Jackson doctor to stand trial for manslaughter

A judge on Tuesday ordered Michael Jackson's personal doctor to stand trial on involuntary manslaughter charges for allegedly killing the singer with an overdose of powerful sedatives.

Conrad Murray, who claims he was just treating the pop icon for insomnia when he died in June 2009, also had his license to practice medicine in California suspended.

The doctor will be arraigned on January 25, the Los Angeles Superior Court judge ruled after six days of hearings which heard evidence that Murray tried to cover having given Jackson an overdose of the drug propofol.

Jackson's death shocked the entertainment world and triggered intense debate over the performer's health in the run-up to the London concerts, known as the "This is It" tour.

Murray, who was born in Grenada and raised in Trinidad before he moved to the United States, could face up to four years in jail and lose his doctor's license if the case goes to full trial and he is convicted.

Prosecutors claim his defense team will argue that Jackson effectively killed himself by administering an extra dose of propofol while Murray was out of the room, although the defence have not commented on this.

Specifically they allege that Murray, 57, "abandoned his patient" after administering the propofol some time between 10:40 am and 11:00 am to help Jackson sleep, and then tried to cover it up after the singer's death.

Tuesday's widely-expected ruling came shortly after a forensic expert testified Tuesday that Jackson's death was homicide, saying the singer was in generally good health when he died on June 25, 2009 at his LA mansion.

Christopher Rogers, head of forensic medicine for the Los Angeles County coroner's office, said the star died of acute intoxication with propofol, which is usually used as an anaesthetic in hospital settings.

He said he would describe Jackson's death as homicide even if, as claimed by Murray, the singer had himself administered an extra dose of propofol while the doctor was out of the room.

"Based on the quality of the medical care, I would still call this a homicide, even if the doctor did not provide the propofol to Mr Jackson," he said, on the second week of the pre-trial hearings.

Last week the pre-trial hearings heard from a series of witnesses who testified that Murray delayed calling 911, tried to conceal what drugs he had administered, and did not know how to carry out emergency resuscitation.

Paramedic Martin Blount said that when he arrived Jackson seemed to have been dead for at least 20 minutes, despite Murray's claim that he had stopped breathing a minute before they were called.

He added that Murray initially denied having given Jackson any medications, but said he saw the doctor holding a needle and spotted three bottles of the anesthetic Lidocaine on the floor.

On Friday investigator Elissa Fleak said she found 12 vials of propofol in Jackson's house after he died, while a pharmacist testified Monday that he supplied 255 vials of the drug to Murray in the two months before his death.

On Tuesday forensic expert Rogers said propofol should not be used to treat insomnia, adding that he was told "that the doctor left Mr Jackson while he was anesthetized, and this is something you would not do."

"Bad things can happen very quickly" when a patient is anaesthetized, he added.

Various members of Jackson's family have been attending the LA pre-trial hearings. On Tuesday they included sisters Janet and LaToya and his brother Randy.

Waitress was on phone to doctor of dying Jackson

A cocktail waitress recounted how she was called by Michael Jackson's personal doctor the day the pop icon died and heard a "commotion," apparently as the medic struggled with the crisis.

Sade Anding, of Houston, Texas, was one of 11 people with whom the physician, Conrad Murray, spoke by telephone in the hours leading up to Jackson's shock death on June 25, 2009.

In other testimony at hearings into whether Murray should stand trial for involuntary manslaughter, the court heard that 12 vials of the powerful sedative propofol which killed Jackson were found in a closet at his home.

The waitress said she had met Murray in a Texas steakhouse in February 2009. The pair had exchanged phone numbers, and she received a call from the doctor on the morning of the fateful day.

"He told me that he was doing well," she said, adding she had cut him off and started talking, but realized five or 10 minutes later that Murray was no longer on the phone.

"I heard a commotion... coughing, mumbling of voices," she said, adding that she was unsure if the mumbling was coming from Murray.

Anding said she stayed on the phone for about five minutes, saying it was unusual for Murray to stop responding. "I just remember saying, 'Hello? Hello? Hello? Are you there?' Are you there? Are you there?'" she said.

