two oldest children, "has not and will not" give up her parental rights.
Nor will Rowe, whose attorneys have been in talks with lawyers for Michael Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joe, take any money beyond the spousal support to which she and the singer agreed upon years ago, George's letter states.
In a 2002 will signed by Michael Jackson, he said he had "intentionally omitted" to provide for Rowe.
The New York Post reported on Tuesday that Rowe had agreed to take about $4 million to give up her parental rights to children Prince Michael Jr, 12, and Paris, 11.
George has asked the newspaper to publish a retraction.
In a statement, New York Post editor in chief Col Allan said, "The Post stands by its story."
Katherine Jackson, 79, was granted temporary guardianship of her son's three children on June 29, only days after the "Thriller" singer died.
George's letter states that no agreement has been reached between Rowe and the Jacksons on custody or visitation.
Jackson, who died on June 25 after suffering cardiac arrest at his rented Los Angeles mansion, was the father of a third child named Prince Michael II, 7, but the boy's surrogate mother has never been identified.
Rowe in 2001 sought to give up parental rights to her children, but she later went to court to contest her waiver of those rights and it never went into effect.
A custody hearing on Jackson's three children is set for this coming Monday.
Also on Tuesday, an official from the LA Coroner's office, which is one of several law enforcement agencies investigating Jackson's death, visited the office of Dr. Arnold Klein, the singer's dermatologist, to obtain medical records.
Craig Harvey, a spokesman for the LA Coroner, said results of an autopsy on Jackson will not be released this week or next, as final work is being completed on the case.
Promoter mulls Michael Jackson tribute concert in Britain
The late pop icon Michael Jackson in London in March 2009. The promoter of Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London said Tuesday he was in talks with the late pop star's brothers and sisters about a one-off tribute show.
LONDON (AFP) - - The promoter of Michael Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London said Tuesday he was in talks with the late pop star's brothers and sisters about a one-off tribute show.
The president of promoters AEG Live, Randy Phillips, said he was "confident" of making a decision this week about whether a show would go ahead on Jackson's birthday on August 29.
Jackson had been preparing for a string of sold-out concerts called "This Is It" at London's O2 arena before his sudden death late last month.
"The number one item I'm discussing is presenting "This Is It" the production, hopefully with the Jacksons and maybe Janet, and other artists," Phillips told BBC 6 Music radio station.
"We have to make some hard decisions this week otherwise it will be too late to even contemplate doing anything on (the) 29th," he added.
Phillips said he had also held negotiations with Kenny Ortega, the director of hit movie "High School Musical", who had been directing Jackson's concerts.
"What we're thinking about is one massive tribute that's broadcast around the globe. We've opted to go to broadcast television, either cable/satellite, or traditional broadcast," he said.
Hundreds of fans have gathered outside the O2 Arena in the British capital this week to mark what would have been the start of Jackson's 50 planned concerts.
AEG Live have said they will offer a full refund to all fans who were due to attend. Alternatively, ticket holders can send off for their specially designed tickets to keep as memorabilia.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Jackson wasn't ready for London comeback: father
AFP - Tuesday, July 14LOS ANGELES (AFP) - -
The father of Michael Jackson slammed the gruelling 50-date schedule drawn up for his son's comeback, saying the star was not capable of completing the series of sold-out concerts.
In an interview aired by ABC News, Joe Jackson said he had harbored concerns about his son's schedule, which had been due to get underway in London on July 13 until the tragic King of Pop died on June 25.
Jackson, 79, said his son had initially only wanted to perform in 10 concerts before more dates were added.
"Michael only agreed to 10 shows. Then they went and added all these shows," Joe Jackson told ABC News.
"I was worried about his health because all the shows I'm seeing, no artist can do all those shows, back-to-back like that. I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows without a rest in between."
Jackson's misgivings were echoed by his son's financial advisor Leonard Rowe, who also told ABC News that the star was in no condition to make a comeback, describing reports that he was in good shape as "totally untrue."
"Michael Jackson was not ready. He was not fit. If you can call weighing about 110 to 115 pounds fit. Besides that MJ told me himself that he never wanted to do 50 shows he only wanted to do 10," Rowe told ABC.
Randy Phillips, chief of concert promoters AEG Live, told ABC that it had been Michael Jackson's idea to increase the original run of concerts from 31 to 50, saying the singer would have been averaging under three shows a week.
"If that was too many, then one would have been too many," Phillips said.
Jackson's physical condition in the days leading up to his death last month has been the subject of intense debate, with sharply different versions offered by the singer's associates.
Phillips had earlier said Jackson, 50, appeared to be in "fantastic" shape at a concert rehearsal on the eve of his death.
Another member of the rehearsal, magician-comedian Ed Alonzo, said Jackson "looked great and had great energy."
However reports detailing alleged findings from Jackson's autopsy have painted a different picture, with CNN and ABC both reporting the star's body was riddled with needle marks and had several collapsed veins.
Jackson, 50, died on June 25 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his rented mansion in an up-market neighborhood of Los Angeles.
The father of Michael Jackson slammed the gruelling 50-date schedule drawn up for his son's comeback, saying the star was not capable of completing the series of sold-out concerts.
In an interview aired by ABC News, Joe Jackson said he had harbored concerns about his son's schedule, which had been due to get underway in London on July 13 until the tragic King of Pop died on June 25.
Jackson, 79, said his son had initially only wanted to perform in 10 concerts before more dates were added.
"Michael only agreed to 10 shows. Then they went and added all these shows," Joe Jackson told ABC News.
"I was worried about his health because all the shows I'm seeing, no artist can do all those shows, back-to-back like that. I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows without a rest in between."
Jackson's misgivings were echoed by his son's financial advisor Leonard Rowe, who also told ABC News that the star was in no condition to make a comeback, describing reports that he was in good shape as "totally untrue."
"Michael Jackson was not ready. He was not fit. If you can call weighing about 110 to 115 pounds fit. Besides that MJ told me himself that he never wanted to do 50 shows he only wanted to do 10," Rowe told ABC.
