Dr. Conrad Murray has pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson

The medic – who was the ‘Thriller‘ singer’s personal physician – appeared in front of Judge Michael Pastor today (25.01.11) at the Los Angeles County Superior Court and insisted he was “an innocent man”.

Members of Michael’s family, including his mother Katherine and his brother Randy, were in court to hear Dr. Murray’s plea.

Earlier this month, Dr. Murray – who was with Michael when he died of acute intoxication by the hospital grade anaesthetic Propofol at his Los Angeles home in June 2009 – was ordered to stand trial by Judge Pastor for involuntary manslaughter after a number of witnesses raised questions over his professional conduct.

During the preliminary hearing – where the prosecution had to convince the judge there is sufficient evidence for a full trial – witnesses included paramedics who attended the home where Michael died, his personal bodyguard and a Los Angeles detective who interviewed Dr. Murray.

The prosecution sought to show Dr. Murray had administered Propofol to his client on the day of his death before leaving him unmonitored.

Court testimonies further alleged Dr. Murray had not appeared to know how to correctly administer CPR, had tried to hide evidence of the medication he had been giving Michael and that by the time he called medics his client had already passed away.

The six-day hearing ended with testimony from two doctors who said they felt Dr. Murray acted outside of standard of medical care.

The 57-year-old medic – who was released on $75,000 bail – will next appear in court on February 7 and the selection of the jury for his trial will begin on March 28.

If convicted, Dr. Murray faces a maximum of four years in prison.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Michael Jackson’s father blames his wife for their son’s death.

Joe Jackson has admitted he accused Katherine Jackson of not doing enough to stop the late ‘Thriller’ star – who died of acute Propofol intoxication – abusing prescription drugs, just hours after he passed away last June.

Speaking of their confrontation in the mortuary, Joe admitted: “Katherine was weeping uncontrollably and highly upset. But I didn’t give her a hug because I was mad at her crying.

“I said, ‘If you had listened to me Michael would be living now.’ I kept thinking about the times I had stood in front of her saying something was wrong.

“I couldn’t bottle up my feelings. Katherine didn’t say a word – I had to get away from her. If she’d done what I asked, Michael would be here today. I am incensed with her. She could have made a difference.”

Joe – who was accused by Michael of beating him during childhood – claims he asked Katherine several times to intervene in the King of Pop’s problems because he knew the star wouldn’t listen to him.

He added to the News of the World newspaper: “In Michael’s final months alive I said to her many times that I couldn’t get through to him – and that she needed to help her son.

“I had begged her to go over and stay with him, but she insisted he needed his privacy and gave him the slack she thought he needed. A child will listen to his mother more than his father – and Michael was a mummy’s boy.”

Despite his accusation, Joe, 80, also holds himself responsible for Michael’s death because he was unable to get the singer’s planned 50-date London residency reduced.

He explained: “I wish I had made him walk away from those shows. I knew he would never make them, but I never thought he’d die.

“I tried to help Michael, but I feel I could have been more aggressive in getting access to him.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Michael Jackson’s fans are to be allowed into his burial site to pay tribute to him on the anniversary of his death.

Plans are expected to be finalised this week to allow admirers of the ‘Thriller’ star – who died of acute Propofol intoxication on June 25 2009 – into Forest Lawn Memorial Park, in Glendale, Los Angeles, following pleas from the late singer’s family.

Glendale Police Sergeant Tom Lorenz said: “We understand that Forest Lawn is working with the Jackson family for some kind of commemoration. We will be working closely with Forest Lawn to ensure the safety of those who want to pay their respects to Michael Jackson while ensuring the safety of others who are coming to the cemetery to pay respects to their loved ones.”

However, fans will not be given access to the Great Mausoleum, where the singer was interred last September and is also the final resting place of other showbiz legends including Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.

Sgt. Lorenz added: “Basically, they will be viewing it from a distance.”

Michael’s brother Randy revealed last month he was hoping fans would be allowed to pay their respects at the cemetery.

