michael jackson

A funeral procession

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A funeral procession, including a hearse carrying the body of Michael Jackson at center, arrives outside Staples Center for a memorial service for the pop star Tuesday, July 7, 2009, in Los Angeles.

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Members of the media work in front of the Staples Center during a memorial service for the late pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Paris Jackson, left, Prince Michael Jackson I and Prince Michael Jackson II

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Paris Jackson, left, Prince Michael Jackson I and Prince Michael Jackson II on stage during the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Andrae Crouch Singers

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Andrae Crouch Singers open the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Paris Jackson speaks

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Supported by her family, Paris Jackson speaks during the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

The funeral procession of Michael Jackson

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The funeral procession of Michael Jackson arrives at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Tuesday July 7, 2009.

Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz

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Mariah Carey and Trey Lorenz sing "I'll Be There" at the memorial service for the late pop star Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Musician Stevie Wonder

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Musician Stevie Wonder performs at the memorial service for Michael Jackson in Los Angeles on Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Singer Lionel Richie performs at Michael Jackson's memorial

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Singer Lionel Richie performs at Michael Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Jackson brothers

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The Jackson brothers, from left: Randy, Marlon, Jackie, Jermaine and Tito, accompany the casket into the memorial service for Michael Jackson at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009.

Michael Jackson's casket

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Michael Jackson's casket sits in front of the stage during his memorial service at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Tuesday, July 7, 2009. (AP Photo)

micheal

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Brooke Shields, a friend of Mr. Jackson’s who spoke at the memoria

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Mr. Jackson's children and family took the stage at the end of the service. Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson's 11-year-old daughter, tearfully told the crowd: "I just wanted to say, ever since I was born Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine."

Stevie Wonder performed during the memorial service.

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Mr. Jackson's coffin was carried into the arena.

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The hearse carrying Mr. Jackson's body arrived at the service.

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Funeral of a Superstar as a Media Moment

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Jermaine Jackson, Michael’s brother, was among the performers who sang at the Staples Center memorial. Mr. Jackson sang “Smile,” for which Charlie Chaplin wrote the music

micheal jackson ghost

2009-07-07T22:35:00.000-07:00

Private Jackson service precedes memorial

2009-07-07T10:33:00.000-07:00

A motorcade that began at the home of Michael Jackson's parents reached a cemetery in the Hollywood Hills for a private service in advance of a star-studded memorial in downtown Los Angeles.

Numerous vehicles under California Highway Patrol escort headed out from the parents' home shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday and reached Forest Lawn Memorial Park Hollywood Hills about 15 minutes later.

Authorities shut down sections of freeways during the height of Los Angeles' morning rush hour to allow the motorcade to pass.

Jackson's family members and dozens of friends, led by his parents, Joe and Katherine, were seen walking into a hall at the cemetery where a small viewing was apparently held the night before.

After the private ceremony, Jackson's body will be taken to the singer's public memorial. Among the celebrities expected to attend the memorial are Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

Police have blocked off roads and warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get near to the downtown venue.

Some fans were allowed past street barriers into the immediate area around the Staples Center. Dozens of street vendors lined up selling T-shirts, photos, buttons and other Jackson memorabilia.

More than 1.6 million people registered for free tickets to Jackson's memorial, but only 8,750 people were chosen to receive two tickets each.

Los Angeles was the epicenter of Jackson-mania, but the outpouring of emotion was worldwide. Belgium's two national public broadcasters were to broadcast the memorial live later Tuesday and several hundred Jackson fans gathered at a Hong Kong mall late Tuesday.

Holding white candles, Hong Kong singer William Chan and Taiwanese pop star Judy Chou led the audience in observing a 30-second silence. Many of the fans clutched red roses and wore black; some donned Jackson's trademark fedora hats.

In America, about 50 movie theaters across the country, from Los Angeles to Topeka, Kan., to Washington, D.C., were planning to broadcast the memorial live, for free. Jackson died at age 50 on June 25, 2009.

"There are certain people in our popular culture that just capture people's imaginations. And in death, they become even larger," President Barack Obama told CBS while in Moscow. "Now, I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable."

Los Angeles braces for Michael Jackson's final act

2009-07-07T10:32:00.000-07:00

The curtain is slowly rising on Michael Jackson's last show. As in Jackson's life, Tuesday's public memorial at the downtown Staples Center includes the spectacle surrounding the show -- legal drama, screaming fans, star power, live worldwide broadcast, unsavory accusations, even a parade of elephants -- all adding up to what could be the biggest celebrity send-off of all time.

On the eve of the memorial, activity was spotted late Monday at the Forest Lawn Cemetery involving the Jackson family. The cemetery is the location where relatives were expected to hold a private funeral.

