Pop star Janet Jackson holds Michael Jackson's personal doctor responsible for her brother's sudden death and has told ABC News that a day does not go by when she doesn't think about her late sibling.
"He was the one that was administering," Janet Jackson said about Houston-based physician Dr. Conrad Murray. "I think he is responsible."
Murray, who was hired to treat Michael Jackson in the months before Jackson died on June 25 of a drug overdose, is currently a target in the manslaughter investigation of the "Thriller" singer's death.
Since June, Los Angeles County coroner officials have said the powerful anesthetic propofol, which is used in surgery, and the sedative lorazepam, were the primary drugs responsible for Jackson's death. Police have referred the case to prosecutors to determine if criminal charges should be filed.
Janet Jackson has remained mostly quiet about her brother's death, but she spoke with ABC television journalist Robin Roberts in an interview set to air Wednesday night on the network's show "In the Spotlight."
"It's been a tough year," Jackson told Roberts, in excerpts posted on ABC News' website on Monday. "You have your days where it's just really -- it's hard to believe. And a day doesn't go by that I don't think about him."
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Janet Jackson blames Dr. Conrad Murray for Michael's death
Michael Jackson's death cause by homicide
The Los Angeles County coroner's findings about the death of Michael Jackson was a homicide could mean criminal charges for his doctor, who told investigators that he administered a mix of powerful drugs to treat the pop star's insomnia hours before his death.
The homicide ruling was based on forensic tests that found the anesthetic propofol combined with at least two sedatives to kill Jackson, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.
Jackson had been administered propofol, lorazepam and midazolam. Law enforcement officials are currently conducting a manslaughter investigation of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, the Las Vegas cardiologist who was caring for Jackson when he died June 25 in a rented Los Angeles mansion.
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Jackson's mother considering wrongful death suit
An attorney for Michael Jackson's mother says she is considering a wrongful death lawsuit because of the circumstances surrounding her son's demise, and that the singer's personal physician is a likely target.
The idea is still nascent and Dr. Conrad Murray is the main name that's been mentioned, attorney Burt Levitch said Monday, following a court hearing where a judge approved a merchandising deal that will benefit the King of Pop's estate.
"The possibility of a wrongful death action has been floated," Levitch said. "In that regard, no decision has been finalized ... Dr. Murray's name has been floated because he is under investigation."
Authorities investigating Jackson's June 25 death have been focusing on Murray, who they believe administered a powerful anesthetic to the pop singer the day he died. Levitch wouldn't say whether concert promoter AEG might also be a defendant.
"It's fairly obvious from press accounts that AEG had a very active role in Michael's life for the last six months," Levitch said. "They paid for his home and for Dr. Conrad Murray."
"It would be inappropriate to speculate on any potential litigation," said AEG spokesman Michael Roth.
Miranda Sevcik, a publicist for Murray attorney Edward Chernoff, said she had seen the press conference with Levitch, but that doesn't mean a lawsuit "is imminent."
"Whether or not the Jackson family decides to proceed with a civil suit is up to them," she said in an email.
Earlier in the day, a judge signed off on a deal that would soon bring official Michael Jackson merchandise to store shelves, but the fate of a proposed tour of the King of Pop's memorabilia remained in limbo after the singer's mother expressed renewed concerns.
Attorneys for Katherine Jackson withdrew their objections to an agreement with merchandiser Bravado to bring everything from Jackson trading cards, apparel and cell phone themes to consumers.
But her objections remain a roadblock to a deal that would put some of her son's prized items on display later this year. That tour was intended to coincide with the release of a major movie featuring his final rehearsals for a series of London shows.
Levitch said Mrs. Jackson's primary objection is that it was not open to competitive bidding by companies other than AEG. He also said he believed the deal that was negotiated, which would provide a 50-50 split between AEG and the estate, was insufficient.
He also said that Mrs. Jackson has recently reasserted her desire to either be named a co-executor or have a member of the family, designated by her, as an executor. Jackson's will named longtime attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain as the sole executors of his estate, with Katherine Jackson, the singer's children and unnamed charities as beneficiaries.
"No one has reflected on what it takes to nurture an estate and no one is a better position than Katherine Jackson or her designees to do that," Levitch said. "Rather than trying to derail this estate, we would like to take our place at the table."
Howard Weitzman, an attorney for Branca and McClain, said outside court: "I'm not sure why the objections are being made" but said Mrs. Jackson certainly has the right to make them.
"Katherine Jackson is a beneficiary. She's entitled to object to deals that may impact her and the children," Weitzman said.
Attorneys for AEG and the current administrators of Jackson's estate wanted the memorabilia tour approved Monday, but Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff instead scheduled an evidentiary hearing for Friday to determine if the deal represented the best arrangement for Jackson's estate.
The deal is expected to generate up to $6 million for the estate, said Weitzman. One of the concessions Katherine Jackson is apparently seeking is the authority to sign off on the deal.
Beckloff said he was inclined to reject that argument, but wasn't sure that he could grant the estate's administrators approval to enter into the deal without hearing more information.
AEG attorney Kathy Jorrie stressed outside court that the clock is ticking on the deal and it must be approved on Friday to remain viable. The exhibit, would be organized by Arts and Exhibitors International, an AEG owned company which has also staged such traveling shows as the King Tut exhibit and the exhibit of Princess Diana's possessions.
"We think it's the best deal the co-special administrators could negotiate," Jorrie said outside of court. "We don't believe the objections by Katherine Jackson are meritorious."[Source: http://www.yahoo.com]
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Judge OKs Jackson deal, burial planned
A judge on Monday approved a deal for the sale of Michael Jackson merchandise, but delayed making a decision on a traveling exhibition dedicated to the King of Pop, amid objections from the singer's mother.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, who is overseeing matters related to Jackson's estate, approved the deal between the co-executors of Jackson's will and Bravado International Group, a division of Universal Music Group owned by Vivendi SA.
