Michael Jackson, the 'King of Pop,' Dies at Age 50

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Promoter mulls Michael Jackson tribute concert in Britain

AFP - Wednesday, July 15

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.

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Police treating Jackson's death as homicide: report

AFP - Thursday, July 16

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.

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Jackson's Hair Horror 'Sparked Pill Addiction'

8 hours 25 mins ago

©Sky News 2009

A harrowing accident that happened while Michael Jackson was filming a commercial may have fuelled his addiction to painkillers, it has been claimed.

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".

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New Michael Jackson song leaked to celebrity website

AFP - Friday, July 17

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.

Jackson Sings About Escapism On Previously Unreleased Song

Posted Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:17pm PDT by Billy Johnson, Jr.

A clip of a previously unreleased Michael Jackson song has hit the net, and it feels eerie.

In the song "A Place With No Name," the late King of Pop sings about his desire to travel to a mysterious locale: "Take me to a place without no name."

It is not clear when the song was recorded or if it is referring to a heaven-like utopia or a remote getaway.

The 25-second snippet obtained by TMZ is an interpolation of America's song "A Horse With No Name" that reached Number 1 on The Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1972.

Years ago, America's manager reportedly approved Michael's "A Place With No Name."

Jim Morey, America's current manager who also represented Michael in the late '80s and early '90s, told TMZ that the band supported Michael's rendition. "The band was honored that Michael chose to do their song and they hope it becomes available for all Michael's fans to hear."

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Unseen Jackson U.K. footage on the way

Reuters - Monday, July 20By Mimi Turner

LONDON - ITV is promising exclusive unseen footage of Michael Jackson from the private collection of the singer's friend Uri Geller in a forthcoming documentary, "My Friend Michael Jackson: Uri's Story," its production and distribution division said Friday.

The documentary will show Jackson on a midnight shopping spree at London department store Harrods and visiting the grounds of Exeter soccer club, as well as footage from Geller's private archive showing the singer acting as best man at Geller's wedding.

It will also feature interviews with Geller offering his frank recollections of the star and some of the controversies that surrounded him.

"This is the real Michael Jackson, the way that just a handful of friends were privileged to see him -- relaxed, witty, loving, smart, sincere and genuine," said Geller. "This film gives audiences around the world the opportunity to experience the reality of life with Michael."

The documentary will be distributed by ITV Global Entertainment.

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Michael Jackson's confused son

Yesterday, 11:00 am

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.

© BANG Media International

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Doctor gave Jackson drug that killed him: CNN

AFP - Tuesday, July 28

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."

AP source: Jackson doc gave him drug before death

By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer – Mon Jul 27, 10:28 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Michael Jackson's personal doctor administered a powerful anesthetic to help him sleep, and authorities believe the drug killed the pop singer, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, also provided a glimpse inside Jackson's rented mansion, describing the room Jackson slept in as outfitted with oxygen tanks and an IV drip. Another of his bedrooms was a shambles, with clothes and other items strewn about and handwritten notes stuck on the walls. One read: "children are sweet and innocent."

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.

Though toxicology reports are pending, investigators are working under the theory 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 is a practice far outside the drug's intended purpose. One doctor said administering it in a home to help a person sleep would constitute malpractice.

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."

Murray became Jackson's personal physician in May and was to accompany him to London for a series of concerts starting in July.

He was staying with Jackson in the Los Angeles mansion and, according to Chernoff, "happened to find" an unconscious Jackson in the pop star's bedroom the morning of June 25. Murray tried to revive him by compressing his chest with one hand while supporting Jackson's back with the other.

It's unclear how long it took for someone at Jackson's home to summon paramedics, though Murray's own lawyers have said it was up to a half-hour. Paramedics arrived about three minutes after they were called and tried to revive the music superstar for another 42 minutes before sliding him into the ambulance and racing with lights flashing and siren blaring to UCLA Medical Center, where Jackson was pronounced dead.

Authorities arrived at the singer's house after the death and found a chaotic scene. The top floor had been all but sealed off, with only Jackson, his children and Murray allowed upstairs, the official said. Jackson'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 temperature upstairs was stiflingly hot, with gas fireplaces and the heating system on high because Jackson always complained of feeling cold, the official said.

Police found propofol and other drugs in the home. An IV line and three tanks of oxygen were in the room where Jackson slept and 15 more oxygen tanks were in a security guard's shack, the official said.

Propofol can depress breathing and lower heart rates and blood pressure. Because of the risks, propofol is only supposed to be administered in medical settings by trained personnel. Instructions on the drug's package warn that patients must be continuously monitored, and that equipment to maintain breathing, to provide artificial ventilation, and to administer oxygen if needed "must be immediately available."

Dr. Zeev Kain, who heads the anesthesiology department at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center, said he has never encountered a situation where propofol was given in a home to help someone sleep. Such a situation would constitute malpractice, he said.

Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who gave Jackson nutritional counseling and vitamins earlier this year, said he complained of insomnia and asked her repeatedly for Diprivan, the brand-name version of propofol. Lee said she warned him of the drug's dangers and rejected his requests.

Los Angeles police interviewed Murray twice soon after Jackson's death. Last week, detectives flew to Houston and, along with federal drug agents, searched a medical clinic he ran and a storage unit he rented. They seized a long list of items, including the contents of three computer hard drives, two e-mails from his administrative assistant at the Las Vegas practice Murray ran and various other documents.

A sealed search warrant approved by a Houston judge and later made public allowed authorities to seek "property or items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."

Contributing to this report were Associated Press writers Lynn Elber in Tustin, Calif., Marilynn Marchione in Milwaukee, and Justin Pritchard in Los Angeles.

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MJ house was a mess when he died: source

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.

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Custody deal agreed for Jackson's children

AFP - Friday, July 31

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's mother is to get permanent custody of the late pop star's children after agreeing a deal with the singer's ex-wife, attorneys for the two sides said in a statement Thursday.

The agreement -- which averts the possibility of an ugly court case -- will see Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe receive visitation rights to the two children she bore Jackson, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11.

The surrogate mother of Jackson's third child, seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known as "Blanket," has never been identified.

Rowe will obtain visitation rights for Prince Michael and Paris but would receive no money beyond the spousal agreement already in place -- reportedly worth some 8.5 million dollars -- a statement said.

"Mrs Jackson and the family are pleased this matter is resolved and was handled in a caring, thoughtful and courteous manner by the parties and their representatives," Jackson's lawyers Londell McMillan and Diane Goodman said.

"We were all united in our goals to do what is best for Michael's wonderful children, and both Mrs Jackson and Debbie Rowe were on the exact same page."

The statement said the "timing, frequency and manner" of Rowe's visits would be determined after consultation with a child psychologist.

The custody agreement would be presented at Los Angeles Superior Court for likely approval by a judge on Monday, the statement added.

Katherine Jackson, 79, was named temporary guardian of her grandchildren at a court hearing in Los Angeles four days after her son's death on June 25.

A will drawn up by Michael Jackson in 2002 named his mother as the guardian of the youngsters, with Motown legend Diana Ross named as an alternate.

The three children have been staying with Katherine Jackson at the musical clan's compound since their father's death last month.

Rowe signed away her parental rights to her two children in 2001, describing Jackson as a "wonderful man... a brilliant father."

However, a Los Angeles judge reversed the order in 2004 after Rowe cited concerns over publicity related to Jackson's prosecution for child molestation. Rowe later settled the case, reportedly securing visitation rights.

