updated 12:09 a.m. ET Sept. 4, 2009
Scoop: Katherine Jackson relieved to have closure
In an image made from video, Joe and Katherine Jackson are seated outside the Great Mausoleum before Michael Jackson's funeral in Glendale, Calif. on Thursday.
By Courtney Hazlett
The Scoop
msnbc.com
Michael Jackson’s entombment comes as a great relief to the entire Jackson family, but no one is more relieved to have this closure than family matriarch Katherine.
“Everyone’s been telling her how strong she is, but even she said, ‘It’s not always easy to be this strong,’” said Rev. Al Sharpton, a Jackson family friend.
Katherine has been involved in the decision-making process for all aspects of the entombment, and she’s also been influential in which money-making deals some of her other children do — or don’t — accept.
“She’s put a stop to a lot of arrangements that could have resulted in some of Michael’s brothers getting a paycheck,” said a family friend. “There have been huge fights over it; she’s stood her ground.”
Much has been made about Katherine’s age, 79, and whether she was up to caring for Michael’s kids, Paris, Prince and Blanket. One person in direct contact with Katherine says she’s feeling the stress of having the kids on a daily basis, and she might reach out for help.
She won’t turn to Diana Ross, though. “There have been conversations about Debbie Rowe spending more time with the kids,” said the source. “There’s nothing set yet, but there are conversations within the family about Debbie being more involved. It’s hard on Katherine.”
© 2009 msnbc.com
Anniversary of Michael Jackson's death
Moderator: doug
Coroner rules Jackson?s death a homicide
by dmholmes » Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:33 am
updated 7:49 p.m. ET Aug. 24, 2009
Coroner rules Jackson’s death a homicide
Court document reveals singer had lethal levels of propofol in system
msnbc.com news services
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died on June 25.
A designation of homicide means that Jackson died at the hands of another, but does not necessarily mean a crime was committed.
Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson’s death June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.
Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson’s personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Dateline NBC's Josh Mankiewicz confirmed that Murray is the target of a manslaughter probe.
A search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston includes a detailed account of what Murray told investigators.
According to the document, Murray said he’d been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks with 50 milligrams of propofol every night via an intravenous drip. But he said he feared Jackson was forming an addiction to the anesthetic, which is normally used in hospitals only, and was attempting to wean his patient by lowering the dose to 25 milligrams and adding the sedatives lorazepam and midazolam.
Singer called propofol his ‘milk’
That combination succeeded in helping Jackson sleep two days prior to his death, so the next day, Murray told detectives he cut off the propofol — and Jackson fell asleep with just the two sedatives.
Then around 1:30 a.m. on June 25, starting with a 10-milligram tab of Valium, Murray said he tried a series of drugs instead of propofol to make Jackson sleep. The injections included two milligrams of lorazepam around 2 a.m., two milligrams of midazolam around 3 a.m., and repeats of each at 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. respectively.
But they didn’t work.
Murray told detectives that around 10:40 a.m. he gave in to Jackson’s “repeated demands/requests” for propofol, which the singer referred to as his “milk.” He administered 25 milligrams of the white-colored liquid, — a relatively small dose — and finally, Jackson fell asleep.
Murray remained with the sedated Jackson for about 10 minutes, then left for the bathroom. No more than two minutes later, he returned — and found Jackson had stopped breathing.
“There’s no surprise there” that death could result from such a combination, said Dr. David Zvara, anesthesia chairman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“All those drugs act in synergy with each other,” Zvara said. Adding propofol on top of all the other sedatives “tipped the balance.”
Singer had bed sores
Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner’s toxicology report found other substances in Jackson’s system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer’s death, the official told the AP.
When he died, Jackson was skinny but not overly emaciated, and his body had bed sores, the official said. The singer is believed to have developed bed sores in the months following his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges, when he went into seclusion and spent long stretches in bed.
Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he “told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.” Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson. Murray’s attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that “should have” killed Jackson.
A call to the coroner’s office was not returned Monday.
Jackson’s family released a statement Monday, saying it has “full confidence” in the legal process and the efforts of investigators. It concludes: “The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”
The 25 milligrams of propofol Murray told police he gave Jackson the day he died “is not a whopping amount,” said Lee Cantrell, director of the San Diego division of the California Poison Control System. But by combining propofol with a cocktail of the other sedatives, known as benzodiazepines, it “may have been the trigger that pushed him over the edge,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell said it’s perplexing that someone would give various benzodiazepines if one was found not to be effective.
“This is horrible polypharmacy,” he said, referring to the interaction between the various drugs. “No one will treat an insomniac like this.”
The affidavit says Murray told investigators he didn’t order or buy any propofol and had found about eight bottles of it in Jackson’s home along with numerous other medications. But investigators served a search warrant Aug. 11 at a Las Vegas pharmacy and uncovered evidence showing Murray legally purchased from the store the propofol he gave Jackson the day he died.
Murray didn’t tell paramedics or doctors at UCLA hospital where Jackson was rushed June 25 about any drugs he administered other than lorazepam and flumazenil, according to the affidavit. The document says it was only during a subsequent interview with Los Angeles Police detectives that Murray gave a more full accounting of the events leading up to the 911 call.
The coroner’s office has not publicly released its autopsy findings, citing a request from police detectives to withhold results until their investigation is complete.
Homicide, or “death at the hands of another,” is one of several possible findings in a coroner’s death investigation. The designation does not necessarily mean a crime was committed though it is a useful starting point for prosecutors, said Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner in New York City and a forensics expert involved in many high-profile murder cases.
“It is an easier prosecution when the medical examiner calls it a homicide,” said Baden, who is not involved in the Jackson investigation.
© 2009 msnbc.com
Coroner rules Jackson’s death a homicide
Court document reveals singer had lethal levels of propofol in system
msnbc.com news services
LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press, a finding that makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died on June 25.
A designation of homicide means that Jackson died at the hands of another, but does not necessarily mean a crime was committed.
Forensic tests found the powerful anesthetic propofol acted together with at least two sedatives to cause Jackson’s death June 25 in his rented Los Angeles mansion, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.
Dr. Conrad Murray, a Las Vegas cardiologist who became Jackson’s personal physician weeks before his death, is the target of a manslaughter investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department. Dateline NBC's Josh Mankiewicz confirmed that Murray is the target of a manslaughter probe.
A search warrant affidavit unsealed Monday in Houston includes a detailed account of what Murray told investigators.
According to the document, Murray said he’d been treating Jackson for insomnia for about six weeks with 50 milligrams of propofol every night via an intravenous drip. But he said he feared Jackson was forming an addiction to the anesthetic, which is normally used in hospitals only, and was attempting to wean his patient by lowering the dose to 25 milligrams and adding the sedatives lorazepam and midazolam.
Singer called propofol his ‘milk’
That combination succeeded in helping Jackson sleep two days prior to his death, so the next day, Murray told detectives he cut off the propofol — and Jackson fell asleep with just the two sedatives.
Then around 1:30 a.m. on June 25, starting with a 10-milligram tab of Valium, Murray said he tried a series of drugs instead of propofol to make Jackson sleep. The injections included two milligrams of lorazepam around 2 a.m., two milligrams of midazolam around 3 a.m., and repeats of each at 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. respectively.
But they didn’t work.
Murray told detectives that around 10:40 a.m. he gave in to Jackson’s “repeated demands/requests” for propofol, which the singer referred to as his “milk.” He administered 25 milligrams of the white-colored liquid, — a relatively small dose — and finally, Jackson fell asleep.
Murray remained with the sedated Jackson for about 10 minutes, then left for the bathroom. No more than two minutes later, he returned — and found Jackson had stopped breathing.
