A lawyer for Michael Jackson's doctor said reports that the physician injected the star with a powerful painkiller before his death were "absolutely false," the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday.
"There was no Demerol. No OxyContin," Edward Chernoff, an attorney for doctor Conrad Murray, was quoted as saying by the Times.
Chernoff could not be immediately contacted for comment. Murray's role in Jackson's death has been the subject of scrutiny from members of the pop star's family.
It had been widely reported that the physician administered an injection of Demerol to Jackson roughly one hour before the 50-year-old star collapsed at his home last on Thursday.
On Saturday, family advisor Reverend Jesse Jackson told the media the family were demanding a full account of Murray's actions.
Murray underwent three hours of questioning by detectives on Saturday. The Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday police did not believe he was guilty of wrongdoing, saying there was "no smoking gun."
Chernoff told the Times that Murray had discovered Jackson unconscious in the bedroom of his home. Chernoff said Jackson "wasn't breathing. He checked for a pulse. There was a weak pulse in his femoral artery. He started administering CPR."
The doctor had not "furnished or prescribed" Jackson with Demerol, Chernoff said, revealing that it was Murray who had recommended an autopsy to the singer's family.
"He was the one who suggested the autopsy to the family while they were still in the hospital. He didn't understand why Michael Jackson had died," Chernoff was quoted as saying.
Source: TOI
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Showing posts with label death. Show all posts
Monday, 29 June 2009
I had to pump MJ's stomach to wash out drugs: Ex-nanny
The former nanny of Michael Jackson's three children said she regularly had to pump his stomach to remove cocktails of painkillers, British newspapers reported on Sunday.
Grace Rwaramba, who was abruptly sacked by Jackson in December, also spoke of her fears for the future of the children following his death and has flown to Los Angeles from Europe hoping to be reunited with them.
The Jackson family are angry at the unanswered questions surrounding the star's final hours, amid reports that the singer's doctor Conrad Murray injected him with the painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Katherine Jackson, mother of Michael Jackson, leaves the Jackson family compound in Encino, California.
Rwaramba, 42, said in comments reported by The Sunday Times that the star was addicted to narcotic painkillers. "I had to pump his stomach many times. He always mixed so much of it."
"There was one period that it was so bad that I didn't let the children see him... He always ate too little and mixed too much."
She said she once appealed to Jackson's mother, Katherine, and sister, Janet, to intervene and persuade him to seek treatment for his addiction, but Michael turned on her and accused her of betrayal.
"He didn't want to listen; that was one of the times he let me go," she said.
Rwandan-born Rwaramba worked for Jackson for more than a decade, first as an office assistant before becoming nanny to his children, 12-year-old Michael Jr., known as Prince, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7, nicknamed Blanket.
She was finally dismissed in December last year, but claims she returned several times to see the children, making her most recent trip in April.
Tabloid newspaper News of the World - which is owned by the same company as The Sunday Times - said she had screamed with shock when she heard of the star's death, while she was at the Swiss home of TV interviewer Daphne Barak.
Rwaramba told Barak in an interview quoted by the tabloid that her first thought was for the children. "I'm really distraught for them. Michael hadn't been eating and the kids have been so scared for him."
"Now the youngest has been saying,'Why Daddy? God should have taken me not him."
"I took these babies in my arms on the first day of each of their lives. They are my babies."
She claimed the children had an uneasy relationship with their father, recalling a recent incident when Blanket performed a mini-concert for her of his father's songs. "I was laughing so hard. Prince and Paris were playing around," she said. "It was such a happy moment. Then suddenly Michael walked in and the kids just looked frightened. Michael was so angry."
The fate of Jackson's children is unclear with reports raising the possibility of a custody battle involving Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of his two eldest offspring.
Source: TOI
Grace Rwaramba, who was abruptly sacked by Jackson in December, also spoke of her fears for the future of the children following his death and has flown to Los Angeles from Europe hoping to be reunited with them.
