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Jackson will sets family trust, funeral undecided Reuters - Thursday, July 2 * Will benefits Jackson's mother and his three children * Judge denies bid by co-executors to take estate control * Jackson's funeral will not be at Neverland - family By Alex Dobuzinskis LOS ANGELES, July 1 - Lawyers for Michael Jackson filed the pop star's 2002 will in court on Wednesday that puts his multimillion-dollar estate in a family trust for his three children and his mother, but were denied a bid to take immediate control of his music fortune. Funeral plans remained undetermined, and Jackson's family said in a statement that no public or private ceremony would be held at the singer's Neverland Valley ranch in central California. The will, signed in 2002, values Jackson's estate at more than $500 million and puts his assets in the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which ultimately benefits his three children, his mother and unnamed charities. The will names Jackson's mother, Katherine, 79, as guardian of the children: Prince Michael Jackson Jr. 12, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11, and Prince Michael Joseph Jackson, II, 7. If she cannot fulfill the guardianship duties, pop singer Diana Ross, formerly of the Supremes and a long-time Jackson friend, is nominated to be guardian of the children. The five-page document said "I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Rowe Jackson." On Monday, before the will was filed, Katherine Jackson was named temporary guardian of the children and administrator of the estate by a Los Angeles court until a hearing on July 6. The 2002 document names Los Angeles-based attorney John Branca, a long-time Jackson lawyer, and music industry executive John McClain as co-executors. A third co-executor named in the will has since resigned. Lawyers for Branca and McClain asked a judge on Wednesday to immediately appoint them executors and overturn Katherine Jackson's temporary administration of the estate, but the judge denied their request. "I understand your argument that there was a race to the court house. It seems to me that we should know by Monday if there's another will out there,"' said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff. NO NEVERLAND FUNERAL Since his death last week, speculation has run rampant that there would be multiple wills and a legal battle over Jackson's estate, which includes part ownership in a Beatles music catalog and Jackson's own music company. Jackson was said to be $500 million in debt when he died, but his assets have been reported to be worth as much as $1 billion, which would roughly approximate the will's estimated value of Jackson's estate that "exceeds $500 million." But immediately unclear is whether Branca and McClain based the value of the estate in the will at the time of the singer's death in 2002 or in current, 2009 dollars. That value could rise over time if his popularity in death grows, as with other entertainers like Elvis Presley. Jackson remains among the best-selling pop stars ever, and his 1982 hit "Thriller" is the top-selling album of all time. Attorney David Seeley, general counsel for the Marlon Brando Living Trust, said people came "out of the woodwork making all sorts of claims" after the legendary actor died. "I assume that there will be all sorts of claims with Michael Jackson as well, due to the nature of his celebrity, and the amount of people that were around and the amount of money that's involved," Seeley said. Already one person has surfaced. London resident Nona Paris Lola A. Jackson filed a petition in a Los Angeles court Wednesday saying she was Jackson's wife and his estate and kids should belong to her. Her past claims have been widely dismissed by legal experts and others, who have said there was no evidence she ever had a relationship with the pop star. Meanwhile, Jackson's family issued a statement that refuted speculation of a funeral at Neverland, which is located near Santa Barbara, California, about a four-hour drive from Los Angeles. "Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland," the statement said. Other reports surfaced citing plans for a public memorial service and private family funeral at various locations around Los Angeles, but none could be confirmed and spokespersons for Jackson's family did not return calls or e-mails for comment. Additional reporting by Steve Gorman and Dan Whitcomb, Editing by Sandra Maler

U2 world tour debuts with Jackson tribute AFP - Thursday, July 2 BARCELONA, Spain (AFP) - - Irish rock megastars U2 launched their world tour on a vast stage in Barcelona before some 90,000 fans with a show that included a linkup with the International Space Station and a tribute to Michael Jackson. In a reflection of lead singer Bono's work as a human rights activist, masks of detained Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi were also distributed around the Camp Nou stadium. The show was held on an immense stage that took up half the field at the Camp Nou, home to the Barcelona football team, and which was surrounded by spectators on the grass. Above it was a massive metal structure, nicknamed "The Claw" by fans and which resembled a giant four-legged spider or a creature from outer-space, 50 metres (150 feet) across and weighing 390 tonnes. "We want to do something which has never been done before," Bono said recently of the innovative stage. The veteran band took the stage at around 10:00 pm (2000 MT) on a hot summer night to kick off its "360 degrees" tour, after a warm-up act by Scottish band Snow Patrol. Bono held a live video linkup with the International Space Station during the two-hour performance, to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first moon landing and to deliver a message of peace and environmental awareness. He also delivered a message from for South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu on the fight against AIDS and malaria. And he dedicated the song "Angel of Harlem" to the late Michael Jackson, "a great talent." Part of the rendition included excerpts from Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" and "Don't Stop Till You Get Enough," sung in the King of Pop's falsetto voice. U2 played extracts from their new album, "No Line on the Horizon", which came out in February. But the stadium really came alight when the group performed its best-known songs such as "Where the Streets Have No Name," "Pride (in the Name of Love)", "Beautiful Day" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday." Late in the show Bono changed from his traditional black into a Barcelona football shirt with his name on the back. The 90,000 tickets for the concert sold out in just 54 minutes on March 25, for between 30 and 150 euros (40 and 200 dollars) each. A second concert is scheduled in Barcelona for Thursday. A few hundred of the fans had even spent Monday night outside the stadium to ensure a good spot on the grass. After Barcelona, the tour moves to Milan's San Siro stadium on July 7 and then to France, Germany and the Netherlands. The band returns home on July 24 to play Croke Park in Dublin before heading for Sweden, Poland and Croatia and then five gigs in Britain. They then head over the Atlantic, with their first show in the US and Canada leg of the tour at Chicago's Soldier Field on September 12. Their last tour in 2005 and 2006 drew some 4.5 million fans at 127 shows, all sold out. U2, founded in Dublin in 1978, has sold around 100 million albums.