But Beckloff postponed until Friday a decision on whether to approve concert promoter AEG Live's plans for a traveling exhibition of Jackson memorabilia. He did so amid objections from attorneys for Jackson's mother, Katherine, who said the planned exhibition may not bring enough money to the estate.
On August 7, Beckloff approved a deal between Jackson's estate, AEG Live and Columbia Pictures, a division of Sony Corp, for a movie to be released October 30 using footage from the pop star's final rehearsals.
The executors of Jackson's will, longtime attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, have said the deals will generate millions of dollars for the estate.
Separately, Michael Jackson's father said his son's body will be buried at a Los Angeles cemetery on August 29, which would have been his 51st birthday, the New York Daily News reported on Monday.
Joe Jackson told a Daily News reporter the plan was finalized in recent days.
Media reports last week said Jackson, who died June 25 of cardiac arrest, was buried in a private ceremony in early August. But those reports were based on unnamed sources and never confirmed by Jackson family representatives.
A Jackson family spokesman did not return calls seeking comment Monday, nor did a spokesman at Los Angeles' Forest Lawn cemetery, where Joe Jackson said his son would be buried.
A public memorial for the singer was held in July, but there was never an official confirmation the "Thriller" singer was buried after the event.
The reason behind Jackson's cardiac arrest remains a mystery. The Los Angeles County Coroner's office has completed its autopsy report but its findings remain sealed until police conclude their investigation.
Los Angeles police are looking into the role prescription drugs may have played in Jackson's death and the actions of doctors who were treating him in the weeks before he died.[Source: http://www.yahoo.com]
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Coroner completes Michael Jackson autopsy
Coroners have completed the autopsy report on the body of pop star Michael Jackson, but details remained under wraps on Monday as police probe the cause of the singer's death and his prescription drug use.
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said detectives requested the autopsy, which includes toxicology tests, remain sealed until their investigation was finished. He could not say when it would be completed and declined to offer more details.
Some media outlets reported that the "Thriller" singer's body has now been buried at the Forest Lawn cemetery in Los Angeles, but that could not immediately be confirmed through a family spokesman. A cemetery spokesman declined to comment.
Police are looking into why the 50-year-old singer died suddenly of cardiac arrest on June 25. Numerous media reports have said officials are focused on Jackson's use of a powerful anesthetic called propofol to sleep. Police and federal agents have raided several offices of Jackson's doctors as part of their probe.
Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the singer's will said he had approved several business deals, including a $60 million agreement with Columbia Pictures to make a movie from video of the King of Pop's rehearsals for a series of concerts that had been set to take place in London this past July.
Those shows were dubbed "This Is It" by Jackson, and the movie will be similarly titled. Columbia Pictures, a unit of Sony Corp's Sony Pictures Entertainment, said the film, due to be in theaters on October 30, will have performances and behind-the-scenes video of Jackson preparing for the concerts. Some of it will be shown in movie theaters in 3-D.
The judge also agreed to the re-issuance of the singer's autobiography, "Moonwalk," currently planned for October.
Lawyers spent much of Monday in court wrangling over merchandising deals still being planned and a traveling exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that concert promoter AEG Live, which had backed the London concerts, wants to mount.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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Michael Jackson's 'This Is It' movie due Oct. 30
In life, movies were one area of entertainment that Michael Jackson never conquered. In death, the King of Pop may finally expand his kingdom to the multiplex.
Sony Pictures finalized a deal Monday to release a musical film composed from 80 hours of rehearsal footage shot in preparation for the 50 London concerts Jackson was preparing when he died June 25.
Named after the title of those concerts, which Jackson had vowed would be his last, the movie This Is It is scheduled for release Oct. 30.
The film will open simultaneously nationwide and around the world on that date, Sony Pictures spokesman Steve Elzer says. It's a quick turnaround for a movie, but Elzer says editors have been at work on the footage since before the deal was struck, and the remaining two months will be plenty of time to complete the project. "We're not rushing it, but we do want to get it out there," he says.
Sequences will be in 3-D, and new interviews are planned with those who knew and worked with Jackson on the incomplete project.
Negotiations to acquire the footage for theatrical release began in mid-July, roughly three weeks after Jackson's death. A bidding war between the major Hollywood studios broke out then for the still-unfinished film.
The release announcement came shortly after Sony's final bid of $60 million for the film rights was approved Monday by a Los Angeles County probate court administering deals between Jackson's estate and concert promoter AEG Live, which had to refund $85 million for ticketholders to the London shows. But AEG is poised to benefit from the renewed passion for all things Jackson.
What remains unclear is the form the film will take: Will it be pure performance from Jackson, or is there final interview footage? Will it include only the most polished rehearsals, or will audiences see aspects of the show in incomplete form?
And how will the film address his death? A chronological approach, building to his last night of rehearsal — or will it skirt his death entirely?
AEG representatives familiar with the footage did not immediately return calls for comment.
It's also unclear what the public's appetite will be.
"The whole thing is about DVD sales, which will be significant. But not theatrical," predicts David Poland, veteran industry reporter for Movie CityNews.com. Recent concert films by U2 and the Rolling Stones have had tepid box-office runs.
"You're asking people to go to a movie theater and spend $10, $15 to see a concert of old songs they'll see on DVD in the next few months," Poland says.
Source: http://www.usatoday.com
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Michael Jackson's 3 children to get their own lawyer
Michael Jackson's three children are getting their own lawyer because the judge overseeing the probate of Jackson's will is concerned their interests might sometimes conflict with their grandmother's.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed for a week his decision on whether to approve several contracts for the estate to give the children's new lawyer -- whom he will appoint -- time to weigh in on the deals.
Lawyers for the estate and the companies involved warned the judge delaying the deals could cost the estate millions of dollars.
The delayed contracts would provide for Jackson tribute concerts in London, England, starting next July, and an exhibition of Jackson memorabilia that would travel to at least three cities, according to Kathy Jorrie, a lawyer for concert promoter AEG Live.
"The longer we wait, the more time passes, frankly, the less interest there will be on the part of the public to come see it," Jorrie said.