“There’s no surprise there” that death could result from such a combination, said Dr. David Zvara, anesthesia chairman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
“All those drugs act in synergy with each other,” Zvara said. Adding propofol on top of all the other sedatives “tipped the balance.”
Singer had bed sores
Besides the propofol and two sedatives, the coroner’s toxicology report found other substances in Jackson’s system but they were not believed to have been a factor in the singer’s death, the official told the AP.
When he died, Jackson was skinny but not overly emaciated, and his body had bed sores, the official said. The singer is believed to have developed bed sores in the months following his 2005 acquittal of child molestation charges, when he went into seclusion and spent long stretches in bed.
Murray has spoken to police and last week released a video saying he “told the truth and I have faith the truth will prevail.” Murray did not say anything about the drugs he gave to Jackson. Murray’s attorney, Edward Chernoff, had no immediate comment but has previously said Murray never administered anything that “should have” killed Jackson.
A call to the coroner’s office was not returned Monday.
Jackson’s family released a statement Monday, saying it has “full confidence” in the legal process and the efforts of investigators. It concludes: “The family looks forward to the day that justice can be served.”
The 25 milligrams of propofol Murray told police he gave Jackson the day he died “is not a whopping amount,” said Lee Cantrell, director of the San Diego division of the California Poison Control System. But by combining propofol with a cocktail of the other sedatives, known as benzodiazepines, it “may have been the trigger that pushed him over the edge,” Cantrell said.
Cantrell said it’s perplexing that someone would give various benzodiazepines if one was found not to be effective.
“This is horrible polypharmacy,” he said, referring to the interaction between the various drugs. “No one will treat an insomniac like this.”
The affidavit says Murray told investigators he didn’t order or buy any propofol and had found about eight bottles of it in Jackson’s home along with numerous other medications. But investigators served a search warrant Aug. 11 at a Las Vegas pharmacy and uncovered evidence showing Murray legally purchased from the store the propofol he gave Jackson the day he died.
Murray didn’t tell paramedics or doctors at UCLA hospital where Jackson was rushed June 25 about any drugs he administered other than lorazepam and flumazenil, according to the affidavit. The document says it was only during a subsequent interview with Los Angeles Police detectives that Murray gave a more full accounting of the events leading up to the 911 call.
The coroner’s office has not publicly released its autopsy findings, citing a request from police detectives to withhold results until their investigation is complete.
Homicide, or “death at the hands of another,” is one of several possible findings in a coroner’s death investigation. The designation does not necessarily mean a crime was committed though it is a useful starting point for prosecutors, said Dr. Michael Baden, the former chief medical examiner in New York City and a forensics expert involved in many high-profile murder cases.
“It is an easier prosecution when the medical examiner calls it a homicide,” said Baden, who is not involved in the Jackson investigation.
© 2009 msnbc.com
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Jackson tribute moved to London, postponed
by doug » Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:35 am
updated 9:42 a.m. ET Sept. 11, 2009
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Jackson tribute moved to London, postponed
Too many top performers had scheduling conflicts for planned Vienna show
Jermaine Jackson, announces Friday that a planned tribute concert in Vienna for his brother Michael Jackson will be moved to London and planned for next June.
The Associated Press
VIENNA, Austria - An outdoor concert in Vienna that had been billed as the major global tribute to Michael Jackson has been moved to London and postponed until June, organizers said Friday, saying they needed more time to put together the show.
Event promoter Georg Kindel and Jackson’s brother Jermaine told reporters that too many top performers had scheduling conflicts, and they blamed the media for stirring up a negative atmosphere.
Friday’s announcement came at the end of a turbulent week of reports that supposedly confirmed artists including Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and Natalie Cole couldn’t make the event. Many invited artists had scheduling issues, and “maybe we underestimated these issues,” Kindel said.
“The purpose for this show is to give something back to the fans ... we have to do this right,” Jermaine Jackson said, at one point using a tissue to dab at one of his eyes.
“It’s not about name-dropping,” he added, answering critics who had complained that megastars such as Madonna didn’t figure among the headliners.
The original plan had been to stage the tribute Sept. 26 outside a 17th century palace in Vienna. Instead, Kindel said, it will be held at London’s Wembley Stadium sometime in the first half of June 2010.
Everyone who bought tickets for the scuttled Vienna event will get refunds, he said.
Some fans had paid up to $745 for VIP seats, and many expressed unhappiness that no major stars had been confirmed. Among the other performers said to have been confirmed were Sister Sledge, Akon and German boy band US5.
Kindel told reporters that the decision to move the event out of Vienna was made partly because “renowned artists of the tribute were disrespectfully treated as B-list artists or even losers.”
“We need to be somewhere where this is going to be a wonderful event,” Jermaine Jackson said, adding he was still “very much in love” with the Austrian capital but that he didn’t like local speculation about the event.
Kindel said tickets to the London concert would go on sale Dec. 1 and begin at $73.
The city of Vienna, which considers the tribute a potentially huge tourism boost, had pledged up to $870,000 to help underwrite the cost of diverting traffic, providing security and producing a promotional video.
But on Friday, deputy mayor Renate Brauner said the city had withdrawn the offer.
“Not a cent will be given to the promoter,” public broadcaster ORF quoted her as saying.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Jackson tribute moved to London, postponed
Too many top performers had scheduling conflicts for planned Vienna show
Jermaine Jackson, announces Friday that a planned tribute concert in Vienna for his brother Michael Jackson will be moved to London and planned for next June.
The Associated Press
VIENNA, Austria - An outdoor concert in Vienna that had been billed as the major global tribute to Michael Jackson has been moved to London and postponed until June, organizers said Friday, saying they needed more time to put together the show.
Event promoter Georg Kindel and Jackson’s brother Jermaine told reporters that too many top performers had scheduling conflicts, and they blamed the media for stirring up a negative atmosphere.
Friday’s announcement came at the end of a turbulent week of reports that supposedly confirmed artists including Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown and Natalie Cole couldn’t make the event. Many invited artists had scheduling issues, and “maybe we underestimated these issues,” Kindel said.
“The purpose for this show is to give something back to the fans ... we have to do this right,” Jermaine Jackson said, at one point using a tissue to dab at one of his eyes.
“It’s not about name-dropping,” he added, answering critics who had complained that megastars such as Madonna didn’t figure among the headliners.
The original plan had been to stage the tribute Sept. 26 outside a 17th century palace in Vienna. Instead, Kindel said, it will be held at London’s Wembley Stadium sometime in the first half of June 2010.
Everyone who bought tickets for the scuttled Vienna event will get refunds, he said.
Some fans had paid up to $745 for VIP seats, and many expressed unhappiness that no major stars had been confirmed. Among the other performers said to have been confirmed were Sister Sledge, Akon and German boy band US5.
Kindel told reporters that the decision to move the event out of Vienna was made partly because “renowned artists of the tribute were disrespectfully treated as B-list artists or even losers.”
“We need to be somewhere where this is going to be a wonderful event,” Jermaine Jackson said, adding he was still “very much in love” with the Austrian capital but that he didn’t like local speculation about the event.
Kindel said tickets to the London concert would go on sale Dec. 1 and begin at $73.
The city of Vienna, which considers the tribute a potentially huge tourism boost, had pledged up to $870,000 to help underwrite the cost of diverting traffic, providing security and producing a promotional video.
But on Friday, deputy mayor Renate Brauner said the city had withdrawn the offer.