Hundreds say final farewell to Farrah Fawcett AFP - Wednesday, July 1 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Hundreds of mourners paid tribute to Farrah Fawcett as the "Charlie's Angels" star was laid to rest in a private ceremony in Los Angeles. The 62-year-old actress and pin-up girl died last Thursday after a three-year battle with ###### cancer, news that was quickly overshadowed by the death of King of Pop Michael Jackson later that day. Fawcett's 24-year-old son Redmond, her child with longtime companion Ryan O'Neal, was granted compassionate leave from a prison cell to attend. Both Ryan and Redmond O'Neal served as pallbearers for the service, held at Los Angeles Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles on Tuesday. Fawcett emerged as a pop-culture icon in the 1970s and 1980s after her role in "Charlie's Angels" and appearance in a famous poster wearing a red swimsuit that would come to be her defining image. During the 1970s, Fawcett was married to "Six Million Dollar Man" star Lee Majors, from whom she separated in 1979. In 1982 she began her long romance with actor O'Neal. After splitting from O'Neal in the 1990s, Fawcett faded from public view, although she appeared in Robert Altman's 2000 comedy "Dr T and the Women" in a cast that included Richard Gere, Helen Hunt, Laura Dern and Kate Hudson. In recent years Fawcett's health was the subject of intense scrutiny by a voracious tabloid media. News of her cancer fight broke in October 2006, sparking an outpouring of support from fans and well-wishers. In 2007 she declared that months of grueling chemotherapy had seen her beat the cancer despite "excruciating pain and uncertainty." "It never occurred to me to stop fighting -- not ever," she said. However, in April this year it emerged that the cancer had returned and the actress was gravely ill.

Jackson set for final journey to Neverland: report AFP - Thursday, July 2 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's body will make a poignant final journey to Neverland Ranch, reports said, amid fresh revelations about the tragic pop icon's agonizing dependence on powerful prescription medication. Citing unidentified sources, the celebrity news website TMZ.com said Tuesday the drug Propofol was found at Jackson's rented mansion following his death Thursday of cardiac arrest at the age of 50. "There is no conceivable way this drug can be properly prescribed for home use," a source told the website, which described as an "extremely dangerous and potent" substance only available to medical personnel. Earlier, a former nurse who cared for Jackson told CNN Tuesday the star pleaded with her to provide him with Diprivan -- the brand name for Propofol in the last months of his life. Cherilyn Lee, a health practitioner with more than 20 years experience, said she had refused his request for the drugs. Lee also revealed that a member of Jackson's staff sought the drug four days before the singer's death only to be rebuffed. "I told him this medication is not safe," Lee said. "He said, 'I just want to get some sleep. You don't understand. I just want to be able to be knocked out and go to sleep.'" Meanwhile, CNN and TMZ.com said the Jackson family planned a public viewing on Friday -- which could draw a crush of fans to the isolated Neverland Ranch north of Los Angeles. A 30-car motorcade reportedly plans to escort the body on Thursday to the King of Pop's 1,050-hectare (2,600-acre) estate, a monument to Jackson's obsession with childhood that once included a fairground and a private zoo. A worldwide outpouring of tributes to the music legend continued with crowds gathering at New York's famous Apollo Theater for a celebration of the star's life. Friday's public viewing could be an indication that the Jackson family has permanent plans for Neverland. Santa Barbara County officials said Tuesday they had received no formal notification of a memorial but said departments were "preparing to accommodate a large event" if a request for a Neverland funeral was made. Some fans say the star should be buried at the ranch and want it to be transformed into a shrine similar to Elvis Presley's Graceland. Neverland was named after the fantasy island of Peter Pan, Jackson's inspiration who refused to grow up. But the estate fell into disrepair after becoming an alleged crime scene in Jackson's 2005 trial on child molestation charges. Jackson vacated the property following his acquittal and never lived there again. The estate was reportedly on the verge of foreclosure before Jackson's death as his extravagant lifestyle and mounting personal and legal problems took their toll on his finances. The long-term fate of Neverland has been one of the myriad legal issues arising from Jackson's sudden death. A judge on Monday gave Jackson's 79-year-old mother, Katherine, temporary control over his estate including Neverland and the rights to songs of the Beatles. She was also named temporary guardian of his three children. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Jackson drafted a will in 2002 that divided his estate between his mother, his three children and one or more charities. Conspicuously absent was his father, Joe Jackson, who groomed his nine children into musical sensations but had an uneasy relationship with his son Michael. Lawyers for the Jackson family said Tuesday they had seen the will, which could be filed in court on Wednesday, according to reports. The Los Angeles Times, meanwhile, reported that police detectives are seeking to identify and interview "multiple doctors" who treated Jackson in the years before his death. Attention has so far focused on the role of Jackson's doctor, Conrad Murray, who was with the star just before his death last Thursday. Lawyers for Murray and law enforcement sources have said he is not suspected of wrongdoing and has cooperated with the investigation. On Monday, coroner's office investigators removed several plastic bags of medication from Jackson's rented mansion in Holmby Hills, described as "additional medical evidence." Meanwhile, the organizers of a series of Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London revealed Tuesday that video footage of his rehearsals existed and could be released to the public. The president of promoters AEG Live, Randy Phillips, told Sky News television that video of the pop legend's performances would disprove rumors that he was incredibly frail before his death. "We may at some point release some footage of him in rehearsal that would totally refute that," he said.