Despite Jackson naming his mother as the children's guardian in his will, legal experts said Rowe would have a strong custody claim on the grounds that she was the sole surviving biological parent.

Lawyers for Rowe had reacted furiously on July 14 after reports that her custody challenge was an attempt to secure a multi-million-dollar payout.

Rowe's attorney Eric George said Thursday the custody agreement was a "dignified outcome to a dignified discussion."

"The sole consideration between the parties was the best interests of the children," George said. "I'm proud to have worked with such professionals who represented Ms Jackson, and I am particularly proud of Deborah for her integrity and selflessness."

The fate of Jackson's children was one of the myriad legal tangles thrown up by the iconic singer's death last month. As well as custody issues, next Monday's hearing will also address the question of who controls Jackson's estate.

Meanwhile, the release of Jackson's autopsy results has been delayed until next week, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office confirmed Wednesday.

On Tuesday, federal agents and police raided the Las Vegas home and office of Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, who has become the central figure in the superstar's sudden death.

Search warrants filed in the investigation have indicated police are studying possible manslaughter charges against Murray, who is reported to have administered Jackson with a potent anesthetic before his death.

Jackson, 50, died suddenly at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills as he prepared to relaunch his career with a series of comeback concerts in London.

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New Michael Jackson songs on missing hard drives

Reuters - Friday, August 7

LOS ANGELES - Another thriller is developing in the complex afterlife of Michael Jackson.

His sister LaToya has taken possession of computer hard drives that contain a trove of unreleased songs he recorded with A-list singers such as Ne-Yo, Akon, and will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas, according to Rolling Stone magazine.

The drives were in the "Thriller" singer's rented Holmby Hills, Calif., mansion when he died suddenly in June. Hours afterward, the family descended on the house to claim all its contents, and LaToya grabbed the drives, Rolling Stone said, quoting the late singer's manager, Frank DiLeo.

"They backed up trucks, removing everything," DiLeo was quoted as telling the magazine in its issue that hits newsstands on Friday. "They thought Michael owned it all, so they took even the rented furniture. That's who's going to run his estate?"

Jackson's will gave 40 percent of his estate to his 79-year-old mother, Katherine, who wants more control and has raised doubts about the pair of high-powered executors currently overseeing his business affairs.

In a follow-up interview with Reuters, DiLeo said he was "pretty sure" the hard drives were at the family's Hayvenhurst compound in Encino, Calif.

"The estate lawyers will send out letters" to recover the drives so that the contents can be logged, DiLeo added.

An email sent to a representative for LaToya Jackson was not answered, and a family spokesman was not immediately available.

A spokeswoman for will.i.am said the singer did not have duplicates of his work with Jackson. Representatives for Akon and Ne-Yo either could not be reached or had no information.

DiLeo told Rolling Stone that there were at least 100 songs -- including many recorded at Jackson's 1980s peak -- that were never released, including a few "sensational" tracks that were left off "Bad," the 1987 follow-up to his blockbuster "Thriller."

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Deals could make King of Pop king of merchandising

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer AP - Thursday, August 6

LOS ANGELES - Authentic Michael Jackson products could start appearing on store shelves, cell phones, even in X-Box add-ons if a judge signs off on merchandising deals proposed by the singer's estate.

The current administrators of the singer's estate have presented several proposed contracts to a probate judge for approval. The agreements offer a taste of how the King of Pop may be sold in the coming months and years.

Trading cards, T-shirts, calendars, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson's music and games are among the tangible items being considered. So too are denim products and high-end clothing lines, according to the filings.

But Jackson seems destined to try to conquer the digital domain too. Some of the possible products include cell phone screen savers, X-Box themes, video games and digital tattoos for characters in games such as "Second Life."

The proposed deals are between Jackson's estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Bravado International Group Merchandising Services. The contract calls for Bravado, which is Universal Music Group's retailing arm, to receive worldwide merchandise rights.

AEG Live will retain rights to sell certain merchandise related to Jackson's canceled London performances, the agreements state.

Despite a tainted legacy while he was alive, some believe Jackson will even top The King, Elvis Presley, in annual merchandise sales. Presley's estate earned $55 million in revenue last year, $14 million of which came from retail sales.

A separate agreement is being pursued between the estate's administrators and Columbia Pictures for a feature length movie based on footage of Jackson's preparations for his 50 comeback concerts in London. The studio paid $60 million for the rights to the project, the contract filed in Los Angeles Superior Court states.

Jackson's estate _ which primarily benefits his mother and three children _ would receive 90 percent of the profits from the film, according to the agreement.

The agreements with Bravado are more heavily redacted and do not indicate how much the estate would be paid.

A judge has scheduled a hearing for Monday to consider the proposals.

Jackson died June 25 in Los Angeles and his lavish spending had pushed him hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. Attorneys for the current administrators of his estate, attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, have stated in court records that they believe Jackson's estate is solvent.

One of the men's attorneys, Jeryll S. Cohen, wrote in a court filing on Friday that the merchandising and film and other entertainment agreements are expected to generate "advances in the high eight figures." Negotiations for other deals are also in the works, Cohen wrote.

The administrators have the authority to combat unauthorized merchandise, and the deals provide Bravado with access to the use of Jackson's name, image, symbols, emblems and other trademarks.

Jackson's estate would have input into which products are ultimately manufactured, the proposed agreements state.

An amendment to an agreement between Jackson's estate and AEG Live allows for a traveling exhibit of the performer's memorabilia. Exact details of the exhibit were redacted, but it calls for the displays to be shown only at museums or venues that both sides agree on.

If approved, the agreements would continue a trend that Jackson seemed to be pursuing in his final months _ marketing products based on his days of superstar status.

A lawsuit filed in January by "Thriller" director John Landis accused Jackson of trying to turn the groundbreaking 14-minute music video into comic books and video games.

The director also sued over a proposed Broadway show based on "Thriller." Landis owns some of the creative rights to the project and didn't grant approval to the ventures Jackson was apparently pursuing.

Sales show Jackson still the 'King of Pop'

AFP - Friday, August 7

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson has sold nearly four million records in the weeks since his death on June 25, US media reported Thursday citing figures from Nielsen SoundScan.

Jackson's compilation album "Number Ones" remained the highest-selling album in the period ending on Sunday, selling 114,284 copies, the only album of the week to break the 100,000 barrier.

Jackson, whose legendary 1982 record "Thriller" remains the best-selling album of all time, occupied three of the top five slots last week, with six albums in the top 20 altogether.

The dozen albums by Jackson or the Jackson Five sold more than 350,000 copies in total last week, down from the previous week's 447,000.

Jackson has now sold nearly four million copies in the weeks following his death, the figures from Nielsen showed.

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Michael Jackson's mom played role in business, too

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY and LINDA DEUTSCH, Associated Press Writers AP - Thursday, August 6

NEW YORK - Entering into a business relationship with Michael Jackson rarely meant a long-lasting partnership. Over time, especially in the waning years of his life, Jackson hired _ then fired _ a litany of associates, from managers to attorneys to publicists.

Most were dispatched after the relationship soured, and the trust had evaporated.

Perhaps the one exception in his financial life was Jackson's mother, Katherine.

Jackson relied on his 79-year-old mother for more than emotional support: Documents show he put her in the position of trustee on contracts, including his lucrative Sony-ATV catalog, and associates say he also sought her input on other financial matters as he became more wary of those in his business circle.

