On the heels of the L.A. County Coroner’s announcement on Friday that Michael Jackson’s death is being considered a homicide, California Attorney General Jerry Brown is getting into the case. Brown announced that he is launching his own independent investigation of several doctors whose names have been involved in the investigation. Though no doctors were identified in Brown’s statement, the most likely candidates are Jackson’s personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, and his dermatologist, Arnold Klein. -- TheWrap, 6:00 E.T., August 28
The coroner’s report issued Friday said that propofol and Lorazepam -- also known as ativan -- were the primary drugs that caused the pop singer's death on June 25. The coroner’s ruling came in a news release given to the media on Friday, rather than in a full coroner's report. It said the coroner had completed its investigation into Jackson's death earlier this month. The coroner had no comment on the completed investigation. The final report, including the complete toxicology report, will remain on security hold per request by the LAPD and the L.A. County District Attorney. -- TheWrap, 3:00 E.T., August 28
Jackson Burial Moved to Sept. 3
Though the singer's burial had initially been scheduled for the end of August, Jackson's spokeswoman announced the funeral date has been moved to Sept. 3. The ceremony will be private and will still take place at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park. She did not include a reason the date had been changed. -- CNN, 7:04 p.m. ET Aug. 21
Though the singer's burial had initially been scheduled for the end of August, Jackson's spokeswoman announced the funeral date has been moved to Sept. 3. The ceremony will be private and will still take place at Glendale Forest Lawn Memorial Park. She did not include a reason the date had been changed. -- CNN, 7:04 p.m. ET Aug. 21
Michael Jackson will be buried at L.A.’s Forest Lawn Cemetery on what would have been the pop star’s 51st birthday, Aug. 29, his father told the New York Daily News on Monday. And E! Online is confirming that the ceremonies will be held at 10 a.m., and that the burial will be “fit for a king,” according to an individual close to the family. The body will be interred in a specially built mausoleum on the cemetery's grounds. Following the service, Jackson’s father Joe and sister LaToya will go to Las Vegas, where Joe will accept a star from the Brenden Theatre at the Palms Resort and Casino in his son’s honor. That will be followed by yet another tribute concert to Jackson."Donny and Marie (Osmond), and Wayne Newton are some of the celebrities that are coming to perform at the concert," the family insider told E! News. -- TheWrap, 6 p.m. ET Aug. 17.
DEA agents are currently searching a Las Vegas pharmacy believed to be the source of the deadly propofol that was allegedly administered by Michael Jackson’s personal physician Conrad Murray just hours before the June 25 death of the King of Pop. The search of Applied Pharmacy Services was carried out with assistance from the Las Vegas police department. -- Fox News, 2:30 p.m. ET Aug. 11.
Vienna Tribute Concert to Be Televised Globally
First the memorial, soon the movie. And in late September, the tribute concert. In Vienna, on the grounds of the 17th-century Schoenbrunn Palace, once the home of Austria-Hungary's last emperor, Franz Josef. Over 85,000 are expected to gather for the three-hour concert that will be televised live across the globe to a billion people, the event promoter announced on Tuesday. Jackson's brother Jermaine has been tasked with creating the star-studded lineup with 10 "of the biggest artists of our time," Kindel said. Austrian media has reported that Madonna, U2, Lionel Richie and Whitney Houston could be among the artists performing. --TheWrap, 1:30 p.m. ET, Aug. 11
Audiences will get to see the King of Pop perform one more time after a judge approved a major movie deal. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal between Michael Jackson's estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Columbia Pictures on Friday and announced his ruling Monday. A proposed contract states the movie will feature footage of Jackson's final rehearsals for a planned series of London comeback concerts. The film could also include videos prepared for display during the "This is It" shows. Beckloff had until Monday to approve the film and allowed Jackson's mother, Katherine, to review the contracts and raise any objections. Jackson died on June 25, days before he was set to embark to England for his comeback shows. -- Associated Press, 1:15 ET, August 10
A British tabloid reported Saturday that the godfather of Michael Jackson's three children claims to be the father of the singer's daughter Paris. Jackson's longtime friend Mark Lester as saying that he ''gave Michael my sperm so that he could have kids -- and I believe Paris is my daughter." Lester, a 51-year-old former child star known for his lead role in the 1968 movie version of the state show ''Oliver!'' says he's willing to take a paternity test. -- the New York Times, 7 a.m. ET, Aug. 8
Multiple law enforcement sources tell TMZ that the toxicology report in the Michael Jackson case shows the singer had a lethal amount of the anesthetic Propofol in his system, as well as alprazolam -- also known as Xanax. But it was the Propofol that was "front and center in terms of why [Jackson] died," a source told the website. -- TMZ, 5:33 p.m. ET, Aug. 7