Jackson family: Michael Jackson had a will By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer AP - Wednesday, July 1 LOS ANGELES - A lawyer for Michael Jackson's family said Tuesday a will by the late pop star has been presented. The word came just a day after the family said in court documents it believed the entertainer had died without a valid will. "My clients are now aware after filings that a will has been presented ," said L. Londell McMillan. "His various advisers are looking for additional documents." No further details were disclosed, and a copy of the document was not immediately available. The existence of a will, and the likely appointment of an executor, could complicate a petition by Jackson's mother Katherine to become the administrator of his lucrative but debt-encumbered estate. In documents filed in Superior Court, Jackson's parents say they believe their 50-year-old son died "intestate," or without a valid will. A will almost always names an executor, and if validated, it would negate the petition of Jackson's mother to administer the estate, said John Novogrod, an estate lawyer and partner at Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP in New York. "If there is a will and if the will is a valid will, the whole petition to be named administrator will just fall way," Novogrod said. He said the will could possibly be challenged on the grounds that Jackson may have been incompetent, did not understand it when it was created, or that he was unduly influenced. Early Monday _ just four days after the death of the King of Pop _ lawyers for Katherine and Joe Jackson won temporary custody of Michael Jackson's three children and moved to become administrators of his estate. Judge Mitchell Beckloff granted 79-year-old Katherine Jackson temporary guardianship of the children, who range in age from 7 to 12. He also gave her control over some of her son's personal property that is now in the hands of an unnamed third party. But the judge did not immediately rule on her requests to take charge of the children's and Jackson's estates. Associated Press Writers Ryan Nakashima and Anthony McCartney in Los Angeles contributed to this report.

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Jackson's mother wins temporary control of estate Reuters - Tuesday, June 30 By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson's mother Katherine on Monday won temporary guardianship of the late singer's children and control of his estate as a legal battle over his kids, money and belongings began to take shape. :devil: Katherine Jackson won the first round in what could become a protracted fight over an estate that could be valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars. It is unclear if Jackson drew up a will before he died. Questions about the singer's health prior to his death resurfaced Monday when Celebrity Website TMZ.com reported that Los Angeles County coroner officials returned to Jackson's rented home looking for more medication. Four days after the singer's death from cardiac arrest, his father, Joe Jackson said the family was awaiting results of a second, private autopsy, and he expected to get details "real soon." He said funeral arrangements had not been made. "We don't have a timeframe for that because I want to see how this autopsy is coming out," Jackson said after a family meeting at his home in suburban Los Angeles. Two autopsies have been carried out on Jackson's body, one by the coroner's office and a second by a private pathologist. Speculation about what caused Jackson's heart to stop has centered on his prescription drug use, but toxicology tests are expected to take several more weeks. The pop star died on Thursday at his rented Los Angeles home, days before kicking off a string of concerts in London that were designed to revive a career grounded by his 2005 trial and acquittal on child molestation charges. On Monday, promoters AEG Live released pictures from a dress rehearsal two days before Jackson's death. Jackson looks thin, but much like his typical singing and dancing self. AEG Live declined to comment on reports it had video footage of the rehearsals that could be released on DVD. JACKSON'S MOM WINS TEMPORARY CONTROL A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Monday approved the appointment of Katherine Jackson as temporary guardian of Prince Michael, 12, Paris Katherine, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7, pending a hearing next week. Katherine Jackson was also named "special administrator" of her son's estate until a July 6 hearing, but the court order stipulated that she was not to take possession of money or property, except as permitted by the court. In her court filing, Katherine Jackson said she was seeking control of funds "for the exclusive use of the decedent's children" and was concerned about bank accounts controlled by unnamed "third parties." Jackson was reported to be as much as $500 million in debt when he died, but his estate has been estimated at $1 billion or more and is likely to rise following his death. Court papers list the value of the estate as "unknown." His two eldest children were from his marriage to Debbie Rowe and the third is from an unidentified surrogate mother. In court papers, Katherine Jackson said the children had "no relationship with their biological mother," and it was unclear whether Rowe would also seek custody of the kids. "Whoever has ultimate custody of these children, who are probably going to be the beneficiaries of his estate, will get control of his money to care for the children. So to that extent, whoever the permanent guardian will be will have tremendous sums of money to take care of the children," entertainment attorney Jerry Reisman told Reuters. Jackson's court filing indicated the "Thriller" singer died without a will, but media reports said a former Jackson lawyer, John Branca, possessed a will signed by the pop star. Branca did not return calls on Monday. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles coroner's office dismissed as inaccurate a Monday report in Britain's Sun newspaper that said Jackson was almost bald, emaciated and that his hips, thighs and shoulders were riddled with needle wounds when he died. Assistant chief coroner Ed Winter said the details did not come from the private or county autopsies. "I don't know where that information came from, or who that information came from. It is not accurate. Some of it is totally false," he said.