"Any deal Michael did, he always called his mother up," said Steve Manning, a close friend of the Jackson family. "She was the backbone of his spirit."

"What he trusted was that she would make sure that his wishes were carried out," said Mrs. Jackson's attorney, L. Londell McMillan, who is representing her interests as the singer's estate is sorted out. "He understood that she was the most loyal person in his life. Her loyalty did not stop for Michael with merely personal matters."

But Jackson's last known will, drafted in 2002, left his mother, along with his three children, out of any decision-making role in his estate, leaving her only as a beneficiary.

Attorney John Branca and Jackson's former manager and close friend, John McClain, were named (along with a third party who has since removed himself) as the only people with the authority to guide his business matters after his death.

Mrs. Jackson is trying to change that, seeking to gain some kind of control over her late son's estate. The Jackson matriarch is adamant that she _ or even another family member _ have a role over Michael Jackson's business legacy, which may be worth more in death than when he was alive. Some estimates have valued his estate at $500 million.

Mrs. Jackson has filed a motion to determine whether contesting the two executors would lead to disinheritance _ Jackson's will had a no-contest clause.

"She is concerned about how the trust is going to be managed. She wants to make sure that she has a seat at the table and the family has a seat at the table," said Dean Hansell, an attorney who spoke for Mrs. Jackson in court Monday. "She wants that and she has been coming up against resistance."

But in an interview with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Branca said he is amenable to having Mrs. Jackson, or someone in the family, in a trustee role.

"We are going to have a meaningful conversation with her about having one of her family members become a co-trustee," Branca said. "Our number one priority is to make sure this estate is run effectively."

Throughout the years, Jackson's devotion to his mother has been well-documented, and it was proven again after his death, as he named her in his will as his first choice to raise his three children, and also named her and his kids as the only individuals to inherit his fortune (he also left a portion of his wealth to charity).

Katherine Jackson has not previously been known for her business acumen. It was Joe Jackson who was the manager of his sons as the Jackson 5, and acted as the manager for all of his nine children into their adult years.

But Manning claims it was Katherine, not Joe, who gave Michael Jackson his business sense, which he described as shrewd and fair.

He recalled when Jackson purchased the Beatles catalog, which also included Little Richard's music, he called his mother to ask her opinion on how he should handle Little Richard's situation: the rock legend had for years complained about being unfairly compensated for his publishing rights. His mother advised him to treat Little Richard with respect, and because of that, "(Michael) made sure that Little Richard was compensated fairly."

He also said that when Michael Jackson's MJJ Productions fell on hard times, "Michael made sure with his mother that every employee was paid."

"She is a woman of great faith, and believes if you treat people right, (good) things will come back to you."

Jackson named his mother on at least two trusts _ besides the Sony-ATV music catalog, she's a part of his Mijac publishing company _ and McMillan said she was active in Jackson's business affairs, even attending depositions in legal cases.

However, a source who asked for anonymity because of the ongoing nature of the situation said those trustee positions did not have decision-making authority.

Whether Mrs. Jackson has the business capacity to deal with Jackson's estate, which is complicated and tangled, is likely to be a key question. She and Joe filed for bankruptcy 10 years ago, listing nearly $24 million in debts that included court judgments, auto loans and credit cards. Court records show the only valuable asset listed was a house in Las Vegas then valued at $290,000.

On Monday, the South Korean newspaper Segye Times filed for payment from Michael Jackson's estate of a nearly $7.9 million judgment entered against Katherine and Joe Jackson and their son Jermaine in 1994. The paper sued in 1990 over a series of concerts involving the Jacksons in Seoul that never happened.

McMillan said the role of a trustee does not require a person to be a business whiz.

"A trustee is one of trust as opposed to extraordinary skill," he said. "Trustees hire experts to administer business that requires experts."

Manning said Mrs. Jackson is confident that her legal team would do an excellent job with her guidance. He also raised the possibility that one of Jackson's five brothers could have a role in the estate: "That would be the right thing to do, the right thing to happen."

Legally, Mrs. Jackson may not be able to have an official role. Both Branca and Hansell said the addition of Katherine as an executor of the will or a trustee of the trust might raise tax questions because she is a beneficiary.

Branca was Jackson's attorney for many years, working with him during the height of his fame and helping negotiate his deal to buy the Beatles catalog. But they split in 2005 until Branca was brought back shortly before Jackson's death as he prepared for his comeback concerts with the promoter AEG.

McClain has been very close with the family for decades, and was instrumental in building Janet Jackson's career. He also had played key roles in Michael Jackson's career in its later years.

Manning spoke highly of McClain, saying he has been "like a son" to the Jackson parents.

"He's like a confidant," he said. "He was very, very close to the family."

Branca and McClain have control of Jackson's estate until at least Oct. 3. They have already made several deals on behalf of Jackson's estate, including a reissue of his memoir "Moonwalk" and a full-length motion picture filled with footage of his last rehearsals, which requires a judge's approval. In a sign that Katherine Jackson's input is already being considered critical, the judge has scheduled a hearing Monday to see, among other things, whether she has any objections.

But McMillan claims Jackson would have wanted his mother to be part of any dealmaking as well, quoting Jackson's sentiments about his mother from a deposition: "For the past several years I have started using my mother because she is the most trusted person in my life. I trust my mother more than anyone."

[kueytoc]

Jackson allies deny Oliver! star paternity link

AFP - Tuesday, August 11

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.

[kueytoc]

Jackson film greenlit; merchandise gets a yellow

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY,AP Entertainment Writer AP - Tuesday, August 11

LOS ANGELES - A judge greenlit a major Michael Jackson movie deal Monday, and the film is scheduled to be in theaters later this year. The accompanying Michael Jackson merchandise will have to wait _ for now.

The film, crafted from hundreds of hours of behind-the-scenes and rehearsal footage shot in Los Angeles weeks before Jackson was to kick off his 50 "This is It" concerts in London, will also feature interviews with Jackson's friends and collaborators. Portions of the movie will be shown in 3-D.

"People who have seen this footage are astounded by the amazing quality of Michael Jackson's performance," said Michael Lynton, chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment. "This historic recording of the last time he sang and danced on stage shows the legendary artist in an incredibly powerful way, with crystal clear images and sound."

Fans will have to wait a bit longer before official Jackson merchandise hits store shelves or a museum exhibit of the singer's memorabilia is displayed.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed approving a pair of lucrative contracts after attorneys for Jackson's mother, Katherine, raised a series of objections. Attorneys spent hours trying to work out a deal, but Beckloff ultimately delayed a ruling and appointed an independent attorney to represent Jackson's three children in estate matters.

It is unclear how much the deals are worth, but attorneys for the companies advocating them said the delay could cost Jackson's heirs a substantial amount of money. Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren are set to receive a combined 80 percent of the pop superstar's estate.

The estate will grow richer with a deal Beckloff approved between Jackson's estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Columbia Pictures, which is owned by Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Under the terms of the proposed contract, the film, slated to arrive in theaters on Oct. 30, will have to be screened for Jackson's estate and cannot include any footage that puts the superstar in a bad light.

Burt Levitch, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, expressed concerns that the film will feature Jacksons' three children, but an attorney for AEG Live denied the youngsters were included in the footage.

Columbia Pictures paid $60 million for rights to the film, and the contract states Jackson's estate is slated to receive 90 percent of its profits.