The judge has already approved a contract to allow Columbia Pictures to use video AEG Live shot of Jackson's last rehearsals for a documentary due out this fall. Columbia is a division of Sony.
Sony Pictures issued a news release Monday announcing it would deliver the movie -- "This Is It" -- to theaters starting October 30 "with the full support of The Estate of Michael Jackson."
The film "will be drawn from hundreds of hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage, captured in high definition with state-of-the-art digital sound as the late singer was preparing for his concert series in London," Sony said. "The film, which will also offer select sequences in 3D, will provide a unique career retrospective and feature interviews with some of Jackson's closest friends and creative collaborators."
Burt Levitch, attorney for Michael Jackson's mother, Katherine, told the judge she was concerned that Jackson's three children might be included in the video, which is now in AEG Live's possession.
AEG attorney Jorrie said that while she has not seen it, she was told no children appear in the video.
Jorrie said the original contract between Jackson and AEG Live for his 50 London shows gave the company a share in the concert video profits. But Levitch said that agreement did not cover rehearsal video.
A delay in the judge's approval of a new contract between the estate and AEG, which includes sharing rehearsal video profits, should not affect the movie deal, according to a lawyer involved in the film agreement.
Court papers filed last week revealed Columbia Pictures would pay a minimum of $60 million for the rights to make the Jackson movie.
Katherine Jackson's lawyers, while endorsing the movie deal, have objected to terms given to AEG, saying it is too generous to the company.
Katherine Jackson's lawyers objected to the estate's agreement to let AEG recover all its expenses from that money and then take 10 percent of the remainder. It also gives the company a perpetual share of the profits from the video rights.
AEG Live's lawyer said the company has already made many concessions to the estate and could not make more.
Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the men who now control the estate, told the judge the contracts were "aggressively negotiated and reflect the exhaustion of all parties on give and take, and greatly benefit the estate."
"I don't believe there is room for more negotiation," he said.
The judge previously has said he may approve the contracts even over Katherine Jackson's objection.
Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson's older brother, told CNN's Larry King last week that he likes the deals, which he said could bring in nearly $100 million into the estate.
Katherine Jackson and Jackson's three children are the main beneficiaries of the estate, which is controlled by Jackson's former lawyer, John Branca, and longtime Jackson friend and music executive John McClain.
Branca and McClain were named in Jackson's will as executors. Katherine Jackson is considering a challenge of their control of the estate.
The decision to name a 'guardian ad litem,' or lawyer appointed by the court, for the children came at the end of Monday's hearing.
Katherine Jackson was appointed last week as the guardian for the children, but she was not made the guardian for their interest in her son's estate.
Source: http://edition.cnn.com
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MJ 'called out for his dad on the night he died'
Michael Jackson cried out for his father on the night he died, according to reports.
The King of Pop, who died June 25 after a suspected cardiac arrest, wanted to see dad Joe Jackson desperately as he firmly believed that his aides weren''t managing his finances well and wanted to cancel his 50 comeback shows in London.
MJ’s biographer Ian Halperin has mentioned a phone call that Jackson took in the early hours of the day he died.
"He got in a shouting match about finances. That was when Michael said he was calling off the tour. He said some advisers didn''t care about his welfare. I''ve been told he was crying,” Contactmusic quoted Halperin as saying.
"He demanded an aide call his father. He said his father was the only person who could ''clean up the mess,'' " he added.
Halperin has also claimed that the 50-year-old star spent his final 12 hours writing frightening poetry while in a drug-induced breakdown at the Los Angeles mansion he had been staying at.
Jackson is said to have been given the anaesthetic Propofol and painkiller Demerol on the day of his death.
"He was as high as a kite. What he wrote was dark, sort of frightening. The poems were found, hanging in his room on strings. He was over the edge…. Michael was cracking up. He had been injecting himself for over 12 hours, he said for excruciating pain. He begged to see his father but was told they couldn''t get hold of him…. If Joe Jackson had seen him that night, I believe Michael would still be alive," Halperin said.
Halperin has alleged that Jackson ordered his physician Dr. Conrad Murray to give him drugs to "put him out" when he was not allowed to see his father
Source: http://www.newkerala.com
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No Neverland for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson's family have reportedly filed papers to have the star buried at a Hollywood cemetery.
Officials at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park cemetery in Los Angeles are now clear to "proceed with burial", over six weeks after the singer died of a suspected cardiac arrest.
The decision is likely to anger Michael's brother Jermaine, who has publicly argued for his sibling to be interred in the grounds of his former home Neverland, in Santa Barbara, California.
Michael's mother Katherine disagreed, insisting her son never wanted to go back to the property, which he abandoned after his trial for child molestation in 2005.
Forest Lawn is the final resting place of several celebrities, including Bette Davis, Lucille Ball, Liberace and David Carradine.
Michael's grandmother was also buried there in 1990.
The Jackson family reportedly decided to submit burial paperwork after Los Angeles Deputy Medical Examiner Dr Paul Gliniecki said Michael's body was too "sliced and diced" for a third autopsy to be carried out.
Katherine is believed to have ordered further tests because she suspects Michael's death was caused by foul play.
Gliniecki said: "During an autopsy, everything is sliced and diced - it all mixes. Even a second autopsy is compromised."
The coroner has yet to rule on what killed the star.
Meanwhile, Michael's estate is reportedly "seriously considering" dismantling his Neverland ranch and moving it to Las Vegas, where it would become a "Graceland-style" tourist attraction.
An insider said: "The idea is to take physically everything that's not part of the dirt and reassemble it in Las Vegas."
Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz
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Michael Jackson products could start appearing on store shelves, cell phones, even in X-Box
Michael Jackson products could start appearing on store shelves, cell phones, even in X-Box add-ons if a judge signs off on a merchandising deal.
The current administrators of the singer's estate have presented several proposed contracts to a probate judge for approval. The agreements offer a taste of how the King of Pop may be sold in the coming months and years.
