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Jackson family lawsuit can proceed against AEG

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:50:00 +0000

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A judge on Wednesday ruled the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Michael Jackson's mother can proceed against concert promoter AEG Live, setting up a legal showdown between Katherine Jackson and the company she blames for the "Thriller" singer's demise.

The lawsuit accuses AEG of being responsible for medical decisions made by Jackson's physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, whose care was funded by the company.

Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection with Jackson's June 25, 2009, death, age 50, from an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol which the doctor gave as a sleep aid and other sedatives and painkillers.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos on Wednesday denied a motion by AEG, a subsidiary of the Anschutz Entertainment Group, to dismiss Katherine Jackson's case against the company.

But the judge said lawyers for the singer's 80 year-old mother would need to show evidence of fraud, negligent infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy.

Palazuelos said she had doubts about civil conspiracy, because there were no details in the lawsuit saying AEG and Murray had an agreement to break the law, in providing medical care to Jackson.

"If the object was to get him to rehearsals, I don't see that as a wrongful or illegal act," she said.

Jackson was preparing for his "This Is It" series of 50 comeback concerts in London when he died, and Murray was going to accompany him to Britain for the shows.

AEG attorney Marvin Putnam, in arguments before the judge, said the company could not have realized beforehand that Murray's medical decisions would lead to Jackson's death.

"It's not foreseeable that Michael Jackson or anyone else was going to die in their own home of propofol," Putnam said.

During a preliminary hearing last month in the criminal case against Murray, witnesses testified that propofol is administered in surgery and never recommended for home use.

The judge in that separate case found there was sufficient evidence to try Murray, and he wondered out loud why the doctor would have used propofol on Jackson as a sleep aid.

Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial is scheduled to begin on March 28. He faces a maximum of four years in prison.

Katherine Jackson's wrongful death lawsuit was filed in September and includes the singer's three children as co-plaintiffs.

Kenny Ortega, a choreographer who was directing Jackson's rehearsals, was originally named as a defendant. But Katherine Jackson's attorneys recently dropped him from the suit, citing new information.

In court papers, AEG's attorneys said the company "did not choose or hire Dr. Murray" and merely conducted negotiations aimed at "retaining him as an independent contractor."

The next hearing in Katherine Jackson's civil case is scheduled for March 22.

(Reporting by Alex Dobuzinskis: Editing by Bob Tourtellotte)

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Judge: Michael Jackson's family can sue promoter

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 13:47:00 +0000

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Michael Jackson's mother can go forward with her civil lawsuit against entertainment giant AEG Live involving the death of the pop superstar, a judge ruled Wednesday.

City News Service reported that Superior Court Judge Yvette M. Palazuelos turned down a motion by AEG Live to dismiss the case that claims the company is responsible for medical decisions made by Dr. Conrad Murray, who has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death.

The lawsuit filed Sept. 15 on behalf of Katherine Jackson and the pop star's three children suggests Jackson was forced to maintain a grueling rehearsal schedule for his planned "This Is It" concerts in London, and was showing signs of physical stress in the months before his June 25, 2009 death.

The judge said she had doubts about a conspiracy claim in the suit because there were no details in the complaint stating AEG Live and Murray had an agreement to do something unlawful, City News Service reported.

"If the object was to get him to rehearsals, I don't see that as a wrongful or an illegal act," Palazuelos said.

Attorneys for AEG Live have said Jackson made his own medical decisions and hired Murray to accompany him on the tour.

Attorney Marvin S. Putnam, who represents AEG Live, argued that his clients could not have realized Murray's decisions would lead to Jackson's death.

"It's not foreseeable that Michael Jackson or anyone else was going to die in their own home of propofol," Putnam said.

A coroner found that Jackson died of an overdose of the powerful anesthetic combined with other drugs he was using to induce sleep.

Katherine Jackson's lawsuit claims the star was cold and shivering during the summer rehearsals for his show while others were perspiring from the heat. She claims he was told by AEG to stop taking medication, and that if he missed even one rehearsal the tour would be cancelled.

The suit also claims Michael Jackson's eldest son, Prince Michael, suffered "great trauma and severe emotional distress" when he saw his father suffering on the day he died.

The judge commented, "The question is, did he witness the negligence and did he understand what was going on."

She gave the plaintiffs' lawyers 20 days to amend their complaint and set a case management conference for March 22.

AP
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Jackson doctor's legal bills issue in Texas court

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 13:59:00 +0000

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An insurer for the doctor charged in Michael Jackson's death has asked a judge to rule that it is not responsible for the physician's legal bills in two high-profile court cases and fights to retain his medical license.

Medicus Insurance Co. argues that Dr. Conrad Murray's medical malpractice policy doesn't cover his defense costs because the cases stem from alleged criminal wrongdoing, according to documents filed Wednesday in state court in Houston. Murray's policy, which was purchased roughly a month before Jackson's death in June 2009, did not cover incidents involving general anesthesia, the company argues.

Murray faces an involuntary manslaughter charge in Los Angeles, where authorities accuse him of administering a lethal dose of the anesthetic propofol to the pop star in the bedroom of his rented mansion.

The criminal case is just one of the legal challenges Murray faces. He has been sued by Jackson's father for wrongful death in federal court in Los Angeles, and authorities have sought to either suspend or limit his medical license in Texas, California and Nevada. One of Murray's clinics is in Houston.

The doctor is relying on four attorneys in California and Texas to defend him in the criminal and civil cases. He has argued that he needs to maintain his medical license to pay for his criminal defense.

Medicus, which is based in Austin, claims it is not required to defend Murray's medical license in the three states. The insurer argues that scrutiny by Texas and California officials came as a result of allegations of wrongdoing in Jackson's death, and that Nevada attempted to suspend Murray's medical license because he was behind on child support payments, not for his medical work.

The court filings do not indicate how much Murray's defense in the various cases may cost.

"We believe Medicus is wrong on the facts and wrong on the law," Murray's attorney, Charles Peckham, said Wednesday. "We believe there should be coverage."

Peckham asked the judge in a court filing Monday to delay the case until after the criminal matter is decided, arguing that defending it would violate the doctor's Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination.

"He simply can't engage in this kind of case," Peckham said, adding that coverage Murray applied for, and the insurer initially accepted, would have covered all the claims.

Medicus filed its case in August, but the legal fees dispute was disclosed in a court filing Wednesday in the wrongful death case.

The company's lawsuit states that Murray's policy only covers the doctor's actions in Texas. The company filed its case after Murray asked the insurer to pay for his defense in the California court cases and medical board hearings in other states, according to the complaint.

Murray is due back in Los Angeles next week for a hearing in the criminal case, and prosecutors are expected to lay out some of their evidence against him during a preliminary hearing in January.

Last week, a federal judge in Houston ruled that Lloyd's of London was not required to pay millions of dollars in legal fees for jailed financier R. Allen Stanford and two former executives charged in a massive Ponzi scheme. The insurer had argued the men's insurance policy did not cover money laundering charges.

AP
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Jedward buy Michael Jackson's bedsheet

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:27:00 +0000

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IT was always going to be a spectacle when JEDWARD finally got their mitts on their mountains of cash.

The "deadly" duo went berserk on t'internet and splashed out £20,000 on memorabilia including one of MICHAEL JACKSON's old bedsheets for £3,000.

I hope it's been through the wash.

X Factor stars Jedward, real names JOHN and EDWARD GRIMES, went with no sleep for two nights while bidding on China-based icons auction Legends.

Edward said: "It's really good stuff - nobody else in the world has it.

"We bought a BRITNEY SPEARS suit she wore in a Pepsi commercial.