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Questions mount over Jackson animal kingdom AFP - Monday, June 29 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Besides leaving a musical legacy, Michael Jackson orphaned an array of exotic pets with some of them unaccounted for and even his beloved chimpanzee Bubbles depending on donations. In what was once seen mostly as a harmless eccentricity, Jackson at the height of stardom amassed a private zoo of giraffes, tigers and other foreign animals at Neverland, his sprawling fantasy estate in California. Nearly all of the animals have been moved to new homes in the past few years as Jackson's personal and financial woes worsened, with animal rights activists saying some have become roadside attractions in uncertain conditions. Bubbles, once the world's best known ape who slept in the superstar's bedroom and mastered his Moonwalk dance, has lived since 2005 at the Center for Great Apes in Florida, the head of the sanctuary said. Jackson did not provide financial support for Bubbles and, despite his stated desire, never visited him there, said Patti Ragan, director of the Center for Great Apes. "To this date, all donations for his care have come from the Center for Great Apes supporters. We depend on donations in order to care for all our animals in need," she said. An image of Bubbles on the center's website appeals to the public to make donations to care for him and other residents of the sanctuary, designed to provide a natural environment for apes who had been used as performers or pets. The website, which does not directly mention Bubbles' famous former guardian, described the chimp as having a "broad, handsome face and a lot of charima." Ragan estimated it cost 16,000 dollars a year to care for each ape, who usually live to be at least 50 years old. Jackson rescued Bubbles from a Texas medical laboratory where he was bought by Bob Dunn, a Hollywood animal trainer. Jackson returned Bubbles to Dunn after the singer had children, who risk being injured by a large chimp. Dunn, contacted by AFP, declined comment, saying he was negotiating a deal to speak publicly about Bubbles. The Florida center said Dunn handed to it Bubbles and all his other apes in 2005 when he exited the business. Dunn was quoted as telling Britain's News of the World tabloid that Jackson thought of Bubbles as "his first child" and regularly visited while Bubbles was in Dunn's California preserve. While Bubbles remains high-profile, animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said it was hard to track down most of Jackson's former pets. Lisa Wathne, PETA's specialist in captive exotic animals, voiced particular concern about two of Jackson's orangutans sent to a private owner in Connecticut and reptiles at a roadside zoo in Oklahoma. She said Jackson's case showed why wild animals should not be kept as pets. "All too often even people who start with good intentions, as Michael Jackson certainly did, don't have the ability to properly care for these animals," she said. "And unfortunately in Michael Jackson's case he did apparently run into financial problems that ultimately led to his animals being disbursed to places all over the world. We don't know, frankly, where most of them ended up." PETA in January 2006 complained to US authorities that animals were being mistreated in Neverland. The authorities inspected the estate's menagerie but found no evidence of abuse or neglect. Jackson's two tigers, Thriller and Sabu, were taken in at a sanctuary in California run by former actress Tippi Hedren. The Voices of the Wild Foundation, which runs an animal preserve in Arizona, adopted Jackson's four giraffes along with reptiles and exotic birds. But PETA says the conditions were too cramped for giraffes. Director Freddie Hancock appealed to Jackson fans to send donations in his memory so that the preserve can adopt more animals. Hancock had nothing but praise for Jackson, saying he maintained "beautiful facilities" for the animals in Neverland. "I think he just loved animals. And when you're an individual who loves animals, the animals know that," Hancock said.

Janet Jackson makes emotional appearance at BETs By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer AP - Monday, June 29 LOS ANGELES - Some of the biggest stars on the planet turned back into gushing Michael Jackson fans at the BET Awards, donning single gloves, swapping stories about their idol and singing The King of Pop's standards. One person who perhaps knew him best, though, brought the night into perspective: his sister. "To you, Michael is an icon," a somber Janet Jackson told the crowd at the end of Sunday's show. "To us, Michael is family and he will forever live in all of our hearts." It was a stirring emotional climax for a telecast that was completely revamped to recognize the legacy of Jackson, who died Thursday at age 50. For the most part, it was a joyous wake. "He's the man who made it possible for me to be on the stage; I love you and I miss you," said Ne-Yo, who sang one of Jackson's most sensual songs, "Lady In My Life." Host Jamie Foxx kicked off the show with a re-enactment of the choreography from Jackson's iconic "Beat It" video in front of the star-studded crowd, on its feet from the start of the show. Throughout the night, Foxx also regularly turned up in some of Jackson's signature looks, like the wide-collar black leather outfit from "Billie Jean." Sean Paul, Estelle and Alicia Keys were among the celebrities who at one point donned single gloves as part of their ensembles. Ciara sang Jackson's humanitarian anthem, "Heal the World," dressed in a jacket that had Jackson's signature military epaulets. Joe Jackson, the singer's father, also was on hand to represent the grief-stricken family, though he did not appear on stage during the show. "I just wish he could be here to celebrate himself," he said on the red carpet. "Sadly, he's not here, so I'm here to celebrate for him." People close to Michael Jackson have said since his death that they were concerned about his use of painkillers. Los Angeles County medical examiners completed their autopsy Friday and said Jackson had taken unspecified prescription medication. But an official cause of death could take weeks to determine. Jackson's family has sought a private autopsy, in part because of questions about Dr. Conrad Murray, the man hired to keep an eye on the pop star ahead of a planned comeback. Edward Chernoff, a lawyer for the doctor, said Sunday that Jackson still had a faint pulse and his body was warm when Murray found him in bed and not breathing. The doctor immediately began administering CPR, Chernoff said. Chernoff said any drugs the doctor gave Jackson were prescribed in response to a specific complaint from the entertainer. Murray never prescribed or gave Jackson the drugs Demerol or OxyContin, Chernoff said. Paramedics were