“Not a cent will be given to the promoter,” public broadcaster ORF quoted her as saying.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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La Toya Jackson says Michael was ?God-like?
by doug » Fri Sep 11, 2009 9:46 am
updated 9:48 p.m. ET Sept. 10, 2009
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
La Toya Jackson says Michael was ‘God-like’
Says her brother looked ‘absolutely fabulous’ when he was laid to rest
La Toya Jackson, left, discusses the death of her brother, pop icon Michael Jackson, in an interview with Barbara Walters for ABC News' "20/20", airing Friday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m. EDT.
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - La Toya Jackson says her brother Michael looked “absolutely fabulous” when he was laid to rest last week.
In an interview on ABC’s “20/20,” she tells Barbara Walters that the “King of Pop” was dressed in white pearl beads and a big gold belt, “like a belt that you win being a boxer.”
“His hair was done beautifully, his makeup was done beautifully,” she says.
A pair of sunglasses and a white glove were among the items placed in the casket with him.
Michael Jackson’s death on June 25 from a fatal combination of drugs has been labeled a homicide by the coroner’s office. Prosecutors are still investigating, and no charges have been filed. But La Toya Jackson says she blames her brother’s death on “any and everybody” who gave him drugs.
“They’re doctors!” she says. “This is going against their license.”
She calls her brother “special,” explaining that “he wasn’t God, but he was certainly God-like. He was the closest thing to a god that I knew.”
The interview is scheduled to air Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
La Toya Jackson says Michael was ‘God-like’
Says her brother looked ‘absolutely fabulous’ when he was laid to rest
La Toya Jackson, left, discusses the death of her brother, pop icon Michael Jackson, in an interview with Barbara Walters for ABC News' "20/20", airing Friday, Sept. 11 at 10:00 p.m. EDT.
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - La Toya Jackson says her brother Michael looked “absolutely fabulous” when he was laid to rest last week.
In an interview on ABC’s “20/20,” she tells Barbara Walters that the “King of Pop” was dressed in white pearl beads and a big gold belt, “like a belt that you win being a boxer.”
“His hair was done beautifully, his makeup was done beautifully,” she says.
A pair of sunglasses and a white glove were among the items placed in the casket with him.
Michael Jackson’s death on June 25 from a fatal combination of drugs has been labeled a homicide by the coroner’s office. Prosecutors are still investigating, and no charges have been filed. But La Toya Jackson says she blames her brother’s death on “any and everybody” who gave him drugs.
“They’re doctors!” she says. “This is going against their license.”
She calls her brother “special,” explaining that “he wasn’t God, but he was certainly God-like. He was the closest thing to a god that I knew.”
The interview is scheduled to air Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern.
© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Jackson tribute to kick off Video Music Awards
by doug » Sat Sep 12, 2009 10:17 pm
updated 6:47 p.m. ET Sept. 10, 2009
Entertainment
Jackson tribute to kick off Video Music Awards
Sister Janet will celebrate and honor late brother Michael to open show
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Before the MTV Video Music Awards settle into its annual teenybopper party, the ceremony will have a tender moment.
Janet Jackson will kick off the show on Sunday night with a tribute to her late brother. Michael Jackson's death on June 25 was soon-after followed by the BET Awards (where Janet Jackson also appeared), but MTV was the music network with which the King of Pop was more aligned.
Though MTV dragged its feet at first in showing music videos of blacks, the network's meteoric rise in the '80s came in tandem with Jackson's, whose music videos like "Thriller" and "Bad" set the standard for the form.
The VMAs are familiar ground for the family. Janet Jackson has won nine VMAs. Michael Jackson famously opened the 1994 VMAs by kissing his then-wife, Lisa Marie Presley.
MTV will also premiere the trailer for "This Is It," the documentary about Jackson's preparations to hold 50 concerts in London.
"There's obviously lots of emotion around Michael and the memory of Michael, but I think it's going to be a pretty celebratory kind of night all around," said Dave Sirulnick, the show's executive producer and vice president of production at MTV. "It's all about that balance."
Sirulnick declined to give specifics to the Jackson tribute, but said that there's been "quite a few people working hard on it for quite a number of weeks now."
Since the Jacksons' heyday, though, the importance of videos has diminished greatly — a development ironically evident at the Video Music Awards. The network's trademark Moonmen trophies will be handed out (Beyonce and Lady Gaga lead the pack with nine nominations), but the awards will be a minor part of the spectacle.
Instead of a parade of speeches, the ceremony will include performances from Beyonce, Jay-Z, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Muse and Pink. The rapper Wale and go-go band UCB will serve as the house band.
"Twilight," the teenage vampire sensation, will also be a constant presence. Footage from the eagerly anticipated sequel, "New Moon," will be presented by the film's stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. Ashley Greene, a co-star in "New Moon," will serve as a fashion correspondent on the red carpet.
"It's an opportunity for a worldwide audience to look in and see what is hot right now — what is at the epicenter today," said Sirulnick.
Last year's host, the British comedian and actor Russell Brand, returns to preside over the festivities. In his first time hosting, Brand memorably mocked the Jonas Brothers' purity rings at last year's show.
This year's VMAs will be broadcast live on MTV and MTV.com from Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Entertainment
Jackson tribute to kick off Video Music Awards
Sister Janet will celebrate and honor late brother Michael to open show
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Before the MTV Video Music Awards settle into its annual teenybopper party, the ceremony will have a tender moment.
Janet Jackson will kick off the show on Sunday night with a tribute to her late brother. Michael Jackson's death on June 25 was soon-after followed by the BET Awards (where Janet Jackson also appeared), but MTV was the music network with which the King of Pop was more aligned.
Though MTV dragged its feet at first in showing music videos of blacks, the network's meteoric rise in the '80s came in tandem with Jackson's, whose music videos like "Thriller" and "Bad" set the standard for the form.
The VMAs are familiar ground for the family. Janet Jackson has won nine VMAs. Michael Jackson famously opened the 1994 VMAs by kissing his then-wife, Lisa Marie Presley.
MTV will also premiere the trailer for "This Is It," the documentary about Jackson's preparations to hold 50 concerts in London.
"There's obviously lots of emotion around Michael and the memory of Michael, but I think it's going to be a pretty celebratory kind of night all around," said Dave Sirulnick, the show's executive producer and vice president of production at MTV. "It's all about that balance."
Sirulnick declined to give specifics to the Jackson tribute, but said that there's been "quite a few people working hard on it for quite a number of weeks now."
Since the Jacksons' heyday, though, the importance of videos has diminished greatly — a development ironically evident at the Video Music Awards. The network's trademark Moonmen trophies will be handed out (Beyonce and Lady Gaga lead the pack with nine nominations), but the awards will be a minor part of the spectacle.
Instead of a parade of speeches, the ceremony will include performances from Beyonce, Jay-Z, Green Day, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Muse and Pink. The rapper Wale and go-go band UCB will serve as the house band.
"Twilight," the teenage vampire sensation, will also be a constant presence. Footage from the eagerly anticipated sequel, "New Moon," will be presented by the film's stars Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner. Ashley Greene, a co-star in "New Moon," will serve as a fashion correspondent on the red carpet.
"It's an opportunity for a worldwide audience to look in and see what is hot right now — what is at the epicenter today," said Sirulnick.
Last year's host, the British comedian and actor Russell Brand, returns to preside over the festivities. In his first time hosting, Brand memorably mocked the Jonas Brothers' purity rings at last year's show.
This year's VMAs will be broadcast live on MTV and MTV.com from Radio City Music Hall in New York.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Janet Jackson: Michael in denial over drugs
by doug » Thu Nov 19, 2009 10:06 am
updated 2:17 p.m. ET Nov. 18, 2009
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Janet Jackson: Michael in denial over drugs
Pop star rebuffed sister’s efforts to intervene in what she saw as a problem
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Janet Jackson says she recognized her brother Michael's drug problem, and tried to help him, but that he rebuffed those attempts to intervene.