He tweeted: “I’m meeting with Forest Lawn and the City of Glendale. Although they have strict rules, I’ll do my best 2 see if fans can visit and pay their respects beyond the gates of Forest Lawn, on the 25th. I will inform you all soon. (sic)”

The area where Michael is buried is normally off limits to non-family members and Randy’s intentions have infuriated the families of other people laid to rest there.

Clark Gable III – the grandson of the legendary actor – said the mausoleum “wouldn’t be as sacred” if just anyone could go inside.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Lisa Marie’s Flowers for MJ Plea — Few Takers

Lisa Marie Presley’s desperate plea for fans to bring more flowers to Michael Jackson’s tomb must have fallen on deaf ears — because as of today the entrance to the tomb was pretty bare.

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife complained about too much “empty space” around the singer’s tomb on her MySpace page yesterday — and urged fans to fill the void with lots of sunflowers … but obviously that didn’t happen.

Fans have since fired back, claiming they’ve been faithfully doing their part flowers-wise since MJ died last year.

Source: TMZ

Michael Jackson’s ex-wife is begging his fans to lay flowers at his grave.

Lisa Marie Presley – who was married to the late ‘Thriller’ singer from 1994 to 1996 – was so shocked by the sparseness of his burial site in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, California, she has written an open letter to his supporters appealing for them to send sunflowers.

The brunette star – who has four children, Riley, 20, Ben, 17 and 19-month-old twins Harper and Finley – wrote: “Greetings MJ Fans….

“While visiting him a few days ago at Forest Lawn, Riley and I couldn’t help but notice that, while there are a few bouquets, candles and gifts there is a very large empty space around him and in front of him that could use a whole lot more.

“I know how much he loved and appreciated being showered with Gifts and flowers by his fans, I thought if whoever wants to bought just one silk sunflower each and sent it, the whole area around him and in front of him (As well as the two large empty vases that sit on either side of him) could be filled up in no time, which would be much more appropriate than what the current status is right now.”

Lisa Marie revealed she has already started off her campaign with a vase of silk sunflowers, which were special to the couple during their marriage.

She explained: “Some may or may not know this but his favourite flower was the sunflower. They made him happy because they looked happy to him, Thus, he called them The Happy Flower.

“When we were married , I would try and fill up rooms with them wherever he was.

I wanted to bring something to place near him that he liked and that wouldn’t die so I brought a large vase of silk sunflowers and placed them near him. This barely made any kind of dent in the atmosphere so I thought of maybe letting those who care know what the situation is and how we can solve it.

“We can all cause a “Sun shower” if you will… He deserves to be flooded and surrounded , LETS SURROUND HIM! (sic)”

Michael died of acute Propofol intoxication last June aged 50.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Michael Jackson desperately wanted to go into hiding before his death.

Tapes of leaked answering machine messages have revealed the late ‘Thriller’ singer – who died of acute Propofol intoxication last June – begged friends for money to help him start a new life as he feared for his safety.

In one message, published by The Sun newspaper, he said: “It is Michael calling. It is very important, I want that 150 in that account for me, because… I am very concerned about my life. I am hearing a lot of stories that (name withheld) is still trying to sabotage (inaudible) me and I want to be in a different environment and, um, I’ve found a place that I like and now (inaudible) I want to be away for a while where they can’t find me. So please help me, help (inaudible) help me, and, um, more important than (inaudible). We are brothers.”

Other messages – which were given to US journalist Daphne Barak after she wrote a book about celebrity addiction – reveal the “embarrassed” singer was trying to flee the “Italian Mafia” and make more requests for cash, using the code word “sun screen” for money.

In many messages he sounds frantic and paranoid, while in others his voice is slurred and he appears dazed and confused.

Daphne said: “Some of Michael’s closest confidents talked to me exclusively about his addictions – and provided audio tapes of Michael never heard before.