"We've got a signed, limited-edition Michael Jackson doll and a signed bedsheet of his also signed by MACAULAY CULKIN. We also bought some outfits from Batman, like The Riddler's, and some clown thing."

Sounds like they didn't know quite what they were bidding for - but some of their haul is pictured below.

The Britney suit has a signed white jacket cuff. Other buys include a Batman gang costume, Demolition Man police uniform and DEAN CAIN Superman kit.

They plan to use some of the new outfits on tour, maybe in 2011. John added: "We bought these spaceman and Superman costumes. They will look awesome on stage."

Edward said they now have £2million in the bank but have not bought "anything else". And they will cash in more with gigs like the Scooby-Doo! one pictured here.

They sang with the cartoon character at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, south London, to launch a UK tour of kids' Scooby show the Mystery Mansion.

Even more dough will roll in if they crack the States - and they already have a big fan in KATY PERRY.

They met the US singer at The X Factor studios on Sunday before she sang on the show and they chatted later on The Xtra Factor.

Edward said: "Katy told us we're the perfect pop act and were really, really cool. We are preparing for America and hope they like us."

With their gallons of hair gel and all this junk they won't be travelling light.

The Sun
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Michael Jackson memorabilia fetches $1M in China

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:25:00 +0000

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An auction of some 100 items of Michael Jackson memorabilia has fetched more than $1 million, with a basketball autographed by the late singer and Michael Jordan netting $245,000.

Showing the lingering appeal of the "King of Pop," the sale Saturday in the southern Chinese city of Macau drew bidders from around the world.

An unidentified Internet bidder paid $180,000 for a black crystal-studded glove and an arm brace Jackson wore while filming a promotional video for his 1995 album "HIStory." An Internet bidder also bought the basketball.

Of the 435 items up for sale, other non-Jackson items sold included a costume worn by Bruce Lee during the filming of "Game of Death" and a costume Madonna donned during her Girlie Show world tour.

journalgazette
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Michael Jackson's videos released

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:25:00 +0000

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Michael Jackson's video for One More Chance is being released for the first time.

The clip is included in a complete library of the late star's videos which is being restored and rereleased.

The Michael Jackson's Vision box set includes more than four hours of material, including the full version of Black Or White, which was cut short after its initial release due to violent imagery and Jackson's gyrations.

Jackson also made a short film for the song One More Chance, which was never released. He was charged with sexual molestation in 2003, right around the time the single was released. He was acquitted in that case.

Other videos include Martin Scorsese-directed Bad and his most famous video, Thriller.

belfasttelegraph
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Michael Jackson remembered as 'greatest entertainer of all time'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:25:00 +0000

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Even in death, the King of Pop was still able to fill a stadium, reroute traffic, shut down a city core and elicit worldwide emotion.

Michael Jackson’s family, close friends and 11,000 fans from around the world — including some Canadians — crowded into L.A.’s downtown Staples Center on Tuesday for a star-packed public memorial to the singer. Meanwhile, thousands of Jackson fans — lacking tickets to the indoor event — packed downtown streets in testament to the superstar’s “black or white” message of world unity.

“He’s not really gone,” music legend Smokey Robinson said during the memorial. “He is going to live forever and ever and ever. I’m glad I got to live in an era to see . . . the greatest entertainer of all times.”

R&B star Usher, who said he owes everything he is to Jackson, stood beside the casket during the memorial and was overcome with emotion as he performed a song called Gone Too Soon, written by Robinson. After he finished the song, he hugged Jackson’s family members.

The masses gathered outside were overcome by similar emotions. Amid barking vendors and a phalanx of international TV reporters, smiling fans exuded the same unmistakable sentiment: glad to just to be part of it all.

Each fan seemed to celebrate Jackson’s memory by sporting one of the several iconic images made famous by the singer — Japanese girls wearing surgical masks, a German man in black hat and white socks, young boys sporting black hats and bow ties. Helicopters criss-crossed the warm summer sky as hundreds of police officers — on bikes, on foot, in cars and on horseback — were on hand to cope with fans not lucky enough to get inside.

One man who preferred to be on the outside looking in was 56-year-old Bill Nealy of Los Angeles.

“I went to the Friday tribute for Michael and I heard people talking Japanese, Korean, German — and that’s why I came today,” he said. “Think of all the languages.

“To me, that’s the tribute to Michael . . . I was lifted up by all these people from all over the world.”

The African-American Nealy, who grew up near Waco, Texas, said Jackson and the Jackson 5 changed his life, proving by example that racial barriers could be broken.

Those who spoke at the service said they were inspired by Jackson, who died at age 50 on June 25.

Singer and actor Queen Latifah shared a poem and recalled dancing to Jackson’s music when she was young. “We never felt distant, we felt like he was right there,” she told the crowd. “He made you believe in yourself.”

Towards the end of the ceremony, Jackson’s 11-year-old daughter Paris spoke to the crowd, a first public appearance by one of Jackson’s three children, who have lived away from the public eye.

“Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you can ever imagine,” she said, crying and holding on to her aunt, Janet Jackson. “And I just wanted to say I love him so much.”

Jackson’s glittering, gold-trimmed casket was placed at the front of the stage covered in red flowers and wreaths.

The crowd outside began forming at daybreak, and began building an orderly sidewalk festival.

A select few, drawn at random earlier in a ticket lottery, flashed gold wristbands to a throng of black-clad police officers, elbowing through a gauntlet of envious fans, on their way inside the Staples Center.

Ticket holders predominantly wore black — black shawls and jackets, pork pie hats, black shoes.

One man arrived fittingly under a black umbrella similar to the one made famous by the pop singer during his court appearances. Fans sporting wristbands revealed they were from places as diverse as Texas, Scotland and Germany.

Photographs, CDs, buttons and T-shirts were being sold by vendors shoulder-to-shoulder on the sidewalks. One vendor sold silver gloves from a box she carried.

She claimed to have sold 150 gloves in two hours.

Geraldine Hughes sold copies of her book, Redemption, about Jackson’s court battles. “I was on the inside of the accuser’s camp,” she said referring to criminal allegations made against Jackson more than a decade ago. “I watched how he was set up. This book tells how they did it.”

The luck of lottery draw left many fans — including many Canadians — high and dry.

Former Ottawa Rough Rider cheerleader Tammy Laverty has carved out a niche for herself in Los Angeles singing both the Canadian and American national anthems at the Staples Center.

“I would not have ended up on that stage at Staples Center if it wasn’t for Michael Jackson,” she said after the memorial. “The first show I ever did was Thriller in Ottawa at the High School of Commerce. I grew up loving Michael Jackson.”

When her hero died, Laverty felt compelled to show how much the artist meant to her. She drove to his Neverland Ranch on Friday and, before that, had visited his star in Hollywood.

“I was very disappointed, but then many people were disappointed that they couldn’t attend,” she said, adding that she and a half-dozen other Canadian fans met at the Staples Center following the memorial.

Almost everybody seemed to want to savour the historic event.

An ambulance attendant circling the arena snapped photos of the crowds with his cellphone. Riot police were on hand but were seen laughing with their fellow officers, riot helmets in hand. At least one man was grabbed by four police officers and escorted away from the crowd for allegedly selling fake wristbands.

Several LAPD officers approached vendors about their merchandise, and some were told to leave the area. But most simply stayed in the crowd to be part of history.

Those who waited without any hope they would see the show got a show of their own — a heart-shaped smoke-ring the size of a city block created by a pilot in the skies over the Staples Center.

“We can’t help but love you forever Michael,” said Stevie Wonder, as he played a tribute song on the piano. Jackson’s children and family members watched from the audience, some wearing sparkly white gloves, a Jackson trademark.