called to the mansion while the doctor was performing CPR, according to a recording of the 911 call. Because Jackson was so frail, Murray "administered with his hand behind his back to provide the necessary support," Chernoff said. Some have speculated the doctor botched the CPR. "He's a trained doctor," Chernoff said. "He knows how to administer CPR." Murray was interviewed by investigators for three hours Saturday. His spokeswoman called Murray "a witness to this tragedy," not a suspect in the death, and police described the doctor as cooperative. Jackson's death prompted BET producers to scramble to meet the moment. While Beyonce, Lil Wayne and Ne-Yo each took home awards, giving out trophies was an afterthought: Honoring Jackson became the show's main focus. "This is for you, Michael Jackson," said Beyonce, as she held her trophy for best female R&B artist skyward, calling the singer "my hero." While some artists performed their own hits, most made sure to incorporate some of the man who influenced them in their performances. A chant of "Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson!" was heard while Keri Hilson performed, and Foxx's "Blame It" incorporated some of the Jacksons' dance hit "Blame It On the Boogie." "We all know none of us in this room wouldn't be here for Michael Jackson," said Lil Wayne, as he picked up his award for best male hip-hop star. Backstage, Ciara recounted talking on the phone with her idol and her regrets that she never got to meet him. As she talked, she started to cry. "He meant so much to me," she said through tears. While Jackson's incredible influence stretched across genres, races and cultures, he had a unique place in the world of black entertainment. His influence is arguably most visible in urban music, seen in stars like Usher who mimic his dance moves, to Ne-Yo, whose music is marked by its Jackson-isms. But that influence went beyond music: Jackson was black America's biggest star, who broke racial barriers that allowed for so many other superstars to follow. "Michael Jackson was so important to our world, to our country, to this network," said BET Chairwoman Debra L. Lee. "Michael was truly a musical deity." New Edition, the 1980s teen sensations who were considered that generation's Jackson 5 with their own version of bubble-gum soul, ran through several of the Jackson 5's greatest hits, from "I Want You Back" to "ABC," mirroring their idols right down to the group's original choreography. And Eddie Levert of the classic R&B group the O'Jays talked about how much he'd miss Jackson _ even as his group was honored with a lifetime achievement award. Jackson connections were inescapable: Even the building where the ceremony took place, the Shrine Auditorium, was where Jackson's hair and scalp were burned during the filming of a Pepsi commercial in 1984. It was also the location for several of his Grammy and American Music Award performances. The night ended when Janet Jackson _ in her first public appearance since her brother's shocking death _ emerged and elicited the most emotion as she vowed his memory would live forever. "On behalf of my family and myself, thank you for all of your love, thank you for all of your support," she said. "We miss him so much, thank you so much." Afterward, Ne-Yo and Foxx performed a somber version of the Jackson 5 classic "I'll Be There," as photos of Jackson flashed across the screen. AP Entertainment writers Sandy Cohen, Anthony Mccartney and Derrik J. Lang and AP writer Alicia Quarles contributed to this report.

Black stars salute Jackson at awards show AFP - Monday, June 29 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - An annual awards show for black entertainers became a star-studded memorial to Michael Jackson as the African-American A-list turned out in force to salute the King of Pop. Singers, actors, sports stars and television personalities crowded into Los Angeles's famous Shrine Auditorium for the Black Entertainment Awards, which had been hastily retooled as a night to celebrate Jackson. Oscar-winning actor Jamie Foxx set the tone for proceedings by appearing in a variety of Jackson's signature costumes and even moonwalking across the stage at one point. "Is there any question who was the best?" Foxx asked the crowd. Basketball star Lebron James, who won the award for best male athlete, paid tribute to the Jackson family as he collected his award. "I want to say to all of the Jackson family. This night is unbelievable because of you guys. What you did for us and the whole world is unbelievable," James said. Meanwhile rapper Lil Wayne told the audience: "We all know none of us in this room wouldn't be here without Michael Jackson." Earlier, stars arriving on the red carpet told reporters personal stories about Jackson, saying his music had been instrumental in breaking down racial barriers. "We miss him and we love him and we just feel devastated," said singer Alicia Keys, urging people to remember Jackson in a "respectful, positive way." Asked how Jackson had influenced her, Keys replied: "In every way. How could he not influence us to break the barrier and to think bigger, and to try new things and to break the rules. "Tonight I think is a true memorial for him. It's really about honoring him this evening." BET announced shortly after Jackson's death that the annual awards ceremony would be tweaked to serve as an unofficial memorial for the singer and a celebration of his life. "Michael Jackson's the biggest thing that's happened to music in our lifetime. When we heard he had passed away we knew we had to revamp this whole show and make it special just for him," said BET Chairwoman and CEO Debra Lee. "It's going to be a celebration tonight, it's going to be a little sad, but it's going to be a celebration," Lee said. Attendees said they remained in shock over Jackson's sudden and unexpected death last week at the age of 50. Singer Chaka Khan held back tears as she spoke to reporters. "I haven't gotten to the point where I can break down yet because I just don't believe it," she said. "I have to believe that energy lives on and he's still with us in some amazing way." Several stars hailed Jackson's role in breaking down racial barriers and giving African-Americans a hero to idolize. "He's one of the reasons why Barack Obama's president," said hip-hop mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs. "He started the change in the world about how African-Americans are perceived." Actress Taraji P. Henson, the Oscar-nominated star of "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button," echoed Combs's words. "That's exactly what we're doing -- celebrating his life and that's what this night is about," Henson said. "He's the biggest star in America -- in the world. I feel like he parted a gap so that Obama could be the president. His rise to fame was the beginning of 'Oh, black people are okay.'"