La Toya Jackson, wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, was seen being driven away from the cemetery. KCAL-TV showed helicopter footage of a hearse backing up to the Hall of Liberty -- a circular building at the cemetery that contains a 1,200-seat auditorium -- to deliver a casket.

A few hours later, the casket was reloaded into the hearse and delivered to another nearby building, this time covered in a blue cloth.

It wasn't immediately known if the casket would be at the memorial service. Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said on Tuesday on NBC's "Today" show that the family would not comment on it.

More than 1.6 million people registered for free tickets to Jackson's downtown memorial. A total of 8,750 people were chosen to receive two tickets each.

"I got the golden ticket!" one fan screamed out of his car window in a Willy Wonka moment as he drove out of the parking lot.

The family announced that participants will include Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III. Sunshine told ABC that Queen Latifah also will be performing.

Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton said on Tuesday on CBS' "The Early Show" the department would have more officers on the streets of downtown for the memorial service than it had for last month's Lakers victory parade.

Bratton said officers "really just do not know how many people will actually show up" and that officers "are prepared for anything."

"Crowds have not materialized so far, and that was the one unknown," Bratton told KTLA-TV early Tuesday morning. "We ramped up very significantly in anticipation of very large crowds, but cost-saving wise we'll try to ramp down very quickly if those crowds don't materialize."

The legal maneuvering that marked Jackson's extraordinary and troubled life also continued on Monday, with his mother losing a bid to control his enormous but tangled estate. And in one of the few reminders of Jackson's darkest hours, a New York Congressman branded Jackson a "pervert" undeserving of so much attention.

British Airways reported a surge of bookings as soon as the memorial arrangements were announced. Virgin's trans-Atlantic flights to San Francisco, Las Vegas and Los Angeles were all packed with fans and VIPs, spokesman Paul Charles said.

About 50 theaters across the country, from Los Angeles to Topeka, Kan., to Washington, DC, were planning to broadcast the memorial live, for free.

In Los Angeles Superior Court, a judge appointed Jackson's longtime attorney and a family friend as administrators of his estate over the objections of his mother, Katherine. Attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain had been designated in Jackson's 2002 will as the people he wanted to oversee his empire.

Katherine Jackson's attorneys expressed concerns about McClain and Branca's financial leadership. "Frankly, Mrs. Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys to the kingdom," said one of her attorneys, John E. Schreiber.

Branca and McClain will have to post a $1 million bond on the estate, and their authority will expire on August 3, when another hearing will be held.

"Mr Branca and Mr. McClain for the next month are at the helm of the ship," the judge said.

Jackson died at age of 50 with hundreds of millions in debts. But a court filing estimates his estate is worth more than $500 million. His assets are destined for a trust, with his three children, his mother and charities as beneficiaries.

Debbie Rowe, Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, had planned to attend the memorial but backed out on Monday. "The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction," her attorney Marta Almli said in a statement.

ABC News on Tuesday aired portions of a 2003 interview with Rowe, in which she called Jackson's children "the ultimate love children."

"If it hadn't been for how much I love him, I would have never had children," she said. "People make remarks, 'I can't believe she left her children.' Left them? I left my children? I did not leave my children. My children are with their father, where they're supposed to be."

She said Jackson was upset when his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley broke up because he wanted to be a father, so she told him "let me do this." Rowe said Jackson was not a pedophile.

"He would not do anything inappropriate with a child, ever," she said. "It's not in him. I believe there are people who should be parents, and he's one of them. Always. From the day I met him. I could do something for him, and this is what I wanted to do."

Downtown hotels were quickly filling. Police, trying to avoid a mob scene, warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get close to the Staples Center.

2009-07-07T10:30:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe has decided not to attend the pop icon's memorial service in Los Angeles, a move that comes a day after Rowe had a tiff with the paparazzi in Lancaster.

Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, 12-year-old Michael Joseph Jr, known as Prince Michael and 11-year-old daughter Paris Michael Katherine, had initially planned to attend the memorial at Staples Center but has now pulled out as she feels her presence would be a "distraction".

"Although Debbie had originally planned to attend tomorrow's Staples Center memorial service, we have concluded with Debbie that she will not be attending. The onslaught of media attention has made it clear her attendance would be an unnecessary distraction to an event that should focus exclusively on Michael's legacy," a statement from the law firm representing her Browne, Woods & George said.

It added Debbie "will continue to celebrate Michael's memory privately".

The decision to stay away from her former husband's memorial service comes after Rowe had a tiff with media people and photographers on Sunday as she emerged from a Chinese restaurant near her house in Lancaster.