"You can't make 'em drink the water," Jackson told ABC News in an interview airing Wednesday.
When asked if her brother was in denial about his addiction, she replied, "Possibly."
"I wish he could answer this question for you and not me," she told ABC's Robin Roberts. "I felt that he was in denial."
She blames Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, for his death June 25.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are weighing charges against Murray, who told police he administered a powerful anesthetic to the singer shortly before he died.
During the interview, the 43-year-old Janet Jackson spoke of her upcoming diet book, "True You," which chronicles her lifelong struggle to control her weight.
She has gained some mastery over her self-image, she said, after years of "just picking yourself apart all the time because you're so used to being kind of picked apart."
She said she hasn't seen "This Is It," the new documentary film spotlighting her late brother as he prepared for the concert tour that would've taken place last summer.
"I definitely won't, not right now," she said. "I don't know if I will ever see it."
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Janet Jackson: Michael in denial over drugs
Pop star rebuffed sister’s efforts to intervene in what she saw as a problem
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - Janet Jackson says she recognized her brother Michael's drug problem, and tried to help him, but that he rebuffed those attempts to intervene.
"You can't make 'em drink the water," Jackson told ABC News in an interview airing Wednesday.
When asked if her brother was in denial about his addiction, she replied, "Possibly."
"I wish he could answer this question for you and not me," she told ABC's Robin Roberts. "I felt that he was in denial."
She blames Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, for his death June 25.
Prosecutors in Los Angeles are weighing charges against Murray, who told police he administered a powerful anesthetic to the singer shortly before he died.
During the interview, the 43-year-old Janet Jackson spoke of her upcoming diet book, "True You," which chronicles her lifelong struggle to control her weight.
She has gained some mastery over her self-image, she said, after years of "just picking yourself apart all the time because you're so used to being kind of picked apart."
She said she hasn't seen "This Is It," the new documentary film spotlighting her late brother as he prepared for the concert tour that would've taken place last summer.
"I definitely won't, not right now," she said. "I don't know if I will ever see it."
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Michael Jackson glove sells for $350,000
by doug » Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:19 am
updated 12:29 a.m. ET Nov. 22, 2009
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson glove sells for $350,000
He wore rhinestone-studded glove for famous 1983 moonwalk dance
The glove worn by Michael Jackson for his 1983 performance on a Motown TV special was auctioned off Saturday.
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 — plus tax — on Saturday.
Winning bidder Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong will pay $420,000, including taxes and fees, for the rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove Jackson wore on his left hand for his moonwalk on Motown's 25th anniversary TV special.
The glove was the top item in a collection of Jackson memorabilia on the block at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Its pre-auction estimate was $40,000 to $60,000.
"It was a fairly good discount," said Ma, a 36-year-old Jackson fan who bought the pop-music treasure on behalf of the Ponte 16 Resort Hotel in Macau.
As the price of the glove soared, fans roared and squealed — echoing the kind of frenzy that accompanied the late pop star when he toured the world.
"That's what death brings upon celebrity," said Brendan Doyle, a college student munching chicken fingers from a plate in his lap. "Jackson's death was such a tragedy at such a young age that it pushed up prices."
The pop icon, who died June 25 at 50, had given the glove to Walter "Clyde" Orange, of the singing group the Commodores.
A jacket that Jackson wore on his 1989 "Bad" tour fetched $225,000 — 20 times its low estimate of $8,000.
The sale, held by Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions, also included a fedora Jackson wore for the moonwalk. It sold for $22,000, against a $2,000 high estimate.
New Yorker Linda Derogene said she was willing to spend up to $5,000 for a material link to the performer she's idolized all her life, but never got a chance to see in concert.
"I can't even tell you what it would mean for me. It would be like a dream come true," she said as she waited to bid on something she could afford.
There was no doubt that Jackson dominated the auction dubbed "Music Icons" — of more than 300 items belonging to stars from Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Mariah Carey. The musicians' clothing and instruments filled the small Rock Cafe stage, with two giant photos of Jackson on either side and a huge picture of his famed glove at the center.
Buyers paid the gavel price, plus a 20 percent auction house premium for items over $50,000, and 25 percent for those costing less.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson glove sells for $350,000
He wore rhinestone-studded glove for famous 1983 moonwalk dance
The glove worn by Michael Jackson for his 1983 performance on a Motown TV special was auctioned off Saturday.
The Associated Press
NEW YORK - The shimmering, white glove Michael Jackson wore when he premiered his trademark moonwalk dance in 1983 was auctioned off for $350,000 — plus tax — on Saturday.
Winning bidder Hoffman Ma of Hong Kong will pay $420,000, including taxes and fees, for the rhinestone-studded, modified golf glove Jackson wore on his left hand for his moonwalk on Motown's 25th anniversary TV special.
The glove was the top item in a collection of Jackson memorabilia on the block at the Hard Rock Cafe in Times Square. Its pre-auction estimate was $40,000 to $60,000.
"It was a fairly good discount," said Ma, a 36-year-old Jackson fan who bought the pop-music treasure on behalf of the Ponte 16 Resort Hotel in Macau.
As the price of the glove soared, fans roared and squealed — echoing the kind of frenzy that accompanied the late pop star when he toured the world.
"That's what death brings upon celebrity," said Brendan Doyle, a college student munching chicken fingers from a plate in his lap. "Jackson's death was such a tragedy at such a young age that it pushed up prices."
The pop icon, who died June 25 at 50, had given the glove to Walter "Clyde" Orange, of the singing group the Commodores.
A jacket that Jackson wore on his 1989 "Bad" tour fetched $225,000 — 20 times its low estimate of $8,000.
The sale, held by Los Angeles-based Julien's Auctions, also included a fedora Jackson wore for the moonwalk. It sold for $22,000, against a $2,000 high estimate.
New Yorker Linda Derogene said she was willing to spend up to $5,000 for a material link to the performer she's idolized all her life, but never got a chance to see in concert.
"I can't even tell you what it would mean for me. It would be like a dream come true," she said as she waited to bid on something she could afford.
There was no doubt that Jackson dominated the auction dubbed "Music Icons" — of more than 300 items belonging to stars from Elvis Presley and the Beatles to Mariah Carey. The musicians' clothing and instruments filled the small Rock Cafe stage, with two giant photos of Jackson on either side and a huge picture of his famed glove at the center.
Buyers paid the gavel price, plus a 20 percent auction house premium for items over $50,000, and 25 percent for those costing less.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Michael Jackson tribute concert gets scrapped
by doug » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:37 pm
updated 8:23 p.m. ET Dec. 18, 2009
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson tribute concert gets scrapped
Event’s organizer, led by Jermaine Jackson, decided to close
A file picture dated 01 March 2005 shows US singer Michael Jackson arriving at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California, USA. The Los Angeles coroner Fred Coral confirmed that pop star Michael Jackson had died on 25 June 2009 of cardiac arrest. In an audio interview with CNN, Coral said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm local California time after paramedics responded to a call at his house. VIENNA - A Michael Jackson tribute concert, which was moved from Vienna to London after top acts dropped out, has been canceled after the event's organizer closed down, the company's liquidator said on Friday.
Organizers, led by Michael's brother, Jermaine, canceled the Vienna concert in September after struggling to get stars to perform on short notice.
A London concert was planned for summer, but that has been scrapped as well.
Martin Schneider, liquidator for the organizers, told Reuters: "The company cannot sign any new contracts and will certainly not plan any new events."