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff awarded Michael Jackson's mother Katherine custody of Jackson's three children as well as a monthly allowance. Beckloff admitted Jackson's 2002 will, which names John Branca and John McClain co-executors, into probate. Initially, Katherine filed a petition for some amount of control over the estate, which she withdrew today. Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and mother of two of his children, will have visitation rights and will continue to receive a monthly spousal payment. -- Reuters, 3:24 ET, Aug. 3
Michael Jackson's mother Katherine will raise the singer's three children while his ex-wife Debbie Rowe will have visitation rights under the supervision of a child psychologist paid for jointly by Jackson and Rowe, attorneys said Thursday. There is no money involved in the agreement, the statement said. Rowe never petitioned for custody of Jackson's children. The agreement could be discussed further during a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, where Jackson's multimillion dollar estate will be discussed. -- Associated Press, 1:55 p.m. ET, July 30
The police searched the Las Vegas home and office of Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, on Tuesday morning. Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department, the Los Angeles bureau of the DEA and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department served search warrant at the locations, less than one week after the authorities in Houston searched Dr. Murray’s office and storage unit in that city. Dr. Murray, a cardiologist, is the focus of a manslaughter investigation in the death of Mr. Jackson, according to court documents filed by Los Angeles police in Texas. The physician was among the last people to see Mr. Jackson alive and attempted to resuscitate him at the singer’s Los Angeles home shortly before his death on June 25. -- The New York Times, 3:45 p.m. ET, July 28
Michael Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, administered the anesthetic propofol to the singer the evening before his death, a law enforcement official with knowledge of the investigation into Jackson's death told the Associated Press. Jackson regularly received the drug so he could fall asleep, though Murray's lawyer has said the doctor did no prescribe or administer anything that could have killed Jackson. -- Associated Press, 6:19 p.m. ET July 27
Michael Jackson’s personal physician was identified as the target of a police manslaughter investigation in court records filed Thursday in Houston. Federal drug agents and LAPD investigators executed two search warrants Wednesday -- one at Dr. Conrad Murray’s medical clinic and a second at a public storage unit rented by him. Among the items seized from the storage unit were two computer hard drives, a Medical Board certificate, letters to a former employee, a list of contacts and papers pertaining to his practice. Among those is a “suspension notice Doctor’s Hospital” and “papers regarding incomplete chart Doctor’s Hospital.” Authorities also seized letters from the IRS, Texas Department of Public Safety controlled substance registration and public records from the Texas controller. -- L.A. Times, 6:10 p.m. ET July 23
Attorneys handling Michael Jackson's estate say they have asked a judge to approve an allowance for the singer's three children and his mother. A similar request was brought for the pop icon's mother, Katherine Jackson, which will also be taken up at next month's hearing. It was still unclear how much the children or their grandmother would receive. Katherine Jackson currently has custody of the three children, 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jr., known as Prince Michael; 11-year-old Paris Michael Katherine Jackson; and 7-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket. -- The Huffington Post, 5:43 p.m. ET July 23
Probate Judge Will Have to Approve Jackson Deal
Lawyers and financial experts are still haggling over the details for a film about the final days of Michael Jackson that Sony has been close to securing since the weekend. Negotiations have been led by John Branca and John McClain, the executors of the Jackson estate. The back-and-forth has left concert promoter AEG Live on the sidelines, according to one person involved in the negotiations. The deal will close somewhere between $55 and $60 million, but its complicated by numerous factors including the fact that a probate judge will have to approve it. Other studios confirmed that they fell out of the bidding, which began at $50 million, in part because of the onerous terms that were being imposed by Jackson's representatives. Universal dropped out when the price tag reached $55 million. The film is scheduled to be released on Oct. 30. -- Wrap Staff, 10:40 p.m. ET, July 22
Los Angeles County coroner's officials have discovered security breaches involving the investigation into Michael Jackson's death, including hundreds of improper views of the pop star's death certificate. At least half a dozen staff members inappropriately accessed Jackson's death certificate, officials said. Within two weeks of his death June 25, the certificate had been viewed more than 300 times. "There's only one person in the investigation of Mr. Jackson who needed to have a copy of the death certificate, and that was the investigator," said Craig Harvey, chief coroner's investigator. -- Los Angeles Times, 10 p.m. ET July 22.