Rowe was caught on video lashing out at a photographer
who questioned her about the custody of her two children with the late pop star.

"Don't touch me," she yelled as a swarm of paparazzi who followed her. As she got into her car she lashed out at a mediaperson whom she accused of touching her.

When asked whether she was ready to seek custody of the kids, she responded, "are you ready to get your butt kicked?"

She ignored another question about whether she was seeking money to give up her claim on the children.

Rowe married Jackson in 1996 and filed for divorce three years later.

MJ's casket taken from private service

2009-07-07T10:28:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's golden casket has been carried from a private service in the Hollywood Hills and placed in a hearse in advance of a public memorial in downtown Los Angeles.

Family and friends spent about a half hour in the service on Tuesday morning after a motorcade of Rolls-Royces, Cadillacs and Range Rovers from Jackson's parents' house in the San Fernando Valley.

Police say Jackson's body will be brought to the downtown Staples Center for a star-studded public memorial service.

Jackson's family members and dozens of friends, led by his parents, Joe and Katherine, were seen walking into a hall at the cemetery, where a small viewing was apparently held the night before. News reports estimated as many as 20 helicopters circled overhead.

The cemetery is the final resting place for such stars as Bette Davis, Andy Gibb, Freddie Prinze, Liberace and recently deceased David Carradine and Ed McMahon.

Among the celebrities expected to attend the memorial were Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

Police blocked off roads and warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get near the downtown venue.

Inside the Staples Center, a stage was bathed in blue light and a spray of yellow and orange flowers was placed in front of a podium. The backdrop featured a photo of Jackson and the words: "In Loving Memory."

Outside the arena, video billboards showed a montage of pictures from Jackson's life, including those of the singer as a child, with celebrities such as Luciano Pavarotti and Marcel Marceau, and with members of his family.

Some fans were allowed past street barriers into the immediate area around the Staples Center early Tuesday. Dozens of street vendors sold T-shirts, photos, buttons and other Jackson memorabilia.

More than 1.6 million people registered for the lottery for free tickets to Jackson's memorial. A total of 8,750 were chosen to receive two tickets each.

Los Angeles was the epicenter of Jackson-mania, but the outpouring of emotion was worldwide. Belgium's two national public broadcasters planned to broadcast the memorial live, and several hundred Jackson fans gathered at a Hong Kong mall late Tuesday.

Holding white candles, Hong Kong singer William Chan and Taiwanese pop star Judy Chou led the audience in observing a 30-second silence. Many of the fans clutched red roses and wore black; some donned Jackson's trademark fedora hats.

In America, about 50 movie theaters across the country, from Los Angeles to Topeka, Kan., and Washington, DC, planned to show the memorial live, for free. Jackson died at age 50 on June 25.

"There are certain people in our popular culture that just capture people's imaginations. And in death, they become even larger," President Barack Obama told CBS while in Moscow. "Now, I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable."

2009-07-07T10:27:00.004-07:00

Aerial view of the train station at Neverland Ranch.

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The back of the main house at Michael Jackson's former home, Neverland Ranch.

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A bronze statue of three children fishing in the creek is seen silhouetted behind the main house at Michael Jackson's former home, Neverland Ranch.

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A bronze statue at Neverland. Most of the statues seem to be of children, reiterating Jackson's childlike state of mind.

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Bronze statues line the drive leading to the front of the main house at Neverland Ranch. It is said that Jackson spent a whopping $6 million on these statues

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Apart from the ice-cream cart and the train station there are also a large number of statues in Neverland Ranch.

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Tracks lead to the platform at the back of the train station at Neverland Ranch.

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A spiral staircase leads to a loft and an overlook room in the train station.

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The clock atop the train station is seen at Neverland Ranch.

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Train tracks are seen from an upper window of the train station at Neverland Ranch.

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Among other unique features, Neverland also has a train station.

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An ice cream cart given to Michael Jackson by Eliabeth Taylor sits next to the pool behind the main house.

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The driveway and grounds of the main house is seen from one of the upstairs windows at Neverland Ranch.

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A long banquet table stretches out under a tree in the grounds behind the main house.

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A tennis court is seen behind the pool house.

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The wine cellar under the pool house at Neverland.

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Neverland Ranch employee Erma Baron dries dishes in the kitchen of the main house.

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The interior of the small secret room with three deadbolt locks used by

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Site workers walk through the main entrance below at Neverland Ranch.

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The master bathroom in the main house that was once used by Michael

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Windows lining the main hall in the main house overlook the back yard at Neverland Ranch.

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An upstairs room in the main house.

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A room on the first floor at Neverland.

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Across the foyer of the main house, doors are open leading to the back grounds.