Lionel Richie also performed a song in tribute, as a montage of Jackson’s life and career played on a massive television screen.

Towards the end of the celebration, celebrities joined family members on stage to sing some of Jackson’s hits, including the famous song We are the World.

An Edmonton couple who attended the memorial is still reeling emotionally from the experience.

“It was absolutely amazing, it really was,” a giddy Derek McCurdy said Tuesday by phone from L.A. while he and wife Lori filed out of the Staples Center. “It was surprisingly moving, too. Much more of a memorial than I expected it to be. I was expecting more of a rock concert atmosphere.”

“I’m honoured to be able to be with the crowd that’s here to celebrate his life,” Lori McCurdy said. “We got to witness history.”

One of the highlights, the couple said, was the Jackson family’s rendition of We Are The World, which brought the crowd to its feet. “It sounds incredibly cheesy, I know, but it really wasn’t,” Derek said.

“Everyone got up, we were all swaying with the music,” Lori added. “Everyone knows that song.”

With files from Vancouver Sun and Edmonton Journal

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Michael Jackson sign is restored at Hollywood school

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 14:25:00 +0000

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For seven years, the gleaming silver letters that once proclaimed the Michael Jackson Auditorium at Gardner Street Elementary School in Hollywood were hidden behind white plywood boards.

The boards had been placed there to hide the name of the pop singer at the behest of parents shortly after Jackson was arrested on suspicion of child molestation in 2003. Since his death last year, fans had rallied for the restoration of the sign, which they saw as a symbol of Jackson’s legacy.

Now, Jackson’s name gleams again.

Los Angeles Unified School District Supt. Ramon C. Cortines ordered the boards stripped away Friday "in recognition of Michael Jackson’s musical legacy and contribution to modern culture."

A school district spokesman said the decision was made in large part because Jackson had been acquitted of criminal charges in the molestation case.

On Friday night, a Facebook page calling for the restoration of the sign was overflowing with joyous comments.

"I could cry!!" one person wrote. "I wish he were here to see this!!"

On the page, devotees from places as far away as Japan and Sri Lanka posted photos of themselves holding handmade posters calling for the boards to be stripped away.

Fans had planned to show up at a school board meeting Tuesday to demand that the sign be revealed.

Jackson was briefly enrolled as a student at Gardner Street Elementary. In 1969, he and his family moved to Los Angeles from Gary, Ind., so that Jackson and his brothers could make a record with Motown.

Jackson was an 11-year-old sixth-grader at the school when the Jackson 5 released their debut album, a smash hit that foreshadowed Jackson’s record-breaking solo career.

The Gardner auditorium was dedicated to Jackson in 1989. He attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony, where the school's choir sang "We Are the World," a tune Jackson co-wrote.

An illustration of Jackson's face was posted in the auditorium in 1989, and a picture depicting the singer surrounded by children was hung in the main office. The auditorium drawing was removed several years ago because it kept falling down. The picture in the office also was removed to make room for a new intercom system.

-- Kate Linthicum latimesblogs

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Witness: Michael Jackson doctor interrupted CPR

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 05:00:00 +0000

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Michael Jackson's doctor halted CPR on the dying pop star and delayed calling paramedics so he could collect drug vials at the scene, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press that shed new light on the singer's chaotic final moments.

The explosive allegation that Dr. Conrad Murray may have tried to hide evidence is likely to be a focus as prosecutors move ahead with their involuntary manslaughter case against him.

The account was given to investigators by Alberto Alvarez, Jackson's logistics director, who was summoned to the stricken star's side as he was dying on June 25. His statement and those from two other Jackson employees also obtained by the AP paint a grisly scene in Jackson's bedroom.

Alvarez told investigators that he rushed to Jackson's room and saw the star lying in his bed, an IV attached to his leg. Jackson's mouth was agape, eyes open and there was no sign of life. Murray worked frantically, at one point performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Alvarez took over CPR.

Two of the star's children, Prince and Paris, came in the room and cried as they saw Murray trying to save their father. A nanny was called to usher them away and they were taken to wait outside in a vehicle.

The documents also detail an odd encounter with Murray after Jackson was declared dead at a nearby hospital. Murray insisted he needed to return to the mansion to get cream that Jackson had "so the world wouldn't find out about it," according to the statements, which provide no elaboration.

Murray's lawyer, Ed Chernoff, rejected the notion his client tried to hide drugs. He also noted Alvarez was interviewed twice by police and gave different accounts of what happened in Jackson's bedroom. During the first interview, Alvarez made no mention of being told to tidy away medicine vials.

"He didn't say any of those things, then two months later, all of a sudden, the doc is throwing bottles into the bag," Chernoff said. "Alvarez's statement is inconsistent with his previous statement. We will deal with that at trial."

Alvarez and the others who gave the statements, Jackson's personal assistant Michael Amir Williams and driver/bodyguard Faheem Muhammad, could be key witnesses should Murray go to trial. Except for the brief appearances by the nanny and the children, Alvarez and Muhammad were the only others in the room with Murray as he tried to save Jackson before paramedics arrived.

Alvarez's attorney, Carl Douglas, declined to be interviewed for this story.

Jackson, 50, hired Murray to be his personal physician as he prepared for a series of comeback performances in London. He was participating in strenuous rehearsals and Murray would routinely meet him at the star's home in the evening for treatments.

The Los Angeles coroner ruled Jackson's death a homicide caused by an overdose of the powerful anesthetic propofol and two other sedatives given to get the chronic insomniac to sleep. Propofol, a milky white liquid, is supposed to be administered only by anesthesia professionals in medical settings. Patients require constant monitoring because the drug depresses breathing and heart rate while lowering blood pressure, a potentially deadly combination.

Murray, 57, a cardiologist licensed in Nevada, California and Texas, has acknowledged briefly leaving Jackson's bedside the day he died but maintained from the outset that nothing he gave the singer should have killed him. It wasn't illegal for him to administer propofol, though whether he followed proper procedures while Jackson was under the influence is a key part of the case.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown's office has asked a court to suspend Murray's license pending the outcome of criminal proceedings against him.

Alvarez, Muhammad and Williams are all represented by Douglas and gave their statements separately on Aug. 31 at the lawyer's Beverly Hills office. None of the three has spoken publicly about the events of June 25.

Alvarez told police he arrived at Jackson's home around 10:20 a.m. He was awaiting instructions for the day in a security trailer outside Jackson's rented mansion when, at 12:17 p.m., his phone rang. It was Williams.

Williams told Alvarez that Murray had just called to say Jackson was in trouble. Alvarez rushed into the mansion and up the stairs to Jackson's room, where he saw Murray standing at the pop star's bedside, performing CPR with one hand, according to the statements.

Alvarez asked the doctor what had happened.

"He had a reaction, he had a bad reaction," Murray replied, according to Alvarez's statement.

Murray then grabbed a few vials with rubber tops and told Alvarez to put them in a bag, Alvarez told investigators. Alvarez picked up a plastic bag from the floor and Murray put the bottles inside, then Murray told Alvarez to put that plastic bag inside a brown canvas bag, according to the account.

Alvarez said Murray then told him to remove an IV bag from a stand and put it in a blue canvas bag. He did, and noticed the bag had a connector with a milky white substance in it. Alvarez didn't say what happened to the bags, nor did he identify what was in the vials.

Two days after Jackson's death, under several hours of questioning by police, Murray eventually directed them to a closet in Jackson's bedroom. In it, they found propofol and other sedatives in a bag.

On the day Jackson died, Murray waited until the bags were filled before telling Alvarez to call 911, according to Alvarez's statement.