Randy Phillips, chief of concert promoters AEG Live, told ABC that it had been Michael Jackson's idea to increase the original run of concerts from 31 to 50, saying the singer would have been averaging under three shows a week.
"If that was too many, then one would have been too many," Phillips said.
Jackson's physical condition in the days leading up to his death last month has been the subject of intense debate, with sharply different versions offered by the singer's associates.
Phillips had earlier said Jackson, 50, appeared to be in "fantastic" shape at a concert rehearsal on the eve of his death.
Another member of the rehearsal, magician-comedian Ed Alonzo, said Jackson "looked great and had great energy."
However reports detailing alleged findings from Jackson's autopsy have painted a different picture, with CNN and ABC both reporting the star's body was riddled with needle marks and had several collapsed veins.
Jackson, 50, died on June 25 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest at his rented mansion in an up-market neighborhood of Los Angeles.
Michael Jackson toxicology reports expected soon
AP - Tuesday, July 14
LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles coroner's official says toxicology reports that may determine the cause of Michael Jackson's death could be completed this week.
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Monday that some results from tests to determine what substances Jackson had in his body when he died are in. The remaining results are expected at the end of this week or early next week.
Winter said his office would announce when all the tests are done, then publicly release the results the next day.
Jackson died June 25.
Authorities are investigating claims the pop star consumed large amounts of prescription medications. The powerful sedative Diprivan, normally only administered in hospitals, was among items found in his home.
LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles coroner's official says toxicology reports that may determine the cause of Michael Jackson's death could be completed this week.
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Monday that some results from tests to determine what substances Jackson had in his body when he died are in. The remaining results are expected at the end of this week or early next week.
Winter said his office would announce when all the tests are done, then publicly release the results the next day.
Jackson died June 25.
Authorities are investigating claims the pop star consumed large amounts of prescription medications. The powerful sedative Diprivan, normally only administered in hospitals, was among items found in his home.
Fans gather in London where Jackson was to perform
Reuters - Tuesday, July 14
LONDON - Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans gathered outside London's O2 Arena on Monday to pay their respects to the entertainer on the day he was to have opened a run of 50 concerts at the venue.
Jackson died on June 25, just weeks ahead of his eagerly awaited comeback following years of living as a virtual recluse.
The London concerts sold out in record time and some of the 750,000 tickets sold traded hands at hugely inflated prices on the Internet.
Underlining fans' devotion to the "King of Pop", hundreds turned up to the venue anyway, determined to celebrate their favorite musician.
"This was going to be the best summer of my life," said fan Michael. "I was going to go to five shows altogether, it would have been fantastic. I can't believe rather than coming here to see him perform I'm here to mourn ... It's devastating, it really is."
Some fans sat quietly beneath a large screen with a picture of Jackson and the words "Michael Jackson 1958-2009" reflecting on what might have been.
Others, including several Jackson impersonators, led sing-a-longs of his greatest hits.
Will, another fan, said: "We've come here today even if there's no gig tonight. We're making our own gig, our own carnival atmosphere, we're making this what it would have been if Michael had been here."
The man behind chart-topping songs like "Thriller," "Billie Jean" and "Man in the Mirror" has been mourned the world over since his sudden death at the age of 50, and sales of his records have soared.
AEG Live, promoters of Jackson's planned comeback "residency" in London, have offered fans either full refunds for the canceled shows or the option of keeping their commemorative tickets as keepsakes.
Jackson died while rehearsing for the concerts, and AEG has said it hopes to stage a tribute including elements of the This Is It spectacle. Several reports have said organizers are aiming for a date in late August.
LONDON - Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans gathered outside London's O2 Arena on Monday to pay their respects to the entertainer on the day he was to have opened a run of 50 concerts at the venue.
Jackson died on June 25, just weeks ahead of his eagerly awaited comeback following years of living as a virtual recluse.
The London concerts sold out in record time and some of the 750,000 tickets sold traded hands at hugely inflated prices on the Internet.
Underlining fans' devotion to the "King of Pop", hundreds turned up to the venue anyway, determined to celebrate their favorite musician.
"This was going to be the best summer of my life," said fan Michael. "I was going to go to five shows altogether, it would have been fantastic. I can't believe rather than coming here to see him perform I'm here to mourn ... It's devastating, it really is."
Some fans sat quietly beneath a large screen with a picture of Jackson and the words "Michael Jackson 1958-2009" reflecting on what might have been.
Others, including several Jackson impersonators, led sing-a-longs of his greatest hits.
Will, another fan, said: "We've come here today even if there's no gig tonight. We're making our own gig, our own carnival atmosphere, we're making this what it would have been if Michael had been here."
The man behind chart-topping songs like "Thriller," "Billie Jean" and "Man in the Mirror" has been mourned the world over since his sudden death at the age of 50, and sales of his records have soared.
AEG Live, promoters of Jackson's planned comeback "residency" in London, have offered fans either full refunds for the canceled shows or the option of keeping their commemorative tickets as keepsakes.
Jackson died while rehearsing for the concerts, and AEG has said it hopes to stage a tribute including elements of the This Is It spectacle. Several reports have said organizers are aiming for a date in late August.
Monday, July 13, 2009
A&E's Jackson family reality show a thriller
By James HibberdLOS ANGELES - A&E is working on a reality project with the Jackson family which could gain newfound viewer interest in the wake of the King of Pop's death.
The network commissioned a one-hour special following Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy that was originally intended to serve as a "backdoor pilot" for a potential series. The project was commissioned months ago and producers have finished shooting footage that followed Jackson family members as they readied a new album and reunion tour.
A&E planned to air the result as a special, tentatively titled "The Jackson Family," next year, taking a "wait and see" approach and gauging viewer reaction before deciding whether to order the project as a series.
After Michael's unexpected death last month and subsequent intensive media coverage, the question for A&E becomes: What now?
Producers have not shot any additional footage with the family since Jackson's death, leaving the network with a project that's still attractive -- one that uses footage and interviews capturing the current incarnation of The Jacksons as entertainers, entrepreneurs and family members -- yet also has a glaring narrative omission hanging over its current form.