Trading cards, T-shirts, calendars, lighters, stuffed animals that play Jackson's music and games are among the tangible items being considered. So too are denim products and high-end clothing lines, according to the filings.
But Jackson seems destined to try to conquer the digital domain too. Some of the possible products include cell phone screen savers, X-Box themes, video games and digital tattoos for characters in games such as "Second Life."
The proposed deals are between Jackson's estate, concert promoter AEG Live and Bravado International Group Merchandising Services. The contract calls for Bravado, which is Universal Music Group's retailing arm, to receive worldwide merchandise rights.
AEG Live will retain rights to sell certain merchandise related to Jackson's canceled London performances, the agreements state.
Despite a tainted legacy while he was alive, some believe Jackson will become top The King, Elvis Presley, in annual merchandise sales. Presley's estate $55 million in revenue last year, $14 million of which came from retail sales.
A separate agreement is being pursued between the estate's administrators and Columbia Pictures for a feature length movie based on footage of Jackson's preparations for his 50 comeback concerts in London. The studio paid $60 million for the rights to the project, the contract filed in Los Angeles Superior Court states.
Jackson's estate _ which primarily benefits his mother and three children _ would receive 90 percent of the profits from the film, according to the agreement.
The agreements with Bravado are more heavily redacted and do not indicate how much the estate would be paid.
A judge has scheduled a hearing for Monday to consider the proposals.
Jackson died June 25 in Los Angeles and his lavish spending had pushed him hundreds of millions of dollars in debt. Attorneys for the current administrators of his estate, attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, have stated in court records that they believe Jackson's estate is solvent.
One of the men's attorneys, Jeryll S. Cohen, wrote in a court filing on Friday that the merchandising and film and other entertainment agreements are expected to generate "advances in the high eight figures." Negotiations for other deals are also in the works, Cohen wrote.
The administrators have the authority to combat unauthorized merchandise, and the deals provide Bravado with access to the use of Jackson's name, image, symbols, emblems and other trademarks.
Jackson's estate would have input into which products are ultimately manufactured, the proposed agreements state.
An amendment to an agreement between Jackson's estate and AEG Live allows for a traveling exhibit of the performer's memorabilia. Exact details of the exhibit were redacted, but it calls for the displays to be shown only at museums or venues that both sides agree on.
If approved, the agreements would continue a trend that Jackson seemed to be pursuing in his final months _ marketing products based on his days of superstar status.
A lawsuit filed in January by "Thriller" director John Landis accused Jackson of trying to turn the groundbreaking 14-minute music video into comic books and video games.
The director also sued over a proposed Broadway show based on "Thriller." Landis owns some of the creative rights to the project and didn't grant approval to the ventures Jackson was apparently pursuing.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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Joe Jackson won't help raise son's children
Court records show Joe Jackson doesn't plan to help raise Michael Jackson's children.
The Jackson family patriarch lives in Las Vegas and wrote in a statement filed in a Los Angeles court Monday that he only occasionally visits the family home north of Los Angeles. His two-page declaration expresses support for his wife, Katherine, who on Monday was granted permanent custody of Michael Jackson's three children.
Joe Jackson writes that his wife is "a wonderful caretaker and guardian."
A judge on Monday awarded Katherine Jackson a monthly stipend to help upkeep the family's home, where her three grandchildren are staying.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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Custody of Michael Jackson children granted to his grandmother
Michael Jackson's mother gained permanent custody of her late son's children during a hearing Monday that included a surprise objection from the pop icon's former dermatologist.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff made a series of key rulings during the morning portion of the Monday hearing. In addition to approving Katherine Jackson's guardianship petition, he also granted monthly stipends to the 79-year-old and the three young grandchildren she is now charged with raising.
The ruling came after a few tense moments in which an attorney for Beverly Hills Dr. Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson's longtime dermatologist, raised nonspecific objections to the custody arrangements. The attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said they were based on the doctor's long-term relationship with the singer and his children.
"Legally, he is not a presumed parent," Kaplan said. He said Klein had concerns about the children's education and other day-to-day parenting issues.
Beckloff ultimately determined Klein didn't have legal standing to object to the care of Jackson's children, but said he could raise objections later. Klein has repeatedly denied tabloid reports that he is the biological father of Jackson's children, saying last month on "Larry King Live" that "to the best of my knowledge" he is not.
Diane Goodman, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, told Beckloff that Jackson's youngest son, Prince Michael II, was born through a surrogate who has no parental rights.
Katherine Jackson's approval as permanent guardian is in accordance with her son's wishes, who named her in a 2002 will as the person he wanted to raise his children. Beckloff noted that the singer's two oldest children, 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris Michael, filed declarations stating their wishes for who would raise them. He did not indicate what they said.
Last week, Katherine Jackson and the singer's ex-wife, Deborah Rowe, reached an agreement over custody issues. Rowe, who did not appear in court Monday, never formally petitioned for custody, but will receive some visits with Jackson's two oldest children, to whom she gave birth while the couple was married in the late 1990s.
The agenda for Monday's hearing contained a long laundry-list of issues for Beckloff to rule on. After a morning recess, the judge was expected to consider whether Katherine Jackson can mount a challenge to two men who have are administering her son's estate, attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain.
The men were named as co-executors of Jackson's 2002 will, and have already received millions of dollars in the singer's money, property and a life insurance payout, court filings show. The money is being placed into a private trust, which designates that 40 percent of the estate goes to Katherine Jackson, 40 percent goes to the children, and 20 percent goes to various charities.
It is unclear how much money Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren will receive in allowance from the singer's estate in the meantime. Beckloff did not state the figures in court and indicated he was likely to seal those details if attorneys asked him to do so.
The proposed figures have been redacted from court filings so far. Beckloff did trim the amount the three children will receive, saying that there appeared to be some duplication between the expenses Katherine Jackson listed and those listed for the children.
Katherine Jackson arrived flanked by daughters LaToya and Rebbie and son Randy Jackson. Several attorneys representing her were also in court.