Federal drug agents searched the Houston clinic of Michael Jackson's doctor Wednesday, according to a Houston TV report. KTRK-TV reported that officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration were at Dr. Conrad Murray's clinic in north Houston. Video showed two Houston police officers guarding the front door. Murray was Michael Jackson's personal physician, and was with Jackson when he died. Murray, who is based in Las Vegas and is licensed in California, Nevada and Texas, has been interviewed by police but he has not been considered a suspect in the singer's death ... Meanwhile, investigators in California are also seeking more information from Murray, according to his attorney, Edward Chernoff. -- L.A. Times, 12:45 p.m. ET July 22
Jackson's long association with a small-time filmmaker led to a featured role in a campy 2007 film unknown to many of his fans, and may well have led to another project he was developing. Three months before his death, B-movie producer, writer and director Bryan Michael Stoller says Jackson committed to co-directing and financing a movie -- a drama about foster children -- and planned to get started as soon as he completed his London concerts. The project was based on a 1985 book about the real-life experiences of author Jennings Michael Burch. Jackson showed the book to Stoller in 2002 and asked if he wanted to produce and co-direct a movie version. Later, Jackson met Burch at Neverland (see video below). -- The Hollywood Reporter, 9 p.m. ET July 21.
AEG Live, the promoter behind Jackson's 50 "This Is It" comeback concerts in London, has been negotiating for several days with movie studios for the film rights to the concert rehearsal footage as well as broadcast rights to a tie-in television special.Although NBC was interested in the project as recently as Monday, and other networks showed interest last week, all of the networks balked over AEG’s $20-million price tag for a show that would not include any new or exclusive footage of Jackson performing. -- Los Angeles Times, 4:43 p.m. ET July 21
Jackson Deal Details Unveiled
Details are emerging about Sony's deal to acquire the Michael Jackson rehearsal footage. The price: $60 million. The release date: Friday, Oct. 30. The financial split: 90% to the Jackson estate and 10% to AEG Live. The Jackson estate is comprised of his kids, his mother and the eventual charity that will be formed in Michael’s name. The Hollywood Reporter, 3:00 PST, July 21
Sony Closing Deal for Rehearsal Footage Rights
Sony has all but closed a deal to acquire the Michael Jackson rehearsal footage filmed before the pop star was to make his comeback tour in London. A knowledgeable source close to the negotiations said the deal would be for a feature film. "High School Musical" impresario Kenny Ortega, who served as the concert's choreographer, would be the likely choice as director, and the footage includes several videos that were to be shown between breaks during the concerts. Negotiations had hit a fever pitch over the weekend, with Fox also in the running. The amount is said to be north of $50 million. AEG is also selling TV rights. Wrap Staff, 9:00 PST, July 19
Sony, Fox Lead Bidding Over Rehearsal Footage
Sony and Fox were leading bidding that had soared to $50 million for the rights to the footage of the final rehearsal of Michael Jackson's 02 concert, according to knowledgeable individuals close to the negotiations. TheWrap first reported [17] that the concert promoter had recorded the full rehearsal that took place at Staples the night before Jackson's collapse and death. The rehearsal was recorded in multi-camera HD and 3D, and is of a quality that could be released as a movie, or DVD. AEG later confirmed the report, and said that it had "at least 100 hours" of footage of Jackson during rehearsals, and behind the scenes. "Several studios have been actively pursuing this deal and it is our understanding that nothing will be resolved until sometime next week," ne executive acquainted with the bidding said on Saturday. An AEG spokesman denied knowledge of negotiations but noted that most of any profits from such a deal would go to the Jackson estate. Another executive denied a report that Sony had the inside track because it co-owned the Sony/ATV music catalogue wit Jackson; the music in the catalogue did not include Jackson's and would have no bearing on any deal, he said. Wrap Staff, 2:59 pm PST, July 18.