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A hallway lined with windows leads away from the master bedroom of the main house at Neverland Ranch.

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A door across from the main entrance in the main house overlooks the back grounds at Neverland Ranch.

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The main room on the ground floor at Neverland Ranch.

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The front of the main house where Michael Jackson lived at Neverland Ranch in Los Angeles, California.

2009-07-07T10:18:00.002-07:00

Here's a rare opportunity to get a peek of what Michael Jackson's house looked like. True to his spirit of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up, Jackson named his ranch Neverland.

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In this image from video provided by KABC-TV, mourners enter the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angles.

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In this image from video provided by KABC-TV, mourners embrace in the parking lot outside the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angles.

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In this image from video provided by KABC-TV, cars arrive in the parking lot outside the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angles.

2009-07-07T10:16:00.001-07:00

In this image from video provided by KABC-TV, a hearse is seen outside the Hall of Liberty at Forest Lawn Memorial Parks and Mortuaries in the Hollywood Hills section of Los Angles. The cemetery is the location where relatives were expected to hold a private funeral for Michael Jackson.

2009-07-07T10:15:00.003-07:00

Jackson's King of Pop — Japan Edition, a new compilation of his hits picked by a vote of Japanese fans, became a hot seller after his death. It was the fourth most popular album in the country last week, with 40,000 copies sold, according to entertainment company Oricon Co.

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The store, which Jackson visited twice, displayed his hand print in a cement block and large posters celebrating his performances. Several shelves dedicated to the pop star were stacked with his CDs and DVDs.

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In Japan, home to some of Jackson's most passionate fans in Asia, about 100 people gathered at a Tower Records store in downtown Tokyo to watch his videos on a big screen hours before the Los Angeles memorial.

2009-07-07T10:13:00.002-07:00

From Tokyo to Melbourne, Jackson's followers said they would mourn and celebrate with the thousands attending the US event, where entertainers like Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher and Lionel Richie were due to pay tribute to Jackson, who died June 25.

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Japanese fans paid tribute to Michael Jackson, watching videos and listening to the pop legend's songs as devotees around Asia vowed to stay up late into the night to watch the official memorial in Los Angeles.Japanese fans paid tribute to Michael Jackson, watching videos and listening to the pop legend's songs as devotees around Asia vowed to stay up late into the night to watch the official memorial in Los Angeles.

2009-07-07T10:12:00.003-07:00

A handprint of the late US singer Michael Jackson, when he come to Toyko on December 12, 1996, is displayed at the entrance of a record shop in Tokyo.

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Images and messages to US singer Michael Jackson are displayed on the wall outside the Lyric theatre in central London.

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Fans of late pop singer Michael Jackson attend a farewell memorial in Hong Kong.

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Fans of late pop singer Michael Jackson pose during a farewell memorial in Hong Kong. Devoted fans of Michael Jackson across Asia said farewell to the 'King of Pop'.

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A fan wearing a t-shirt of pop star Michael Jackson waits in front of the O2 Arena in Berlin, where the public memorial service for 'The King of Pop' taking place in Los Angeles will be shown live on large screens.

2009-07-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

Two Michael Jackson fans wearing belt buckles with his name arrive at the O2 Arena in Berlin, where the public memorial service for 'The King of Pop' taking place in Los Angeles will be shown live on large screens.

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A television camera man films a Michael Jackson fan wearing a Jackson flag at the O2 Arena in Berlin, where the public memorial service for 'The King of Pop' taking place in Los Angeles will be shown live on large screens.

Fans prepare to bid adieu to MJ

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A Michael Jackson fan wearing a Jackson flag arrives at the O2 Arena in Berlin, where the public memorial service for 'The King of Pop taking place in Los Angeles will be shown live on large screens.

Mourners at a private service for Mr. Jackson at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills, a San Fernando Valley cemetery.

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Ticketed fans entering the Staples Center on Tuesday.

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Police officers in front of the Staples Center early Tuesday in preparation for the memorial for Michael Jackson.

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Jackson’s Body to Be Taken to Site of Service

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Michael Jackson to be buried in gold plated coffin

2009-07-07T09:38:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson will be buried in a solid bronze, gold-plated coffin worth $25,0000, it has been reported

Jackson will be buried in a Promethean casket featuring a blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish.

The casket, called a Promethean, will feature a blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish, according to TMZ.com.

It is the same type of coffin which soul singer James Brown was buried in.

Jackson saw the casket first hand when he paid tribute to the singer as he lay in state in New York City's Apollo Theatre, where he started his career, in 2006

Brown's body was transported to the theatre on a white carriage similar to that seen in the last few days at Jackson's Neverland ranch.