Jackson died on June 25, days before he was set to embark to England for his comeback shows.

Beckloff had until Monday to approve the film and allowed Jackson's mother, Katherine, to review the contracts and raise any objections. Katherine Jackson did not object to the film, but her attorneys have raised questions about other agreements concerning AEG Live and merchandiser Bravado. The estate wants to enter into agreements with the two companies for a museum show of Jackson memorabilia and merchandising.

The memorabilia show would be on display in three cities which have not yet been announced.

A proposed agreement calls for Bravado to receive worldwide rights to Jackson merchandise, including items such as trading cards, apparel and cell phone themes.

Levitch, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, said he has raised several issues with the proposed agreements. He said the he was "not sure (AEG) would have been the first choice" to put on the museum tour.

Katherine Jackson's attorneys have frequently cited possible investigations into AEG's conduct and conflict of interests during court hearings.

Attorneys for the promoter and the current administrators of Jackson's estate say they are unaware of any investigation by police or government regulators. Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for AEG, said the company would comply with any investigative inquiries.

Katherine Jackson's attorneys argued Monday that the singer's estate should own the footage and have control over who uses it after the movie deal is complete.

"Under no circumstances would AEG agree to such a thing," Jorrie said.

As part of agreements pending before the judge, AEG would have rights to use the footage indefinitely.

Howard Weitzman, an attorney representing the estate's current administrators, said some of Katherine Jackson's suggestions are "not acceptable." He said the contracts were aggressively negotiated and there was little room to strike a better deal.

"We feel that we're being second-guessed," Weitzman said. "I'm not sure why."

Coroner completes Michael Jackson autopsy

Reuters - Tuesday, August 11

By Alex Dobuzinskis

LOS ANGELES - Coroners have completed the autopsy report on the body of pop star Michael Jackson, but details remained under wraps on Monday as police probe the cause of the singer's death and his prescription drug use.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said detectives requested the autopsy, which includes toxicology tests, remain sealed until their investigation was finished. He could not say when it would be completed and declined to offer more details.

Some media outlets reported that the "Thriller" singer's body has now been buried at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles, but that could not immediately be confirmed through a family spokesman. A cemetery spokesman declined to comment.

Police are looking into why the 50-year-old singer died suddenly of cardiac arrest on June 25. Numerous media reports have said officials are focused on Jackson's use of a powerful anesthetic called propofol to sleep. Police and federal agents have raided several offices of Jackson's doctors as part of their probe.

Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the singer's will said he had approved several business deals, including a $60 million agreement with Columbia Pictures to make a movie from video of the King of Pop's rehearsals for a series of concerts that had been set to take place in London this past July.

Those shows were dubbed "This Is It" by Jackson, and the movie will be similarly titled. Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the film, due to be in theaters on October 30, will have performances and behind-the-scenes video of Jackson preparing for the concerts. Some of it will be shown in movie theaters in 3-D.

The judge also agreed to the re-issuance of the singer's autobiography, "Moonwalk," currently planned for October.

Lawyers spent much of Monday in court wrangling over merchandising deals still being planned and a traveling exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that concert promoter AEG Live, which had backed the London concerts, wants to mount.

RESURGENT POPULARITY

Attorneys for Jackson's mother, Katherine, said they had concerns about the involvement of AEG in deals struck with the executors of the pop star's estate.

Judge Mitchell Beckloff said he could not approve the deals for the traveling exhibition and merchandising rights until he appoints an attorney to represent the interests of Jackson's three minor children, who along with Katherine Jackson are beneficiaries of the estate.

As a result, he put off his decision on whether to approve the two deals until August 17.

An attorney for AEG Live, which spent as much as $30 million preparing for the comeback concerts, had argued that to help recoup its investment it needed to move quickly to take advantage of the resurgence in the singer's popularity.

Several of the "Thriller" singer's albums, for instance, have returned to the top of the music charts in recent weeks, whereas before his death his CD sales had languished.

"The longer we wait, the more time passes, frankly the less interest there will be on the part of the public to come see the exhibit," said Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for AEG Live.

Jackson's "Number Ones" CD, originally released in 1993, is the second-best selling album of 2009 in the United States, with sales this year of 1.4 million copies, according to tracking firm Nielsen SoundScan. Only Taylor Swift's 2008 release "Fearless," with 1.5 million copies sold so far this year, stands in the way.

Jackson was said to be as much as $500 million in debt when he died, but the value of his estate was reported to be as high as $1 billion given his part ownership in a music catalog and his control of his own songs.

Jorrie told the judge that attorneys for his mother have demanded AEG Live give the estate its rehearsal video, something that AEG is not willing to do. AEG is owned by reclusive Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz.

[kueytoc]

In death, as in life, Jackson surrounded by wackiness

AFP - Sunday, August 16

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's outlandish life is being overshadowed in his death by events so preposterous they seem to come from a fiction writer's overactive imagination.

They include a petition to award him a Nobel peace prize; a growing list of people who claim to be the real parents of Jackson's children; a lawsuit from an alleged ex-wife; and a sect that believes the "King of Pop" lives on, albeit on another planet.

Jackson died in Los Angeles on June 25 at age 50 from an apparent cardiac arrest. His son Prince Michael, 12; his daughter Paris, 11, and seven-year-old son Prince Michael II -- known as "Blanket" -- are the immediate heirs to the late singer's music empire. Their legal guardian is Katherine Jackson, the children's paternal grandmother.

According to a case filed recently in Los Angeles, a woman named Claire Elisabeth Fields Cruise claims to be the children's sole biological mother.

Documents filed by Fields Cruise, and posted on celebrity website TMZ.com, also claim Prince Michael I was fathered by a man who lives in France, while Paris Jackson's father was Fields Cruise's "unofficial college sweetheart."

Fields Cruise told a judge she gave birth to the children without being pregnant with them.

"There is technology that is in existence," she told reporters after she filed the case,"to remove the conceived children from her body and insert them into the bodies of the surrogates who gave birth to them."

Fields Cruise also claimed that Jackson "always knew" he was the biological father of Connor Cruise, the 14 year-old black child that actors Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman adopted in 1995, when they were still married.

One day before Fields Cruise filed her case, British ex-child star Mark Lester said that he might be Paris Jackson's father.

"I gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids -- and I believe Paris is my daughter," Lester, who played Oliver Twist in the 1968 film musical "Oliver!," told the British tabloid News of the World.

Jackson family spokespeople said the 51-year-old Briton was a friend of Jackson and is godfather to all three of his children, but denied Lester's parenthood claim.

Jackson had his first two children, Prince Michael and Paris, when he was married to Debbie Rowe, an assistant to his dermatologist, between 1996 and 1999.

Rowe signed over parental rights to the children to Jackson, who later had a third child, Prince Michael II, by a surrogate.

Rowe's boss Arnold Klein even weighed in with a cryptic statement on paternity. "To the best of my knowledge, I am not the father of these children," Klein told ABC News in early July.

Rowe and Jackson may have divorced, but one Nona Paris Lola Ankhesenamun Jackson claims to be the singer's legitimate wife -- and filed a case in Los Angeles court five days after the singer's death asking "that all my husband's properties, monies and assets must be transferred to me immediately."

While there is no evidence linking the woman to Jackson, she also claims Jackson's children are hers and that she did not authorize them to live with their grandmother.