A&E's special will almost certainly have to change to reflect recent events. But the network has not yet decided the best course of action.
"We have started discussing internally and with the family but have not yet decided what direction to take with the show," said A&E executives, in a statement. "We are respecting the family's wishes right now, and at the appropriate time we will all decide what direction this program to take, so stay tuned."
The situation is not entirely unlike TLC's recent wrangling of "Jon & Kate Plus 8," where the collapse of the Gosselins' marriage disrupted the previously agreed-upon "reality" of the reality show.
Jackson's death certificate leaves cause unknown
LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's death certificate has been released without a listed cause of death and a coroner said investigators are still testing the singer's brain.
Public health officials issued the death certificate on Tuesday, the same day public and private memorials were held in Los Angeles. The cause of death is listed as "deferred."
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Jackson's brain, or at least part of it, was still being held by investigators and would be returned to the family for interment once neuropathology tests were completed.
"As soon as we are done with the brain, we will return it," Winter said. "There is a whole series of tests that will be done."
It is not uncommon for the coroner to hold on to a brain or samples from it. Winter said families sometimes delay burying a loved one until after the brain has been returned, but he had received no word from the Jackson family about their intentions.
"The last I heard, they are not burying the body yet," Winter said.
Police and coroner's officials continue to probe what killed the 50-year-old singer on June 25.
On the certificate, Jackson's occupation is listed as a musician. He is described as a high school graduate and divorced. The information provided for the document was given by Jackson's sister, La Toya, one of several family members who rushed to the hospital where Jackson was pronounced dead.
The document doesn't state where Jackson will be buried.
Public health officials issued the death certificate on Tuesday, the same day public and private memorials were held in Los Angeles. The cause of death is listed as "deferred."
Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Jackson's brain, or at least part of it, was still being held by investigators and would be returned to the family for interment once neuropathology tests were completed.
"As soon as we are done with the brain, we will return it," Winter said. "There is a whole series of tests that will be done."
It is not uncommon for the coroner to hold on to a brain or samples from it. Winter said families sometimes delay burying a loved one until after the brain has been returned, but he had received no word from the Jackson family about their intentions.
"The last I heard, they are not burying the body yet," Winter said.
Police and coroner's officials continue to probe what killed the 50-year-old singer on June 25.
On the certificate, Jackson's occupation is listed as a musician. He is described as a high school graduate and divorced. The information provided for the document was given by Jackson's sister, La Toya, one of several family members who rushed to the hospital where Jackson was pronounced dead.
The document doesn't state where Jackson will be buried.
Jackson, healthy or not? Depends on who's talking
LOS ANGELES - In his final days, Michael Jackson was robust and active. Or dangerously thin and frail. Begging for access to powerful prescription drugs. Or showing no signs of ever having used them.
It depends on who's talking.
A dizzying collection of puzzle pieces about Jackson's health and habits has come to light since his death on June 25. With as much as a month before a toxicology report determines the cause, more are sure to emerge.
Each is likely to fuel further speculation. None is sure to produce a satisfying conclusion.
Some who knew him even seem to contradict themselves.
Here's what's known so far:
___
_ During his final rehearsal at the Staples Center, Jackson was captured on video doing his signature moonwalk and dance spins. Randy Phillips, CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, told CNN he was "a healthy, vibrant human being."
_ Phillips later told ABC concert organizers feared that Jackson was losing weight and showing signs of wear and tear. He said he hired a staffer whose purpose was to remind Jackson to eat.
_ Dr. Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, who said he last saw Jackson less than a week before he died, told CNN's Larry King that the singer was in "very good physical condition," in "a very good mood," and "was very happy."
_ Klein also told CNN that he had given Jackson the painkiller Demerol but warned him about using the powerful sedative Diprivan. He also confirmed that Jackson was a former drug addict who went to rehab in England.
_ "The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, who was helping Jackson prepare for a planned series of London concerts, told The Associated Press that he never saw Jackson take drugs, act aloof or speedy, and the singer wasn't frail when he last saw him at the end of May. "I've never seen him look better," he said.
_ Two of Jackson's former confidants, medium Uri Geller and ex-bodyguard Matt Fiddes, said they tried in vain to keep the pop superstar from abusing prescription drugs. Geller said he suffered a terrible falling-out with Jackson over the issue, but not before he had to "shout at Michael, to scream at Michael" in an effort to confiscate the singer's stocks of medication during his travels in England.
_ The drug Diprivan, an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found in Jackson's residence, a law enforcement official told the AP. Also known as Propofol, the drug is given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.
_ Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse, told the AP she repeatedly rejected his demands for Diprivan. But a frantic phone call she received from Jackson four days before his death made her fear that he somehow obtained Diprivan or another drug to induce sleep.
_ Akon, the Senegalese R&B singer and producer with whom Jackson recently recorded songs, told Billboard.com that "Michael is just one of the healthiest people that I know. He was pressuring me to stay healthy, like, 'Akon, eat right. What are you doing out there on the road? Are you eating? Are you exercising? Are you drinking a lot of water?'"
_ Klein said Jackson had been suffering from lupus _ a chronic disease where the immune system attacks the body's own tissue _ and a skin disorder known as vitiligo.
_ Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered CPR on Jackson's bed, rather than a hard surface, "with his hand behind his back to provide the necessary support" because the singer was so frail, the doctor's attorney, Edward Chernoff, said.
_ Chernoff also told the AP that Murray never gave or prescribed Jackson the painkillers Demerol or OxyContin, and said the doctor didn't give the pop star any drugs that contributed to his death.
_ Among other things, Murray's lawyers have acknowledged it took up to 30 minutes for paramedics to be summoned to Jackson's home after he was found unresponsive.
_ Jackson's family requested a private autopsy in part because of questions about Murray's role, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has said.
_ Kevin Mazur, a photographer documenting the Staples Center rehearsals for a tour book, told the AP that Jackson looked in perfect health. "He was very upbeat, very happy, having a good time with the dancers," Mazur said.