The court hearing over who will retain custody of Michael Jackson's three children was postponed again on Friday as parties allegedly tried to complete a settlement. Los Angeles Court official said a guardianship hearing scheduled for Monday would be postponed to August 3. This is the second delay in the case. Jackson's mother, Katherine, currently has temporary custody over the kids. -- Reuters, 7:39 p.m. ET, July 17
Debbie Rowe is suing Rebecca White, Rowe's alleged "closed friend" who said in an interview with "Extra" that Jackson's ex-wife didn't want custody of the singer's children but was instead interested in getting money from the Jacksons. Rowe filed a defamation and invasion-of-privacy lawsuit Thursday and is seeking unspecified damages, specifically money that White may have made off her of her "Extra" TV interview. The lawsuit says Rowe has suffered "shame, mortification, hurt feelings and injury of reputation" as a result of the emails Rowe claims White fabricated. Rowe says she hasn't spoken to White in a while and didn't respond to two e-mails Whiet sent her after Jackson's death or to a dinner request from White when she flew to Los Angeles for the "Extra" interview, according to the lawsuit. -- Associated Press, 4:55 p.m. ET, July 17
Despite a report on TMZ stating that Michael Jackson's death was being treated as a homicide, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office spokeswoman Jane Robinson told E! News that "Nothing has changed. It's still an ongoing investigation. The LAPD also said the investigation was continuing. Robinson did say the LAPD had contacted the DA's office "a few times." -- E! News, 12:58 p.m. ET July 15
The L.A. County Coroner’s office has finished all of its testing on the remains of Michael Jackson’s body in the an effort to find the cause of his mysterious death on June 25 -- but it will be another few weeks before the results are released to the public, a spokesman for the coroner told TheWrap. Shortly after the 50-year-old Jackson’s death, the coroner initially reported that the cause of Jackson’s death could not be determined, prompting a deeper investigation into how he died. "The final report has not been completed," the spokesman said. "It probably will be another two to three weeks." -- TheWrap, 7 p.m. ET July 14
Rebecca White, an alleged close friend of Debbie Rowe, has leaked emails between the two to "Extra" which reveal Rowe's lack of desire for her children. In an email dated July 2, 2009, Rowe said to White "I'm not going after custody. These kids are not mine. They were never mine. They were always Michael's. I was Michael's best friend." On July 5, Rowe told White that her lawyer instructed her she had to "take some responsibility about the welfare of the children. Do I want the kids? Hell no. Does it look good for me to ask for them? Absolutely. I don't want to look like the woman who gave away her kids and just forgot about them." -- Extra, 4:00 p.m. ET, July 14
Debbie Rowe's lawyer has written a letter to the New York Post demanding a retraction of the story that stated Jackson's ex-wife is accepting a $4 million settlement in exchange for dropping her custody claim. "Among the several contenders for overzealous and inaccurate sensationalism, the New York Post has now seized top honors," says the letter, written by Rowe's lawyer Eric George. "Ms. Rowe has not accepted -- and will not accept -- any additional financial consideration beyond the spousal support she and Michael Jackson personally agreed to several years ago." -- TMZ, 3:00 p.m. ET, July 14
Michael Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, has agreed to drop a claim for custody of her two children in exchange for a multi-million dollar settlement, according to various media reports on Tuesday. Stacy Brown, a confidant of the Jackson family, told ABC News that Rowe could receive between three to five million dollars to settle the case. The New York Post claimed that an unidentified Jackson family source said Rowe had already reached a settlement of four million dollars. Rowe would retain visitation rights as part of the settlement, with Jackson's mother Katherine retaining full custody of the children in accordance with her son's 2002 will. -- AFP, 12:50 p.m. ET, July 14
Michael Jackson's remains are at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles in a crypt owned by Motown founder Berry Gordy, an individual close to the family told TheWrap. The family is awaiting the return of the singer's brain, which was removed from his remains to help in determining the cause of the singer's death.
"This is very unusual," the family insider said. "You don't need the entire brain but just samples of brain tissue."
He doubted that Jackson would ever be buried at his Neverland Ranch, which the singer abandoned following his 2005 successful trial against child molestation charges. The ranch and Jackson's quarters were thoroughly searched in a major raid before Jackson was charged. "He never wanted to return to Neverland," the insider said. -- TheWrap, 8:00 p.m. ET, July 13
Two custody hearings have been postponed in what is becoming yet another dark twist to Michael Jackson's already stormy death. The latest hearing is set for July 20.
Meanwhile, Debbie Rowe, the "legal" mother of two of Jackson's three children, is quietly trying to work out a deal to determine her custodial rights to her offspring. But unless settled, the fate of all the kids could be mired in a legal battle -- yet another twist in the singer's controversial life and now death.
"They are negotiating," said an individual close to the Jackson family, "and it is not easy. Debbie is scatterbrained and she flip-flops a lot, but when push comes to shove and the family presses her, she will contest the will."
Jackson's mother has been granted temporary guardianship and Jackson said in a 2002 will that was filed earlier this month that he wanted his mother to care for his children. Even so, child welfare officials could ignore Jackson's wishes and play a role in determining the future of these children and the custodian, who the officials considered, would serve the best interests of the children. -- TheWrap, 7:30 p.m. ET, July 13
Merchandise from Jackson's "This Is It" tour, which was scheduled to begin Monday in London, will be available for purchase online and at U.S. retailers. Jackson helped to design the concert T-shirts commemorating the first and second nights of the concerts at London's O2 arena. Belt buckles, caps, sunglasses, mugs, and a varsity jacket similar to the one Jackson wore in "Thriller" will also be up for purchase. -- Associated Press, 7:15 p.m. ET, July 13
In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Joe Jackson said he was concerned about his son's 50-date tour schedule that were slated to begin in London today. Jackson, 79, said his son had only wanted to perform in 10 concerts initially but that more dates were added against his will.