The waitress eventually hung up and tried to call Murray back and send him text messages, but got no reply.

Prosecutors allege that Murray, 57, negligently administered an overdose of the powerful sedative propofol to help Jackson sleep and then tried to cover it up. The doctor denies the charge of involuntary manslaughter.

Paramedics and emergency room doctors this week have said Murray initially failed to mention having administered propofol, and that Jackson appeared to have died at least 20 minutes before they arrived at his mansion.

On Thursday paramedic Martin Blount said that when he arrived Jackson seemed to have been dead for at least 20 minutes, despite Murray's claim that he had stopped breathing a minute before they were called.

Blount added that Murray initially denied having given Jackson any medications, but said he saw the doctor holding a needle and spotted three bottles of the anesthetic Lidocaine on the floor.

In new evidence Friday coroner's investigator Elissa Fleak said she found 12 vials of propofol in the wake of Jackson's death.

One was found empty on the floor near the singer's bed shortly after his death, while the other 11 were discovered four days later in a closet at his rented home.

Two had been opened and were found inside a dark-blue Costco bag, while the other nine, some of them open, were found in another bag, Fleak said.

Anding meanwhile said she heard nothing more until police contacted her. She called Murray, who apologized for involving her, and urged her to call his lawyer to be present if she met with detectives.

Los Angeles detective Dan Myers told the hearing that Murray had made or received 11 cellphone calls, totaling some 90 minutes of conversations, in the roughly five hours leading up to midday on the fateful day.

These included a 32-minute call to his medical practice in Las Vegas and an 11-minute call shortly before Murray called Jackson's personal assistant at 12:12 pm to say the singer had had a "bad reaction."

Prosecutors allege that Murray "abandoned his patient" after administering the propofol some time between 10:40 am and 11:00 am.

Murray could face up to four years in jail and lose his doctor's license if the case goes to full trial and he is convicted.

Jackson's death shocked the entertainment world and triggered intense debate over the performer's health in the run-up to the London concerts, known as the "This is It" tour.

Discovery cancels Michael Jackson autopsy TV show

The Discovery television network on Friday said it canceled plans to air a reenactment of the autopsy on Michael Jackson's body, citing an upcoming court hearing and concern by the late pop star's estate.

The show, "Michael Jackson's Autopsy: What Really Killed Michael Jackson," had been set to air in several countries of western Europe and in the United Kingdom on Jan. 13.

"Given the commencement of legal proceedings beginning next week, and at the request of Michael Jackson's estate, the scheduled broadcast of the medical documentary related to Michael Jackson's official autopsy has been postponed indefinitely," Discovery Networks International said in a statement.

A Discovery (DISCA.O) spokesman declined comment beyond the statement. Co-executors of the estate responded in their own statement saying they were "pleased" with the decision.

The "Thriller" singer died suddenly of a prescription drug overdose on June 25, 2009, age 50, only weeks before beginning a series of comeback concerts. An autopsy by Los Angeles officials showed Jackson died chiefly of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol that he used as a sleep aid.

Discovery's show, which was not scheduled to air in the United States, was an unofficial, fictional account of what the autopsy must have been like and its results.

But Jackson fans worldwide protested in an online petition launched earlier this month, and the co-executors of his estate sent a letter this week to Discovery Networks calling the program "insensitive" and "in shockingly bad taste."

A print advertisement for the program shows a body covered by a sheet, with one hand poking out wearing the singer's well-known sequined glove.

Following Discovery's decision, McClain and Branca released a statement saying, "we are hopeful that this show will never run in any market in the future."

"While Discovery cited legal proceedings and our request as the reasons for its decision, none of this would have happened had it not been for the incredible passion displayed by countless Michael Jackson fans worldwide who knew they stood as one and that their voices could not be ignored," the statement said.

Jackson's physician at the time of his death, Dr. Conrad Murray, has admitted giving the singer propofol, which is often used in surgery, and Murray has been charged by authorities with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and a preliminary hearing to determine if enough evidence exists to make him stand trial begins in Los Angeles on Jan. 4.