On Thursday it emerged that Jackson's funeral will be held on Tuesday at the Staples Centre, the home of LA Lakers in Los Angeles.

The stadium holds 20,000 people and, if the Jackson family takes up the offer, large television screens would be placed outside for thousands of other fans to watch.

Sources close to the family say they are fully committed to holding a public memorial for his fans and are being guided by "what Michael would have wanted".

The Jackson family met the Los Angeles Police Department and the California Highway Patrol to discuss possible funeral arrangements in the city, a police spokesman said.

Another venue has had to be found after an initial plan to hold an event at Jackson's Neverland ranch, 150 miles north-west of Los Angeles, was blocked by red tape.

It is illegal under Californian law to bury a body outside a designated cemetery. Police were also concerned about the practicalities of holding a public viewing at Neverland, which is only approachable by a small two-lane road.

The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which hosted the 1984 Olympic Games and can hold 92,000 people, has also emerged as a possible venue for the memorial.

The current whereabouts of Jackson's body is being kept a closely guarded secret.

It has been suggested that he will be buried in the Hollywood Hills at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, and that his body is already there. Film legends including Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable are buried there.

However, a spokesman denied reports that Jackson's body is there. The spokesman said: "We've never had him and we're not going to."

Michael Jackson funeral arrangements in chaos as family's plans axed

2009-07-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

Michael Jackson's funeral arrangements descended into farce as plans for an extravagant procession, public viewing of the body and a burial at his Neverland ranch in California were axed and a public memorial service was put off until next week.

Fans, including a Jackson lookalike, gathered outside the Neverland ranch believing they would be allowed to see the body. Photo: AP

Fans who had gathered outside the ranch 150 miles north-west of Los Angeles believing they would be allowed to see the body were left disappointed after Jackson's family said there would be no event there.

The plan was undone by a combination of red tape and health and safety concerns. It is illegal in California to bury a body outside a designated cemetery and police were also worried that Neverland, which is approached on a narrow track, could not cope with a massive influx of fans. There was also not enough time to obtain a permit for the viewing.

A public memorial is now expected to be held in Los Angeles next Tuesday. The Jackson family has been offered the home of the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team to hold it in.

There was confusion over wither Rev Jesse Jackson or Rev Al Sharpton would deliver the eulogy. Both have been prominent on the airwaves in their support of the Jackson family in recent days.

Jesse Jackson has delivered rites for prominent black figures including Miles Davis, the jazz musician, while Mr Sharpton led the 2006 memorial for James Brown, the singer-songwriter.

Jackson's family disclosed that his children Prince Michael , Paris and Prince Michael II, have already been to view the body of their father and said the experience had been "tough" on them.

It is thought Jackson will be buried in the Hollywood Hills at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park where his grandmother is buried. Other stars laid to rest there include Humphrey Bogart and Clark Gable.

The coffin may be buried in concrete to prevent any possibility of crazed fans trying to rob the grave, and the family is also considering whether to bury Jackson in one of his favourite stage costumes, including a white glove.

The memorial park may only be temporary, as Jermaine Jackson, the singer's brother, said he still wants to see Neverland as the final resting place. But it could take weeks for legal clearance to be given.

Jermaine Jackson said: "This is his home, he created Neverland. Why wouldn't he be here? I feel his presence. And I love that, and I want my mother to come back here and feel what I feel. He built this place with love and you can see it and feel it."

Jermaine, 54, described how he had seen the body and kissed his brother on the forehead, and said he wished he had died instead. He said: "He went too soon. I don't know how people are going to take this, but I wish it was me. The world is mourning. We are mourning. The fans are mourning. It is unreal. Unbelievable.

"To see him there lifeless and breathless was very emotional for me, but I held myself together, because I know he's very much alive."

Ken Sunshine, the Jackson family spokesman, said there would be a public memorial.

AEG Live, which was promoting Jackson's comeback 50-date concert series at the O2 Arena in London, owns the Staples Centre in downtown Los Angeles where the LA Lakers play. It is believed to have offered the venue, and the Nokia Theatre next door, to the Jackson family as a venue.

The stadium can hold 20,000 people and, if the Jackson family takes up the offer, large television screens would be set up outside for thousands of other fans to watch. Hundreds of millions of people could watch around the world.

Meanwhile, President Barack Obama dismissed criticism in some quarters over his decision not to issue a formal public statement when Jackson died.

He called Jackson a great entertainer and said: "I still have all his stuff on my iPod. I grew up on his music."

But he said Jackson had experienced "a tragic and in many ways sad personal life."