"I need an ambulance as soon as possible," Alvarez told a dispatcher. "We have a gentleman here that needs help and he's not breathing."

The dispatcher told Alvarez to put Jackson on the floor.

At that moment, Muhammad rushed into the room and began helping with chest compressions while Murray attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Murray told the men it was his first time performing CPR, Alvarez said, though Chernoff said Murray had administered CPR many times before.

Murray then placed a dark brown machine with wires onto Jackson's fingers, Alvarez said. Police later said they found a pulse oximeter at Jackson's home, a medical device that shows heart rate and the amount of oxygen in the blood.

By 12:27 p.m., paramedics arrived at the house. According to their report, Jackson was not breathing and had no pulse at 12:29 p.m. However, Murray stated he could feel a weak pulse in Jackson's upper thigh area, Alvarez and Muhammad said.

According to the paramedic report, emergency responders tried two rounds of resuscitation attempts and were ready to discontinue treatment, but Murray said he would take responsibility and insisted resuscitation be continued in the ambulance.

At 1:07 p.m., the singer was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where doctors attempted a range of resuscitation techniques. Jackson was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m.

At the hospital, after the death had been called, Williams said he saw Murray crying.

Murray asked Williams if he or someone else could take him back to the mansion so he could pick up the cream, according to Williams' statement.

Williams said he didn't think it was a good idea for Murray to return to the house. He spoke to Muhammad and they agreed they wouldn't take Murray back. They concocted a story that police had taken all the keys to the vehicles as part of the investigation.

Murray said he would take a cab, and Williams said he saw him leave the hospital through a side door.By THOMAS WATKINS, Associated Press Writer
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60 unreleased Michael Jackson songs available for new albums

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:54:00 +0000

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The man who spearheaded the record-breaking deal in which Michael Jackson's estate will get up to $250 million in the next seven years said Sony Music Entertainment bought a treasure trove of new Jackson music, some of it recorded "quite recently," some in collaboration with other artists.

John Branca, who negotiated the deal along with co-executor John McClain and team of attorneys, was clearly elated about the deal. He said in an interview with The Associated Press that this is only the first of more deals that will bring Jackson's music to his fans and introduce it to a world of potential new fans.

"The remarkable thing is to make the biggest deal in history in a market with declining record sales. It's a pretty big thing," Branca said. "It's a testament to Michael's incredible talent and his music. It's really an honour to be part of this."

He added that "there's more to come" but declined to elaborate. He also would not discuss the finances or specific details of the deal.

Branca is the lawyer who met the superstar singer when both were young men and is seen as the architect of Jackson's financial empire. They worked together for 30 years.

He and John McClain, a lifelong Jackson friend and music producer, are co-administrators of the Jackson estate. The estate has benefited from their deal to release the movie This is It compiled from footage of rehearsals for a series of concerts that was in preparation when Jackson died last June at age 50.

Branca said he is convinced that Jackson would be delighted with the results of their negotiations.

"John McClain said it best," Branca said. "He said that Michael probably wouldn't have wanted This is It released because he was such a perfectionist and it was rehearsal footage. But if he had seen that we could get $60 million for his mother and children and it became the biggest concert movie of all time, he would have said, 'Thank you very much.' "

He said he has not heard all of the 60 plus songs discovered by McClain but he said what he has heard is "classic Michael Jackson." Among the songs are two recordings that were never released that he made for charity with other stars. There are also songs he recorded for his famous albums that were never included in the final product.

"Michael had a tendency to over-record," Branca said. "He would record 20, 30, 40 songs for one album. These are the vintage songs."

The recent material was recorded within the last three years. The old and the new are likely to be combined on some of the albums to come, he said.

Among the songs in Jackson's vault is a collaboration with Paul Anka on a song called, "Love Never Felt So Good," which Branca described as "quite good."

Beyond the recorded material, he said Jackson left more songs that he composed but that don't have his voice on them. They would not have the same value, he said.

When he died, Jackson left recorded music including studio sessions from some of his most-popular albums and recently recorded songs made with the likes of Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am.

Branca noted that Jackson did not release a huge number of albums in his lifetime and his last one was nine years ago. He said the legacy of unreleased material is far more than what was left by Elvis Presley. He said Jackson's fan base is also larger, stretching around the globe.

"He is one of the most recognized figures in the world, along with Muhammad Ali," said Branca. He noted that two-thirds of record and movie ticket sales for This is It were outside the United States.

Under the deal officially announced Tuesday, Sony has guaranteed Jackson's estate $200 million for 10 projects over the next seven years. (The total includes last year’s soundtrack to This Is It.) If certain conditions are met, the payment could rise to $250 million.

Since Jackson's death, McClain has combed through boxes of tapes and recordings Jackson left behind. McClain and Branca each stand to make 5 cents on every new dollar of revenue brought into the estate.

Even if only half of the 60 songs discovered by McClain are commercially viable, that would be enough for two or three albums. And some songs could also be packaged with already-heard material. That likely wouldn't detract from a new album's value. It might even add to it, because fans have been flocking to known commodities in music.

For example, 14 remastered albums from The Beatles catalogue sold 13 million copies worldwide in the four months after they were released last September. Bob Seger's Greatest Hits, an album that came out in 1994, was the best-selling catalogue album of the last decade, with 9 million albums sold to date.

Jackson's own two-disc set that accompanied the concert rehearsal footage in This Is It has sold 5 million copies, and it had only one new song. That was the title song, which Jackson wrote with Anka around the time the Thriller album was becoming a blockbuster.

With the album selling for $10 to $14, the revenue generated from sales is already well beyond the tens of millions of dollars needed to cover the per-project guarantees Sony is promising.

"He always said his children would never have anything to worry about because he had volumes of songs to release," said Raymone Bain, who began representing Jackson during his child molestation trial in 2005, in an interview Tuesday.

Bain, who is also suing the estate for fees, said Jackson told her he had "thousands of recordings" that he wanted to aim at a youthful audience, and spent nights during the trial writing new tunes as therapy.

"He wanted to prove to a new demographic group that he was still a major player in the industry," she said. "That's why he added Akon and Fergie and will.i.am to the 25th anniversary recording of Thriller."

Releases from well-established artists have other advantages. An older fan base is more accustomed to buying whole albums than are younger fans familiar with free song-swapping online. A long sales history also makes it easier to evaluate what catalogues are worth.

"It's unusual for a deal like that not to make money for a distributor," said Lawrence Kenswil, an entertainment attorney at Loeb & Loeb in Los Angeles and former executive with Universal Music Group. "It's a safer bet than betting on the future of unknown artists."

Speculation on exactly what unreleased songs exist (and how good they are) has been rampant since the King of Pop's death. Many who collaborated with Jackson in his later years have discussed their work with him, including will.i.am and Akon, who is a Senegalese R&B singer.

Whatever the unreleased material comprises, the Sony deal suggested that repurposing Jackson material across several formats — from DVDs to video games — will be of particular importance.
Linda Deutsch and Ryan Nakashima The Associated Press
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Sony bets MJ fans won't stop 'til they get enough

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:40:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

The record-breaking deal in which Michael Jackson's estate will get up to $250 million in the next seven years probably isn't a huge gamble for the company that will pay the money out, Sony Music Entertainment.

Before he died last June at age 50, Jackson, a prolific songwriter, left dozens of unreleased recordings that are sure to be in high demand. Those include studio sessions from some of his best albums and recently recorded songs made with the likes of Black Eyed Peas frontman will.i.am.

Under a deal officially announced Tuesday, Sony has guaranteed Jackson's estate $200 million for 10 projects over the next seven years. One of them, a movie and album called "This Is It," was already completed. If certain conditions are met, the payment could rise to $250 million.