_ Spiritual teacher Dr. Deepak Chopra told the AP he had been concerned since 2005 that Jackson was abusing painkillers and spoke to the pop star about suspected drug use as recently as six months ago. Chopra said Jackson, a longtime friend, personally asked him for painkillers in 2005; Chopra said he refused.
_ Los Angeles police chief William Bratton said detectives are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors. He also says police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive and far-reaching" probe, which includes the Drug Enforcement Agency and the state attorney general's office.
___
Associated Press writer Michael R. Blood contributed to this report.
It depends on who's talking.
A dizzying collection of puzzle pieces about Jackson's health and habits has come to light since his death on June 25. With as much as a month before a toxicology report determines the cause, more are sure to emerge.
Each is likely to fuel further speculation. None is sure to produce a satisfying conclusion.
Some who knew him even seem to contradict themselves.
Here's what's known so far:
___
_ During his final rehearsal at the Staples Center, Jackson was captured on video doing his signature moonwalk and dance spins. Randy Phillips, CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, told CNN he was "a healthy, vibrant human being."
_ Phillips later told ABC concert organizers feared that Jackson was losing weight and showing signs of wear and tear. He said he hired a staffer whose purpose was to remind Jackson to eat.
_ Dr. Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, who said he last saw Jackson less than a week before he died, told CNN's Larry King that the singer was in "very good physical condition," in "a very good mood," and "was very happy."
_ Klein also told CNN that he had given Jackson the painkiller Demerol but warned him about using the powerful sedative Diprivan. He also confirmed that Jackson was a former drug addict who went to rehab in England.
_ "The Incredible Hulk" star Lou Ferrigno, who was helping Jackson prepare for a planned series of London concerts, told The Associated Press that he never saw Jackson take drugs, act aloof or speedy, and the singer wasn't frail when he last saw him at the end of May. "I've never seen him look better," he said.
_ Two of Jackson's former confidants, medium Uri Geller and ex-bodyguard Matt Fiddes, said they tried in vain to keep the pop superstar from abusing prescription drugs. Geller said he suffered a terrible falling-out with Jackson over the issue, but not before he had to "shout at Michael, to scream at Michael" in an effort to confiscate the singer's stocks of medication during his travels in England.
_ The drug Diprivan, an anesthetic widely used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness, was found in Jackson's residence, a law enforcement official told the AP. Also known as Propofol, the drug is given intravenously and is very unusual to have in a private home.
_ Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse, told the AP she repeatedly rejected his demands for Diprivan. But a frantic phone call she received from Jackson four days before his death made her fear that he somehow obtained Diprivan or another drug to induce sleep.
_ Akon, the Senegalese R&B singer and producer with whom Jackson recently recorded songs, told Billboard.com that "Michael is just one of the healthiest people that I know. He was pressuring me to stay healthy, like, 'Akon, eat right. What are you doing out there on the road? Are you eating? Are you exercising? Are you drinking a lot of water?'"
_ Klein said Jackson had been suffering from lupus _ a chronic disease where the immune system attacks the body's own tissue _ and a skin disorder known as vitiligo.
_ Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, administered CPR on Jackson's bed, rather than a hard surface, "with his hand behind his back to provide the necessary support" because the singer was so frail, the doctor's attorney, Edward Chernoff, said.
_ Chernoff also told the AP that Murray never gave or prescribed Jackson the painkillers Demerol or OxyContin, and said the doctor didn't give the pop star any drugs that contributed to his death.
_ Among other things, Murray's lawyers have acknowledged it took up to 30 minutes for paramedics to be summoned to Jackson's home after he was found unresponsive.
_ Jackson's family requested a private autopsy in part because of questions about Murray's role, the Rev. Jesse Jackson has said.
_ Kevin Mazur, a photographer documenting the Staples Center rehearsals for a tour book, told the AP that Jackson looked in perfect health. "He was very upbeat, very happy, having a good time with the dancers," Mazur said.
_ Spiritual teacher Dr. Deepak Chopra told the AP he had been concerned since 2005 that Jackson was abusing painkillers and spoke to the pop star about suspected drug use as recently as six months ago. Chopra said Jackson, a longtime friend, personally asked him for painkillers in 2005; Chopra said he refused.
_ Los Angeles police chief William Bratton said detectives are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors. He also says police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive and far-reaching" probe, which includes the Drug Enforcement Agency and the state attorney general's office.
___
Associated Press writer Michael R. Blood contributed to this report.
Report: LaToya Jackson says Michael was murdered
Sun Jul 12, 10:13 am ETLONDON – Two British Sunday newspapers said LaToya Jackson believes her brother Michael Jackson was murdered by a group of conspirators trying to get hold of his fortune.
LaToya Jackson said she knows who is responsible for her brother's death and is determined to see them brought to justice, the News of the World reported.
According to the published interviews with The News of the World and The Mail on Sunday, she did not name any of the people she believes were involved and did not offer any evidence to support her claim that foul play was involved in the singer's sudden death on June 25.
"I feel it was all about money," she was quoted as saying by the News of the World. "Michael was worth well over a billion in music publishing assets and somebody killed him for that. He was worth more dead than alive."
She reportedly said the conspirators used powerful prescription drugs to keep Michael Jackson submissive and under control and also kept him away from his family.
She also claimed, the newspapers reported, that roughly $2 million (1.23 million pounds) worth of cash and jewelry was taken from Michael Jackson's rented mansion and has not been accounted for.
LaToya Jackson also was quoted as saying her brother did not want to perform the 50 London shows he had agreed to, but was pressured into that agreement.
The shows, to mark Michael Jackson's return to concert performing, had been scheduled to begin Monday at London's 02 Arena.
Officials are waiting for the return of toxicology reports before determining the cause of Michael Jackson's death.
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Jackson 'This Is It' waxwork on show in London
LONDON (AFP) - - A waxwork of Michael Jackson made to mark his planned "This Is It" London comeback concerts went on show in the British capital on Thursday.The US singer, who died on June 25, had been due to play 50 gigs at London's O2 Arena from July 13.