Event organizer World Awards Media GmbH decided to close on November 30, the company's liquidator said in an e-mailed statement. World Awards Media and its previous owner directed all queries to its liquidator.
A spokeswoman for Jermaine Jackson in Los Angeles was unavailable for comment.
Ticket sales for the Vienna tribute stagnated after billed acts like R&B stars Mary J. Blige and Chris Brown and veteran singer Natalie Cole started to back away from the concert, which would have taken place at a 17th century palace.
Organizers blamed Austrian media, saying they treated the line-up as "B-List" artists and sullied the memory of Jackson.
The 50-year-old singer died in June from an overdose of powerful medications. His 1982 "Thriller" is the highest-selling album of all time.
Copyright 2009 Reuters
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson tribute concert gets scrapped
Event’s organizer, led by Jermaine Jackson, decided to close
A file picture dated 01 March 2005 shows US singer Michael Jackson arriving at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California, USA. The Los Angeles coroner Fred Coral confirmed that pop star Michael Jackson had died on 25 June 2009 of cardiac arrest. In an audio interview with CNN, Coral said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm local California time after paramedics responded to a call at his house. VIENNA - A Michael Jackson tribute concert, which was moved from Vienna to London after top acts dropped out, has been canceled after the event's organizer closed down, the company's liquidator said on Friday.
Organizers, led by Michael's brother, Jermaine, canceled the Vienna concert in September after struggling to get stars to perform on short notice.
A London concert was planned for summer, but that has been scrapped as well.
Martin Schneider, liquidator for the organizers, told Reuters: "The company cannot sign any new contracts and will certainly not plan any new events."
Event organizer World Awards Media GmbH decided to close on November 30, the company's liquidator said in an e-mailed statement. World Awards Media and its previous owner directed all queries to its liquidator.
A spokeswoman for Jermaine Jackson in Los Angeles was unavailable for comment.
Ticket sales for the Vienna tribute stagnated after billed acts like R&B stars Mary J. Blige and Chris Brown and veteran singer Natalie Cole started to back away from the concert, which would have taken place at a 17th century palace.
Organizers blamed Austrian media, saying they treated the line-up as "B-List" artists and sullied the memory of Jackson.
The 50-year-old singer died in June from an overdose of powerful medications. His 1982 "Thriller" is the highest-selling album of all time.
Copyright 2009 Reuters
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AP: Jackson?s doc to face manslaughter charge
by doug » Tue Feb 02, 2010 4:27 pm
updated 4:59 p.m. ET Feb. 2, 2010
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
AP: Jackson’s doc to face manslaughter charge
Official: Prosecutor will file criminal complaint against Conrad Murray
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Prosecutors plan to charge Michael Jackson’s doctor with manslaughter rather than take the case to a grand jury, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press Tuesday.
Prosecutors will file a criminal complaint against Dr. Conrad Murray, who practices in Houston, instead of taking the case before a grand jury, which is done in private, the official said.
The person is not authorized to speak publicly about the case and only spoke on condition of anonymity.
The complaint would be the prelude to a public hearing in which a judge would weigh testimony from witnesses to decide if there is probable cause to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge.
Jackson died June 25 from an anesthetic overdose. Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.
Murray arrived in Los Angeles last weekend in anticipation of a charging decision from the district attorney’s office, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
“Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose — on family business and to be available for law enforcement,” said spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik. “We’re trying to be as cooperative as we can.”
There is no official word on when an announcement about any charges might come. David Walgren, the deputy Los Angeles County district attorney handling the case, declined to comment Tuesday.
The district attorney’s office has for weeks been working closely with Los Angeles Police Department investigators to build a case against Murray.
Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances in London. He died in Los Angeles after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.
Murray has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
“We continue to maintain that Dr. Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson,” Sevcik said.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
AP: Jackson’s doc to face manslaughter charge
Official: Prosecutor will file criminal complaint against Conrad Murray
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Prosecutors plan to charge Michael Jackson’s doctor with manslaughter rather than take the case to a grand jury, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press Tuesday.
Prosecutors will file a criminal complaint against Dr. Conrad Murray, who practices in Houston, instead of taking the case before a grand jury, which is done in private, the official said.
The person is not authorized to speak publicly about the case and only spoke on condition of anonymity.
The complaint would be the prelude to a public hearing in which a judge would weigh testimony from witnesses to decide if there is probable cause to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge.
Jackson died June 25 from an anesthetic overdose. Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.
Murray arrived in Los Angeles last weekend in anticipation of a charging decision from the district attorney’s office, a spokeswoman said Tuesday.
“Dr. Murray is in Los Angeles for a dual purpose — on family business and to be available for law enforcement,” said spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik. “We’re trying to be as cooperative as we can.”
There is no official word on when an announcement about any charges might come. David Walgren, the deputy Los Angeles County district attorney handling the case, declined to comment Tuesday.
The district attorney’s office has for weeks been working closely with Los Angeles Police Department investigators to build a case against Murray.
Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback performances in London. He died in Los Angeles after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, which ruled the death a homicide.
Murray has denied any criminal wrongdoing.
“We continue to maintain that Dr. Murray neither prescribed nor administered anything that should have killed Michael Jackson,” Sevcik said.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Attorney: Jackson?s doctor talking surrender
by doug » Thu Feb 04, 2010 10:13 am
updated 11:42 a.m. ET Feb. 4, 2010
Attorney: Jackson’s doctor talking surrender
‘We are prepared for whatever occurs,’ Conrad Murray’s lawyer says
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - The attorney for Michael Jackson’s doctor says he is negotiating his client’s surrender to Los Angeles County authorities.
A statement Thursday from attorney Ed Chernoff says he’s holding talks with the district attorney’s office for the surrender of Dr. Conrad Murray.
Law enforcement officials have told The Associated Press that prosecutors plan to charge Murray with involuntary manslaughter for giving Jackson a powerful anesthetic that led to his overdose death in June.
Murray hasn’t been charged yet, but another official said Murray is scheduled to be arraigned Friday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the case’s sensitivity.
Los Angeles County district attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said she could “neither confirm nor deny” that Murray would appear Friday afternoon at a courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport. She noted that the office has a policy of filing charges in the court district where the alleged crime occurred. Jackson died June 25 at a rented mansion on the west side of Los Angeles. The LAX courthouse handles criminal cases in the western portion of Los Angeles.
The arrival of Murray and Chernoff in recent days from Houston led to a new round of speculation that a charge could be announced this week. Camera crews and reporters converged on a downtown criminal courthouse Tuesday morning awaiting word of possible charges, although Gibbons said she had no word on when any developments were likely.
Chernoff was waiting for news in a Los Angeles-area hotel, while Murray was at a friend’s house in Santa Monica, where a crowd of paparazzi was waiting outside.
“There’s no joy in representing someone who shouldn’t be charged in the first place,” Chernoff said. “There’s some truth to the proposition that the waiting is the hardest part.”
Police have been investigating Murray since Jackson’s death at age 50. The doctor told detectives he’d given the singer a powerful anesthetic and other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac star to sleep. Jackson died soon after and investigators have been gathering evidence to try to show Murray was negligent in administering the drugs.
Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.
Meanwhile Wednesday, a judge in Las Vegas found Murray in default on a nearly $132,000 debt related to office medical equipment and services.
Murray had no lawyer in the case. He has long-standing personal and professional debts, and faced near foreclosure last summer on his Las Vegas country club home.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Attorney: Jackson’s doctor talking surrender
‘We are prepared for whatever occurs,’ Conrad Murray’s lawyer says
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - The attorney for Michael Jackson’s doctor says he is negotiating his client’s surrender to Los Angeles County authorities.