Jackson's mansion to turn into music school

King of pop Michael Jackson's house Neverland Ranch might turn into a music school for teenagers soon.
The mansion owners want to turn the building into a fame school for teenaged musicians, where children from all walks of life could learn to write and perform music, reports thesun.co.uk.

"It's an interesting idea and we'd be open to it," said a spokesman for Jackson's estate.

The mansion is owned by a private real estate firm Colony Capital that is looking into using Jackson's name to promote the venture.

However, Santa Barbara County officials are yet to sign the project.

MJ's glove sold for 330,000 dollars at auction

Michael Jackson's glove sold for 300,000 dollars at an auction.

Items from Jackson''s stage wardrobe were included in an auction of celebrity memorabilia in Beverly Hills, reports Fox News.

Julien''s Auctions said a lone glove worn by Jackson during the 'Bad' tour in the late 1980s sold for 330,000 dollars at the 'Icons and Idols' auction Saturday night.

A jacket signed by Jackson brought in 96,000 dollars and a fedora he wore on stage went for 72,000 dollars at the Julien''s Auctions event.

Other highlights from the auction were an x-ray of Albert Einstein''s brain, which brought 38,750 dollars, and a pair of Marilyn Monroe''s empty prescription bottles sold for 18,750 dollars.

A military-style jacket worn by John Lennon for a 1966 Life Magazine photo shoot sold for 240,000 dollars.

The two-day event brought in more than 3 million dollars.

MJ’s Father Re-files Wrongful Death Complaint

Joe Jackson, the father of Michael Jackson, re-filed the wrongful death complaint against the doctor who had caused his son’s. In addition, a certain Las Vegas pharmacy was included to the lawsuit, wherein documentation shows that it had sold the doctor a strong anesthetic which was blamed for Michael’s death.

The lawsuit attempts to find unspecified damages against the physician named, Conrad Murray. The doctor has pleaded not guilty to the criminal case to involuntary murder the singer last June 2009.

At first, Joe Jackson filed the case against Dr. Murray in a federal court during his son’s first death anniversary. But then, one judge declined to hear the case and said that it should be conducted in state court, where it was now re-filed.

The complaint names Applied Pharmacy services as well, when the records reveal that Murray bought the anesthetic propofol on the month before the death of Michael Jackson. The company is charged of selling Dr. Murray a large volume of anesthetic, which is usually done in the hospital setting.

Michael Jackson: First Posthumous Album 'Hold My Hand' Released

Michael Jackson's 'Hold My Hand' was officially released yesterday; this is the first posthumous single of the singer.

The song features R and B singer Akon, he has recorded the song with Jackson in Las Vegas way back in 2007, however, it didn't see the light because Michael felt it was not ready for the release. Akon, however, feels differently about the song as he went back to the studio to master it up for the release.

But where Michael Jackson is there, controversy has to follow, so while Sony and Epic has planned to release about half dozen of Michael's unreleased tapes in the years to come, the Jackson family has voiced their displeasure about the release. Even singer Will.I.Am has termed the release as "disrespectful".

But whatever the Jackson family and other singers believe this release to be, ethical or unethical, the album Michael is all set to give 'Take That's Christmas' number a run for the numero uno spot in the charts. The first of the six posthumous albums is all set to hit the stores on December 14, and pre ordering can be done online through Sony's website.

But before that Michael's fans can hear this 'Hold My Hand' ballad on Michael Jackson's official website and it has been touted to be one of the famous ballads of Michael Jackson. In the meantime, also one of Michael's videos has hit the net, the song "One more Chance" that was recorded in 2003 is making the waves and TMZ has confirmed that the video is for real.

Michael Jackson’s Mom Releases New Song

There has been a bit of controversy surrounding the release of a Michael Jackson Christmas album by Sony. MJ’s mom and his kids insist that the all of the vocals Jackson’s album aren’t really him.