Separately, a woman by the name of Billie Jean Jackson -- like Jackson's famous hit song "Bille Jean" -- showed up in court claiming an unspecified link to "Blanket" Jackson.

Jean asked the judge to hire a handwriting expert to check Jackson's will for forgeries; asked for the right to visit Blanket every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 2 pm; and asked to not to be "arrested" by Katherine Jackson or estate executor John Branca.

Meanwhile, gossip magazines allege that 25-year-old rapper Omer Bhatti is Jackson's love child, conceived in a one-night stand with a Norwegian fan.

Bhatti lived at Neverland ranch for eight years and was with the Jackson family at the singer's funeral. Friends told reporters however that he was merely a Jackson protege, and Bhatti has denied any biological link to the singer.

That hasn't stopped the late singer's estranged father Joe Jackson from claiming that Bhatti was Michael's son.

"Yes, I knew he had another son, yes I did," Joe Jackson told ABC News in a July 31 interview. Bhatti "looks like a Jackson, he can dance like a Jackson," he added, offering no further proof.

Soon after Jackson's death, a website opened nominating the singer for the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for having "given of himself completely and selflessly in a lifelong effort to help better global conditions for children, and all of humankind."

As of Saturday more than 31,000 people had signed the petition -- even though Nobel prizes are not awarded posthumously.

Some people say they see Jackson's ghost in a CNN documentary filmed at the late star's Neverland estate soon after his death.

Others may be consoled by the Raelian Movement, a group that says Jackson -- named a Raelian Honorary Guide in 1992 -- probably lives on.

"Considering all the good things Michael did on Earth for peace and love, I'm sure he is alive today on the Elohim's Eternal-Life Planet," group leader Rael said in a July 7 statement.

Raelians believe that all life on Earth was created by human scientists from another planet known as the Elohim, who ancient humans mistook for gods.

Jackson "is among the few humans from Earth to be so cloned, and will return to Earth with the Elohim" when humans will welcome them back, the statement read.

[kueytoc]

Michael Jackson's doctor posts video

By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer AP - Wednesday, August 19

LOS ANGELES - The doctor who was with Michael Jackson when he died and is now the center of a manslaughter probe posted a short video Tuesday thanking his supporters.

In the one-minute video, posted on YouTube, a weary-looking Dr. Conrad Murray thanks friends and patients and refers to his two interviews with Los Angeles police detectives. It was the first time Murray had spoken publicly since Jackson died June 25.

"I have done all I could do," a solemn-sounding Murray says as he looks into the camera. "I told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail."

The video was recorded last week at a private residence in Houston, said Miranda Sevcik, the spokeswoman for Murray's lawyer.

After Jackson died, Murray received death threats, hired a body guard and was forced into seclusion at his Las Vegas home, Sevcik said. He also has received many calls from patients, former patients and strangers offering him support.

"Because of all that is going on, I am afraid to return phone calls or use my e-mail," Murray says. "I recorded this video to let all of you know that I have been receiving your messages ... Your messages give me strength and courage and keep me going. They mean the world to me."

Since Jackson's death, Murray has not worked and has closed his Las Vegas practice.

The doctor was in dire financial shape when he signed on with Jackson earlier this year at $150,000 a month, owing at least $780,000 in judgments and outstanding payments.

Sevcik said the only reason Murray made the video was to address supporters, but she added Murray told her he misses being able to work.

"He says he wants to get back to work, he really does genuinely care about the people he works with," Sevcik said. "He has to just wait, he's in limbo."

Gregory D. Lee, a retired supervisory agent with the Drug Enforcement Agency, said he thought Murray wanted to improve his image.

"This doctor has been demonized," Lee said. "This is an attempt to humanize him and possibly sway any potential jury pool out there."

Murray told investigators he administered Jackson a powerful anesthetic along with multiple sedatives in the hours before the singer died, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Investigators think Murray left the room where Jackson was sleeping for a few minutes to make phone calls and returned to find the pop icon not breathing.

The official requested anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

The Los Angeles coroner's office has said it has completed its work determining Jackson's cause of death but won't be releasing results until the police investigation is complete.

On the Net: Dr Murray: I've done all I could

[kueytoc]

Coroner says Jackson died from lethal dose of propofol

Reuters - August 24, 2009 3:24 PM PDT

Reuters HOUSTON (Reuters) - Pop star Michael Jackson died from a lethal dose of the powerful anesthetic propofol given in a cocktail of drugs, leading authorities to suspect his doctor of manslaughter, court documents showed on Monday.

The "Thriller" singer suffered cardiac arrest and died on June 25 at age 50. Since then, an investigation by state and federal agencies have focused on Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor who was at his bedside the day he died.

The findings, contained in a warrant to search Murray's home and offices, paint a picture of an insomniac pop star who could not sleep without heavy medication. Jackson sought out propofol -- routinely used to sedate patients and anesthetize them before surgeries such as a colonoscopy -- and called it his "milk."

"The Los Angeles Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. (Lakshmanan) Sathyavagiswaran, indicated that he had reviewed the preliminary toxicology results and his preliminary assessment of Jackson's cause of death was due to lethal levels of propofol (diprivan)," according to a warrant to search Murray's offices issued by California.

The document was unsealed and released by the Harris County District Clerk in Houston, where Murray has an office. U.S. agents raided the office on July 22.

In an affidavit seeking the warrant, Houston police officer E.G. Chance said U.S. agents had gathered "items constituting evidence of the offense of manslaughter that tend to show that Dr. Conrad Murray committed the said criminal offense."

Murray's attorney, Ed Chernoff, was not available to comment.

In a statement, a representative said Jackson's family has "full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the L.A. County Coroner, the L.A. District Attorney and the L.A. Police Department."

Murray, who was with Jackson on June 25 administering drugs to ease the pop star to sleep, gave him a range of medication including a 25-milligram dose of propofol via an intravenous drip at 10:40 a.m. PDT, the state search warrant said.

Jackson was "very familiar" with propofol and referred to it as his "milk" because of its milky appearance, the warrant said. Murray, who had been treating Jackson for about six weeks leading up to his death, was worried that Jackson was addicted to propofol. Murray was trying to wean him off the drug by giving him smaller doses, it said.

Jason Hymes, an assistant clinical professor at the University of Southern California who is not associated with the case, said the drug was a true anesthetic. "You administer it to somebody and then operate on them ... This concept of giving somebody a general anesthetic for sleep disturbance strikes me as just bizarre and astoundingly inappropriate."

In the early hours of June 25, Murray also gave Jackson doses of anti-anxiety medications Valium and Ativan and sedative Versed, the filing said.

Jackson went to sleep after Murray gave him the propofol, and Murray stayed by his side for about 10 minutes, then left "to go to the restroom and relieve himself," the search warrant said.

Murray was out of Jackson's room for about 2 minutes and when he returned, Jackson was no longer breathing, the warrant said.

(Additional reporting by Alex Dobuzinski in Los Angeles)

(Reporting by Chris Baltimore; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)

[kueytoc]

'Lethal' drug levels killed Michael Jackson: report

AFP - Tuesday, August 25

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - "Lethal levels" of the powerful anesthetic propofol killed Michael Jackson, according to the latest court documents unsealed and quoted by US media which put the pop star's personal physician under mounting police scrutiny.

The documents unsealed in Houston and tied to the investigation into the June 25 death of the pop star cites the Los Angeles County coroner's office as concluding after an autopsy that a fatal cocktail of drugs including propofol was administered to Jackson hours before he died.