Michael Jackson's lyrics tell a hard story By HILLEL ITALIE, AP National Writer AP - 1 hour 36 minutes ago NEW YORK - In the brief, electric prime of Michael Jackson, millions danced to "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and other songs so propulsive it almost didn't matter what they actually said. But the lyrics _ whether Jackson's or others' _ could be as disturbing as the music was liberating. Sealed in the grooves were tales of deceit, paranoia, violence and victimization. Even before his life broke apart and the tabloids bore down, Jackson sang like a boy-man under attack. "You try to scream but terror takes the sound before you make it," he warns on "Thriller," the title track to his all-time selling album and written by Rod Temperton. "You start to freeze as horror looks you right between the eyes/You're paralyzed." Jackson was almost 21 when his first "adult" record, "Off the Wall," came out in 1979. He had survived the childhood beatings and insults by his father and had already lived at least one life in show business, as the smiling, spinning prodigy fronting his brothers in the Jackson Five. "Off the Wall" sold millions and shed the catchy, but impersonal persona of his child star youth. The title track, written by Temperton, was a lighthearted introduction to what would become Jackson's truest subjects: his strange life and the stolen innocence he wanted back. "The world is on your shoulder," the song advises, but "life ain't so bad it all/If you live it off the wall." He would soon fire his father as his manager and vow that his next record, "Thriller," would make him the biggest star in the business _ a promise met like few others. "Thriller" sold more than 20 million copies initially and sales now top 50 million. It earned him the title he bestowed on himself, "The King of Pop," and offered the first full take from the throne. "Michael Jackson wrote songs for one great artist _ which was himself," says Diane Warren, the Grammy-winning songwriter who has written for Whitney Houston, Celine Dion, Kelly Clarkson and Mary J. Blige. Warren says Jackson also picked great songs by other writers _ see "Thriller" _ and "was an amazing interpreter" of them. Among his songbook, she spots a theme of defiance and toughness that perhaps acted as protective armor. Music producer Glen Ballard was in the studio with Jackson and Quincy Jones for the making of "Thriller," and worked on the later "Bad" and "Dangerous" albums, co-writing the songs "Man in the Mirror" and "Keep the Faith." "As he grew up and matured as an artist, his lyric writing had this sort of air of mystery about it," Ballard says. "He still knew how to write hooks _ he just knew how to communicate that way _ but he sort of created this vocabulary" that was darker, surreal and futuristic. The bouncy duet with Paul McCartney, "The Girl Is Mine," is an ###### love triangle. The hard rock "Beat It," set to the switchblade guitar runs of Eddie Van Halen, is an anthem of pacifism, or passivity, with Jackson pleading to stop a gang war _ and perhaps all wars _ because "It doesn't matter who's wrong or right." The singer in "Billie Jean" has been taken by a girl he meets on the dance floor and later claims has borne him a child. "Billie Jean is not my lover," he chants, teeth clenched. "She's just a girl who claims that I am the one/But the kid is not my son." Jackson's "Billie Jean" lyrics are paranoid, defiant and "cool," Warren says. "Maybe in a way he wanted to be left alone," she suggests, noting the trauma of his missing childhood. If so, Jackson did not give that impression in the recording studio, according to Ballard. He remembers Jackson as "very shy" around people he'd just met, but when he felt comfortable, he was funny and fun to be around. He was collaborative yet focused on his larger musical vision. He moved and grooved, feeling the music. When Ballard and others hosed him with water guns on his birthday, Jackson grabbed a water gun and joined in. Ballard had no idea about Jackson's life outside the studio. As for "Billie Jean," he can't point to any real-life experience or demons within the pop legend's psyche. "It's just this incomplete portrait that you can fill in however you want and you can see it as this huge, mysterious, sort of tragic story or something," he says of the 1983 chart topper. The same woman, or at least another named "Billie Jean," turns up in the equally besieged "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'," in which Billie Jean is another exploiter "always talkin'/when nobody else is talkin'/tellin' lies and rubbin' shoulders." Again, there's a child and Jackson, the alleged Peter Pan of popular music, doesn't want to know: ___ If you can't feed your baby Then don't have a baby And don't think maybe If you can't feed your baby ___ Jackson was a cultural radical who broke the color line on MTV and shattered the old rock clique of white men with guitars. But his politics were more personal than collective, avoiding confrontation as surely as the guy in "Beat It." In "Man in the Mirror," from the 1987 "Bad" album, he worries about "the kids in the street/with not enough to eat," and concludes that the answer is to "take a look at yourself and then make a change." He would later call to "Heal the World," although doesn't say how beyond making sure that "you care enough." Scandal and chaos only made him look harder, at himself, and at others: The boasts of "Invincible" and "Untouchable," the rage of "Tabloid Junkie" and the taunts of "Threatened." In the self-evident "Privacy," the world is a trespasser peeking through his window: "Ain't the pictures enough, why do you go through so much," he asks. "To get the story you need, so you can bury me." Ballard, who has written for Alanis Morissette and George Strait, among others, says the passionate performer was a "remarkable songwriter" who "absolutely" felt his songs' lyrics. "I don't think there's any question that that was just falling out of his creative, unpremeditated self. ... He tapped into his `whatever' and he was using it like an artist should and sort of creating these characters _ maybe they're him, maybe they're not," he says. "You get distance from it. (The lyrics) just really have this kind of compelling, mysterious, very cool air about them, in addition to being really hot at the center with these grooves." You could heat a country on all the energy spent wondering what happened to Jackson in the second half of his life and what eventually killed him. But he explained himself well in the trembling "Childhood," set to Hollywood strings and to a melody lost and forlorn as an orphaned boy. That song "was probably the most autobiographical of all his amazing lyrics," says Grammy-winning songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, who co-wrote "That's What Friends Are For" with Burt Bacharach. "Have you seen my Childhood?" Jackson wonders, his voice light and high. "Before you judge me, try hard to love me/The painful youth I've had." AP Entertainment Writer Erin Carlson in New York contributed to this report.