The hearing was attended by more than 20 attorneys representing a variety of interests, including Sony/ATV, a music catalog in which Jackson had a substantial stake, concert promoter AEG Live, and Columbia Pictures. Several of the attorneys are also handling issues in Britney Spears' conservatorship case, and an afternoon hearing scheduled in that matter was postponed.
The attorneys were outnumbered only by media outlets jockeying for seats in the hearing. A variety of broadcast, Internet and print media outlets covered the hearing, arriving more than an hour before Beckloff took the bench to get a seat. An overflow room was also required.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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Jackson's mother wins kids' custody despite drama
The wishes Michael Jackson expressed in his will began to come into reality Monday during a lengthy court hearing, with his mother placed firmly in charge of rearing his children and the two men he designated still at the reins of his financial empire.
As a media frenzy buzzed outside, a surprise motion from Jackson's longtime dermatologist injected some drama inside the courtroom: An attorney for the doctor, Arnold Klein, tried to enter objections to the parenting of Jackson's children.
Klein has had a lengthy part in Jackson's story line. He not only served as Jackson's doctor, but one of his employees, Deborah Rowe, married Jackson in 1996 and gave birth to two of the singer's children. Most recently, Klein's medical records have been subpoenaed as part of the police investigation of Jackson's death.
Given tabloid reports that he is the biological father of Jackson's two oldest children, the attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, quickly told the judge and dozens of reporters covering the hearing that biology wasn't the source of the objections.
"Legally, he is not a presumed parent," Kaplan said. Rather, he said Klein knew Jackson and his children well and had concerns about their education and other day-to-day parenting issues.
Kaplan's objections created a few tense moments in the courtroom, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff quickly dispatched him, saying Klein didn't have legal standing.
In a statement issued Monday evening, Klein's attorneys, Mark Vincent Kaplan and Bradley Boyer, wrote he was not objecting to Katherine Jackson, but rather "acting on promises he made to Michael with respect to assuring the long term health and stability of the children and their ability to enjoy as normal of a life out of the spotlight as could be reasonably possible."
"Dr. Klein has always had a special relationship with Paris Katherine and Prince Michael, loves and cares deeply for these children and is looking out for their best interest."
The statement said he hoped to have ongoing involvement with the children and "offers his guidance and protection forever."
The appointment of Katherine Jackson as permanent guardian of her son's children didn't disperse the crowds of reporters who convened on the downtown courthouse. Satellite trucks lined the street outside the courthouse, reporters arrived more than an hour before Beckloff took the bench to try to get a courtroom seat, all while a smattering of onlookers waited outside and played to the cameras.
"Who gets the Ferris wheel," one man questioned an attorney for the men administering Jackson's estate after the hearing, which stretched from 9 a.m. until mid-afternoon.
The hearing itself was decidedly more low-key.
Katherine Jackson arrived at the courthouse early and entered the courtroom from a back entrance, flanked by daughters LaToya and Rebbie and son Randy. She and Beckloff exchanged pleasantries shortly after the judge named her permanent guardian of Jackson's three children.
John Branca, one of the men who Beckloff ruled can continue to administer the singer's estate, sat across the aisle from the Jacksons. Branca served as Jackson's longtime attorney and was named along with music executive John McClain to serve as co-executors of Jackson's will, signed in 2002.
To date, court records show the men have recovered some of Jackson's personal belongings, $5.5 million in cash, and the singer's life insurance payout, all of which will end up in a private trust account.
That money will help pay for a monthly stipend that Beckloff approved for Katherine Jackson, 79, and for each of the singer's three children, Prince Michael, 12, Paris Michael, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7. The youngest is also known as Blanket and was born to a surrogate mother who has never been identified.
Diane Goodman, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, said the surrogate did not have any parental rights. No one else formally filed for custody of the children, although a pair of women who dogged Jackson throughout his life claiming relationships had sought the youngsters, and exorbitant amounts of money.
Beckloff did not acknowledge either of their filings on Monday.
He also did not reveal how much Katherine Jackson and the children will receive per month from the singer's estate. Similarly, he did not disclose any terms of a deal reached by concert promoter AEG Live and other groups involved with the King of Pop's planned comeback concerts in London and the singer's estate.
Beckloff ordered AEG Live to turn over records related to the settlement and the contract for the 50 shows to Katherine Jackson, but placed restrictions on who else could see the information. The judge has a week to review the settlement and decide whether to approve it.
The settlement is another piece of Jackson's finances that is being placed into a private trust set up primarily to provide for his mother and children. The four have a combined 80 percent stake in Jackson's estate, with the rest going to unspecified charities.
Howard Weitzman, an attorney for the estate's co-administrators, said the agreements had the potential to earn the Jacksons millions of dollars.
Branca, one of the co-administrators, said the deals included Columbia Pictures, which owns rehearsal footage of Jackson's preparations for the concert, and another company that had merchandising rights.
Weitzman said co-administrators were "quite pleased" with the rulings. Branca and McClain will remain in charge of Jackson's estate until at least October, Beckloff ruled.
The judge will consider a motion by Katherine Jackson's attorneys on whether she can disqualify the men from administering the estate on grounds of their capacity or potential conflicts of interests.
Beckloff said he needed more information about the motion, including a copy of the private trust that contains a "no contest" clause stating that anyone who challenges Jackson's will should be disinherited.
The judge said he thought the law allowed Katherine Jackson to challenge Branca and McClain based on narrow arguments and scheduled an Aug. 28 hearing on the issue.
One of the quickest issues resolved was also one of the most important — Beckloff admitted Jackson's five-page will drafted in 2002 for probate, a procedure that grants it significant weight.
"It means it is the will that has been legally recognized as the will of Michael Jackson for the purposes of the administration of the estate," said probate attorney Michael G. Dave, who is not affiliated with the case.
The will was entered without fanfare, objection or any hint of drama.