The depiction of Jackson at Madame Tussaud's waxwork museum shows him in his prime in a classic performance pose, matching the "This Is It" concert posters.
Only Queen Elizabeth II, who has been replicated 20 times by Madame Tussaud's, has been depicted more than Jackson.
"As the response to his tragic death has shown, Michael Jackson was one of the most powerful forces in contemporary music and culture and he has remained one of the most popular personalities at Madame Tussauds throughout his career," said spokeswoman Liz Edwards.
"We enjoyed a very special relationship with Michael and this is the 13th time we have portrayed him, a reflection of that popularity.
"It was always our intention to make this figure a celebratory one, signalling his much-anticipated return to the stage but also acknowledging all of his incredible achievements.
"We hope it will still be a celebration."
Jackson's new figure was created using information gathered at a sitting the singer gave in 1989, together with extensive photography and research to reflect the "This is It" image.
The star is dressed in a black Fedora hat, white v-neck T-shirt, sparkly black jacket, white glove, black ankle-length trousers, white socks and black loafers.
"I have produced 100 waxworks but they don't come any tougher than Jackson's," said the sculptor Stephen Mansfield.
One of the first fans in, Mark Crew, 29, from Yeovil in southwest England, wore a Jackson-style outfit in tribute.
"I am absolutely thrilled by this new version... there is something timeless about this waxwork," he said.
"I was concerned about which version of Jackson they would choose to imitate -- I don't think fans would have wanted him symbolised in his latter years."
Matt Blank, spokesman for the World Michael Jackson Network, said: "The new waxwork will undoubtedly be very popular. It is in this sad time that people need to share their grief, not just through tears but also through celebrating the life and legacy of the 'King of Pop'."
Friday, July 10, 2009
LA official: Promoter should pay Jackson memorial
Fri Jul 10, 5:57 am ETLOS ANGELES – A city council member has called on AEG Live to pay some of the estimated $1.4 million cost for policing Michael Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center.
Dennis Zine told Fox 11 on Thursday that the city's taxpayers "are getting ripped off" because the owner-operator of the Staples Center profited by charging media up to $50,000 to use risers outside the venue.
AEG President Tim Leiweke had said Zine was out of line for asking AEG to pay for policing because it helped solicit donors for the Los Angeles Lakers' NBA victory parade last month.
Jackson's concert promoter, AEG Live, said that it paid for the memorial itself along with the Jackson estate, but did not mention the cost of crowd control.
The parade and memorial both resulted in extraordinary costs to Los Angeles at a time when it is in debt for half of a billion dollars and facing employee layoffs.
The cost of city services for the Lakers' parade was about $1 million. Donors covered about $850,000 of that sum. The Lakers and AEG spent another $1 million to produce the parade and rally at Memorial Coliseum.
Michael Jackson's memorial service
Tue Jul 7, 4:17 pm ETThe stage is set for Michael Jackson's final act in what could be the biggest celebrity send-off of all time.
If you weren't one of the lucky 8,750 fans to score a pair of tickets to Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, have no fear. Watch it here live through live streaming coverage provided by ABC News Now. For more Michael Jackson video coverage, go to ABCNews.com.
Police estimate more than 250,000 people will cram onto the sidewalks outside the arena to pay their final respects to the "Thriller" singer and one-time member of Motown legends the Jackson 5, who was 50 years old when he died.
The memorial is being televised live on all major networks and in 85 theaters across the U.S. Yahoo! News has reporters on the scene as well; you can view their tweets @YStartingPoint.
Some of the biggest names in pop music are taking part in the memorial service, including Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Jennifer Hudson and John Mayer. Civil rights leader Al Sharpton and Martin Luther King III, and basketball stars Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant are also expected to attend.
The Jackson family attended a private service at Forest Lawn Cemetery this morning.
Jackson memorial a somber, spiritual celebration
By JESSE WASHINGTON, AP National Writer Jesse Washington, Ap National Writer – Tue Jul 7, 8:04 pm ET
LOS ANGELES – They sang his songs among the stars and imagined him dancing across the moon, and for a few hours, during this most public of memorials, all eyes were on Michael Jackson one last time.
Some 20,000 people gathered inside the Staples Center on Tuesday for a somber, spiritual ceremony, watched by untold millions more around the world as they celebrated a man whose immense talents almost drowned beneath the spectacle of his life and fame.
A star-studded lineup of performers closely linked to Jackson's life and music reached back for the essence of the man. They remembered Jackson as an unparalleled singer, dancer and humanitarian whose music united people of all backgrounds.
"Don't focus on the scars, focus on the journey," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose fiery eulogy was an emotional high point of the service. "Every time he got knocked down, he got back up," Sharpton said, and the applauding crowd again jumped to its feet.
Sharpton rode the moment, building to a crescendo. "There wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with!" he said to Jackson's three children in the front row, drawing the longest ovation of the service.
Jackson's daughter, Paris-Michael, later provided the only real surprise of the service: the first public statement of her 11 years.
"Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father I could imagine," she said, dissolving into tears and turning into the embrace of her aunt Janet. "I just want to say I love him so much."
Unlike Jackson's life, the ceremony was not spectacular, extravagant or bizarre. Outside the arena, however, the celebrity-industrial complex that Jackson helped create ground on.
More than 3,000 police officers massed downtown to keep the ticketless at bay. Helicopters followed the golden casket as it was driven over blocked-off freeways from Forest Lawn cemetery to the Staples Center. A bazaar of T-shirts, buttons, photos and other memorabilia sprouted in the blocks around the memorial. Movie theaters played the service live and people paused around the world to watch.
Inside, however, the atmosphere was churchlike, assisted by an enormous video image of a stained-glass window with red-gold clouds blowing past that was projected behind the stage.
The ceremony began with Smokey Robinson reading statements from Jackson's close friend Diana Ross — "Michael was part of the fabric of my life" — and then Nelson Mandela — "Be strong."