Since Jackson's death, estate co-administrator John McClain, a childhood friend and Jackson producer, has combed through boxes of tapes and recordings Jackson left behind. McClain and the other co-administrator, John Branca, who cut the Sony deal, each stand to make 5 percent on every new dollar of revenue brought into the estate.

McClain found about 60 songs in various forms that have never been released, according to people familiar with the songs, who spoke on condition of anonymity because what will be done with the material remains in flux.

Even if only half of them are commercially viable, that would be enough for two or three albums. And some songs could also be packaged with already-heard material. That likely wouldn't detract from a new album's value. It might even add to it, because fans have been flocking to known commodities in music.

For example, 14 remastered albums from The Beatles catalog sold 13 million copies worldwide in the four months after they were released last September. Bob Seger's "Greatest Hits," an album that came out in 1994, was the best-selling catalog album of the last decade, with 9 million albums sold to date.

Jackson's own two-disc set that accompanied the concert rehearsal footage in "This Is It" has sold 5 million copies, and it had only one new song. That was the title song, which Jackson wrote with Paul Anka around the time the "Thriller" album was becoming a smash hit.

With the album selling for $10 to $14, the revenue generated from sales is already well beyond the tens of millions of dollars needed to cover the per-project guarantees Sony is promising.

"He always said his children would never have anything to worry about because he had volumes of songs to release," said Raymone Bain, who began representing Jackson during his child molestation trial in 2005, in an interview Tuesday.

Bain, who is also suing the estate for fees, said Jackson told her he had "thousands of recordings" that he wanted to aim at a youthful audience, and spent nights during the trial writing new tunes as therapy.

"He wanted to prove to a new demographic group that he was still a major player in the industry," she said. "That's why he added Akon and Fergie and will.i.am to the 25th anniversary recording of `Thriller.'"

Releases from well-established artists have other advantages. An older fan base is more accustomed to buying whole albums than are younger fans familiar with free song-swapping online. A long sales history also makes it easier to evaluate what catalogs are worth.

"It's unusual for a deal like that not to make money for a distributor," said Lawrence Kenswil, an entertainment attorney at Loeb & Loeb in Los Angeles and former executive with Universal Music Group. "It's a safer bet than betting on the future of unknown artists."

Speculation on exactly what unreleased songs exist (and how good they are) has been rampant since the King of Pop's death. Many who collaborated with Jackson in his later years have discussed their work with him, including will.i.am and Akon, who is a Senegalese R&B singer.

Tommy Mottola, who from 1998 to 2003 was chairman and CEO of Sony Music, said last summer that Jackson's posthumous releases could outsell even those from Elvis Presley, whose voice has graced around 300 compilation albums since his death in 1977.

Several unreleased Jackson songs have leaked, though many of them are in dubious forms. A 24-second clip of the song "A Place With No Name" was on TMZ.com shortly after Jackson's death. A track Jackson recorded with Lenny Kravitz, "Another Day," also got out last year, though Kravitz said it wasn't a proper, finished version of the song.

Whatever the unreleased material comprises, the Sony deal suggested that repurposing Jackson material across several formats — from DVDs to video games — will be of particular importance.

Last week, Sony Music's Legacy Recordings, in partnership with Jimi Hendrix's estate, released a new album of Hendrix material nearly 40 years after his death. "Valleys of Neptune," which cobbled together unfinished recordings mostly from 1969, has received largely positive reviews.

But even that album, which follows many other posthumous releases from Hendrix, is just a part of a new legacy launch. The Experience Hendrix, which is led by Hendrix's stepsister Janie Hendrix and oversees his musical estate, also rereleased Hendrix's "Live at Woodstock" in Blu-ray and regular DVD and the three Jimi Hendrix Experience albums. There's also a Hendrix "Rock Band" video game in the works, as well as a larger anthology collection.

The Hendrix reboot could very well serve as a mere rehearsal for what Sony has in store for Jackson.

___

AP Entertainment Writers Jake Coyle in New York and Anthony McCartney in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
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Michael Jackson's Death Tops MTV News' 'Top 9 Of '09' Moments

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:52:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Looking back on 2009, it's hard to believe that all the madness, sadness, scandal, success and mayhem was contained in a mere 365 days. This year we swung from the depths of grief with the death of Michael Jackson to the heights of history during President Barack Obama's inauguration and back down to the bottom thanks to the Tiger Woods scandal and Kanye West's VMAs bum-rush of Taylor Swift.

There were, of course, plenty of other high points, from the insanity surrounding the "Twilight Saga: New Moon" release and the breathless chatter about Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart's alleged relationship, to the hilarity of the Eminem/Brüno incident at the MTV Movie Awards. The pulsing soundtrack to the whole maddening mess was provided, of course, by MTV News' Woman of the Year, Lady Gaga.

We tried to be everywhere for you this year, covering all the major events and news stories, offering the first peeks at videos and listens to the hottest albums while spending way more time than we would like to think about monitoring celebrity Twitter accounts. But, after careful consideration, we've boiled down the "Top 9 of '09" events that rocked our world this year.

Here's the countdown:

9. Miley Cyrus Quits Twitter
Where were you when you heard the news? No, not about MJ, but the bombshell that MTV's #5 Woman of the Year, Miley Cyrus, took leave of Twitter after months of furious updating. Her 2 million followers were stunned and complained that the micro-blogging service "sucks without Miley," but she softened the blow somewhat by posting a YouTube video in which she rapped her reasons for leaving.

8. Brüno Lands On Eminem
Not quite as earth-shattering but equally eye-opening was the surprise crash landing gay Austrian fashion correspondent Brüno made into Eminem's lap at the MTV Movie Awards in May. After nearly four years out of the spotlight, Eminem made his return to the limelight just in time to shake hands with Brüno's backside in one of the most talked-about awards show moments of the year, if not all time.

7. Lady Gaga Makes Her Mark
Nobody owned the airwaves and screens in 2009 like Lady Gaga. The high-concept dancing queen had one of the year's top-selling albums with The Fame and made a statement at every awards show on which she appeared, with high-tech costumes, theatrical performances and bizarre masks that failed to hide her sparkling persona. She saved some of the best for last with the November MTV debut of the mind-bending "Bad Romance" video, which featured razor-blade sunglasses and sparks-spewing underwear.

6. "New Moon" Fever Strikes
Aside from Gaga, the other obsession we couldn't shake in 2009 was the breathless wait for the release of the "Twilight" sequel "New Moon." From the slow reveal of the trailer to the details of the movie's smash opening weekend, we took you behind the scenes for every step of the journey, though even we couldn't unravel the truth behind the alleged relationship between co-stars Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart.

5. Tiger Woods Falls From Grace
Celebrity scandals don't get much bigger than the Titanic Tiger Woods Meltdown. The world's #1 golfer and the highest-paid athlete in the history of the planet saw his closely guarded, private world blown to smithereens this year when a mysterious early-morning Thanksgiving car crash opened up a clown car worth of alleged girlfriends (14 at last count) claiming that they had been intimate with the married father of two. The cavalcade included a pair of porn stars, a former Playboy model, club hostesses, swimsuit models, a pancake-house waitress, a Trashy Girls Lingerie model and a pair of cougars. Woods announced he was taking a break from golf to try to repair his marriage, which appeared headed for divorce.

4. Barack Obama Becomes President
January started off the year with a positive bang, as former Illinois Senator Barack Obama became the country's first black president. MTV News was there on that cold winter morning when Obama took the oath of office on President Abraham Lincoln's bible (twice, actually) and was serenaded by the likes of U2, Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé, and we partied down that night at the Be the Change inaugural ball with Fall Out Boy, Kanye West and a special appearance by the new president himself.