A statement Thursday from attorney Ed Chernoff says he’s holding talks with the district attorney’s office for the surrender of Dr. Conrad Murray.
Law enforcement officials have told The Associated Press that prosecutors plan to charge Murray with involuntary manslaughter for giving Jackson a powerful anesthetic that led to his overdose death in June.
Murray hasn’t been charged yet, but another official said Murray is scheduled to be arraigned Friday. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of the case’s sensitivity.
Los Angeles County district attorney’s spokeswoman Sandi Gibbons said she could “neither confirm nor deny” that Murray would appear Friday afternoon at a courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport. She noted that the office has a policy of filing charges in the court district where the alleged crime occurred. Jackson died June 25 at a rented mansion on the west side of Los Angeles. The LAX courthouse handles criminal cases in the western portion of Los Angeles.
The arrival of Murray and Chernoff in recent days from Houston led to a new round of speculation that a charge could be announced this week. Camera crews and reporters converged on a downtown criminal courthouse Tuesday morning awaiting word of possible charges, although Gibbons said she had no word on when any developments were likely.
Chernoff was waiting for news in a Los Angeles-area hotel, while Murray was at a friend’s house in Santa Monica, where a crowd of paparazzi was waiting outside.
“There’s no joy in representing someone who shouldn’t be charged in the first place,” Chernoff said. “There’s some truth to the proposition that the waiting is the hardest part.”
Police have been investigating Murray since Jackson’s death at age 50. The doctor told detectives he’d given the singer a powerful anesthetic and other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac star to sleep. Jackson died soon after and investigators have been gathering evidence to try to show Murray was negligent in administering the drugs.
Murray maintains nothing he gave Jackson should have killed him.
Meanwhile Wednesday, a judge in Las Vegas found Murray in default on a nearly $132,000 debt related to office medical equipment and services.
Murray had no lawyer in the case. He has long-standing personal and professional debts, and faced near foreclosure last summer on his Las Vegas country club home.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Michael Jackson?s doctor taken into custody
by doug » Mon Feb 08, 2010 4:40 pm
updated 5:50 p.m. ET Feb. 8, 2010
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson’s doctor taken into custody
Judge sets his bail at $75,000, three times more than usual
Dr. Conrad Murray arrives for his arraignment at a courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport on Monday.
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson’s doctor has been taken into custody and is being held on $75,000 bail after pleading not guilty to causing the pop star’s death.
Dr. Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25, entered his plea Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, just a couple of hours after he was charged. A five-page complaint states Murray “did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson” by acting “without due caution and circumspection.”
The complaint contains no details on Jackson’s death but authorities have said the singer died after Murray administered a powerful general anesthetic and other drugs to help Jackson rest. Murray has said he did nothing that should have caused Jackson to die.
If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz set Murray’s bail at $75,000, three times more than what most people charged with involuntary manslaughter face. Prosecutors had been seeking $300,000 bail for Murray, who was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies but not handcuffed in public.
The judge told Murray when he posts bail he may travel throughout the United States but may not leave the country. He must also surrender his passport.
Soon after the charge was filed against Murray, several members of Jackson’s family, including his mother and father; his brothers Jermaine, Randy, and Tito Jackson; and his sister LaToya Jackson arrived in a fleet of Cadillac Escalades at the courthouse adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport, where hundreds of reporters and Jackson fans were gathered outside.
“Looking for justice,” was all Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, said as he walked past a crowd of reporters and into the courthouse.
Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback concerts in London. Officials say the singer died after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep.
Known as “milk of amnesia,” propofol is only supposed to be administered by an anesthesia professional in a medical setting because it depresses breathing and heart rate while lowering blood pressure.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists warned in 2004 that a doctor using propofol should have education and training to manage anesthesia complications, be physically present throughout sedation and monitor patients “without interruption” for signs of trouble. Rescue equipment “must be immediately available,” it said.
Los Angeles investigators were methodical in building a case against Murray, wary of repeating missteps that have plagued some other high-profile celebrity cases, most notably O.J. Simpson and actor Robert Blake, both of whom were acquitted of murder.
After reviewing toxicology findings, the coroner ruled Jackson’s death a homicide caused by acute intoxication of propofol, with other sedatives a contributing factor.
Murray appears to have obtained the drug legally and its use is not in itself a crime. To show the doctor was negligent in his care, detectives spoke to more than 10 medical experts to see if his behavior fell outside the bounds of reasonable medical practice.
According to court documents, Murray told police he administered propofol just before 11 a.m. then stepped out of the room to go to the bathroom.
There is some dispute about what happened next. According to court filings, Murray told police that upon his return from the bathroom, he saw Jackson was not breathing and began trying to revive him.
But an ambulance was not called until 12:21 p.m. and Murray spent much of the intervening time making non-emergency cell phone calls, police say. The nature of the calls, which lasted 47 minutes, is not known.
Murray’s lawyer has said investigators got confused about what Murray had told them, and that the doctor found his patient unresponsive around noon.
The investigation included several agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the district attorney’s office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
A large number of witnesses have been interviewed by police, including those who were present during Jackson’s last days, those who worked with him in preparation for his series of comeback concerts, “This Is It,” and members of his personal entourage, including his security guard and personal assistant.
Murray, who has a practice in Houston, became Jackson’s physician in May. An executive of concert promoter AEG Live has said Jackson insisted Murray be hired to accompany him to London.
The concerts sold out in anticipation of Jackson’s return as the “King of Pop” after years of odd behavior, trial and acquittal on molestation charges and self-imposed isolation that overshadowed a lifetime in music that reached superstardom with the 1982 album “Thriller” and such hits as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.”
At the time of his death, Jackson was in relatively good health and had no illegal drugs in his system, according to the autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press. Jackson had a strong heart and his kidneys and most other major organs were normal, according to the autopsy.
Jackson’s most serious problem was a chronic inflammation of the lungs that reduced capacity and may have left him short of breath. But the autopsy said it would not have been a direct or contributing cause of death.
Legal experts said the autopsy findings bolstered the case for prosecution and would block a potential defense that Jackson hid serious conditions that increased risk of death from drugs he willingly took.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Michael Jackson, 1958-2009
Michael Jackson’s doctor taken into custody
Judge sets his bail at $75,000, three times more than usual
Dr. Conrad Murray arrives for his arraignment at a courthouse near Los Angeles International Airport on Monday.
The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - Michael Jackson’s doctor has been taken into custody and is being held on $75,000 bail after pleading not guilty to causing the pop star’s death.
Dr. Conrad Murray, a Houston cardiologist who was with Jackson when he died June 25, entered his plea Monday in Los Angeles Superior Court, just a couple of hours after he was charged. A five-page complaint states Murray “did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson” by acting “without due caution and circumspection.”
The complaint contains no details on Jackson’s death but authorities have said the singer died after Murray administered a powerful general anesthetic and other drugs to help Jackson rest. Murray has said he did nothing that should have caused Jackson to die.
If convicted, he faces up to four years in prison.
Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz set Murray’s bail at $75,000, three times more than what most people charged with involuntary manslaughter face. Prosecutors had been seeking $300,000 bail for Murray, who was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies but not handcuffed in public.
The judge told Murray when he posts bail he may travel throughout the United States but may not leave the country. He must also surrender his passport.
Soon after the charge was filed against Murray, several members of Jackson’s family, including his mother and father; his brothers Jermaine, Randy, and Tito Jackson; and his sister LaToya Jackson arrived in a fleet of Cadillac Escalades at the courthouse adjacent to Los Angeles International Airport, where hundreds of reporters and Jackson fans were gathered outside.