A silence of several minutes followed, punctuated only by a steady twinkle of camera flashes. The thousands of mourners spoke softly to those in neighboring seats or contemplated their private thoughts.
Celebrities made their way to their places in front of the stage: Kobe Bryant, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Lou Ferrigno, Don King, the Kardashian sisters, Magic Johnson, Brooke Shields, Larry King. While Jackson was among the most famous faces in the world, today's megastars were largely absent. Those present mostly reflected some connection to Jackson's life or work.
Among those conspicuously elsewhere were Elizabeth Taylor, Ross and Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of Jackson's two oldest children.
The fans, clutching tickets that 1.6 million people had sought, were a visual representation of Jackson's life: white, black and everything in between; from Mexico, Japan, Italy or America; wearing fedoras, African headdresses, sequins or surgical masks. Actor Corey Feldman showed up fully costumed as Michael Jackson.
"Words can't express how I feel," said Dani Harris, a 35-year-old stay-at-home mom from Los Angeles.
"You think about one person, larger than presidents and kings and queens," Harris said. "People in countries you can't even see on the map know his face, his music."
The pre-ceremony stillness was broken by the organ strains of "Soon and Very Soon," a gospel hymn by Andrae Crouch. "Hallelujah, hallelujah, we're going to see the King," a choir sang. The crowd cheered and rose to its feet.
The Rev. Lucious W. Smith of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena gave the greeting, standing on the same stage where Jackson had been rehearsing for a comeback concert before his death on June 25 at age 50. Then Mariah Carey sang a sweet rendition of the Jackson 5 ballad "I'll Be There," a duet with Trey Lorenz.
Queen Latifah read a poem composed by Maya Angelou for Jackson. "Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon," Angelou wrote.
"We had him, whether we knew who he was or did not know. / He was ours, and we were his."
Lionel Richie sang gospel, "Jesus Is Love." Berry Gordy remembered the prodigy of young Michael, drawing a standing ovation when he said the title King of Pop would no longer suffice: "He is simply the greatest entertainer who ever lived."
When Sharpton brought down the house, it seemed as if some sort of wall had broken. Shouts went up from the crowd of "We love you Michael!" After Sharpton left the stage, chants of "Mi-chael! Mi-chael!" filled the arena.
The parade of famous names continued: Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Martin Luther King III and his sister Bernice, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Kobe Bryant. Magic Johnson cracked up the crowd with an anecdote about Jackson and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
For a performer who smashed the race barrier on MTV and did as much as anyone to make black music mainstream — not to mention was accused of trying to turn himself white through skin treatments and plastic surgery — the ceremony had a remarkably black cast. John Mayer and Brooke Shields were the only white celebs with major roles.
Another unexpected aspect was the logistics. The mayhem and traffic snarls that had been feared by city officials never materialized. The thousands of ticketholders began filing in early and encountered few problems, and traffic was actually considered by police to be lighter than normal. An estimate of up to 700,000 gawkers turned out to be about 1,000.
The city of Los Angeles set up a Web site to allow fans to contribute money to help the city pay for the memorial, which was estimated to cost $1.5 million to $4 million.
It was not clear what will happen to Jackson's body. The Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills cemetery, where a private service was held, is the final resting place for Jackson's maternal grandmother and such stars as Bette Davis, Andy Gibb, Freddie Prinze, Liberace and recently deceased David Carradine and Ed McMahon.
But Jackson's brother Jermaine has expressed a desire to have him buried someday at Neverland, his estate in Southern California.
The ceremony ended with Jackson's family on stage, amid a choir, singing "Heal the World."
"All around us are people of different cultures, different religions, different nationalities," Rev. Smith said as he closed the service. "And yet the music of Michael Jackson brings us together."
___
AP Entertainment writer Sandy Cohen, AP Music writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Associated Press writers Solvej Schou, Christina Hoag, Amy Taxin, Andrew Dalton, Anthony McCartney, Danica Kirka, and AP researcher Monika Mathur contributed to this report.
LOS ANGELES – They sang his songs among the stars and imagined him dancing across the moon, and for a few hours, during this most public of memorials, all eyes were on Michael Jackson one last time.
Some 20,000 people gathered inside the Staples Center on Tuesday for a somber, spiritual ceremony, watched by untold millions more around the world as they celebrated a man whose immense talents almost drowned beneath the spectacle of his life and fame.
A star-studded lineup of performers closely linked to Jackson's life and music reached back for the essence of the man. They remembered Jackson as an unparalleled singer, dancer and humanitarian whose music united people of all backgrounds.
"Don't focus on the scars, focus on the journey," said the Rev. Al Sharpton, whose fiery eulogy was an emotional high point of the service. "Every time he got knocked down, he got back up," Sharpton said, and the applauding crowd again jumped to its feet.
Sharpton rode the moment, building to a crescendo. "There wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with!" he said to Jackson's three children in the front row, drawing the longest ovation of the service.
Jackson's daughter, Paris-Michael, later provided the only real surprise of the service: the first public statement of her 11 years.
"Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father I could imagine," she said, dissolving into tears and turning into the embrace of her aunt Janet. "I just want to say I love him so much."
Unlike Jackson's life, the ceremony was not spectacular, extravagant or bizarre. Outside the arena, however, the celebrity-industrial complex that Jackson helped create ground on.
More than 3,000 police officers massed downtown to keep the ticketless at bay. Helicopters followed the golden casket as it was driven over blocked-off freeways from Forest Lawn cemetery to the Staples Center. A bazaar of T-shirts, buttons, photos and other memorabilia sprouted in the blocks around the memorial. Movie theaters played the service live and people paused around the world to watch.
Inside, however, the atmosphere was churchlike, assisted by an enormous video image of a stained-glass window with red-gold clouds blowing past that was projected behind the stage.
The ceremony began with Smokey Robinson reading statements from Jackson's close friend Diana Ross — "Michael was part of the fabric of my life" — and then Nelson Mandela — "Be strong."
A silence of several minutes followed, punctuated only by a steady twinkle of camera flashes. The thousands of mourners spoke softly to those in neighboring seats or contemplated their private thoughts.