3. Kanye West Interrupts Taylor Swift Onstage
It should go without saying, but it's never a good thing when the president calls you a "jackass." Yet that was Kanye West's fate after the rapper bum-rushed country cutie Taylor Swift at the MTV Video Music Awards with the now infamous rant, "Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time!" The tipsy MC was asked to leave the event shortly thereafter, and despite a number of public and private apologies, he became the butt of innumerable jokes, parodies and skits at awards shows and on late-night talk programs. Following the deluge of bad press, MTV News' #7 Man of the Year took a breather from the spotlight, while our #2 Woman of the Year cemented her status as one of the year's breakout stars with her top-selling Fearless album and a slew of artist-of-the-year awards.

2. Chris Brown Assaults Rihanna
They were the glamorous R&B couple who seemed to have it all: love, success, beauty and talent. But in February, it all came crashing down when singer Chris Brown brutally assaulted former girlfriend Rihanna in a rented Lamborghini on the eve of the Grammy Awards. Brown avoided trial by pleading guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to 180 days of labor service and five years' probation, while Rihanna went into seclusion after graphic photos of her battered face were published. Both singers released new albums in late 2009, with Rihanna having modest success, while Brown appeared to be struggling to regain his pre-arrest footing.

1. Michael Jackson Dies
There are few moments in life when you can remember exactly where you were when you heard the news. Michael Jackson's death on June 25 was one of them. MTV News' Man of the Year was on the cusp of what might have been the comeback of the century when he died of cardiac arrest at age 50 in a rented Los Angeles mansion after taking a lethal dose of a surgical anesthetic. The world grieved, celebrated his storied career and watched teary eyed as his 11-year-old daughter bid an emotional farewell at his memorial ceremony. Fans didn't forget the King of Pop, flocking to screenings of a documentary, "Michael Jackson's This Is It," cobbled together from his final rehearsals, which grossed more than $100 million internationally on its opening weekend.

This report is from MTV News.
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Michael Jackson's legacy continues with £132m deal

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:52:00 +0000

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Nine months after his untimely death, Michael Jackson has secured the biggest record deal in history.

The singer's estate has signed a £132 million, seven-year contract with Sony Music for ten projects, including an album of never-before-heard songs, a video game and the re-release of his hugely successful album 'Off The Wall'.

The deal may also include a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas based on the king of pop's hits.

Since he passed away last June, 31,000,000 of his albums have been sold, earning more than £165 million.

'This Is It', a feature film of rehearsal footage from his London concert, has also taken £160million at the box office.(hellomagazine.com)
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Gary adds more facilities to Michael Jackson plans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:51:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Plans to honor late pop icon Michael Jackson and his family's Gary roots have expanded to possibly include a golf course and an amusement park with characteristics of Jackson's Neverland Ranch and the former Riverview Park amusement park in Chicago.

The latest addition to plans that already include a Jackson family museum, a performing arts center and a 300-room hotel is slated to be built on about 100 acres of city-owned vacant land along I-94, said Odie Anderson, who is president of the project.

The museum, performing arts center and hotel likely will be built on 10 acres of city-owned land downtown, Anderson said.

"Everything is in the planning stages at this point, but we're moving on a fast track and we're looking forward to actually breaking ground sometime in 2010," Anderson said.

The project likely will be built in phases, with the museum, arts center and hotel first, followed by the golf course and theme park.

Private donors would foot most of the bill, but Anderson said he's looking to Gary for tax incentives. By Kristen Schorsch / Chicago Tribune
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Michael Jackson Tribute Show Canceled … For Good This Time

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:51:00 +0000

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The tribute show Jermaine Jackson had been organizing for his late brother Michael has been canceled for the second time. And this time it’s for good.

The event organizers, World Awards Media, canceled the first show, which was supposed to be held in Vienna, Austria, in September 2009 due to promoters having issues securing big name stars to perform at the event. The show had since been rescheduled for London was supposed to be held in the summer of 2010, but a decision was made last month to dissolve the company behind the project.

Martin Schneider, liquidator for the organizers, said: “The company cannot sign any new contracts and will certainly not plan any new events.”

Jermaine had been trying to get big names like Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, and Natalie Cole to perform at the Vienna concert, which was canceled shortly after the King of Pop’s brother began organizing it. No names had been announced for the London concert, which has also been canceled. (gossiponthis)
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Michael Jackson memorial project plans expand in Gary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:51:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Plans to honor late pop icon Michael Jackson and his family's roots in Gary have expanded to possibly include a golf course and an amusement park with characteristics of Jackson's Neverland Ranchand the former Riverview Amusement Park in Chicago.

The latest addition to plans that already include a Jackson family museum, a performing arts center and a 300-room hotel are to be built on about 100 acres of city-owned vacant land along Interstate Highway 94, said Odie Anderson, a Tinley Park resident who is president of the project.

The museum, performing arts center and hotel likely will be built on 10 acres of city-owned land in downtown Gary, Anderson said.

"Everything is in the planning stages at this point, but we're moving on a fast track and we're looking forward to actually breaking ground some time in 2010," Anderson said.

The project likely will be built in phases, with the museum, arts center and hotel built first, followed by the golf course and theme park. Then developers might build a monorail system to connect the two areas, Anderson said. If the monorail system was built, he estimates the entire project would cost $1 billion over a 10-year construction period.

Private donors would foot the bulk of the bill, but Anderson said he's also looking to Gary for tax incentives. He would not say how much money has been raised since Gary Mayor Rudy Clay in October announced two foundations created to raise money for the project.

Project officials still are considering whether to build a replica of the Jackson family home or have a bus tour of the Jackson family's former haunts.

In addition to having some of the characteristics of Neverland Ranch in California, the theme park's design also would be influenced by the former Riverview Park amusement park on Chicago's Northwest Side. The park would have roller coasters, trains and other rides familiar to anyone who sought thrills at Riverview or Neverland, Anderson said.

"We're trying to extract the best and come up with a combination that made Riverview so attractive for kids of all ages as well as (have) special themes of Neverland that would be reminiscent of the Jacksons," Anderson said.

Some Gary City Council members say they have yet to be briefed on the latest plans.

kschorsch@tribune.com
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Newly released documents show FBI feared terrorist attack following Jackson arrest

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:51:00 +0000

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Police concerns about a terrorist attack stemming from the 2003 arrest of Michael Jackson led to a request for federal help, according to FBI files kept on the late pop star.

The Santa Maria Police Department in California asked for FBI "involvement" after Jackson was arrested for child molestation. Police, according to the FBI, said they believed the court case would be a "soft target" for terrorism because of "worldwide media coverage."

The FBI concluded there were no threats, but did note the presence in an early court appearance of "The Nation of Islam, represented by its security unit Fruits of Islam," and of a "New Black Panther Party" member whose name was left blank in the files.

The documents, more than 300 pages and dating from 1992 to 2005, were released Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request from The Associated Press and other media.

The documents include death threats against Jackson by a man who also cited
then-President George H.W. Bush and mob boss John Gotti as possible targets.

A letter obtained by the FBI, dated July 6, 1992, states: "I decided that because
nobody is taking me serious, and I can't handle my state of mind, that I am going to
Washington D.C. to threaten to kill the President of the United States, George Bush."

The letter also says, "Michael (Jackson) I will personally attempt to kill, if he
doesn't pay me my money." One of the documents, written by the L.A. City Attorney's
office, indicated on June 22, 1992, the author of the letter "arrives in Calif." and
"Threatens to kill."

The FBI said the person who wrote the letter was charged with extortion, pleaded
guilty and was sentenced to prison in 1993.