"I was worried about his health because all the shows I'm seeing, no artist can do all those shows, back-to-back like that. I knew Michael couldn't do all those shows without a rest in between," Joe Jackson said.
But Randy Phillips, chief of AEG Live, told ABC that it was Jackson who wanted to increase the original run of shows from 31 to 50. -- Associated Press, 6:17 p.m. ET, July 13
Despite previous reports that Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wanted to set up a Web site seeking donations to cover the city's $1.4 million tab from the Michael Jackson memorial, the Mayor today criticized his staff for launching the site. Villaraigosa, who was on vacation in South Africa during the memorial, said the Web site was "ridiculous" and believes it's the city's responsibility to protect public safety. -- Associated Press, 5:06 p.m. ET, July 13
Hundreds of Jackson's fans flocked to the O2 arena on Monday on the eve of what would have been his first concert. Fans brought candles and flowers, while some danced and other wrote tributes to the late singer, whose image was beamed on a big screen. -- Associated Press, 4:32 p.m. ET, July 13
Needle marks located on Michael Jackson's neck and arms were spotted during an autopsy of the singer, a source tells E! News. Investigators are still trying to figure out if those marks were from IV needles used to administer Diprivan, which was found in Jackson's home. Meanwhile, Jackson's sister La Toya allegedly told the British tabloid News of the World: "He had many needle marks on his neck and on his arms, and more about those will emerge in the next few weeks. But nothing has changed my mind that this was murder." -- E! Online, 1:21 p.m. ET, July 13
Judge Removes Jackson's Mother From Estate Control
On Monday morning, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge removed Katherine Jackson from control of her son’s business affairs. The judge affirmed the request by lawyers for John McClain and John Branca to give them control of the entertainer’s business affairs. Jackson wrote in a 2002 will that he desired Branca, McClain and Barry Siegel be placed in charge of his business management. A court spokesman said a second will, dated from 1997, had surfaced but had not yet been filed.-- TheWrap, 11:55 am, July 6
On Monday morning, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge removed Katherine Jackson from control of her son’s business affairs. The judge affirmed the request by lawyers for John McClain and John Branca to give them control of the entertainer’s business affairs. Jackson wrote in a 2002 will that he desired Branca, McClain and Barry Siegel be placed in charge of his business management. A court spokesman said a second will, dated from 1997, had surfaced but had not yet been filed.-- TheWrap, 11:55 am, July 6
About 1.6 million people have registered for a chance at 17,500 free tickets to Tuesday's memorial service for Michael Jackson at Staples Center and a nearby simulcast, officials at AEG, owner of the arena, said Saturday. Registration began at 10 a.m. Friday and ended at 6 p.m. Saturday. Those chosen will be notified by e-mail between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. today. AEG officials said 11,000 tickets will be for admission to the Staples Center service. The remaining 6,500 will be for the neighboring Nokia Theatre, where the memorial will be simulcast on big screens.
-- Los Angeles Times, 8:30 a.m., July 5
Family Source: Second Autopsy Inconclusive
Doctors who conducted a second and an independent autopsy of Michael Jackson have concluded the cause of his death is unknown, according to a Jackson family source. "The family received an oral report," the insider said. "What this means is they will have to wait for a toxicology report, just like the L.A. County Coroner." That report is expected in about a month, the LAPD has said. Just how quickly the independent toxicology report would be ready remains unknown, but the results had been expected to be quicker that those of the authorities. --TheWrap, 4:30 p.m., July 4
The memorial for Michael Jackson may be a tough ticket live, but it shouldn't be hard to find it on television. ABC, CNN, MSNBC and E! Entertainment are among the networks that have already announced plans to offer live coverage of the Tuesday memorial, set for 10 a.m. at Los Angeles' Staples Center. CBS will also be at the Staples Center, although the network has not yet said whether it was offering live coverage of the memorial. NBC is not planning live coverage, but will wrap up highlights in a one-hour prime-time special Tuesday night. -- The Hollywood Reporter, 6:30 p.m., July 3
California Attorney General Jerry Brown has joined forces with investigators from the Los Angeles Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency looking into the growing possibility that Michael Jackson may have died from a drug overdose illegally prescribed by his medical team. “We are assisting in any way we can,” Scott Gerber, the director of communications for Brown, told TheWrap. “We are assisting in the investigation.” -- TheWrap, 3:15 p.m. July 2
Lottery Will Choose Fans for Jackson Tickets
From Friday morning's press conference at Staples Center:
- Only ticket holders will be allowed in or near the Staples Center on Tuesday for the memorial.
- 17,500 will be distributed; 11,000 at Staples Center, the rest at the Nokia Theater for simulcast.