“These demonstrate different states of mind he was experiencing under the influence of pharmaceuticals.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Michael Jackson’s Lawyer — Mystery Suicide Note

Peter Lopez — the music attorney who had close ties to Michael Jackson — left a suicide note that was completely silent as to why he took his life … sources connected to the situation tell TMZ.

We’re told the one-page, handwritten note expressed his love for his wife and kids and asked for forgiveness, but did not even hit at why Peter would end his life.

A source close to the family tells TMZ Peter dropped the kids off at school at about 9:00 AM Friday.  When he got home, we’re told Peter went to the backyard and shot himself in the head.

We’re also told people close to Peter thought he seemed “stressed out” in the weeks leading up to his death … but that he did not tell anyone — including his family — what was bothering him.

Lopez was married to Catherine Bach from “The Dukes of Hazzard” for 20 years. They had two children together.

In addition to working with Michael Jackson, Lopez — who worked with Jackson on the 25th anniversary of “Thriller” — was an attorney for The Eagles and served as a co-producer on the movie “Selena.”

Source: TMZ

The ‘Thriller’ star, who died aged 50 last year, told friends Dr Murray was the only medical professional he would trust just days before his death of a Propofol overdose on June 25, 2009.
According to The News of the World, Jackson said: “My doctor is the best in the world.
“I feel completely comfortable with him. I trust this guy with my life. He’s an incredible guy and understands what I need. He is a friend to me and my family.
“He makes me feel good about myself, and young again. Without him I wouldn’t be able to function.
“I need him to make my body – this machine – work the way it does.”
Jackson praised the doctor as he was preparing for a dress rehearsal in Los Angeles just two days before his death.
He was also insistent Dr Murray be paid £2 million to be available for him 24 hours a day.
The singer’s manager Frank DiLeo, said: “I said, ‘Michael, for $5 million, I’ll buy you a hospital’. He said this guy was his family doctor. It made sense to me, to a degree.”
Last week Dr Murray – who has pleaded not guilty to the involuntary manslaughter of Jackson – admitted he made a “mistake” with the version of events following Jackson’s death he first gave to the Los Angeles Police Department.
His lawyer Michael Flanagan said: “Dr Murray’s timeline of events that day when Michael Jackson died is wrong. Doctors make mistakes, and that is what he did, and it was simply that, a mistake.”
Initially the doctor claimed to give Jackson Propofol at 10:50am, left the house momentarily and returned to find the pop star unconscious.
After trying to revive Michael, he then left it for an hour before he called emergency services and called a fellow patient of his to discuss the results of a heart scan.
However, Murray has now admitted there was an error in the timeline of events.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Frank Paul Jones claimed to be entitled to half of the ‘Thriller’ singer’s estate and when no one responded to his threats, he said he would target President George Bush Senior.

The letter said: “I’ll commit mass murder at a Michael Jackson concert if necessary, in an attempt to murder Michael, then you will have to deal with my situation in the public.”

A later letter stated: “I decided that because nobody is taking me serious that I am going to Washington to threaten to kill the President of the United States.

“Michael Jackson I will personally attempt to kill, if he doesn’t pay me my money.”

Other documents released by the FBI reveal that a special agent was sent on a trip to the Philippines to discuss allegations of sex abuse by teenage boys concerning the singer, who died of acute Propofol intoxication in June.

FBI agents also investigated similar accusations made by a teenager in the UK, who claimed that Jackson said he was touching himself during a phone call.

Around half of the classified FBI document concerning Michael has been released, although details of his death have been withheld as they are part of an ongoing investigation.

Source: BANG Showbiz

Around half of the 679-page document is set to be declassified within the next two days.

The files contain information about the late ‘Thriller’ singer’s extensive lawsuits and information about his 1993 and 2004 child molestation investigations.

A source said: “People are still questioning many things about the private life of this secretive pop star. Michael was an enigma and lived in riches and a lifestyle unlike anyone since Elvis Presley.