Michael Jackson set to make chart history, again Reuters - Sunday, June 28By Keith Caulfield LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson will once again make music history next week as many of his albums are poised to shake up the Billboard charts with incredible sales increases. The impact of Jackson's shock death on Thursday was felt immediately in the marketplace. Industry sources report that the demand for Jackson's albums were so high, many stores simply ran out of his CDs. The albums with the greatest sales increases -- at least on the physical side of things -- look to be his greatest hits packages "Number Ones" and "The Essential Michael Jackson" along with the expanded reissue of "Thriller." The sets, released between 2003 and 2008, were the three Jackson albums that perhaps had the most stock available in stores. In the digital realm, where the supply problem doesn't exist, Jackson's songs and albums swarmed the top of the constantly-updating best sellers lists in both the iTunes' and Amazon's online music stores. At one point on Friday in the iTunes Store, nine out of the top 10-selling albums and 40 of the top 100-selling songs were by Jackson. The three aforementioned albums, along with Jackson's classic studio sets "Off the Wall," "Bad" and "Dangerous" all will likely zoom into the upper region of Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums chart next week. Initial reports of Jackson's album sales from Thursday alone indicate that one of his albums -- possibly "Number Ones" -- will easily fly to No. 1 on the chart next week. Last week, the set -- which also was his top-selling album of the week -- was at No. 20 on the Catalog chart with 4,000 sold. To compare, last week's No. 1 on the Catalog chart was TobyMac's "Portable Sounds" with 9,000 copies sold. Sources say that at least one of Jackson's albums sold more than double that amount just on Thursday. Nielsen SoundScan's tracking week ends at the close of business on Sunday . Billboard and SoundScan's new weekly charts will be released on Wednesday, July 1.

Court fight over Jackson's children looms By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer AP - Sunday, June 28 LOS ANGELES - Given the secrecy surrounding Michael Jackson's children throughout his life, it's no surprise that there are lingering questions about who will care for them after his death. What is almost certain is this: Their fate will be decided in a courtroom, with several people possibly vying for custody. Experts say the person who has the strongest legal claim to Jackson's two oldest children is their mother, Deborah Rowe. As for the youngest child, Jackson's wishes will be more influential. It remains unclear who Jackson designated as potential guardians for his children. Those details _ likely contained in the 50-year-old singer's will _ have not been released. Rowe's attorney, Marta Almli, wrote in a statement Saturday that "Ms. Rowe's only thoughts at this time have been regarding the devastating loss Michael's family has suffered. Ms. Rowe requests that Michael's family, and particularly the children, be spared such harmful, sensationalist speculation and that they be able to say goodbye to their loved one in peace." Jackson never told his family who he had in place to handle his business affairs, a person close to the family told The Associated Press on Friday. The person, who requested anonymity because of the delicate nature of the situation, said they were told by the singer's phalanx of advisers that he likely had a will, but it may be many years old. The person also said that the children are still in the care of the extended Jackson family for the moment. Jackson left behind three children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. The elder children were born to Rowe, while the youngest is his biological son, born to a surrogate mother. Prince Michael II's mother has never been identified, and while she may surface, it is likely that she signed away her rights, said Stacy Phillips, a Los Angeles divorce attorney who has represented numerous high-profile clients. Jackson was by several accounts an attentive and loving father. "He was a great father," said Raymone Bain, Jackson's former publicist and general manager. "Those kids knew three and four languages. Even the little one. They were well mannered and sweet. I can't imagine these children without him." He was extremely protective of his children, who weren't often seen in public, and were photographed wearing veils, masks or other items covering their faces when they were. Rowe, a former nurse for Jackson's dermatologist, married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She later gave up her custody rights to the children, but petitioned to have those rights restored in 2003 after Jackson was arrested on child molestation charges, and an appeals court sided with her. Jackson and Rowe apparently agreed in 2006 regarding her rights, but the terms have never been disclosed. The couple's divorce case that was heard in Los Angeles Superior Court remains closed. Phillips said if her parental rights remain intact, she's presumed to be first in line to receive custody of her two children. "That could still be contested," she added. Rowe would have to undergo an evaluation by the court to determine if she's the best person to care for Jackson's children. So, too, would anyone else who applies to become the children's guardian _ some of whom may have Jackson's blessing. "If he did indicate a preference, that will be given great weight, but that will not be determinative," said Los Angeles attorney Gloria Allred. "Children are not property, they cannot be willed to another person." Allred agreed that Rowe has better legal standing than others who apply for custody of Jackson's eldest children. "She's definitely going to have an advantage." But judges in California often take into account who is left in the children's lives with a strong bond, said Charlotte Goldberg, a family law professor at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles. "It's really a balance between continuity and stability and a biological relationship," Goldberg said. A judge deciding the matter may even seek input in chambers from Jackson's children about who they feel comfortable with, she said. But a court will also take into account with whom the children have a relationship bond, and that may not work in Rowe's favor. She wrote in a 2001 petition to sever her parental rights that she thought Jackson was doing a good parenting job. "Michael has been a wonderful father to the children, and I do not wish to share any parenting responsibilities with Michael because he is doing so well without me," Rowe wrote. She also indicated in court filings during the 2006 custody struggle that she had not seen the children since 2005, shortly after his trial ended in acquittal on all charges and Jackson moved the children overseas. It is unclear how often Rowe has seen the children since Jackson returned to the Los Angeles area in recent months to prepare for a 50-show concert engagement in London. It is also unclear what role the children's godfather, British child actor Mark Lester, may play in the proceedings. Whoever wins custody of Jackson's children won't automatically gain control of their inheritance, Phillips said. "For many people, the person or persons who are taking care of their kids are not necessarily taking care of their money," Phillips said. "There's a benefit to that _ a sort of a check-and-balance." Rowe, or whoever is designated the children's guardian, will receive payments based on Jackson's estate, Phillips said. More clarity about the fate of Jackson's children will likely come once court proceedings start. Phillips said the custody issue will now be handled by a probate court. If it is filed at Los Angeles' main downtown courthouse, Phillips said it will be handled by judges with significant family law experience. Phillips said the looming custody fight could be unlike any other. "In all the cases I've read all over the country," she said, "I've never seen a fact pattern like this." AP Special Correspondent Linda Deutsch contributed to this report.