- Fans can register at Staplescenter.com [35] until Saturday at 6 pm PST
- Random drawing of 8,750 names will award 2 tickets per winner
- Worldwide TV feed will allow simulcast
- City seeks donations to defray "incremental costs" of funeral
- City urges most fans to watch "from home" -- TheWrap, 2 p.m. ET July 3
Here's the breakdown of Michael Jackson's trust, according to TMZ:
-Katherine Jackson will get 40% of the assets.
-Michael's three children get another 40%.
-The remaining 20% is going to several yet-to-be-decided charities.
-- TMZ, 6:35 p.m. ET July 2
A $25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold plated, custom casket has been ordered for Jackson. Ordered last night, it's called a Promethean and will feature a flame blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish. It's the same one used to bury James Brown. --TMZ, 9:20 p.m. ET July 2
Fans Must Pay $25 to Attend Jackson Memorial
Fans who want to go to Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center will have to pay $25 to sit in the stands, while family, friends and VIPs will have seats on the main floor. The memorial will be like a concert production with guest speakers and music and video screens inside and outside the Center. Elizabeth Taylor and Diana Ross are expected to attend. T-shirts that were going to be sold during the tour will be sold outside. -- RadarOnline.com, 6:35 p.m. ET July 2
A judge has delayed a guardianship hearing for Michael Jackson's children at the request of attorneys for the singer's mother and his ex-wife, Deborah Rowe. The hearing had been scheduled for Monday. Records show attorneys for Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, and Rowe asked for the hearing to be delayed until July 13 -- Washington Times, 5:30 p.m. ET July 2
Michael Jackson's private family service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Forest Lawn in Los Angeles. A motorcade will then go to the Staples Center complex in downtown L.A. where the public memorial will take place. The family has yet to decide whether that memorial will be at the Staples Center or the Nokia Theatre. -- TMZ, 3:10 p.m. ET July 2
"I want my children," Rowe said during a 90-minute phone conversation Thursday morning on NBCLA. Rowe said she was willing to submit to any testing, including DNA to prove that she is the children's true biological mother. Rowe also said she would submit to psychological testing. She also said she would seek a restraining order to keep Jackson's father, Joe Jackson, away from the children.
-- NBC, 2:29 ET July 2
"I'm glad to see that he is being remembered primarily for the great joy that he brought to a lot of people through his extraordinary gifts as an entertainer," Obama said in an AP interview Thursday. The President said he didn't think it was controversial that he didn't issue a formal public statement upon Jackson's death and said he knew "a lot of people in the black community" and hadn't heard that they were dissatisfied with his response. "I still have all his stuff on my iPod," Obama said of the singer's music. "I think that Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of our greatest entertainers. His brilliance as a performer also was paired with a tragic and in many ways, sad personal life." -- Associated Press, 2:40 ET July 2
Jackson had a mountain of unreleased recordings in the vault when he died -- music that is almost certain to be packaged and repackaged for his fans in the years to come. The material includes unused tracks from studio sessions of some of Jackson's best albums, as well as more recently recorded songs made with Senegalese R&B singer and producer Akon and Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am. -- the Huffington Post, 10:21 ET July 21
DEA Begins Investigation Into Death
In a replay of the Anna Nicole Smith case, the federal Drug Enforcement Agency has begun looking into the death of Michael Jackson because of the reports of drug and medication abuse, an agency spokesman confirmed to TheWrap. "We routinely offer assistance to any agency regarding the Federal Controlled Substance Act," the spokesperson said -- but refused any further comment. Indeed, it is not uncommon for the DEA and the LAPD to work together in drug cases -- the DEA would be looking into the doctors who prescribed controlled medications, how much was supplied and the sources. Among the drugs that would raise flags are Demerol, Vicodin and Oxycontin, all of which have been mentioned in Jackson's case. -- TheWrap, 10:30 p.m. ET July 1
Jackson's public funeral will be held Tuesday, July 7 at 10 a.m. at the Staples Center, according to RadarOnline.com. Owner AEG will use the 20,000-seat venue, the adjacent Nokia Theater and the surrounding plaza for the event. There's no word yet on how ticketing will be handled. -- RadarOnline, 7:48 p.m. ET July 1
Jackson's body is currently being held at the Hollywood Hills location of Forest Lawn Memorial Park and Mortuaries, where it will likely be interred, reports E! News. -- E!, 5:07 p.m. ET July 1
The Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine confirmed Wednesday that a public memorial for Michael Jackson is being planned, but it won't be held at Neverland. No further details of memorial plans are available yet. -- Associated Press, 4:30 p.m. ET July 1
Source: Jackson Intentionally Took Drugs to Get Out of Tour
A close confidante of Michael Jackson tells The Daily Beast he believes the singer didn't want to perform on his comeback tour that he intentionally took many prescription drugs to induce a hospital visit. That would have triggered a medical escape clause in his performance contract -- but he accidentally overdosed instead. The source said he believes Jackson wanted to force promoter AEG to reduce the number of dates, but he was also aware he could face serious cancellation penalties if he didn't show up for gigs. -- The Daily Beast, 4:27 p.m. ET July 1
Katherine Jackson will retain limited authority over Jackson's estate until Monday, a Los Angeles judge said Wednesday. The ruling comes after the objections of two men who are the co-executors of Jackson's estate in a will filed today. A court hearing is scheduled for Monday to discuss control of the estate. -- Associated Press, 2:39 p.m. ET July 1
Billboard's latest sales charts show Jackson is the first artist ever to sell over a million downloads in one week. Fans have purchased 2.6 million Jackson solo recordings and Jackson Five songs in the last week, according to Nielsen SoundScan data.