“This dossier is an incredibly important key to understanding what happened behind closed doors, and may help the world better understand Michael.”

Also included in the pages of the report are details of death threats made to the singer and efforts by a private jet company to profit from the alleged child abuse charges against him by installing hidden cameras in a plane used by the star.

Two cameras were placed on the plane, which was taking Michael to hand himself over for police questioning.

However, some parts of the document will remain hidden – including information relating to his death earlier this year – as it is part of an ongoing inquiry.

Michael died suddenly in June of acute poisoning from the powerful anaesthetic Propofol.

Source: BANG Showbiz

The 56-year-old TV star-and-concert promoter was reported yesterday (08.12.09) to have been encouraged by his late friend Michael Jackson to have several operations, but insists it was all his own decision.

David – whose cosmetic procedures include two facelifts and a nose realignment operation – said: “On ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’, I discuss the plastic surgery I had done between 1980-1981 and blame only myself for being so foolish, especially not Michael Jackson nor anyone else. I was an idiot. I look back at that time and think of myself as being so stupid, and was very appreciative of Michael’s support and being there when I went through all that.”

David appears on the Christmas special of the British dinner party TV show ‘Celebrity Come Dine With Me’.

The flamboyant star also revealed he had his cheek implants removed after having a surgery epiphany.

He told BANG Showbiz: “It was my idea to put in a clef chin and cheek bones – not Michael’s. Sometimes when you are young you are foolish and you get carried away. I remember I was looking in the mirror in an office building when I was with Band of Gold singer Freda Payne. I was mortified and almost fainted. I had the cheekbones removed a week later. I’ve come to realise that it’s not what’s on the outside, but it’s what’s on the inside that counts.”

David is currently putting the finishing touches to his brand new 90-minute special ‘David Gest: My Best Friend Michael’ which will feature unseen footage of the ‘Thriller’ singer and a never-before-seen interview between David and Michael.

David said: “Michael was my best friend and was much tougher than people know. He had a great sense of humour and was never one to mince words – especially in business. My new TV special will show the world the real Michael Jackson as you’ve never seen him before.”

David’s award-winning concert production ‘Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration’, the singer’s last live concert appearance, is also being aired in the UK in December.

The show will air on UK TV station Five at 10pm on Monday December 21 and on New Year’s Eve (31.12.09) at 9pm.

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘Make Me’ singer said she had avoided everything that could remind her of her Thriller’ singer brother after he suddenly passed away in June, until she was about to perform at the

MTV Video Music Awards in September, when she saw a huge picture in tribute to him.

Janet, 43, said: “It hit me before I was about to do the performance, and it hit me when we were in rehearsal.

“There was a huge image of him on this screen, and I started to cry. I had to step away.”

She also said that she is continuing to come to terms with the singer’s death, of acute intoxication by the anesthetic Propofol, but that she feels in future things will get easier.

She added: “You know, a day doesn’t go by where you don’t think about him. It’s always there, in every sense. “But it will get better. It’s not easy, but I know with time it will get easier. But it will never be easy. It’s my brother.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The late ‘Thriller’ singer’s brother Jermaine Jackson paid tribute to the star when accepting the prizes for Favourite Soul/ R’n’B Artist, Favourite Pop/Rock Male Vocalist, Favourite Pop/Rock Album and Favourite Soul/R’n’B Album for his ‘Number Ones’ greatest hits compilation, praising his life philosophy.

Wearing a single white glove in tribute to Michael, Jermaine said: “It’s not just about the winnings, the awards. It’s mainly the message. The message Michael had will live on forever. He saw good in everyone. Start with love and let’s love each other.”

Michael’s wins took him to a record-breaking total of 23 AMAs for his career, however, he failed to win Artist of the Year, the only other category he was nominated in.

The honour went instead to ‘Love Story’ singer Taylor Swift, who was amazed to be handed five accolades, including Favourite Pop/Rock Female Artist, Favourite Adult-Contemporary Artist, Favourite Country Album for ‘Fearless’ and Favourite Country Female Artist.