"The Los Angeles Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner, Dr. (Lakshmanan) Sathyavagiswaran, indicated that he had reviewed the preliminary toxicology results and his preliminary assessment of Jackson's cause of death was due to lethal levels of propofol," according to a facsimile of a Los Angeles search warrant and affidavit posted on investigative website TheSmokingGun.com and cited by US news networks.

The affidavit also said the singer's personal physician, cardiologist Conrad Murray, was giving propofol and other drugs to Jackson -- at the star's insistence -- to treat his insomnia, but that he was worried Jackson had developed an addiction and so he "tried to wean Jackson off of the drug."

The documents shed light on one of the last remaining questions about Jackson's sudden death at age 50, but they also increase the possibility that the death is ruled a homicide and that criminal charges are brought against Murray, who was with Jackson on the morning of his death.

Murray has been the target of a manslaughter investigation for weeks, but on Monday the coroner's office would not confirm or deny that the death was ruled a homicide.

"We have not released the findings and the case is still under a security hold," said Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroner's office.

Regarding news reports Monday that the coroner had declared Jackson's death a homicide, Winter told AFP: "We have not said that."

The Jackson family issued a brief statement Monday, saying it has "full confidence in the legal process, and commends the ongoing efforts of the LA County Coroner, the LA District Attorney and the LA Police Department."

"The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served."

The affidavit reveals that Murray confessed to investigators two days after the death that he had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol -- also known by the trade name Diprivan -- nightly for the six weeks prior to his death.

According to the affidavit, he said that on June 22 he halved Jackson's propofol dose to wean him off the drug and also gave two other sedatives, lorazepam and midazolam.

The following night he administered the latter two drugs but withheld propofol, and the star was able to sleep, but throughout the next night Jackson was unable to sleep despite doses of lorazepam, midazolam and Valium, according to the document.

"Jackson remained awake and at approximately 1040 hours, Murray finally administered 25 milligrams of propofol, diluted with lidocaine via IV drip to keep Jackson sedated, after repeated demands/requests from Jackson," according to the affidavit.

It stated Murray was monitoring Jackson closely, but then stepped away from his bedside to use the bathroom and when he returned two minutes later Jackson had stopped breathing.

His attempts to revive him were unsuccessful and Jackson was declared dead at about 2:00 pm local time.

As part of their investigation police and federal agents raided Murray's offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and Houston, Texas as well as a Las Vegas pharmacy that provided the medicine.

According to the affidavit, Murray told investigators he was not the first doctor to administer propofol to the "Thriller" singer.

"Murray stated that Jackson was very familiar with the drug and referred to it as his 'milk,'" LAPD detective Orlando Martinez wrote in the affidavit.

Medical experts said Monday that the drug cocktail apparently given to Jackson was extremely dangerous and that police will need to determine whether administering it was tantamount to medical negligence.

"If all of these drugs... are also shown, this would be a classical case of acute combined drug toxicity," forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht told CNN.

[kueytoc]

Sounds Whacko But Vid Shows Jacko Backo

Yesterday, 06:16 pm

©Sky News 2009

The 29-second clip will doubtless reinforce the view held by conspiracy theorists that the King of Pop's death was an elaborate stunt and that he is still alive and kicking.

The video, apparently filmed in an underground garage, shows a man being escorted from the back of a white van and through a doorway by a guard.

The man appears to have the same build and hair as Jackson but his face cannot be seen at any point.

The person who posted the footage on video-sharing website Live Leak claims to have been given it by a "trustworthy source".

"This video shows that Michael was still alive after his dead body was transported to the Los Angeles Dept. of Coroner," the video description states.

"I checked the license plate number and it looks like the King of Pop is jumping out of the same van, his dead body has been in."

However, the van's number plate is not clearly visible at any point during the video and there is no date stamp to indicate when it may have been filmed.

Even users of Live Leak, which is known as a breeding ground for far-fetched conspiracy theories, have their doubts.

"Michael Jackson, Elvis, 2Pac, and Biggie are all hanging out together on some island making music, I'll have the video of that later today," wrote one.

"Yea, I figured as much. Him and Elvis are probley out partying some where," chipped in another.

Earlier this week the Los Angeles coroner confirmed Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anaesthetic propofol in his body when he died on June 25.

His death at the age of 50 is being treated as homicide.

[kueytoc]

Michael Jackson's mother praises Vienna tribute

By VERONIKA OLEKSYN, Associated Press Writer AP - Tuesday, August 25

VIENNA - The King of Pop's mother said in a letter made public Monday that next month's global tribute for Michael Jackson in Vienna is "a wonderful idea" and an event that her son would have loved.

The Sept. 26 concert _ being planned by Jackson's brother Jermaine _ will take place in front of a 17th-century palace in the Austrian capital. The performers haven't been announced, but the event is expected to draw thousands of people.

"An event of this dimension not only keeps Michael's spirit alive, more than that: It gives millions of fans the opportunity to experience his music and celebrate the life of my son," Katherine Jackson wrote. "I am sure Michael would love it."

The hand-signed letter is dated Thursday and was made public by the Austrian event promoters, World Awards Media GmbH.

Michael Jackson died aged 50 on June 25.

Event promoter Georg Kindel has said the tribute was originally planned for London's Wembley Stadium on Aug. 29, which would have been Jackson's 51st birthday, but that Jermaine Jackson decided instead on Vienna. Austria is home to many castles, and Jermaine has said Vienna was chosen as the venue because his brother "loved castles."

In the letter, Katherine Jackson said she immediately considered Jermaine's plan _ announced several weeks after he visited Vienna to receive an award in his brother's honor _ "a wonderful idea."

"I fully support Jermaine's endeavors to spread Michael's important message of making a better world for us all," she wrote.

Jackson's mother also reached out to fans, saying she was "overwhelmed by the worldwide love and support that my beloved son Michael has received over the past month."

Last week, fans swamped the Web site offering tribute tickets, with prices ranging from euro63 ($90) to euro518 ($742).

Nina Ellend, head of publicity at World Awards Media GmbH, said thousands of tickets have been snapped up and that the sale was happening in stages.

Austrian media have reported that Madonna, U2, Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston might be among the performers. However, the tribute's Web site says only that the lineup will include "some of the most popular contemporary artists."

On the Net: http://www.tribute2009.com/

[kueytoc]

Michael Jackson's death homicide: coroner

AFP - Saturday, August 29

LOS ANGELES (AFP) - - Michael Jackson's death was declared a homicide by Los Angeles coroners on Friday as they revealed the singer had a lethal cocktail of six different drugs in his body when he died.

Ending several weeks of feverish speculation following Jackson's sudden death in Los Angeles on June 25, the county coroner's office issued a brief statement ruling that the superstar's death was unlawful.

The statement said that while "acute intoxication" from the powerful anesthetic propofol was the primary cause of death, Jackson, 50, had also suffered from the effects of other drugs in his system.

As well as propofol, powerful drugs including lorazepam, midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine were found in Jackson's body.

The coroner's statement said police investigators and public prosecutors had ordered that the full toxicology report concerning Jackson be withheld until further notice.

Jackson's family welcomed the findings.

"The Jackson family again wishes to commend the actions of the coroner, the LAPD and other law enforcement agencies, and looks forward to the day that justice can be served," the family said in a statement.