“Looking for justice,” was all Jackson’s father, Joe Jackson, said as he walked past a crowd of reporters and into the courthouse.
Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a strenuous series of comeback concerts in London. Officials say the singer died after Murray administered the powerful general anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives to get the chronic insomniac to sleep.
Known as “milk of amnesia,” propofol is only supposed to be administered by an anesthesia professional in a medical setting because it depresses breathing and heart rate while lowering blood pressure.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists warned in 2004 that a doctor using propofol should have education and training to manage anesthesia complications, be physically present throughout sedation and monitor patients “without interruption” for signs of trouble. Rescue equipment “must be immediately available,” it said.
Los Angeles investigators were methodical in building a case against Murray, wary of repeating missteps that have plagued some other high-profile celebrity cases, most notably O.J. Simpson and actor Robert Blake, both of whom were acquitted of murder.
After reviewing toxicology findings, the coroner ruled Jackson’s death a homicide caused by acute intoxication of propofol, with other sedatives a contributing factor.
Murray appears to have obtained the drug legally and its use is not in itself a crime. To show the doctor was negligent in his care, detectives spoke to more than 10 medical experts to see if his behavior fell outside the bounds of reasonable medical practice.
According to court documents, Murray told police he administered propofol just before 11 a.m. then stepped out of the room to go to the bathroom.
There is some dispute about what happened next. According to court filings, Murray told police that upon his return from the bathroom, he saw Jackson was not breathing and began trying to revive him.
But an ambulance was not called until 12:21 p.m. and Murray spent much of the intervening time making non-emergency cell phone calls, police say. The nature of the calls, which lasted 47 minutes, is not known.
Murray’s lawyer has said investigators got confused about what Murray had told them, and that the doctor found his patient unresponsive around noon.
The investigation included several agencies, including the Los Angeles Police Department, the district attorney’s office and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
A large number of witnesses have been interviewed by police, including those who were present during Jackson’s last days, those who worked with him in preparation for his series of comeback concerts, “This Is It,” and members of his personal entourage, including his security guard and personal assistant.
Murray, who has a practice in Houston, became Jackson’s physician in May. An executive of concert promoter AEG Live has said Jackson insisted Murray be hired to accompany him to London.
The concerts sold out in anticipation of Jackson’s return as the “King of Pop” after years of odd behavior, trial and acquittal on molestation charges and self-imposed isolation that overshadowed a lifetime in music that reached superstardom with the 1982 album “Thriller” and such hits as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean.”
At the time of his death, Jackson was in relatively good health and had no illegal drugs in his system, according to the autopsy report obtained by The Associated Press. Jackson had a strong heart and his kidneys and most other major organs were normal, according to the autopsy.
Jackson’s most serious problem was a chronic inflammation of the lungs that reduced capacity and may have left him short of breath. But the autopsy said it would not have been a direct or contributing cause of death.
Legal experts said the autopsy findings bolstered the case for prosecution and would block a potential defense that Jackson hid serious conditions that increased risk of death from drugs he willingly took.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Murray's voicemail from the day Jackson died
by doug » Wed Feb 17, 2010 4:34 pm
updated 4:30 p.m. ET Feb. 17, 2010
Murray's voicemail from the day Jackson died
Listen to entire message the personal physician left before 911 was called
Dateline NBC
According to law enforcement sources, on the day Michael Jackson died, his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray made three phone calls: One to his office in Las Vegas, one to a friend, and one to a patient, Bob Russell. Russell did not answer; voicemail picked up. Excerpts from that voicemail were first heard publicly on Feb. 5, 2010 on Dateline NBC.
Now that Dr. Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter by the Los Angeles District Attorney, that voicemail could play a significant part in any trial for two reasons: the timing of the call and Dr. Murray’s demeanor when he made the call.
The time stamp on the voicemail is 11:54 a.m. PT. That’s about 30 minutes before the 911 call was made from Michael Jackson’s house. In all, according to court documents, Murray was on and off his cell for 47 minutes starting at 11:18 a.m. Was he sitting there watching Michael Jackson the whole time? Or was he focused on the conversations he was having? Was he even in the same room?
The entire message is available for the first time. Does Dr. Murray sound like a man dealing with a crisis? His patient Bob Russell thought he sounded tired.
© 2010 MSNBC Interactive
Murray's voicemail from the day Jackson died
Listen to entire message the personal physician left before 911 was called
Dateline NBC
According to law enforcement sources, on the day Michael Jackson died, his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray made three phone calls: One to his office in Las Vegas, one to a friend, and one to a patient, Bob Russell. Russell did not answer; voicemail picked up. Excerpts from that voicemail were first heard publicly on Feb. 5, 2010 on Dateline NBC.
Now that Dr. Murray has been charged with involuntary manslaughter by the Los Angeles District Attorney, that voicemail could play a significant part in any trial for two reasons: the timing of the call and Dr. Murray’s demeanor when he made the call.
The time stamp on the voicemail is 11:54 a.m. PT. That’s about 30 minutes before the 911 call was made from Michael Jackson’s house. In all, according to court documents, Murray was on and off his cell for 47 minutes starting at 11:18 a.m. Was he sitting there watching Michael Jackson the whole time? Or was he focused on the conversations he was having? Was he even in the same room?
The entire message is available for the first time. Does Dr. Murray sound like a man dealing with a crisis? His patient Bob Russell thought he sounded tired.
© 2010 MSNBC Interactive
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Report: Michael Jackson gets $200M deal
by doug » Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:16 pm
updated 9:46 p.m. ET March 15, 2010
Music
Report: Michael Jackson gets $200M deal
Late singer’s estate lands contract for 10 projects over 7 years
Michael Jackson died last year, but his estate has reached a deal with Sony that could be worth up to $250 million.
By Paul Thomasch
Reuters
NEW YORK - Sony has reached a deal with Michael Jackson's estate that could be worth as much as $250 million, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the situation.
The report said the deal, coming months after Jackson's death, is the most lucrative recording contract ever signed. It guarantees the estate at least $200 million, according to the newspaper's Web site, and involves 10 albums over seven years.
The deal will combine a mix of previously unreleased songs and new packages of familiar ones, according to the report.
Sony has sold about 31 million of Jackson's albums worldwide since his death on June 25, 2009, the report said. It added that the advances Sony will pay are to be offset by sales of albums as well as revenue generated by licensing Jackson's music.
Sony's deal with the estate retroactively covers the soundtrack album to "This Is It." It also covers a number of other releases, some of which have been planned and others that still must be determined, according to the Wall Street Journal.
One album of previously unreleased songs is likely to hit stores before the end of this year, and another collection is due out later, it said.
Copyright 2010 Reuters
Music
Report: Michael Jackson gets $200M deal
Late singer’s estate lands contract for 10 projects over 7 years
Michael Jackson died last year, but his estate has reached a deal with Sony that could be worth up to $250 million.
By Paul Thomasch
Reuters
NEW YORK - Sony has reached a deal with Michael Jackson's estate that could be worth as much as $250 million, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the situation.
The report said the deal, coming months after Jackson's death, is the most lucrative recording contract ever signed. It guarantees the estate at least $200 million, according to the newspaper's Web site, and involves 10 albums over seven years.
The deal will combine a mix of previously unreleased songs and new packages of familiar ones, according to the report.
Sony has sold about 31 million of Jackson's albums worldwide since his death on June 25, 2009, the report said. It added that the advances Sony will pay are to be offset by sales of albums as well as revenue generated by licensing Jackson's music.