Celebrities made their way to their places in front of the stage: Kobe Bryant, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Lou Ferrigno, Don King, the Kardashian sisters, Magic Johnson, Brooke Shields, Larry King. While Jackson was among the most famous faces in the world, today's megastars were largely absent. Those present mostly reflected some connection to Jackson's life or work.
Among those conspicuously elsewhere were Elizabeth Taylor, Ross and Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of Jackson's two oldest children.
The fans, clutching tickets that 1.6 million people had sought, were a visual representation of Jackson's life: white, black and everything in between; from Mexico, Japan, Italy or America; wearing fedoras, African headdresses, sequins or surgical masks. Actor Corey Feldman showed up fully costumed as Michael Jackson.
"Words can't express how I feel," said Dani Harris, a 35-year-old stay-at-home mom from Los Angeles.
"You think about one person, larger than presidents and kings and queens," Harris said. "People in countries you can't even see on the map know his face, his music."
The pre-ceremony stillness was broken by the organ strains of "Soon and Very Soon," a gospel hymn by Andrae Crouch. "Hallelujah, hallelujah, we're going to see the King," a choir sang. The crowd cheered and rose to its feet.
The Rev. Lucious W. Smith of the Friendship Baptist Church in Pasadena gave the greeting, standing on the same stage where Jackson had been rehearsing for a comeback concert before his death on June 25 at age 50. Then Mariah Carey sang a sweet rendition of the Jackson 5 ballad "I'll Be There," a duet with Trey Lorenz.
Queen Latifah read a poem composed by Maya Angelou for Jackson. "Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon," Angelou wrote.
"We had him, whether we knew who he was or did not know. / He was ours, and we were his."
Lionel Richie sang gospel, "Jesus Is Love." Berry Gordy remembered the prodigy of young Michael, drawing a standing ovation when he said the title King of Pop would no longer suffice: "He is simply the greatest entertainer who ever lived."
When Sharpton brought down the house, it seemed as if some sort of wall had broken. Shouts went up from the crowd of "We love you Michael!" After Sharpton left the stage, chants of "Mi-chael! Mi-chael!" filled the arena.
The parade of famous names continued: Jennifer Hudson, Stevie Wonder, Usher, Martin Luther King III and his sister Bernice, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee and Kobe Bryant. Magic Johnson cracked up the crowd with an anecdote about Jackson and a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken.
For a performer who smashed the race barrier on MTV and did as much as anyone to make black music mainstream — not to mention was accused of trying to turn himself white through skin treatments and plastic surgery — the ceremony had a remarkably black cast. John Mayer and Brooke Shields were the only white celebs with major roles.
Another unexpected aspect was the logistics. The mayhem and traffic snarls that had been feared by city officials never materialized. The thousands of ticketholders began filing in early and encountered few problems, and traffic was actually considered by police to be lighter than normal. An estimate of up to 700,000 gawkers turned out to be about 1,000.
The city of Los Angeles set up a Web site to allow fans to contribute money to help the city pay for the memorial, which was estimated to cost $1.5 million to $4 million.
It was not clear what will happen to Jackson's body. The Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills cemetery, where a private service was held, is the final resting place for Jackson's maternal grandmother and such stars as Bette Davis, Andy Gibb, Freddie Prinze, Liberace and recently deceased David Carradine and Ed McMahon.
But Jackson's brother Jermaine has expressed a desire to have him buried someday at Neverland, his estate in Southern California.
The ceremony ended with Jackson's family on stage, amid a choir, singing "Heal the World."
"All around us are people of different cultures, different religions, different nationalities," Rev. Smith said as he closed the service. "And yet the music of Michael Jackson brings us together."
___
AP Entertainment writer Sandy Cohen, AP Music writer Nekesa Mumbi Moody, AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch, Associated Press writers Solvej Schou, Christina Hoag, Amy Taxin, Andrew Dalton, Anthony McCartney, Danica Kirka, and AP researcher Monika Mathur contributed to this report.
LAPD: Michael Jackson's drug history to be probed
LOS ANGELES – Detectives investigating the death of Michael Jackson are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors, the Los Angeles police chief said.Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, told ABC News in an interview that he believed "foul play" was involved in his son's death. But in the interview aired Friday on "Good Morning America," Jackson did not elaborate.
Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton told CNN that police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive" investigation into the sudden death of the 50-year-old pop star two weeks ago.
The coroner's report will determine the cause of death and hinges on time-consuming toxicology tests.
"Based on those we'll have an idea of what we're dealing with," Bratton said Thursday. "Are we dealing with homicide? Are we dealing with an accidental overdose? What are we dealing with?"
Bratton said detectives are gathering evidence, including items seized from Jackson's rented home and arranging interviews with his many physicians, but the police chief deferred to the coroner to determine the cause of death.
"The next move really is his," Bratton said. "We're not marking time waiting for his report."
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the state attorney general's office, which keeps a database of prescription drugs, are assisting investigators.
An attorney for Dr. Arnold Klein, one of Jackson's many physicians, told the Los Angeles Times that the dermatologist was subpoenaed for medical records, which he turned over to the county coroner's office.
Bratton refused to discuss details of the case.
Jackson, who died June 25, had a well-known history of using prescription medications, especially painkillers. Following his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who had worked for Jackson, told The Associated Press she repeatedly rejected his demands for the potent anesthetic Diprivan, also known as Propofol.
Jackson had multiple doctors, friends and staff who came in and out of his life. Which people were being interviewed by police was unclear because the LAPD has said virtually nothing about the probe.
Joe Jackson said he didn't know anything about drugs his son was involved in.
"I don't even know the name of them," he said. "I do know that whatever he was taking was to make him rest because he had been working so hard."
Police towed a doctor's car from Jackson's home hours after he died and said later it could contain medication or other evidence. Coroner's officials also said Jackson was taking prescription medication but declined to elaborate.