Source: http://www.yahoo.com
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Michael Jackson's mother get permanent custody of his children
Michael Jackson's mother is to get permanent custody of the late pop star's children after agreeing a deal with the singer's ex-wife, attorneys for the two sides said in a statement Thursday.
The agreement -- which averts the possibility of an ugly court case -- will see Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe receive visitation rights to the two children she bore Jackson, Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11.
The surrogate mother of Jackson's third child, seven-year-old Prince Michael II, known as "Blanket," has never been identified.
Rowe will obtain visitation rights for Prince Michael and Paris but would receive no money beyond the spousal agreement already in place -- reportedly worth some 8.5 million dollars -- a statement said.
"Mrs Jackson and the family are pleased this matter is resolved and was handled in a caring, thoughtful and courteous manner by the parties and their representatives," Jackson's lawyers Londell McMillan and Diane Goodman said.
"We were all united in our goals to do what is best for Michael's wonderful children, and both Mrs Jackson and Debbie Rowe were on the exact same page."
The statement said the "timing, frequency and manner" of Rowe's visits would be determined after consultation with a child psychologist.
The custody agreement would be presented at Los Angeles Superior Court for likely approval by a judge on Monday, the statement added.
Katherine Jackson, 79, was named temporary guardian of her grandchildren at a court hearing in Los Angeles four days after her son's death on June 25.
A will drawn up by Michael Jackson in 2002 named his mother as the guardian of the youngsters, with Motown legend Diana Ross named as an alternate.
The three children have been staying with Katherine Jackson at the musical clan's compound since their father's death last month.
Rowe signed away her parental rights to her two children in 2001, describing Jackson as a "wonderful man... a brilliant father."
However, a Los Angeles judge reversed the order in 2004 after Rowe cited concerns over publicity related to Jackson's prosecution for child molestation. Rowe later settled the case, reportedly securing visitation rights.
Despite Jackson naming his mother as the children's guardian in his will, legal experts said Rowe would have a strong custody claim on the grounds that she was the sole surviving biological parent.
Lawyers for Rowe had reacted furiously on July 14 after reports that her custody challenge was an attempt to secure a multi-million-dollar payout.
Rowe's attorney Eric George said Thursday the custody agreement was a "dignified outcome to a dignified discussion."
"The sole consideration between the parties was the best interests of the children," George said. "I'm proud to have worked with such professionals who represented Ms Jackson, and I am particularly proud of Deborah for her integrity and selflessness."
The fate of Jackson's children was one of the myriad legal tangles thrown up by the iconic singer's death last month. As well as custody issues, next Monday's hearing will also address the question of who controls Jackson's estate.
Meanwhile, the release of Jackson's autopsy results has been delayed until next week, the Los Angeles County Coroner's office confirmed Wednesday.
On Tuesday, federal agents and police seeking evidence of manslaughter raided the Las Vegas home and office of Jackson's personal doctor, Conrad Murray, who has become the central figure in the superstar's sudden death.
Federal agents and police were also hunting for possible evidence of unprofessional conduct, "prescribing or treating an addict", excessive prescribing and evidence of prescriptions of propofol, an unsealed warrant showed on Thursday.
Murray is reported to have administered Jackson with a potent anesthetic before his death.
Jackson, 50, died suddenly at his rented mansion in Holmby Hills as he prepared to relaunch his career with a series of comeback concerts in London.
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Jackson chef recalled the singer's final days
On the day Michael Jackson died, his personal chef says her first hint of something amiss was when his doctor didn't come downstairs to get the juices and granola he routinely brought the King of Pop for breakfast each morning.
Kai Chase, a professionally trained chef hired by Jackson to maintain a healthy food regimen, recalled the singer's final days in an interview with The Associated Press. She also spoke about the role of his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who is now the focus of a manslaughter investigation.
Chase said Tuesday that she had gotten used to seeing Murray coming and going from the mansion. The doctor usually arrived about 9 or 9:30 p.m. and would go upstairs to Jackson's room, and she said she would not see him again before she left — sometimes late in the evening — but understood he was staying the night.
In the morning, when she arrived for work, Chase said she would see the doctor coming down the steps carrying oxygen tanks. When Murray didn't come downstairs the morning of June 25, "I thought maybe Mr. Jackson is sleeping late," Chase said.
"I started preparing the lunch and then I looked at my cell phone and it was noon. About 12:05 or 12:10 Dr. Murray runs down the steps and screams, 'Go get Prince!' He's screaming very loud. I run into the den where the kids are playing. Prince (Jackson's oldest son) runs to meet Dr. Murray and from that point on you could feel the energy in the house change.
"I walked into the hall and I saw the children there. The daughter was crying. I saw paramedics running up the stairs."
At that point, Chase said, the small group that was gathered — the children, their nanny, a housekeeper and Chase — held hands and began to pray. As paramedics raced up to the room, Chase recalls, "We were all praying, 'Help Mr. Jackson be O.K.'
"Then everyone was very quiet."
At about 1:30 p.m. she said security guards told her and other staff to leave the property because "Mr. Jackson was being taken to the hospital."
When she came outside, she said, ambulances were in the courtyard and a crowd had gathered.
Chase, 37, who has cooked for other celebrities and comes from a show-business family, was hired by Jackson in March, let go in May, then returned on June 2. She said the pop star's focus was on fresh, healthy food for him and the children.
She said she prepared meals for the family and occasionally for Murray. She said Jackson was in training for his upcoming shows in London and told her: "You have to take care of me."
On most days, she said, Murray would bring Jackson the special fruit juice drinks Chase prepared for him, followed by granola with almond milk. For lunch, Jackson would eat with the children from a menu that included such things as spinach salad and chicken.
Murray sometimes joined them for dinner, which might be a seared ahi tuna. She said the doctor conferred with her about the 50-year-old pop singer's food and made sure that he ate.
The only oddity was the oxygen tanks. Chase said she never asked about the purpose of the oxygen and she saw no sign that Jackson was on drugs or was in failing health.
"Normally in the morning, he would bring oxygen tanks from upstairs downstairs, one in each hand," she said.