Jackson family order new autopsy as anger mounts AFP - Monday, June 29 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - The family of Michael Jackson ordered a second autopsy of the tragic pop icon as associates told of mounting anger over "unanswered questions" surrounding the superstar's death. Jackson's family members were huddled at their compound in Los Angeles, where they have gathered since the most famous member of their clan died suddenly on Thursday at age 50 after suffering an apparent cardiac arrest. Los Angeles police on Saturday conducted a second interview with doctor Conrad Murray, the only person with him when he collapsed. A spokeswoman for the cardiologist said he "clarified some inconsistencies" over the death. But the spokeswoman, Miranda Sevcik, added: "Investigators say the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy." Frustrated by the lack of hard information, the family requested a second autopsy on Jackson's body which was being kept at an undisclosed location, officials and local media reports said. Late Saturday, The Los Angeles Times reported the autopsy had been completed but there was no word on the findings. "We don't like what's going on," family patriarch Joe Jackson told People magazine. The Jacksons later issued a statement to fans describing the death as "one of the darkest moments of our lives." The Los Angeles Coroner's office said Friday a preliminary autopsy on Jackson was inconclusive and a final cause of death would not be known until exhaustive toxicology tests are completed in "six to eight weeks." According to The Times, which cites Pennsylvania forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht, the coroner's office probably kept Jackson's brain even after his body had been released to the family in order to conduct a neuropathology test. This test could reveal whether the singer's brain had been damaged by drug abuse and whether he had suffered overdoses in the past, the paper said. Joe Jackson separately told Fox News that Michael Jackson's three children -- whom the pop star fiercely protected -- were in "fantastic" spirits at the musical clan's compound. Veteran US politician and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson -- who is not related to the family -- told ABC television's Good Morning America he had spent Friday counseling the family. And he revealed that family members were angered by lingering questions surrounding Jackson's death and were focusing their attention on the role of Murray, whom the singer had hired just last month. "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,'" Jesse Jackson said. "He 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." Friends and associates of Jackson took to the airwaves to voice anger over the role of advisers and physicians that surrounded the star. New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him." Anger was also beginning to be seen amongst fans who have gathered around the globe in their thousands to pay tribute to Jackson in what have been largely joyous celebrations of his life. On the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, fans queued again on Saturday for the right to file past Jackson's star set in the sidewalk. Deborah Canton, 46, sobbed inconsolably as she slammed the "evil people" who she accused of driving Jackson to his death. "The guy would never hurt a fly but all of these evil people would do everything to destroy him just to get his money," she said. "I don't think he wanted to live anymore." In New York large crowds formed outside the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where Jackson launched his career in 1969. Black Entertainment Television (BET) was quickly reworking its annual awards show on Sunday, turning it into a tribute to the superstar credited with helping bridge racial divides. Meanwhile revelers at Britain's Glastonbury music festival sported T-shirts with slogans like "Michael Jackson RIP" and "I was at Glasto when Jacko died", while graffiti paying tribute to "The King of Pop" adorned tents. Jackson's death has sent fans scrambling to stock up on his music, and British chart officials said a compilation album was likely to go to the top of the charts on Sunday. While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse. He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.

Jackson feared dying like Elvis: Lisa Marie Presley AFP - Saturday, June 27 LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson told ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley he feared dying young like her "King of Rock 'N' Roll" father Elvis. In a blog on her MySpace page titled "He Knew", Lisa Marie, who was married to Jackson for just under two years between 1994 and 1996, said her ex-husband had once confided his fear of dying suddenly. "Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general," Presley wrote. "I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Father's Death. At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.'" Jackson's sudden death Thursday from an apparent cardiac arrest triggered an outpouring of grief that has evoked comparisons with the 1977 death of Elvis at the age of 42. Presley also used her blog to hit out at the constant swirl of rumor and speculation surrounding her marriage to Jackson, which some critics derided as a public relations stunt designed to burnish the star's image after 1993 allegations of child abuse. "I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once," Presley said. "Our relationship was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a 'Normal life' found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much," Presley wrote. "I wanted to 'save him' I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened."

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