Meanwhile, Joe Jackson told ABC that he and his wife, Katherine, should have custody of Michael's three children. "They'll grow up to be strong Jacksons," he said.
He said Michael's daughter, Paris, who spoke at the Tuesday memorial service, was taking the death hard and was crying whenever Michael's name is mentioned. He said that she might have a future in the entertainment business along with the youngest son, nicknamed Blanket, who "can really dance."
Mayor: Jackson's dad to attend Ind. hometown event
GARY, Ind. – The mayor of Gary, Ind. says Michael Jackson's father will attend a memorial service for the pop icon in the family's hometown.Mayor Rudy Clay said Thursday that along with Joe Jackson, the Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson will also be at the event Friday at The Steel Yard baseball park in Gary — a couple miles from Jackson's boyhood home.
Clay says Gary's memorial will serve as a tribute to the Jackson family's contributions to the music industry.
The Jacksons moved from Gary, located 30 miles southeast of Chicago, after the Jackson 5 recorded their first album in 1969.
Streams of fans have visited the Jacksons' former home in Gary since the pop star's death last month.
China to build own Neverland as Michael Jackson tribute
SHANGHAI (Reuters) – Chinese developers are commemorating the late Michael Jackson by building a scaled-down replica of his Neverland Ranch on an island off Shanghai, a state-run newspaper said on Friday.
Investors in the project, which will cost about 100 million yuan ($15 million) to build, hope it will open on Chongming island ahead of next year's Expo in Shanghai, the China Daily newspaper reported.
While they are not as popular as the Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars who dominate the music scene in China, Western artists are making inroads in the local market, thanks to young fans.
"By building a Neverland here in China, we want to pay tribute to him and at the same time offer the Chinese people an outlet for expressing their love toward him," the report quoted Qiu Xuefan, one of the investors, as saying.
Jackson, who died on June 25 in Los Angeles, abandoned Neverland -- once filled with theme-park rides and even a zoo -- after his child molestation trial in 2005.
The Shanghai version will have "Chinese characteristics to have it blend in with the local environment," the paper added, without elaborating.
But not everyone is convinced it's a good idea.
"If the purpose is simply to pay tribute to Michael, I would suggest investors open it for free, just as Michael did for the children," said Wei Wei, deputy head of Jackson's Chinese fan club. "Otherwise, they are just making money from it."
But Qiu, who professes his love for Jackson's music, said the ranch would help keep the King of Pop's legacy alive.
"His music is a legacy to the world and should not be forgotten. We also would like to set up a fund, with profits being used to help encourage children with musical talent."
Last week, an "instant" biography of Jackson in Chinese hit the bookshelves, which local newspapers said was penned by two Chinese writers who worked on it for two days straight but who had never met their subject.
($1=6.831 Yuan)
(Reporting by Shanghai newsroom, editing by Miral Fahmy)
Investors in the project, which will cost about 100 million yuan ($15 million) to build, hope it will open on Chongming island ahead of next year's Expo in Shanghai, the China Daily newspaper reported.
While they are not as popular as the Taiwanese and Hong Kong stars who dominate the music scene in China, Western artists are making inroads in the local market, thanks to young fans.
"By building a Neverland here in China, we want to pay tribute to him and at the same time offer the Chinese people an outlet for expressing their love toward him," the report quoted Qiu Xuefan, one of the investors, as saying.
Jackson, who died on June 25 in Los Angeles, abandoned Neverland -- once filled with theme-park rides and even a zoo -- after his child molestation trial in 2005.
The Shanghai version will have "Chinese characteristics to have it blend in with the local environment," the paper added, without elaborating.
But not everyone is convinced it's a good idea.
"If the purpose is simply to pay tribute to Michael, I would suggest investors open it for free, just as Michael did for the children," said Wei Wei, deputy head of Jackson's Chinese fan club. "Otherwise, they are just making money from it."
But Qiu, who professes his love for Jackson's music, said the ranch would help keep the King of Pop's legacy alive.
"His music is a legacy to the world and should not be forgotten. We also would like to set up a fund, with profits being used to help encourage children with musical talent."
Last week, an "instant" biography of Jackson in Chinese hit the bookshelves, which local newspapers said was penned by two Chinese writers who worked on it for two days straight but who had never met their subject.
($1=6.831 Yuan)
(Reporting by Shanghai newsroom, editing by Miral Fahmy)
LAPD: Michael Jackson's drug history to be probed
LOS ANGELES – Detectives investigating the death of Michael Jackson are looking at his prescription drug history and trying to talk with his numerous former doctors, the Los Angeles police chief said.Chief William Bratton told CNN that police are waiting for the coroner's report before ruling out any possibilities in their "comprehensive" investigation into the sudden death of the 50-year-old pop star two weeks ago.
The coroner's report will determine the cause of death and hinges on time-consuming toxicology tests.
"Based on those we'll have an idea of what we're dealing with," Bratton said on Thursday. "Are we dealing with homicide? Are we dealing with an accidental overdose? What are we dealing with?"
Bratton sa id detectives are gathering evidence, including items seized from Jackson's rented home and arranging interviews with his many physicians, but the police chief deferred to the coroner to determine the cause of death.
"The next move really is his," Bratton said. "We're not marking time waiting for his report."
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the state attorney general's office, which keeps a database of prescription drugs, are assisting investigators.
An attorney for Dr. Arnold Klein, one of Jackson's many physicians, told the Los Angeles Times that the dermatologist was subpoenaed for medical records, which he turned over to the county coroner's office.
Bratton refused to discuss details of the case.
Jackson, who died June 25, had a well-known history of using prescription medications, especially painkillers. Following his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who had worked for Jackson, told The Associated Press she repeatedly rejected his demands for the potent anesthetic Diprivan, also known as Propofol.
Jackson had multiple doctors, friends and staff who came in and out of his life. Which people were being interviewed by police was unclear because the LAPD has said virtually nothing about the probe.
Police towed a doctor's car from Jackson's home hours after he died and said later it could contain medication or other evidence. Coroner's officials also said Jackson was taking prescription medication but declined to elaborate.
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