Michael Jackson funeral and memorial service: live

2009-07-07T09:35:00.001-07:00

Michael Jackson's memorial service in Los Angeles at the Staples Centre will provide a public farewell for the King of Pop, with performances from Stevie Wonder and Mariah Carey and appearances by Martin Luther King, Jr's children and Brooke Shields. The service follows a private funeral to be held for friends and family at the Forest Lawn cemetery.

Motorcade arrives to Forest Lawn Memorial Park Photo: GETTY

09.18 LA (17.18 GMT):The first pictures of Jackson’s coffin can be seen here

09.14 LA (17.14 GMT): Michael Jackson’s family has left Forest Lawn and is now heading to the public memorial.

09.13 LA (17.13 GMT): Jackson’s family are seen hugging outside the cemetery. “It’s surreal” says Anderson Cooper of CNN.

09.08 LA (17.08 GMT): Fans entering the Staples Centre are paying tribute to Jackson by dressing as characters from his greatest hits. RT@writerchica reports on Twitter that two 'Billie Jean'-style fans had been spotted, along with one dressed as MJ in 'Beat it'.

09.04 LA (17.04 GMT): In a sign of the King of Pop's influence around the world, many European broadcasters are clearing their schedules tonight to broadcast the memorial, according to a report in Variety .

09.04 Los Angeles (17.04 GMT): With a huge police presence, crowd control and circling helicopters above the Staples Centre, fans are very slowly and somberly entering the arena.

09.02 Los Angeles (17.02 GMT): Michael Jackson’s casket will be driven from Forest Lawn to the Staples Centre. "It wouldn't be fair for the fans who are going to appear and be here at the Staples Centre not to see his casket," Teddy Riley, a singer who worked closely with Jackson on several albums, told CNN .

09.00 Los Angeles (17.00 GMT): Jackson's gold casket is wheeled out of the Forest Lawn funeral home and loaded into a hearse. It appears that the casket will be brought to the memorial serivce.

08.58 Los Angeles (16.58 GMT): LA police have asked fans without tickets to the memorial service to stay home from the event.

08.55 Los Angeles (16.55 GMT): Because the Jackson family was late to arrive at the funeral home, there are suggestions that the memorial service will be delayed.

08.54 Los Angeles (16.54 GMT): Last week after news of Jackson’s death stunned his fans, three of his albums became the best-selling albums in the US. “Number Ones” sold 108,000, “The Essential Michael Jackson” sold 102,000 and “Thriller” — which was reissued last year in multiple commemorative versions — sold 101,000, according to preliminary sales data from Nielsen SoundScan.

415,000 Michael Jackson albums were sold in the US last week. The week before he died, he sold only 10,000, making last week's sales 40 per cent more than Jackson’s entire catalog had sold for the year up to June 21, Billboard numbers showed.

2.6 million songs by Michael Jackson as a solo artist or performing with the Jackson 5 were downloaded online, up until last Sunday.

08.51 Los Angeles (16.51 GMT):One of CNN’s reporters, who is inside the Staples Centre, site of the public memorial, has his hands on a show programme. The booklet is gold, and filled with pictures of Jackson posing with various celebrities and political figures.

08.49 Los Angeles (16.49 GMT):The family’s private ceremony is taking place at Forest Lawn, a cemetery in Los Angeles with views of the Hollywood Hills. Many Hollywood stars are buried here, including Bette Davis and David Carradine, the recently deceased actor.

"It's one of the greenest cemeteries in Los Angeles," Lisa Burks, an author and cemetery historian, told the New York Daily News . "It's immaculately kept by a massive groundskeeping crew who are very good, and it's notorious for guarding the privacy of their clients."

08.44 Los Angeles (16.44 GMT): Jackson fans across America who were unable to obtain tickets to the Staples Centre memorial can watch the service in Cinedigm cinemas across the US, according to the New York Times .

08.39 Los Angeles (16.39 GMT): The Staples Center has just opened its doors to the fans and mourners.

08.39 Los Angeles (16.39 GMT): Watch here for live news feeds of the scenes outside the Staples Centre, and the Forest Lawn cemetery.

08.37 Los Angeles (16.37 GMT):The service at Forest Lawn is now underway. Reports say that Jackson’s coffin will be placed on the stage at the Staples Center throughout the memorial concert.

08.36 Los Angeles (16.36 GMT): LaToya Jackson was seen entering the cemetery before the doors were closed for the private ceremony.

08.35 Los Angeles (16.34 GMT): Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, and other family members have entered the Hall of Liberty at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles. There is seating here for at least 1000 people.

Jackson vouchers already appearing on eBay One seller requesting $20,000 for passes to Tuesday’s memorial service Image: Jackson fans at Staples Cente

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Mark Ralston / AFP - Getty Images

Fans take photos of a Michael Jackson billboard covered in messages outside the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which will host the musician's memorial service on Tuesday.