Though his family can’t block the release of the CD, they are, via Kathryn, fighting back in an indirect way. Kathryn just released a song that she claims is 100% authentic, meaning it’s really Michael singing. This is a bit of an indirect dig at Sony. They haven’t responded.

Kathryn and her company, Jackson Secret Vault has about 300 more unheard tracks in their possession. Look for more to be released, though no one knows whether that will be sooner or later.

Her partner in Jackson Secret Vault, Howard Mann, had this to say regarding the Jackson song he and Kathryn releases, ‘Opis None,’ “In an effort to overcome the confusion as to the authenticity of the track the estate has recently released we want to give an actual authentic Michael Jackson track to the world … for free.”

MJ was afraid that he was gonna end up like my father: Lisa Marie Presley

Michael Jackson's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley has revealed that the King Of Pop always feared of dying in the similar way her father Elvis Presley passed away.

Jackson constantly told her of his fears when the two were married in the mid-1990s.

Presley was chilled when she heard the King of Pop had died from an overdose of powerful anaesthetic Propofol last year (Jun09) - because in many ways the tragedy mirrored that of her father''s passing in 1977.

And her ex-husband''s fateful words came back to haunt her.

"When I was watching the footage of the ambulance backing out of the driveway, I went back to this conversation I had with him (Jackson) at Neverland in the library; we were sitting by the fire," the Daily Express quoted her as saying in TV chat with Oprah Winfrey.

"He was telling me that he was afraid that he was gonna end up like my father. He was always asking me about when he died and how it happened," she said.

And Presley still can''t believe how many similarities there are in the drug-related deaths of the two men she loved: "Down to the play-by-play-by-play incident, it was identical.

"It really blows me away to be honest with you. I still try to figure out what is it that I had to go through it twice, where these two incredible people... had the same fate. What is it about me? I went through it once and that was painful and I went thought it again and I don''t quite understand it," she added.

I didn't understand my relationship with MJ, says ex-wife Lisa Marie

Michael Jackson's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley confessed on The Oprah Winfrey show that she failed to understand her relationship with the King of Pop.

"I didn''t understand my relationship with him," UsMagazine.com quoted her as saying.

Though skeptics have labeled their 18-month marriage a sham, Presley, 42, insisted it was the real deal -- though she understands why Jackson''s behavior might cause people to question its validity.

"To some degree, he was a master at manipulating the media," she said.

"I understand that nobody really knew who I was. They just assumed I was going along with something he would be doing....I understand it better now. The manipulation was a survival tactic for him," she added.

Lady GaGa most searched woman on web

Lady GaGa has reportedly become the world's most searched-for woman on the internet.

According to the latest edition of the Guinness World Records, the popstar has taken the top spot from former US vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

Michael Jackson was also recently named the most searched-for male on the web, reports Gossip Cop.

Jackson hometown to celebrate his birthday

Michael Jackson's hometown will hold a special celebration to mark what would have been the popstar's 52nd birthday.

According to Access Hollywood, the city of Gary, Indiana will hold a tribute to the 'Thriller' singer outside his boyhood home on Saturday.

The town's mayor Rudy Clay said in a statement that he was proud to honour Jackson as a giving person and "the world's greatest entertainer".

The event will reportedly include local musicians and an appearance by a Jackson impersonator.

The celebration comes just over two months after Gary held a vigil to mark the one-year anniversary of the musician's death.

India global hotspot for MJ downloads

Pop legend Michael Jackson is the most downloaded artist of all time on Ovi Music and "Beat It" is his most downloaded track across 36 countries. India accounts for 26 percent of all Jacko downloads. With birthday tributes to the King of Pop scheduled for Sunday, Ovi Music download data reveals that Jackson still tops other stars as the most popular solo star, ahead of Lady Gaga, Elvis, Jay Chou, the Black Eyed Peas and Rihanna, said a press statement.

He is especially popular in India where over 26 percent of Jackson track downloads occur, followed by the UK, Germany, Netherlands and Finland.

"Michael Jackson has always been a pop music legend. But the anniversary of his death and upcoming birthday celebrations seem to have revived Jackson fever as fans rediscover his songs - making him the most popular solo artist of all time," said Ovi musicologist Geoff Roberts.