Sony's deal with the estate retroactively covers the soundtrack album to "This Is It." It also covers a number of other releases, some of which have been planned and others that still must be determined, according to the Wall Street Journal.
One album of previously unreleased songs is likely to hit stores before the end of this year, and another collection is due out later, it said.
Copyright 2010 Reuters
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Jackson family to face doctor charged in death
by doug » Mon Apr 05, 2010 6:26 am
updated 9:10 a.m. ET April 5, 2010
Jackson family to face doctor charged in death
More than a dozen relatives plan to appear at Conrad Murray’s hearing
A file picture dated 01 March 2005 shows US singer Michael Jackson arriving at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California, USA. The Los Angeles coroner Fred Coral confirmed that pop star Michael Jackson had died on 25 June 2009 of cardiac arrest. In an audio interview with CNN, Coral said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm local California time after paramedics responded to a call at his house. The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - More than a dozen members of Michael Jackson's family plan to appear in a courtroom where the doctor charged with causing his death is due for a hearing.
Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. The hearing agenda Monday is procedural — assigning a judge to try the case and setting a preliminary hearing date. Also at issue will be a medical board request to revoke his license to practice.
Allan Parachini, spokesman for the Los Angeles courts, said in addition to family members a large contingent of media from around the world also is expected and the sheriff's department is preparing for a crowd.
Jackson, 50, died last June after being rushed to a hospital from his Beverly Hills home.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Jackson family to face doctor charged in death
More than a dozen relatives plan to appear at Conrad Murray’s hearing
A file picture dated 01 March 2005 shows US singer Michael Jackson arriving at the Santa Barbara County Superior Court in Santa Maria, California, USA. The Los Angeles coroner Fred Coral confirmed that pop star Michael Jackson had died on 25 June 2009 of cardiac arrest. In an audio interview with CNN, Coral said Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 pm local California time after paramedics responded to a call at his house. The Associated Press
LOS ANGELES - More than a dozen members of Michael Jackson's family plan to appear in a courtroom where the doctor charged with causing his death is due for a hearing.
Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. The hearing agenda Monday is procedural — assigning a judge to try the case and setting a preliminary hearing date. Also at issue will be a medical board request to revoke his license to practice.
Allan Parachini, spokesman for the Los Angeles courts, said in addition to family members a large contingent of media from around the world also is expected and the sheriff's department is preparing for a crowd.
Jackson, 50, died last June after being rushed to a hospital from his Beverly Hills home.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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- doug
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Jackson’s mom says son feared for his life
by doug » Thu Jun 24, 2010 4:21 pm
updated 3:23 p.m. ET June 24, 2010
Jackson’s mom says son feared for his life
‘People wanted him gone, wanted him dead,’ mother tells ‘Dateline NBC’
by Michelle Castillo
TODAYshow.com
Before Michael Jackson’s death, the singer told his mother that he feared someone wanted to kill him, Katherine Jackson told “Dateline NBC.”
“He told me several times that he felt that people wanted him gone, wanted him dead,” Katherine Jackson said in an interview airing Friday at 9 p.m. ET. “It's just some of the mean, evil, vicious people didn't want him around for some reason. They're greedy.”
(TODAYshow.com is part of msnbc.com, which is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC.)
Katherine Jackson’s only television interview regarding her son’s death will be seen as part of the “Dateline NBC” special “Michael Jackson: A Mother’s Story,” televised on the one-year anniversary of the singer’s death. In a candid conversation with Sonia Lowe, Jackson discusses the many rumors surrounding the King of Pop, ranging from her son’s death to the allegations of child molestation in his past.
Jackson, who has custody of her son's three children, also discusses her grandchildren’s lives and their plans for the future. She denied the claims that Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of Jackson’s children, was ever going to take the children away, calling Rowe a “very friendly, kind, nice person.” Though she never agreed with the veils the children wore or other protective techniques that Michael Jackson strictly adhered to, Katherine Jackson said she knew the pop singer loved his kids.
“Out of all the people in Michael’s life I think Michael adored his children more than anything else,” his mother said. “And they adored him.”
Jackson refused to look at her son's body in order to preserve the “fond memories” she had of him. She said she has happy memories of seeing Michael a week and a half before he passed away, and wanted to preserve those as her final mental images.
Jackson said the varied stories that have surfaced since Michael's death have left her wondering about the truth. In fact, it's the one thing she'd ask him about if she could see him again, she told "Dateline NBC."
“My goodness I’d have so much to (say to Michael) but the main thing I’d want to know is what really happened?” Jackson said.
Jackson's death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles county coroner despite initial reports claiming there was no evidence of foul play or trauma. The evidence led prosecutors to believe that Jackson's cardiac arrest was due to a mix of prescription drugs that included the anesthetic propofol, which the singer had been using as a sleep-inducing agent.
Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic. Murray has pled not guilty to all charges in February, but the California Medical Board later issued an order banning him from administering heavy sedatives anywhere he was licensed in the U.S.
"I don't want you sedating people," Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz told Murray at the court hearing.
© 2010 MSNBC Interactive
Jackson’s mom says son feared for his life
‘People wanted him gone, wanted him dead,’ mother tells ‘Dateline NBC’
by Michelle Castillo
TODAYshow.com
Before Michael Jackson’s death, the singer told his mother that he feared someone wanted to kill him, Katherine Jackson told “Dateline NBC.”
“He told me several times that he felt that people wanted him gone, wanted him dead,” Katherine Jackson said in an interview airing Friday at 9 p.m. ET. “It's just some of the mean, evil, vicious people didn't want him around for some reason. They're greedy.”
(TODAYshow.com is part of msnbc.com, which is a joint venture of Microsoft and NBC.)
Katherine Jackson’s only television interview regarding her son’s death will be seen as part of the “Dateline NBC” special “Michael Jackson: A Mother’s Story,” televised on the one-year anniversary of the singer’s death. In a candid conversation with Sonia Lowe, Jackson discusses the many rumors surrounding the King of Pop, ranging from her son’s death to the allegations of child molestation in his past.
Jackson, who has custody of her son's three children, also discusses her grandchildren’s lives and their plans for the future. She denied the claims that Debbie Rowe, the mother of two of Jackson’s children, was ever going to take the children away, calling Rowe a “very friendly, kind, nice person.” Though she never agreed with the veils the children wore or other protective techniques that Michael Jackson strictly adhered to, Katherine Jackson said she knew the pop singer loved his kids.
“Out of all the people in Michael’s life I think Michael adored his children more than anything else,” his mother said. “And they adored him.”
Jackson refused to look at her son's body in order to preserve the “fond memories” she had of him. She said she has happy memories of seeing Michael a week and a half before he passed away, and wanted to preserve those as her final mental images.
Jackson said the varied stories that have surfaced since Michael's death have left her wondering about the truth. In fact, it's the one thing she'd ask him about if she could see him again, she told "Dateline NBC."
“My goodness I’d have so much to (say to Michael) but the main thing I’d want to know is what really happened?” Jackson said.
Jackson's death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles county coroner despite initial reports claiming there was no evidence of foul play or trauma. The evidence led prosecutors to believe that Jackson's cardiac arrest was due to a mix of prescription drugs that included the anesthetic propofol, which the singer had been using as a sleep-inducing agent.
Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter for allegedly giving Jackson a lethal dose of the anesthetic. Murray has pled not guilty to all charges in February, but the California Medical Board later issued an order banning him from administering heavy sedatives anywhere he was licensed in the U.S.
"I don't want you sedating people," Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Keith L. Schwartz told Murray at the court hearing.
© 2010 MSNBC Interactive
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