Michael Jackson Public Memorial Scheduled for Tuesday

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Workers set up signage in front of the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. US pop star Michael Jackson memorial service will be there on July 7. Photo by BGNES

A free public memorial for Michael Jackson will be held Tuesday at 10 am Pacific time at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

There will be 11 000 tickets distributed to the general public.

PR firm Sunshine Sachs & Associates, hired to speak on behalf of the family, will hold a press briefing Friday morning at 10 am PT to announce details on how the public can register for tickets.

In a press conference Thursday, the producer of Michael Jackson's scheduled "This Is It Tour" said there were 100 hours of high definition Jackson video footage for use in a documentary film and/or live albums.

Randy Phillips, CEO of AEG Live, also said the company was considering producing a Michael Jackson tribute concert at London's O2 Arena, the venue in which Jackson was scheduled to perform.

"There are all kinds of things that we've been talking about, potentially a motion picture. A pay-per-view tribute... This production was breathtaking. Remember, Michael didn't do anything small. Our production budget was well in excess of USD 24 M or USD 25 M, which for an arena show is unheard of. It's breathtaking. It's technology people hadn't seen before", Phillips said.

He added that AEG did not want to be a "burden to the (Jackson) estate", and hoped to recoup the money lost from the tour cancellation via the tribute show, movie or album.

Michael Jackson to be Buried in USD 25 000 Custom Casket

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This is the same casket used to bury James Brown and is extremely rare. Photo by Getty Images

A USD 25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold plated, custom casket has been ordered for Michael Jackson, the site for celebrity news TMZ, which first reported his death, said.

The casket - ordered last night from Batesville Casket Company - is called a Promethean and will feature a flame blue velvet interior and a hand-polished, mirror finish.

This is the same casket used to bury James Brown and is extremely rare.

Michael Jackson, the show-stopping singer whose best-selling albums -- including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" -- and electrifying stage presence made him one of the most popular artists of all time, died June 25,

He was 50.

He collapsed at his residence in the Holmby Hills section of Los Angeles, California, about noon Pacific time, suffering cardiac arrest. He died at UCLA Medical Center.

Half Million People Registered for Michael Jackson Memorial Tickets

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Half a million people have registered to snag a pair of tickets to the ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. Photo by BGNES

Fans continued to register by the thousands early Saturday, hoping to be among the 8 750 lucky ones who will be randomly picked to attend the memorial service for singer Michael Jackson next week.

Jackson family spokesman, Ken Sunshine, announced that by 5.30 pm PT (9.30 pm ET) Friday, seven hours since the lottery's announcement, more than half a million people had registered to snag a pair of tickets to the ceremony at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The overwhelming response prompted organizers to open up the lottery to non-U.S. residents as well, he added.

"When you grow up with Michael Jackson's music pretty much your whole life, you feel like you lost a family member and you have to go to the funeral. I got some frequent flyer miles just in case I wanted to do something wild and crazy - and this is wild and crazy", Add Seymour of Atlanta, Georgia said. He registered soon after the announcement Friday morning, and planned to fly out if he was picked.

Yet, despite the interest surrounding the service, few details emerged by early Saturday. Organizers would only say there would not be a funeral processional to the arena, indicating Jackson's body would not be brought to the public memorial, CNN reported.

1,6 Million Register for Free Jackson Memorial Tickets

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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, reported the ticket frenzy late Saturday, cited by the Los Angeles Times.

Registration began at 10 am Friday and ended at 6 pm Saturday. Those chosen will be notified by e-mail between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. today. Each of the 8 750 people selected will get an exclusive code and instructions on how to obtain two free tickets Monday.

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.

The random selection will be done by computer after the entries are "scrubbed" to eliminate duplicates and those submitted by automatic entry systems. Only people with a valid ticket and an unaltered wristband will be allowed in. No official program for the service has been announced.

Michael Jackson to be Buried without His Brain - Report

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A USD 25,000, solid bronze, 14-karat gold plated, custom casket has reportedly been ordered for Michael Jackson. Photo by TMZ

Michael Jackson will be buried this week- without his brain. As his family tries to finalise details for the King of Pop's funeral on Tuesday they have been told it will be held back for tests, Daily Mirror reported.

They faced the grim choice of waiting up to three weeks for Jackson's brain to be returned to them or go ahead and bury him without it - which they have decided to do.

Los Angeles Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey confirmed that neuropathology tests will be carried out to see if it holds any clues to the exact cause of his death.

But the examination cannot begin until at least two weeks after the death when the brain has hardened sufficiently to slice it open.