After "Beat It", Jacko's next most popular tracks are "Billie Jean" and "Thriller". The Ovi data reveals that "This Is It" is downloaded almost twice as much as any of his other albums.

There are 533 Jackson songs available in the Ovi Music catalogue.

Michael Jackson Wanted Bubbles To Talk, Says LaToya

He tragically passed away just over a year ago, and Michael Jackson had some peculiar ideas as to how to communicate with his pet chimpanzee ‘Bubbles.’

According to Jacko’s sister LaToya Jackson, the “Thriller” singer tried to find ways to get Bubbles to talk to him.

LaToya explained, “He wanted to give him vocal chords and asked doctors ‘Can I give him an operation so that I can know what his thoughts are?’”

“The operation would have probably killed him,” she added, also noting that Michael spent thousands and thousands of dollars flying ape experts in to consult with them.

Michael Feared For His Life

On 25th June, one year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, and his mother Katherine says he was fearful for his life in the months before his demise.

The late King of Pop’s mom explained, “He told me several times that he felt that people wanted him gone, wanted him dead.”

She continued, "He would always say that. For him to say that, he must have known something. Some of the mean, vicious people didn't want him around for some reason. They're greedy."

Katherine added that she saw Michael about a week before he passed away. "We had a really good time together. I wanted to remember him smiling and laughing and having a good time the last time I saw him.”

MJ's memorial to be unveiled in London

A memorial to Michael Jackson will be unveiled at a theatre in London June 24, on the eve of the first death anniversary of the pop star, a media report said.

The Lyric Theatre in London will be a first permanent Jackson memorial in the city, where his fans came after his death June 25, and created a shrine of candles, tributes, flowers and books of condolence, the BBC reported.

The unveiling ceremony will be attended by Britain's Got Talent 2009 winners and other prominent performers.

Jackson died at a Los Angeles hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest and going into a coma. In February, coroners released a complete report of his autopsy, which said his death was a homicide.

Thousands attend Jackson birthday bash in New York

NEW YORK — Thousands of Michael Jackson fans danced the rain away in a Brooklyn park on Saturday at a party hosted by filmmaker Spike Lee, marking what would have been the 51st birthday of the late pop star.

Crowds of partygoers streamed into Prospect Park late Saturday afternoon, many wearing fedoras, sporting white gloves and showing off other Jackson-esque outfits. DJs spun Jackson's hits one after the other as people danced and sang along. Dozens of hawkers wandered through the crowd with T-shirts, buttons, posters and homemade memorabilia.

"I was just like everyone else. I loved his talent," said Lee, who directed two music videos for Jackson in 1996. He also reminisced how Jackson had visited him in his home in Brooklyn to talk about their music video collaboration.

The day was also designated Michael "King of Pop" Jackson Memorial Day by Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz.

"We all know Michael Jackson had fans around the world, but we all know the best fans come from Brooklyn," Markowitz boasted to a roaring crowd that grew as heavy rain in the morning lightened to a drizzle by mid-afternoon.

Edna Robles of Brooklyn was on her feet all afternoon. In a red baseball cap and flip flops, she closed her eyes and swung her hips, pivoting in the grass and mud to the beats of Jackson's hit "Thriller."

"It could be thundering, I don't care," she said. "I watched him through the years and I think he's the best. I love him."

The event, originally planned as a block-party-style gathering for 2,000 in Brooklyn's Fort Greene Park, was moved to Prospect Park to accommodate a bigger crowd.

Peter Brodie and his wife, Corrine Rodriguez, brought their daughters, 3-month-old Astrid and 2 1/2-year-old Makeda, to the party. Rodriguez danced with Makeda to "Beat It" while Brodie swayed side to side as he held Astrid in his arms.

"I grew up listening to Michael Jackson. I was 9 years old and he opened up a whole new world of music and dancing to me," said Brodie, who said it was a shame that such a spirited celebration of Jackson's music came only after his death.