The coroner's announcement will fuel speculation that authorities are likely to charge Jackson's personal physician Conrad Murray in connection with the death. Cardiologist Murray was the last person to see Jackson alive.

A lawyer for Murray issued a barbed statement to Friday's announcement, saying the coroner's release "contains nothing new."

"For two months we have been hearing the same information, usually from leaks out of the coroner's office," attorney Ed Chernoff said in a statement.

"One has to wonder why the coroner felt compelled to release anything at all if the police investigation is not yet complete."

According to court documents unsealed in Houston, Texas, on Monday, multiple drugs were administered to Jackson by Murray in the hours before his death.

Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran "reviewed the preliminary toxicology results and his preliminary assessment of Jackson's cause of death was due to lethal levels of propofol."

Murray administered propofol and other drugs to Jackson -- at the star's insistence -- to treat his insomnia, but was worried Jackson had developed an addiction and "tried to wean Jackson off of the drug," the affidavit said.

Propofol is a powerful anesthetic used to induce unconsciousness in patients undergoing major surgery in hospital. Medical professionals say it should never be used by private individuals at home.

The affidavit unsealed on Monday revealed that Murray confessed to investigators two days after the star died that he had been giving Jackson 50 milligrams of propofol nightly during the six weeks prior to the event.

As part of their investigation, police and federal agents have already raided Murray's offices in Las Vegas, Nevada and Houston, Texas, as well as a Las Vegas pharmacy that provided the drugs.

Murray told investigators he was not the first doctor to administer propofol to the King of Pop, who referred to the drug as his "milk," LAPD detective Orlando Martinez wrote in the affidavit, citing the cardiologist.

Medical experts said the cocktail of drugs apparently given to Jackson was extremely dangerous and police would need to determine whether administering it was tantamount to medical negligence.

"If all of these drugs... are also shown, this would be a classical case of acute combined drug toxicity," forensic pathologist Cyril Wecht told CNN.

Jackson is to be buried at a cemetery in Glendale, California on September 3, his family announced last week. They had originally planned to bury him on Saturday -- the day he would have turned 51.

[Firestarter]

Dont stop with the updates. Thanks!

[kueytoc]

Michael's Foreverland

by Diane Dimond

September 1, 2009

Michael Jackson’s final home, as of Thursday, is even stranger than his Thriller video, sitting atop 13 stories of secret catacombs housing Satanists and gypsies. Diane Dimond tours the tomb.

There are fewer places more beautiful than Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. It’s a park-like 300 acres of rolling hills, massive trees, majestic marble statuary and soothing water features. Hubert Eaton, a devout Christian, took over an existing graveyard in the early 1900s, and designed it to mark a new and glorious beginning, rather than the end of something.

Michael Jackson will lie in repose over no fewer than 13 subterranean floors, each holding intriguing secrets. As one cemetery insider told me, â€It’s sort of the opposite of the stairway to heaven.â€

There are fewer places more beautiful than Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. It’s a park-like 300 acres of rolling hills, massive trees, majestic marble statuary and soothing water features. Hubert Eaton, a devout Christian, took over an existing graveyard in the early 1900s, and designed it to mark a new and glorious beginning, rather than the end of something.

But this otherwise majestic place sits atop some dark secrets, ones that, as of this Thursday, Michael Joseph Jackson will rest upon as well. I was able to glimpse an advance peek at the King of Pop’s eternal throne, and the reality is stranger than his Thriller video, sitting atop more than a dozen floors of secret subterranean burial sections housing the remains of ancient devil worshippers and Gypsies, sacrificial fonts and crypts decorated with pentagrams and a secreted area with shelves housing at least a thousand abandoned urns containing the ashes of souls no one claimed.

My recent behind-the-scenes tour of the cemetery was conducted by a man who had worked there for several years in a job that had him into the bowels of every single building, the entire breadth of the grounds, and he knew the place like the back of his hand.

“There’s Spencer Tracy’s plot -- and over here Errol Flynn’s,†says my guide, pointing to the appropriate places. After rounding a corner of one elaborate building, he motioned toward an out-of-the-way flower bed, pulled back a low hanging palm frond and said, “Hardly anyone has ever seen this.†He pointed to a plaque which read: Walter Elias Disney. Engraved underneath: “Ashes scattered in paradise.†Resting below, at the foot of a Little Mermaid statue, was a small stuffed Mickey Mouse.

Inside the mammoth Freedom Mausoleum, my guide points to a low marble bench and then up to the wall where a side-by-side crypt held the remains of Gracie Allen (1902-1964) and George Burns (1896-1996). He explains that every Tuesday for decades, Burns would sit on that bench and visit with his departed soulmate. The simple legend on their crypt reads: “Together Again.†Nat King Cole’s crypt is above and to the right.

Downstairs in this particular building, down into more marble walls holding the remains of members of the Three Stooges and the Marx Brothers, Alan Ladd, Dorothy Dandridge, Clara Bow and many others, my chest tightens. It was like breathing in a heavy dose of musty mold - a rotting suffocating smell that forces staffers to leave open opposing doors so the breeze can carry at least some of the smell away. This smell of death cropped up randomly, in various buildings, throughout our excursion.

The talk of workers on the property today is of exactly where Michael Jackson will spend eternity after his final family memorial service, scheduled for Thursday at Forest Lawn’s Great Mausoleum, inside the elaborate Memorial Court of Honor. In that hall Jackson’s casket is scheduled to be staged under a stunning stained glass rendition of Leonardo da Vinci’s "Last Supper" masterpiece. It occupies one entire wall.

This location likely would have met with Michael’s approval. He once commissioned his own special Last Supper painting and for years it hung directly over his bed at Neverland Ranch. In Jackson’s version he occupies the center space where Jesus is usually seen and instead of the disciples there are some of Jackson’s heroes painted in, among them Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, Charlie Chaplin, Elvis Presley and Little Richard.

After the hoopla surrounding Jackson’s death dies down, maybe in a year or more, cemetery workers speculate that Jackson will be permanently buried in the uber-expensive “Golden Key†section of Forest Lawn, which is outlined with a prohibitively tall brick wall. Only family members in possession of a special key can enter this rarified space where the likes of Mary Pickford, Sammy Davis Jr. and Humphrey Bogart are interred. It’s a vast and lavish area of the cemetery surrounded with glittering marble statues and elaborate sarcophaguses.

But for now, sources tell me, Michael Jackson will be stored in a crypt almost directly underneath the Last Supper masterpiece.

To get to that spot my guide showed me a wide marble staircase, roped off to keep the public out, but clearly visible as going down. The first sunken level is where it’s expected Jackson will be held. Standing at the top of these stairs is like standing on the top floor of an apartment building and being able to see all the levels of staircases. It has an eerie feeling to it and, according to multiple sources, this is the route to the secret underground catacombs.

Michael Jackson will lie in repose over no fewer than 13 subterranean floors, each holding intriguing secrets, some could date as far back to the late 1800’s. As one cemetery insider told me, â€It’s sort of the opposite of the stairway to heaven.â€

When asked to confirm these areas a Forest Lawn spokesperson denied they exist.

But my sources, including another ex-Forest Lawn maintenance man and a mutual acquaintance of both employees to whom they gave contemporaneous accounts over the years, give descriptions that are rich with detail.