Jackson died from a cardiac arrest at his Beverly Hills mansion on June 25 after a suspected overdose of painkillers.

Sources at the coroner's office revealed that his brain was removed before his body was released to relatives the next day.

A forensic neuropathologist will test Jackson's brain for, among other things, past drug use and whether he has suffered overdoses in the past.

The brain can also show any past abuse of alcohol or if the deceased had suffered from any one of a number of diseases. The source said that removing the brain is the "only way to carry out the tests".

"The tissue has to be examined," he said. "I can't tell you how long that is going to take."

One expert explained that the Jackson family could decide to wait and bury the brain with the rest of the body. But it is far more common for the lab to burn the remains once they've been examined or for them to be placed into the grave at a later date.

"It's up to the family. They can bury him and then bury the brain later on," said Dr Cyril Wecht, a former coroner and one of America's foremost forensic pathologists.

But he added: "It's rare for the body to be held back for two weeks or more."

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Michael Jackson's Doctor Refuses to Deny Drug Reports

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Michael Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray. Photo by southernledger.com

The lawyer for the doctor who was at Michael Jackson's home the day he died refused to deny that his client gave Jackson the the powerful anesthesia found at the singer's home.

Dr. Conrad Murray was interviewed by LAPD detectives a week ago Saturday, Fox News reported Monday.

Law enforcement sources say when police searched the home, they found the powerful anesthesia Propofol. The drug was specifically labeled Propofol and there was no indication it had been prescribed to anyone.

Edward Chernoff reiterated that his client did not administer Demerol or OxyContin to Jackson the day he died. But Chernoff would not take the same stand on Propofol. Chernoff said, "I have no statement on whether the Dr. prescribed or administered Propofol."

Chernoff added, "We're confident whatever the doctor prescribed did not kill Michael Jackson."

The LAPD and the DEA are on the hunt to determine how the Propofol ended up in Jackson's home. The drug should never be administered outside a hospital.

Michael Jackson Private Funeral Plans Announced

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Photo by saveourcemeteries.net

Before being celebrated by thousands of select fans in a highly touted memorial ceremony Tuesday, Michael Jackson will be remembered by family and close friends in a private funeral ceremony.

The iconic entertainer is set to be buried at Forest Lawn Cemetary, about 13 miles from the public memorial at the Staples Center, CBS reported Monday.

Michael Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe will attend the pop superstar's public memorial service.

The event will be held at the Staples Center, a 20 000 seat venue normally home to the L.A. Lakers and star-studded events. But on Tuesday, friends and family, along with thousands of Jackson fans, will flood the area for the memorial service for the King of Pop.

Event organizers, who say they received more than 1.5 million online requests, have handed out 17 500 passes at Dodger Stadium on Monday after notifying recipients by e-mail on Sunday night.

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Michael Jackson Funeral will be Large and Public, Father Says

2009-07-07T01:02:00.000-07:00

Joe Jackson, father of deceased pop star Michael Jackson address the public about the death of Michael Jackson outside the Jackson family home in Los Angeles. Photo by BGNES

The Jackson family is planning a large public funeral for Michael, his father has said without giving a date.

The funeral will have to wait until the family finds out exactly what happened to his son last Thursday, when he died at age 50, Joe Jackson said, adding that a second autopsy is underway.

"We aren't ready for (releasing information on the funeral). We don't have the time frame yet because we want to see when the private autopsy comes out," he said at a press conference.

"The family and I are very proud to see all of you come out here and help us with this whole situation because we know that we do have fans all over the world and we know that we're loved all over the world.

"But one thing that I wish could have happened - I wish that Michael could be here to see all of this. (We) had to wait until something happened like this before it could be realized. Michael was a superstar ... he was loved all over the world."

MJ Haunts James Brown's Funeral

2009-07-07T01:01:00.000-07:00

Reuters reports that Michael Jackson was at James Brown's funeral looking deader than the actual corpse.

Michael Jackson showed up at the funeral of James Brown in Augusta, Georgia, on Saturday. The Reverand Al Sharpton officiated and had several comments regarding 'The Godfather' and the 'King of Pop'
"I don't care what the media says tonight, James Brown wanted Michael Jackson with him here today," Sharpton said in a booming voice.

"He said ... 'I love Michael.' He said, 'Tell him don't worry about coming home. They always scandalize those that have the talent. But tell him we need to clean up the music and I want Michael and all of them that imitated me to come back and lift the music back.'"

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walks into Santa Maria Superior Court in May 2005 on the fifth day of his child molestation trail. Jackson was charged in a 10-count indictment with molesting a boy, plying him with liquor and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion. He has pleaded innocent." class="gallery-slideshow-photo" height="410" width="410">

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