Aubrey Harris, a 45-year-old from New York, was clutching a stack of homemade portraits he made of Jackson.

"I'm spreading the memory of Michael Jackson," said Harris, who cut out Jackson's image from posters and created 19 collages decorated with paint and glitter. "I'm keeping it in the forefront of people's minds."

Michael Jackson's ex-wife reported doctor to police

Michael Jackson's ex-wife reported the singer's doctor Arnold Klein to police for supplying the pop star with powerful drugs, according to the U.K. newspaper The Sun.
Debbie Rowe, 50, allegedly made an anonymous call to police to tell them that Jackson used false names to get drugs from Klein.
Jackson apparently used aliases including Omar Arnold, Fernand Diaz, Peter Madonie and Josephine Baker when he saw Klein. The aliases could have enabled Jackson to build up large supplies of drugs, including propofol.
Jackson died from a lethal dose of propofol, a powerful anesthetic, according to findings by the Los Angeles chief medical examiner unsealed in court documents in Houston on Monday.
Jackson suffered cardiac arrest and died on June 25 at age 50. Since then, an investigation by state and federal agencies have focused on Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal doctor who was at his side the day he died.
A source told Britain's The Sun newspaper:
"Rowe holds Klein totally responsible for Jackson's drug addiction. She believes there is no way he could have got hooked without the help of Klein - and she is potentially the only one who can prove it. She must have suspected what was going on for years."
Rowe is the mother of Jackson's two eldest children, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11. She worked in Klein's clinic in the 1990s

Jackson goods given green light

Official Michael Jackson commemorative goods such as calendars and posters could soon hit the shops after a judge approved various merchandising deals.

The LA judge agreed that Jackson's estate and Apple's iTunes store could sell songs and videos of Jermaine Jackson's performance of Smile.

He sang the Charlie Chaplin classic at Michael's public memorial.

The deals were presented to Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff by the administrators of Jackson's estate.

The administrators are lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain.

They are due to have another hearing with Judge Beckloff on Monday to ask that other deals be cleared.

They include a film featuring the singer's final rehearsals and preparations for a series of comeback concerts in London.

Columbia Pictures has agreed to pay $60m (£36m) for the rights to the footage but the deal must be approved by Monday.

Private Trust

The judge is also considering a deal from merchandiser Bravo for worldwide distribution rights to several Jackson-themed products.

These include trading cards, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson songs, and tattoos for online games.

Jackson was heavily in debt when he died. He is reported to have owed between $300m (£180m) and $500m (£300m).

Jackson's assets are being placed into a private trust. His three children and his mother, who is also the children's guardian, are expected to receive 80% of the singer's estate. The rest will go to unnamed charities.

Jackson's will said the singer's estate consisted almost entirely of "non-cash, non-liquid assets, including primarily an interest in a catalogue of music royalty rights which is currently being administered by Sony ATV, and the interests of various entities".

This refers to the singer's share of the Sony/ATV Music Publishing catalogue, which includes rights to the songs of The Beatles.

Jackson suffered a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home on 25 June at the age of 50.

Speculation continues about the possible role prescription drugs played in Jackson's death.

Michael Jackson's "secret son" unveiled by his proud grandfather

More spectacular good taste from the Jackson family and its associates, as the lawyer for Michael's mother Katherine tells a TV interviewer that she is the "Coretta Scott King of the world's entertainment business".

Meanwhile, misunderstood family patriarch Joe has taken it upon himself to announce that Omar Bhatti, the previously unidenitifed young man who attended Michael's memorial with the Jackson family, is in fact the deceased singer's son.

"I knew Michael had another son - yes, I did," claims Joe, a man who likes to give the impression of having been privy to everything from Michael's innermost thoughts to the decision to invade Iraq.

"He looks like a Jackson, he acts like a Jackson and he can dance like a Jackson. This boy's a fantastic dancer - as a matter of fact, he teaches dance …"

Why, Omar sounds like the sort of artist that could be rushed onto the books of a fledgling Blu-Ray record company, so we can only hope such an opportunity presents itself as a matter of urgency.