Authorities searched Murray's Las Vegas home and medical office Tuesday as part of an investigation that included raids last week of his clinic and storage in Houston.
With toxicology reports pending, investigators are working under the theory that the powerful anesthetic propofol caused Jackson's heart to stop, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. Murray told investigators he regularly administered the drug to help Jackson sleep, and had done so sometime in the early morning of June 25, according to the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
Propofol is supposed to be administered only in monitored medical settings by trained personnel; the official told AP that Murray left the bedroom and returned to find the star unresponsive. Police have said Murray is cooperating and have not labeled him a suspect, and his lawyer, Edward Chernoff, has said the doctor "didn't prescribe or administer anything that should have killed Michael Jackson."
Like Murray, Chase said she was hired to accompany Jackson to London for his comeback concerts and the request was personally made to her by his 12-year-old son, Prince Michael II.
"Prince said, 'Daddy wants me to tell you he wants you to go to London with us,'" she recalled. "I said, 'Tell your daddy that I'm pleased and honored."
She said she had already filled out paperwork and submitted a copy of her passport to the Jackson staff and expected to leave for London on July 3.
On June 23, she said Jackson told her: "I'm packed and I'm ready to go." Two days later, he was dead.
It was the end of her dream job and an idyllic time in Chase's life, a time that had begun in March with a call from Jackson's assistant, Michael Williams. She was told that "a client" wanted her services as personal chef but she was not told the client was Jackson until she was hired.
"I couldn't believe it," she said. "I asked him if I was on 'Candid Camera.' I said, 'Am I being punked?'"
She said Jackson had seen her resume which included jobs cooking for Macy Gray and Jamie Foxx as well as catering a fund raiser for President Barack Obama. She said he also knew she was from a multiracial background and her godfather was Redd Foxx.
But before she started she had to pass muster with three other people: the Jackson children.
"I came to the house and the first people I met were the kids. They started interviewing me," she said. "They told me: 'We're into healthy eating.'"
When they approved her, she went to work and "we developed a really great bond."
Most days, she said, Jackson made a point of having both lunch and dinner with the children, Prince, 11-year-old Paris and 7-year-old Prince Michael II, known as Blanket, and each meal was preceded by Paris saying grace. After weeks of healthy food, she said she wrote Jackson a note with a suggestion:
"I said, 'What about doing comfort-food Saturdays? We could do barbecued chicken and corn on the cob, maybe Mexican food or soul food.'" She said he loved the idea, but as the concerts approached, healthy eating returned full time.
"He said, 'I'm a dancer,' and he wanted food that would not make him cramp up while he was dancing."
She now treasures little notes she received from the children and from Jackson and a present he gave her.
"One day he handed me a little gift bag and said, 'This is for you from me and the children.' He had given me an iPod Touch because the children told him I still had a Walkman. It had the 25th anniversary 'Thriller' album loaded on it."
She said she has visited with the children since Jackson's death and they are doing well. "They have so many cousins to play with."
As for Chase's future, she said Jackson encouraged her to write a cookbook and she has written one tentatively titled, "Fit for a King." It includes recipes she cooked for Jackson and the story of the time she worked for him.
"He was an inspiration to me," she said.
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Coroner delays release of Jackson autopsy results
The Los Angeles County coroner's office says release of Michael Jackson's autopsy results will be delayed.
Coroner's officials had said they were going to release the results this week but Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter said Wednesday the announcement will probably not come until next week.
Winter did not discuss reasons for the delay.
Jackson died June 25.
A law enforcement official has said investigators are working under the theory that the powerful anesthetic propofol (PROH'-puh-fahl) caused Jackson's heart to stop. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.
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Truth behind Michael Jackson sleeping aid
Propofol (INN, marketed as Diprivan by AstraZeneca) is a short-acting, intravenously administered sedative agent. It has several uses in anesthesia and sedation, including induction of general anesthesia in adults and children, maintenance of general anesthesia, sedation for intubated, mechanically ventilated adults in the intensive care unit (ICU), sedation in procedures such as colonoscopy and endoscopy, and dental surgery; it is also commonly used in veterinary medicine. Propofol is approved for use in more than 50 countries, and generic versions are available.
Propofol is unrelated to the barbiturates, and has largely replaced sodium thiopental (trade name Pentothal) for induction of anesthesia, as recovery after propofol anesthesia is more rapid and 'clear' as compared to thiopental. Propofol is not considered an analgesic, so opioids such as fentanyl are also typically given during surgery for pain control.
Originally developed by Imperial Chemical Industries as ICI 35868, initial clinical trials followed in 1977 in a form solubilised in cremophor EL. However, due to anaphylactic reactions, it was withdrawn from the market and subsequently reformulated as an emulsion of a soya oil/propofol mixture in water. This was re-launched in 1986 by ICI (now AstraZeneca) with the brand name Diprivan (shortened version of diisopropyl intravenous anesthetic). The current preparation is 1% propofol, 10% soybean oil and 1.2% purified egg phospholipid (emulsifier), with 2.25% of glycerol as a tonicity-adjusting agent, and sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH. Diprivan contains EDTA as an antimicrobial agent. Newer generic formulations contain sodium metabisulfite or benzyl alcohol. Propofol emulsion appears as a highly opaque-white fluid due to the scattering of light from the tiny (~150 nm) oil droplets that it contains. It resembles milk, and is jocularly called "milk of amnesia" by medical professionals.
A water-soluble prodrug form, fospropofol, has recently been developed and tested with positive results, being rapidly broken down once in the body by the enzyme alkaline phosphatase to form propofol. Marketed as Lusedra, this new formulation might well have superior properties for use in humans, such as being more readily injectable and perhaps without the pain at injection site that often occurs with the traditional form of the drug. The US Food and Drug Administration approved the product in 2008.
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Jackson mom's request for estate info rejected
The legal team for Michael Jackson's mother on Tuesday asked a judge for the power to press the administrators of her son's estate for more information ahead of a key hearing next week, but the judge rebuffed the effort.