After being named Artist of the Year, she said in a video acceptance speech from London: “To even be mentioned in a category with Michael Jackson is an unimaginable honour. I’m sending my love to the Jackson family.”

Black Eyed Peas were named Favourite Soul/ R’n’B Group and Favourite Pop/Rock Group and wowed the audience at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre with a rendition of their hits ‘I Got A Feeling’ and ‘Boom Boom Pow’, backed by dancers wearing outfits made of stereo speakers.

Janet Jackson had opened the show with a medley of her greatest hits, while Lady Gaga’s performance also proved a talking point.

The ‘Poker Face’ singer, wearing a spectacular headdress and vest filled with lights, performed songs from her new album, ‘The Fame Monster’, and used her microphone to break into a glass case containing a grand piano. As she started to play, the instrument caught fire.

Other performers included Whitney Houston, Alicia Keys and Jay-Z, and Jennifer Lopez, who fell over mid-way through her tricky dance routine.

American Music Awards 2009 full list of winners:

Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift

Pop/Rock:

Favourite Male Artist: Michael Jackson

Favourite Female Artist: Taylor Swift

Favourite Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas

Favourite Album: ‘Number Ones’, Michael Jackson

Country:

Favourite Male Artist: Keith Urban

Favourite Female Artist: Taylor Swift

Favourite Band, Duo or Group: Rascal Flatts

Favourite Album: ‘Fearless’, Taylor Swift

Soul/ R’n’B:

Favourite Male Artist: Michael Jackson

Favourite Female Artist: Beyonce Knowles

Favourite Band, Duo or Group: The Black Eyed Peas

Favourite Album: ‘Number Ones’, Michael Jackson

Rap/ Hip Hop:

Favourite Male Artist: Jay-Z

Favourite Album: ‘Blueprint 3’, Jay-Z

Adult Contemporary:

Favourite Artist: Taylor Swift

Latin Music:

Favourite Artist: Aventura

Alternative Rock:

Favourite Artist: Green Day

Contemporary Inspirational:

Favourite Artist: Mary Mary

Soundtracks:

Favourite Album: Twilight Soundtrack

T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist: Gloriana

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘All For You’ singer says she and the rest of the Jackson family knew the late pop legend – who died in June from acute Propofol intoxication – was abusing prescription drugs but their attempts at an intervention were unsuccessful.

When quizzed about her sibling’s drug use, she said: “Those are the things you do when you love someone. You can’t just let them continue on that way. And we did a few times but we weren’t very successful.”

Despite the family’s best efforts, Janet claims Michael – who had a cocktail of prescription drugs in his system when he passed away – wouldn’t accept that he had a substance abuse problem.

She added to ‘Good Morning America’ host Robin Roberts: “He understood our efforts were out of love, because of caring. But when people are like that they tend to be in denial. But I wish he could answer that question for you and not me.”

Janet is not the first member of the Jackson family to reveal they had tried to get the ‘Thriller’ singer off drugs.

Tito – who was a member of the Jackson 5 along with his sibling – accused his brother’s employees of helping him obtain and use prescription drugs against the wishes of his family.

He said earlier this year: “I think he was encircled by enablers. It was always a difficult situation, some people care about their job more than the person’s health and wellbeing and I think that’s what we experienced, some of the employers, security or whatever, were more concerned about their pay cheques than letting us check on our brother.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

The ‘Thriller’ star – who died of acute Propofol intoxication aged 50 in June – underwent several three dimensional scans in 1996 so a virtual reality ‘robotic’ twin could be produced.

It is thought the scans could now be used to bring the singer back in pop videos, computer games or even films.

The anonymous US businessman who owned the images and has reportedly been trying to sell them for $1 million told Britain’s Daily Star newspaper: “The data has been in our archives since he had the scans. The thing about this data is it immortalised him at the age of 37, before his nose was disfigured and when he was in the prime of his life.”