The files also show that the FBI's legal office in London assisted local authorities
with a child molestation probe in 1993 and in 1995, U.S. customs officials asked the FBI to analyze a VHS videotape as part of a child pornography investigation.
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Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' to be preserved in U.S. film registry

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 03:51:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Michael Jackson's Thriller video, with that unforgettable graveyard dance, will rest among the nation's treasures in the world's largest archive of film, TV and sound recordings.

The 1983 music video directed by John Landis, though still the subject of lawsuits over profits, was one of 25 films to be inducted Wednesday for preservation in the 2009 National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

It's the first music video named to the registry. It had been considered in past years, but following Jackson's death, the time was right, said Steve Leggett, coordinator of the National Film Preservation Board.

"Because of the way the recording industry is evolving and changing, we thought it would be good to go back to the development of an earlier seismic shift, which was the development of the music video," he said.

Joining the King of Pop in the 2009 class will be the Muppets from 1979's The Muppet Movie— the first time on the big screen for Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy — and the 1957 sci-fi classic The Incredible Shrinking Man, among other titles.

The library works with film archives and movie studios to ensure original copies are kept safe. It also acquires a copy for preservation in its own vaults among millions of other recordings at the Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in the hills near Culpeper, Va.

"By preserving the nation's films, we safeguard a significant element of our cultural patrimony and history," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington.

Congress established the registry in 1989, which now totals 525 films. They are selected not as the "best" American films but instead for their enduring importance to U.S. culture.

The library selects films that are "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant after reviewing hundreds of titles nominated by the public and consulting with the National Film Preservation Board.

In The Muppet Movie, Kermit leads his fellow TV characters on a road trip to Hollywood where they meet Steve Martin, Mel Brooks and other actors with the magic of creators Jim Henson and Frank Oz.

Other notable titles include Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), directed by Sergio Leone, representing the "spaghetti western" genre that helped propel such rising stars as Clint Eastwood. The list also includes Bette Davis' Oscar-winning performance in Jezebel from 1938.

The oldest film inducted was Little Nemo from 1911, a mix of live action and animation adapted from Winsor McCay's comic strip Little Nemo in Slumberland. The film, highly advanced for its time, influenced future animators, including Walt Disney.

Regardless of ongoing legal disputes over rights to Jackson's Thriller, the library holds a copy submitted in 1984 for copyright purposes and will seek to acquire another for preservation. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
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Pop king Michael Jackson ruled Internet in 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:05:00 +0000

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The late King of Pop Michael Jackson ruled the Internet this year, with his name crowned the most popular search term at Google, Yahoo! and Bing.

Jackson dethroned pop princess Britney Spears, a controversy plagued music star that had reigned supreme in annual Top 10 search results at Yahoo! for the previous four years, the California-based Internet firm said Tuesday.

Spears was the fifth most popular search topic at Yahoo! in 2009, ranking behind Jackson; teenage vampire book and film series "Twilight," World Wrestling Entertainment, and rising star Megan Fox in that order.

"We saw consumers escape to the Web hoping to pursue news and their guilty pleasures: vampires, political implosions, how to moonwalk -- you name it, people went online to find it," said Yahoo! trend analyst Vera Chan.

"And with economic uncertainty looming, people looked for ways to find stability by searching the Web for new jobs, unemployment benefits, and ways to save through old-fashioned coupon hunting."

Jackson was also king of Google's list of fastest-rising searches this year, which included social networking websites, "Twilight," and US singer Lady Gaga.

Facebook came second on Google's "Zeitgeist" list, released by the California-based search engine, followed by Facebook's Spanish-language counterpart Tuenti in third place and micro-blogging site Twitter.

The Turkish website Sanalika was fifth ahead of "New Moon," the title of the popular vampire book from the "Twilight" series that was made into a movie.

New York-born Lady Gaga was in seventh place ahead of Windows 7, dantri.com.vn and torpedo gratis.

Google said it filtered out spam and repeat queries to build year-end search term lists "that best reflect the spirit of the times."

Microsoft, in a blog post late Sunday, said "Michael Jackson," "Twitter" and "Swine Flu" were the top three search topics of the year on Bing, which launched in June.

Others making the list of top 10 Bing searches were "Stock Market," "Farrah Fawcett," the actress who died in June, "Patrick Swayze," the actor who died in September, and "Jaycee Dugard," the California girl kidnapped at the age of 11 who turned up alive 18 years later.

Jackson died on June 25 in Los Angeles and an investigation into his death has focused on unlawful prescriptions of the powerful anesthetic propofol.

Microsoft said it had analyzed billions of search queries to come up with the list.

Global Language Monitor (GLM), a Texas-based company which analyzes and tracks language trends, said meanwhile that "Twitter" was the "Top Word of 2009."

"In a year dominated by world-shaking political events, a pandemic, the after effects of a financial tsunami and the death of a revered pop icon, the word Twitter stands above all the other words," said GLM president Paul Payack.

Other top words on the GLM list included "Obama," "Stimulus," "Vampire" and "Deficit."

GLM said it uses a "proprietary algorithm that tracks words and phrases in the media and on the Internet" to compile its rankings.

It said words are tracked in relation to "frequency, contextual usage and appearance in global media outlets, factoring in long-term trends, short-term changes, momentum and velocity."
(AFP - By by Glenn Chapman)

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JOE JACKSON UPSETS ESTATE BOSSES WITH SUBPOENAS FOR MEDICAL RECORDS

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:04:00 +0000

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Michael Jackson's father has launched a bid to seek more information about his son's death, which has infuriated the King of Pop's estate managers.

Joe Jackson has subpoenaed medical records from the UCLA Medical Center because he believes they could contain evidence of foul play in his son's June 2009 death.

His attorney, Brian Oxman, has sent two subpoenas to the UCLA Medical Center, where Jackson was pronounced dead on 25 June, according to TMZ.com.

Oxman is asking for a number of documents, including autopsy reports, photos and assessments.

Joe Jackson insists the whole Jackson clan is behind his latest action because they all believe the medical records will show what was in Jackson's body when he passed, and they believe the information will expose foul play.

But those in charge of the King of Pop's estate are far from happy with the move.
Estate lawyer Howard Weitzman has called the subpoenas "clearly improper" in a letter to Oxman, obtained by TMZ.com.

Weitzman claims the subpoenas violate Jackson's right of privacy and the physician/patient privilege.
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JACKSON'S THRILLER MAKES CONGRESS ARCHIVES

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:04:00 +0000

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Michael Jackson's classic THRILLER video will go down in U.S. history as a national treasure - the 1983 promo is set to be inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress.

The work of the late King of Pop is the first music video to make it into the archives, which preserves original copies of classic film, TV and other recordings at the Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center near Culpeper, Virginia.

However, Library officials will have to battle to obtain a copy of the horror video for preservation because it's currently the subject of a lawsuit between music video director John Landis and the tragic star's estate.

Landis, who directed and co-wrote the Thriller script, filed suit against Jackson in January 2009, claiming he's owed royalties for his work on the video.

Thriller will be entered into registry on Wednesday (30Dec09) alongside 24 other films including 1979's The Muppet Movie, 1957 sci-fi epic The Incredible Shrinking Man, Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), and Jezebel (1938), which starred Bette Davis. Share

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GEST WANTS HOTEL TO HOST JACKSON SHRINE

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:04:00 +0000

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DAVID GEST is planning to purchase a historic hotel in the U.K. and renovate it to include a museum for his late friend Michael Jackson.

The music producer, who divorced Liza Minnelli in 2003, is in talks to purchase the seaside St. Elizabeth's House in Plymouth, England - and he's already making plans for the hotel to house a tribute dedicated to the King of Pop.