“There is a level where devil worshippers were once interred,†my guide tells me. “It’s complete with devil statues, pentagrams and an area where worshippers conducted weird services.â€

Continuing down there is another level said to be dedicated to some of Los Angeles’ original and very wealthy industrialists and their families. They rest down behind ancient hardcore steel gates off to each side of a long main corridor. These are the departed rich who wanted to spend eternity away from the prying eyes of common citizens. Families with names like Williamson and Wilkinson and Miller. According to my sources, the Miller family, of Miller beer, has ancestors interred in these underground spaces.

Another subterranean area, according to the guide, was set aside as the final spot for wealthy gypsy families, the figurines on their crypts otherworldly, and as recently as the 1960s, my sources say, their families would stage elaborate get-togethers to honor their dead relatives.

Many doors remain padlocked deep within this labyrinth but when two workers opened one they discovered a room lined with shelves holding crematory urns for military men, police officers, nurses and city workers who were cremated gratis and held all these years because there were no families to claim them.

Both men told me when their duties required them to be in these underground spaces they often felt the eerie presence of some of the forgotten occupants.

“I’m not a supernatural, ghost-y kind of guy,†the guide told me as we continued our tour, “but more than once when I was down in those places I felt cold and clammy fingers brush against the back of my neck. I knew I was alone down there – but I wasn’t really alone, you know?â€

Sounds like a real life Thriller location -- and one whose history would likely delight Michael Jackson.

Investigative journalist and syndicated columnist Diane Dimond has covered the Michael Jackson story since 1993 when she first broke the news that the King of Pop was under investigation for child molestation. She is author of the book, "Be Careful Who You Love—Inside the Michael Jackson Case." She lives in New York with her husband, broadcast journalist, Michael Schoen.

[kueytoc]

In Memoriam: Michael Jackson Jackson far from cameras, public

Sept. 3, 2009, 6:12 PM EST

GLENDALE, Calif. - Michael Jackson will share eternity with the likes of Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and W.C. Fields, entombed alongside them in a grand marble mausoleum that will be all but off-limits to adoring fans who might otherwise turn the pop star's grave into a shrine.

A private family ceremony was set for Thursday night inside the massive multistory building at star-studded Forest Lawn Glendale cemetery. The service comes one month after a lavish public memorial that displayed the "King of Pop's" gleaming golden casket to millions on TV.

After the burial, the closest the public will be able to get to Jackson's vault is a portion of the mausoleum that displays "The Last Supper Window," a life-size stained-glass re-creation of Leonardo da Vinci's masterpiece. Several 10-minute presentations about the window are held regularly 365 days a year, but most of the building is restricted.

Lisa Burk, who blogs about celebrity graves at www.gravehunting.com, said the Jackson family chose well for his final resting place if it was privacy they were after.

"It's impossible to get in there," Burk said. "It was before, and it will be worse now."

By late afternoon Thursday, media tents had cropped up all along the boulevard across from the wrought-iron gates that serve as the main entrance to Forest Lawn. That vantage point offered no view of any mausoleum — just a fountain and a building containing the gift shop.

Glendale police were providing security for the indoor service, which was well inside the sprawling grounds and by-invite only. Family representatives have said the affair was to be private, with no press allowed.

No fans were allowed inside the blocked-off media area, nor had anyone gathered on the fringes of the perimeter by late afternoon. A car accident near the barricades diverted the attention of some officers, and an elementary school across the street was emptying of curious students.

Gregg Harris, 42, a Jackson fan from Irvine, began waiting at a bus stop outside the security perimeter seven hours before the service was to begin. He was dressed in black from head to toe, including an "In Remembrance of Michael Jackson" T-shirt.

"I just wanted to see the family. I don't know. I just wanted to be in the atmosphere, soak it in, I guess," Harris said. "I think this will give a sense of closure ... ."

The Jackson family had booked an Italian restaurant in Pasadena for a gathering Thursday night, said Alex Carr, assistant operations manager at Villa Sorriso, in the city's Old Town district. She wouldn't specify the menu or number of people, but said the entire restaurant, which can accommodate 200 guests, had been reserved for the event and that security would be present.

The ceremony ends months of speculation that the singer's body would be buried at Neverland Ranch, in part to make the property a Graceland-style attraction. An amended copy of Jackson's death certificate was filed Thursday in Los Angeles County to reflect Forest Lawn as his final resting place.

In court on Wednesday, it was disclosed that 12 burial spaces were being purchased by Jackson's estate at Forest Lawn Glendale, about eight miles north of downtown Los Angeles, but no details were offered on how they would be used.

The "King of Pop" died a drug-induced death June 25 at age 50 as he was about to embark on a comeback attempt. The coroner's office has labeled the death a homicide, and Jackson's death certificate lists "injection by another" as the cause.

Dr. Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, told detectives he gave the singer a series of sedatives and the powerful anesthetic propofol to help him sleep.

But prosecutors are still investigating, and no charges have been filed.

AP writers Derrik J. Lang, Sue Manning and Anthony McCartney contributed to this report.

[kueytoc]

Secret Tapes Reveal Jacko's Family Rant

Yesterday, 08:46 am

©Sky News 2009

Secret tapes have emerged of Michael Jackson describing his brothers as "lazy moaners" and angrily criticising other members of his close family. Skip related content

The King of Pop hit out at his sisters and branded his mother "disappointing" in conversations with his ghost writer recorded almost 25 years ago and obtained by the News Of the World.

Several times during the tapes, he realised he had gone too far and snapped: "You can't print that."

Jackson started off with a rant about the siblings who made up the Jackson 5, saying his brothers did not give him any support.

"We'd be working on a TV show or video and they'd be sitting around moaning and groaning but I'd be watching and learning," he said.

"It takes a talent, but some people are lazy and don't want to develop anything."

Each of his brothers - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy - came in for individual criticism from the star, whose sudden death at the age of 50 is still being investigated.

Jackson described Tito as a whinger who enjoyed "boring" hobbies such as putting together model planes, while Marlon constantly irritated him when they performed on stage.

He accused Jermaine of being a womaniser and not having the self-belief to launch a successful solo career, saying he was either "looking for girls or going along with the jokes".

Eldest brother Jackie was dismissed as stubborn, argumentative and negative while the youngest, Randy, made the mistake of never listening to Jackson's advice.

Turning to his father, Joe, the singer hit back at the man he accused of abusing him as a child.

He said: "He is a very jealous father. He isn't gonna show you love, but anybody that gets closer to us than him he would tell them, 'Leave my boys alone!'."

"To tell you the truth, I never have felt close to him. He has always been like a mystery man."

In public, Jackson insisted his mother Katherine was "great" but on the tapes he said: "She disappointed me. She did an interview (about him). I don't like her to talk. It's none of those people's business."

Sister La Toya was labelled as "Mrs Nice and Nasty" who would not let him sit on her couch or walk on her carpet.

Jackson's favourite sister Janet escaped relatively lightly with a jealous attack focused mainly on her marriage to pop producer James DeBarge in 1984.

"Janet is a tomboy. That is why it kills me to see her off and married. We did everything together and were just alike. We write a whole schedule for the day and follow it. It's a terrible loss," he said.

But Jackson did have some positive things to say about one member of the family - himself.

"I am the captain of my ship. I take suggestions and listen to what everyone has to say, but the final decision is mine," he declared.

He did admit one mistake in his career - the famous Pepsi advert in which his hair was set on fire.

"I hate Pepsi. I hated doing that dumb commercial," he said. "The only thing I liked about it was working with the children."