-- Wired, 2:29 p.m. ET July 1
After authorities in Santa Barbara County began preparing for tens of thousands of fans to visit Jackson's 2,500-acre ranch Neverland, it appears more likely a funeral and burial will take place in Los Angeles. A source tells the AP that a private memorial for friends and family could take place at hte ranch after the funeral, but that nothing is planned for Neverland at least through Friday. -- Associated Press, 1:50 p.m. ET July 1
Michael Jackson's will was filed Wednesday in an L.A. court, cutting out former wife Debbie Rowe. The will, dated July 7, 2002, estimated his estate at that time at more than $500 million. It gives the entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, with his mother, Katherine, named as a beneficiary of the trust and guardian of the children. The will also names longtime Jackson friend Diana Ross as the children's guardian if his mother is unable to fulfill her duties. -- Yahoo, 1 p.m. ET July 1
Registered nurse Cherilyn Lee said Jackson, complaining of insomnia, had asked her in April for Diprivan (propofal, a powerful sedative). An injection of a dose of propfal can induce hypnosis within 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The drug's product label said propofol should only be administered by persons "trained in the administration of general anesthesia." ... TMZ adds that the drug was found at Jackson's home. -- L.A. Times, July 1
Michael Jackson's will gives custody of his children to Jackson's mother and puts his assets in a trust fund, a source told the AP. The will was created in July 2002 and named as executors Jackson's lawyers John Branca and music exec/family friend John McClain. -- Associated Press, 8:16 p.m. ET June 30
The music mogul said he's already mourned too many friends. "I won't go to any more funerals as long as I live ... I can't handle it," Jones told Entertainment Tonight. -- ET, 7:30 p.m. ET June 30
The Jackson family is planning a memorial service and funeral for Michael Jackson which could take place at the Staples Center, a source tells the Los Angeles Times. A public ceremony at the venue would be followed by a procession to Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County. Once there, visitors would participate in a memorial service on the grounds. -- Los Angeles Times, 6:08 p.m. ET June 30
The biological father of Michael Jackson's kids is the performer's L.A.-based dermatologist and Rowe's former boss, Arnold Klein, multiple sources tell US Weekly. "He is the dad," one insider told the magazine. "He and Debbie signed an agreement saying they would never reveal the truth." -- US Weekly, 3:00 p.m. ET June 30
Michael Jackson claimed to have a net worth of $236 million as of March 31, 2007, according to financial documents that shed light on his murky finances and prodigious borrowing. He had $567.6 million in assets, including his Neverland Ranch, his share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalog that includes the rights to songs by the Beatles, and an assortment of cars, antiques and collectibles. His debts were $331million. -- Yahoo, 1:30 p.m. ET June 30
Jackson's body is set to be driven to the Neverland Ranch late Thursday morning. Law-enforcement sources say there will be upwards of a 30-car motorcade -- including Jackson's body. -- TMZ, 12:20 p.m. ET June 30
Michael Jacksonwas not the biological father of any of his children. And Debbie Roweis not the biological mother of the two kids she bore for Michael. All three children were conceived in vitro -- outside the womb, TMZ reports ... The site also says that Jackson never filed legal papers to adopt any of his children. Legal experts say Jackson would be presumed the father -- but it's not conclusive by any means. -- TMZ, 11:40 a.m. ET June 30
Thousands of fans who bought tickets to the Jackson's last concert have told the promoter that they would prefer to forego the $125 refund -- and keep the ticket. This means that reports that Promoter AEG Live would take a huge financial hit -- reported to be an $85 million loss -- from the cancellation of Jackson’s concert are unlikely to come to pass. -- TheWrap, 9:30 p.m. ET June 29
It took 20-30 minutes to call 911 to report Jackson's cardiac arrest because his physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, was unfamiliar with the surroundings of the home. "He didn't know the physical address," said Murray's attorney Matt Alford. "There was no land line, no phone in Jackson's room. It was all happening so fast." The house's chef finally a security guard to make the 911 call. -- Associated Press, 9:00 p.m. ET June 29