Lawyers for Katherine Jackson on Tuesday requested the authority to interview attorney John Branca and former music executive John McClain this Friday, as well as demand they produce business contracts and other documents related to the late pop star.
Her lawyers argued in a court filing that the information was "potentially crucial" to a hearing set for Monday that could determine the permanent representatives of Jackson's estate, which is estimated to be worth more than $500 million.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff put off dealing with their request until Monday, effectively quashing it.
Beckloff may determine at Monday's hearing whether special administrators Branca and McClain will transition from temporary to permanent representatives of the estate, and whether an allowance will be granted to Katherine and Jackson's three children.
Jackson's 2002 will puts his assets in a trust that benefits Katherine, his three children and unnamed children's charities.
Tuesday's filing was meant to expedite the process of obtaining "important personal, business and legal information and documents relating to Michael Jackson" including his deal with concert promoter AEG Live, according to a written statement from L. Londell McMillan, who is part of Katherine Jackson's legal team.
They're also seeking "life insurance policies, settlements and disputes as well as agreements between the temporary special administrators and Michael Jackson (and others)."
McMillan said they'd requested some of the documents before and had hoped to see them before the Aug. 3 hearing.
Katherine Jackson's lawyers alleged in filings that Branca and McClain were "intent on keeping her in the dark as much and for as long as possible."
Branca and McClain's legal team responded that the singer's mother had made "voluminous, burdensome and invasive discovery demands" that were impossible to meet in a short time frame.
It added that it could not produce the contract detailing Jackson's comeback tour with promoter AEG Live because of confidentiality provisions, but was willing to share the contract if Katherine Jackson agreed to the provisions. The parties were unable to agree on the terms.
The administrators' legal team also argued that it was unclear why Katherine Jackson was demanding so much information. Her subpoena and deposition notices had "all the earmarks of a protracted and expensive legal battle which does not appear to be justified," the administrators' lawyers said in a filing.
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Police raid Dr. Conrad Murray's gated resort home and downtown Las Vegas office
Police and federal agents swooped on the Las Vegas home of Michael Jackson's personal doctor as speculation mounted the physician could face possible manslaughter charges.
Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles Police Department officers seized mobile phones and a computer after combing through doctor Conrad Murray's gated resort home and downtown Las Vegas office.
A statement released by Murray's legal team said officers had executed two search warrants seeking Jackson's medical records.
"The search warrant authorized investigators to look for medical records relating to Michael Jackson and all of his reported aliases," the statement said, adding that Murray was present during the search and assisted officers.
Tuesday's search followed a similar raid last week on Murray's practice in Houston, Texas, where a warrant revealed for the first time agents were seeking evidence of manslaughter in connection with the doctor.
Murray has emerged as the central figure in the mystery surrounding Jackson's sudden death on June 25 at the age of 50 at his rented chateau-like home in Los Angeles.
CNN reported on Monday that police Murray, 51, gave Jackson a lethal dose of a potent anesthetic propofol on the night before his death.
Propofol is used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients ahead of major surgery. Experts say the drug should only be administered by a trained anesthesiologist under strict monitoring conditions.
The possibility that Murray gave Jackson the drug intravenously has fueled speculation he may face manslaughter charges.
Murray's lawyers, who have repeatedly insisted he is innocent of wrongdoing, issued a statement late Monday urging calm amid the flurry of reports suggesting the physician faced a criminal prosecution.
Attorney Ed Chernoff said firm conclusions could only be drawn once the results of toxicology tests from Jackson's autopsy were known.
"Everyone needs to take a breath and wait for these long delayed toxicology results... Things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known, and I'm sure that will happen here as well."
TMZ.com meanwhile reported that Murray had told police in an interview on June 27 he gave Jackson propofol via an intravenous drip.
The website reported police believe Murray may have fallen asleep while the drug was being administered, and awoke to find the singer already dead.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office has said results of tests carried out on Jackson's body will be revealed by the end of the week.
ABC News reported Tuesday meanwhile that pathologists also discovered a deadly cocktail of prescription drugs in Jackson's emaciated body, including the powerful painkillers OxyContin and Demerol.
In the aftermath of Jackson's death, friends of the singer's family said the clan had "unanswered questions" regarding Murray's role, citing his failure to call paramedics immediately after discovering the star.
Murray was also criticized for attempting to give CPR to Jackson while he lay on a bed, even though established medical practice calls for the patient to be placed on a hard surface.
"(Murray) owes it to the family and to the public to say, 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation," family friend and civil rights activist Jesse Jackson said.
Jackson's death came as he prepared to make a grueling 50-date series of comeback concerts in London. Murray had been reportedly hired by Jackson on a monthly salary of 150,000 dollars to oversee his health ahead of the comeback.
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Hollywood movie for Michael Jackson rehearsal
A Hollywood movie made using footage of Michael Jackson rehearsing for his planned series of comeback concerts could hit theaters by the end of this year, US media reports said Monday.
Daily Variety reported that Sony Pictures studio was close to agreeing a 50-million-dollar deal for worldwide rights to nearly 80 hours of footage showing pop icon Jackson rehearsing before his death.
The report said AEG Entertainment, the company which owns the material and had been behind Jackson's proposed series of concerts in London, had screened the footage to Hollywood studio executives last week.
Variety reported that Kenny Ortega, the choreographer for Jackson's new "This Is It" concerts and the director of hit film "High School Musical," was expected to direct the movie.
So far only a brief snippet of Jackson's concert rehearsals have been revealed to the public.
Footage released on July 2 showed Jackson practicing a song-and-dance routine at Los Angeles's Staples Center two days before his death, supporting accounts he had been in good health.
Associates of Jackson have described the 50-year-old pop star as being in good form, including at another rehearsal the day before his death.
Jackson collapsed and died on June 25 at his rented Los Angeles mansion. A final cause of death has not been revealed as coroner's await the results of toxicology tests.
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