He says, "I'm thinking of turning it into a whole different kind of hotel with more nightlife and atmosphere for Plymouth. My people are in touch. If the price is right - and not outrageous - I plan to buy it. I think my name would make it work.

"I'd like to see football teams staying there. I've always wanted to own a hotel and there's a consortium of friends who are entertainers that St. Elizabeth's would look good to. I want to bring a little bit of showbiz to the city."

Gest, who boasts an enormous collection of Jackson memorabilia, would also exhibit pieces once owned by The Doors rocker Jim Morrison.Share

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JOE JACKSON'S ATTORNEY ON PROBATION

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:04:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Michael Jackson's father JOE JACKSON has suffered another setback in his bid to receive a monthly stipend from his son’s estate - his attorney's law license has been placed on probation for two years.

Long-serving Jackson legal eagle Brian Oxman has been disciplined by California Supreme Court for failing to drop a 2002 federal lawsuit and ignoring an order to pay sanctions imposed against him.

He'll continue to represent Joe Jackson but Oxman's license could be suspended if he upsets lawmakers and regulators again.

The Jackson family patriarch has argued he should receive more than $15,000 (GBP9,400)-a-month. A hearing on his petition is scheduled for next month.Share

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Michael Jackson tops Web's search charts in 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:55:00 +0000

MICHAEL JACKSON29

Michael Jackson's stunning death made him the Internet's biggest star this year.

The quest to find out what happened to Michael Jackson in his final hours on June 25 and celebrate his legacy elevated the late entertainer to the top of the Internet's search charts for 2009. On Yahoo, it ended singer Britney Spears' four-year reign on top.

The annual lists released Tuesday were compiled separately by Google Inc. and Yahoo Inc., which combined handle two-thirds of the world's Internet searches.

Jackson also grabbed the top spot on the third-largest U.S. search engine, Microsoft Corp.'s Bing, which announced its rankings Sunday. AOL, which relies on Google's search technology, also had Jackson at No. 1.

The lists are meant to provide a reading on our cultural pulse.

As usual, people using Yahoo's search engine in 2009 seemed to be most interested in celebrities and other diversions, even against the sobering backdrop of the worst recession in 70 years.

Google's audience seem more interested in using the Internet to connect with friends and family.

The online hangout Facebook and Tuenti, a similar socializing site in Spain, both made Google's Top 10, as did the popular communications tool Twitter. Microsoft's latest Windows operating system also grabbed a spot. Singer Lady Gaga was the only other celebrity besides Jackson on Google's Top 10.

Google, which processes more than six times the search volume that Yahoo does, has had a more diverse mix in its annual search rankings. The self-proclaimed King of Pop follows former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (2008) and Apple Inc.'s iPhone (2007) in Google's top spot.

Besides Michael Jackson, the other new entrants on Yahoo's Top 10 list this year were: No. 2, "Twilight," the vampire story that has spawned two movies, including the recently released "New Moon," that are drawing hordes of teenage girls and their mothers; No. 4, Megan Fox, an actress who starred in the movie "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen;" No. 8, Kim Kardashian, part of a family with their own reality TV series; and No. 9, NASCAR, an automobile racing league.

"New Moon" also made Google's Top 10.

The other half of Yahoo's list consisted of 2008 holdovers. With the defending champion Spears dropping to fifth, the others were: No. 3, WWE, or World Wrestling Entertainment; No. 6, Naruto, a character created for the Japanese art form known as anime; No. 7, top-rated television series "American Idol;" and No. 10, RuneScape, an online video game.

Barack Obama made Yahoo's top searches list in 2008 as a presidential candidate and the President-elect, but fell off after he took office in 2009. The others falling out of the Top 10 were all actresses: Miley Cyrus, Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie.

Google also said Obama was among search requests that declined the most in 2009. Others losing steam included singer Amy Winehouse and actor Heath Ledger, whose January 2008 death triggered a searching frenzy.

Although the economy couldn't compete with entertainment in 2009, the hard times clearly weighed on people's minds. "Coupons" and "unemployment" were the most requested searches tied to finances, according to Yahoo.

Ask.com, another major search engine, focused its list on the most popular questions posed on its search engine. "How do I get out of debt?" was the second-ranking question of the year.

No. 1? "How much should I weigh?"
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Write

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Michael Jackson 'Opus' book offers rare images

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:58:00 +0000

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Artist Nate Giorgio recalls the last time he saw Michael Jackson, just days before the singer's death.

The pop icon wanted Giorgio to create dazzling murals of his children as well as artwork for his "This Is It" concerts, and Giorgio got out his pen during their talks.

"I was doing little drawings on the spot of him, and he loved it," says Giorgio of his black-and-white sketches. "He was great, he was really excited."

Those never-before seen sketches, as well as other rare artwork and photos of Jackson, are now part of a lavish new leather-bound book, "The Official Michael Jackson OPUS," out Dec. 7.

The book, the only publication officially sanctioned by Jackson's estate, not only contains unseen images of perhaps the world's most famous face, it also has essays about the superstar written by friends and those who worked with Jackson over the years, from Motown founder Berry Gordy and Paula Abdul to John Landis and David Blaine.

While many Jackson books have been printed since Jackson's June 25 death at age 50, Jeff Wald, president of OPUS Media Group, which published the book, says his stands out.

He and his team decided "this would not be a red carpet sound bite kind of a book," he says. "It wasn't about, 'Yeah, he's a great singer, a great dancer.' It was much more in depth about the human being that he was."

To that end, OPUS executive vice president Jordan Sommers elicited essays that weren't quite tributes, but personal reflections. Some talk about Jackson the jokester; others recall his artistic genius; still others reflect on his friendship.

"There's a lot of information from the book that comes directly from sources that will clear up a lot of misconceptions," he says. "There are stories told directly from the likes of Smokey Robinson (and others) that they've never told before."

The photos, some of which were provided by friends like Gordy, range from Jackson's childhood to his many transformations as an adult.

"Our mandate ... was to have most of the photos either not be seen ever before or never ever seen in the format in which they had been (shown)," says Wald.

There are also drawings of Jackson done by Giorgio and other artists. Giorgio says Jackson was a voracious art collector and was very specific about the kind of imagery he wanted of himself, jotting down instructions, some of which are included in the book.

While Wald talked about the book (which costs $249) benefiting the Jackson children and his mother, the Jackson family did not play any role in the creation of the 400-page, 26-pound book.

"We just decided this would be something apart from the family," Wald said. "It was about Michael... We really stayed narrowly to that."

Jackson's continuing appeal is highlighted by the success of the film "This Is It," which has become the all-time top-grossing music documentary, and the honors that still arrive, such as Jackson posthumously winning four American Music Awards on Sunday night.

Wald first met Jackson as a teen and stayed in touch with him throughout the years. Jackson reached out to him earlier this year because he was a fan of the OPUS books and wanted two done on him: one based on the "This is It" concerts and another chronicling his career.

Wald said Jackson, who at times had battled an addiction to prescription drugs, was lucid and energetic when they met for two hours at his home.

"He seemed clear eyed, not drugged... he was in great spirits," he says. "He was just happier than hell, he had a sense of humor about him... it was nothing like you hear on all those breathless reports on television."

Giorgio, who illustrated the book's cover sketch, recalls Jackson being anxious for him to start work on huge murals he planned to put in his Las Vegas residence: He wanted a painting of himself and his children walking through a forest.

"He kept telling me, come on, we gotta start on this — the kids are growing, and they are changing," he says.

While Giorgio drew elaborate, fantasy images of Jackson for the legend, he says the quick sketches he took of Jackson just before he died reveal the most: "They really capture more of the essence of him." By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer

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