Meanwhile, it has been revealed Michael’s funeral was nearly cancelled at the last minute in a row over its cost.

Around $1 million was estimated to have been spent on the funeral, which took place on September 3.

Court papers have revealed just three days before the funeral was scheduled to take place, lawyers acting for the ‘Billie Jean’ star’s mother Katherine had filed a request to the administrators of his estate to pay for the funeral bills.

The lawyers stated that if the funeral home and local police department’s bills were not paid by the next day, the burial would not go ahead as planned. Administrators were luckily able to pay the bills in time, preventing any delays to the ceremony.

Katherine’s lawyers admitted the cost of the funeral was high, but added it was: “Entirely commensurate with the decedent’s worldwide status as an entertainer and the world’s grief over his death.”

Source: BANG Showbiz

Music producer David Gest – a close friend of the late ‘Beat It’ singer – is demanding damages from Julien’s Auction House for attaching ‘from the collection of David Gest’ to items they sold shortly after the pop icon’s death in June and has enlisted the star’s sibling to boost his case.

David claims he never owned many of the auctioned goods – including a Platinum RIAA Record Award for the album ‘Thriller’ – and that he never gave the auction house permission to use his name.

Speaking in support of David, Tito said: “I am amazed an auction house like Julien’s Auctions would use David Gest’s name to sell an item that was not his.

“There are a number of the items that they listed in their Michael Jackson catalogue on June 26th and 27th that never even belonged to David Gest.

“I will also testify in court that this RIAA Award Disc for Thriller Presented to Steve Manning never belonged to David Gest”.

Lots at the auction included a signed Jackson 5 album, which was expected to fetch up to $600 at the auction, but sold for $33,750, and a childhood painting done by Michael of Mickey Mouse and Pluto, which sold for $25,000, 25 times more than expected.

David said: “So much for the statement by Julien’s Auctions’ lawyer that they are ‘good honest folks’.

“I’m sure this will open the door for many others to question items they have sold.”

Steve Manning, a former publicist for the Jackson 5, has also pledged to give evidence if the case comes to court.

Julien’s Auctions’ denies any wrongdoing and Darren Julien, who runs the auction house, has filed a federal lawsuit to ask the judge to see through David’s legal action.

Source: BANG Showbiz

The music producer – a close friend of the late ‘Thriller’ star – is demanding damages from Julien’s Auctions for attaching his name to items they sold shortly after the pop icon’s death in June.

Papers filed in Shelby County Chancery Court in Tennessee by David allege ‘The Collection of David Gest’ was used to describe items he had never owned and claim no discussions ever took place to give the auction house permission to use his name.

Lots included a signed Jackson 5 album, which was expected to fetch up to $600 at the auction, but sold for $33,750, and a childhood painting done by Michael of Mickey Mouse and Pluto, which sold for $25,000, 25 times more than expected.

David said: “Julien’s Auctions deceived buyers by letting them believe I owned many of these items when I did not. Every individual who purchased items I never owned was falsely duped into thinking they were part of my collection. Each individual who bought an item I never owned needs to be notified of that fact. This is an act of fraud and I will prove that in court. Julien’s Auctions was notified of their wrongdoing by my lawyer Edward Bearman months ago and they did nothing to rectify their actions.”

Darren Julien, who runs the auction house, has filed a federal lawsuit to ask the judge to see through David’s legal action.

In his filing, Darren insists he would never have used the name of the producer – who was previously married to Liza Minnelli – without good reason as potential buyers would not be impressed by a man who “reportedly sued his wealthy ex-wife for $10 million”.

Jerry Hawxhurst, the lawyer acting on behalf of the auctioneers, blasted David’s action.

He said: “A complaint like the one that was filed is what happens when people make ridiculous claims against good, honest folks like Darren Julien and his company, Julien’s Auctions. Gest should be ashamed of himself for trying to trade on Michael Jackson’s memory.”

Source: BANG Showbiz