Michael Jackson's mother Katherine has won temporary guardianship of Jackson's estate, which could be valued at hundreds of millions of dollars. -- Reuters, 8:43 p.m. ET June 29
Investigators on Monday retrieved medications from the rented mansion where Michael Jackson was fatally stricken, a coroner's official said. Two coroner's investigators and two police detectives spent several hours inside the three-story estate home and then emerged with two large red bags filled with evidence. Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter identified the items as "some medications." -- The Huffington Post, 7:06 p.m. ET June 29
Just how heavily did radio turn to the music of Michael Jackson after the news of his death? In the three days before Jackson was pronounced dead Thursday at age 50 at UCLA Medical Center, the title song from his “Thriller” album had been played 22 times on U.S. radio, satellite and cable music channels; by Sunday night it had logged more than 3,000 spins, according to the Nielsen BDS radio airplay monitoring service. That's an increase of more than 13,000%. -- Los Angeles Times, 7:20 ET June 29
Jackson Wrapped Video Before Death
Michael Jackson finished an elaborate video production two weeks before he died. The five-week project filmed at Culver Studios, dubbed "Dome Project," could be the final finished video piece overseen by the King of Pop. Four sets were constructed, including a cemetery recalling Jackson's "Thriller" video. The project now is in post-production and is expected to be completed July 15. -- Associated Press, 6 p.m. ET June 29
Starting July 1, AEG Live will begin refunding the more than 750,000 concert tickets to Michael Jackson’s This Is It! run of 50 shows at London’s O2 Arena, the concert promoter announced today. The refunds will include the service fees. By visiting the MichaelJacksonLive [65] website on July 1, ticket buyers will be routed to Viagogo, Ticketmaster or other authorized sellers in order to claim their refund. -- Rolling Stone, 5:58 p.m. ET, June 29
Michael Jackson's lawyer, John Branca, says he has a copy of the singer's will and he intends to file it with the court. The Jackson family does not have a copy of that will. It's unclear how many wills Jackson made, but Branca believes the one in his possession is the most current. Branca has a long history with Jackson. In 1985, he brokered the deal for Jackson to purchase the Beatles' publishing catalogue. -- TMZ, 4:13 p.m. ET, June 29
Michael Jackson's father, Joe, says planning for the pop star's funeral is awaiting results of a second autopsy. Joe Jackson told reporters outside the family's Los Angeles compound at midday Monday that the second autopsy is under way, but he expects results soon. The county coroner conducted an autopsy on Friday but has deferred a decision on the cause of death. Joe Jackson denies reports that his son will be buried at his Neverland ranch. He says, "That's not true." -- The Huffington Post, 2 p.m. ET June 29
The first stage of the custoday battle over Michael Jackson's three children has been resolved. At least temporarily, Michael Jackson's mother Katherine has been granted guardianship of Michael Joseph Jackson Jr. (known as "Prince"), Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II (known as "Blanket").
An Aug. 3 hearing has been scheduled to determine permanent custody. -- TheWrap,1 ET June 29
Until the last hour of rehearsals, Michael Jackson maintained a ferocious, perfectionist pace, said the pop star's vocal coach, Dorian Holley. Jackson's presence and energy during his final week was unequivocal, Holley said. "He'd take the stage with this group of dancers, all in their 20s, but you couldn't take your eyes off him ... Many of his songs have six or seven parts, and he would often come over if we were missing an important note in our mix, and he would sing through all the parts rapid-fire to show us what he wanted. We would just sit there with our jaws open -- it was awesome." -- Time Magazine, noon ET June 29
NBC has acquired the rights to an edited, one-hour version of "Living with Michael Jackson" -- the 2003 ABC documentary hosted by Martin Bashir. It will run Monday as a "Dateline NBC" special. Bashir's interview special was the catalyst for child molestation charges brought against Jackson after it had aired. -- TheWrap, 6:30 p.m. ET June 28
Michael Jackson’s last rehearsal at the Staples Center on Wednesday, the eve of his death, was recorded in multi-camera, high-definition video and multi-track audio, and could be released as the performer’s last album, according to several people close to the now-defunct concert tour. One AEG official boasted to a colleague this weekend, “We have a live album in the can.” -- TheWrap, 11 p.m. ET, June 27
Published Date:
2 years 32 weeks ago