The Jackson family are angry at the unanswered questions surrounding the star's final hours, amid reports that the singer's doctor Conrad Murray injected him with the painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Katherine Jackson, mother of Michael Jackson, leaves the Jackson family compound in Encino, California.Rwaramba, 42, said in comments reported by The Sunday Times that the star was addicted to narcotic painkillers. "I had to pump his stomach many times. He always mixed so much of it."
"There was one period that it was so bad that I didn't let the children see him... He always ate too little and mixed too much."
She said she once appealed to Jackson's mother, Katherine, and sister, Janet, to intervene and persuade him to seek treatment for his addiction, but Michael turned on her and accused her of betrayal.
"He didn't want to listen; that was one of the times he let me go," she said.
Rwandan-born Rwaramba worked for Jackson for more than a decade, first as an office assistant before becoming nanny to his children, 12-year-old Michael Jr., known as Prince, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, 7, nicknamed Blanket.
She was finally dismissed in December last year, but claims she returned several times to see the children, making her most recent trip in April.
Tabloid newspaper News of the World - which is owned by the same company as The Sunday Times - said she had screamed with shock when she heard of the star's death, while she was at the Swiss home of TV interviewer Daphne Barak.
Rwaramba told Barak in an interview quoted by the tabloid that her first thought was for the children. "I'm really distraught for them. Michael hadn't been eating and the kids have been so scared for him."
"Now the youngest has been saying,'Why Daddy? God should have taken me not him."
"I took these babies in my arms on the first day of each of their lives. They are my babies."
She claimed the children had an uneasy relationship with their father, recalling a recent incident when Blanket performed a mini-concert for her of his father's songs. "I was laughing so hard. Prince and Paris were playing around," she said. "It was such a happy moment. Then suddenly Michael walked in and the kids just looked frightened. Michael was so angry."
The fate of Jackson's children is unclear with reports raising the possibility of a custody battle involving Debbie Rowe, the biological mother of his two eldest offspring.
Source: TOI
Sunday, 28 June 2009
Doctor tells police about Jackson's final moments
The cardiologist who was with Michael Jackson during the pop star's final moments sat down with investigators for the first time to explain his actions -- and left three hours later as a witness, not a suspect.
Dr Conrad Murray "helped identify the circumstances around the death of the pop icon and clarified some inconsistencies," Murray's spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said in a statement on Saturday. "Investigators say the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy."
Murray, a physician with a tangled financial and personal history who was hired to accompany Jackson on his planned summer concert tour, reportedly performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The pop star was declared dead later at UCLA Medical Centre.
Police confirmed that they interviewed Murray, adding that he was cooperative and "provided information which will aid the investigation."
The interview took place on a busy day when one of Jackson's lawyers was chosen to represent the family's legal interests and celebrities descended on Los Angeles for a star-studded public celebration of the King of Pop's life.
L Londell McMillan, who represented Jackson last year in a breach of contact lawsuit and has advised high-profile clients such as Prince, was picked to help the family by Katherine Jackson, the singer's mother, said a person who requested anonymity because the matter is private.
The legal move came as the Rev Jesse Jackson revealed that Michael Jackson's family wants a second, private autopsy of the pop superstar because of unanswered questions about how he died.
"It's abnormal," Jesse Jackson said from Chicago a day after visiting the Jackson family. "We don't know what happened. Was he injected and with what? All reasonable doubt should be addressed."
People close to Jackson have said since his death that they were concerned about his use of painkillers. Los Angeles County medical examiners completed their autopsy on Friday and said Jackson had taken prescription medication.
Medical officials also said there was no indication of trauma or foul play. An official cause of death could take weeks.
There was no word from the Jackson family on funeral plans. Many of Jackson's relatives have gathered at the family's Encino compound, caring there for Jackson's three children.
It remains unclear who Jackson designated as potential guardians for his children. Those details -- likely contained in the 50-year-old singer's will -- have not been released.
An attorney for Deborah Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, issued a statement on Saturday asking that the Jackson family "be able to say goodbye to their loved one in peace."
Sisters Janet and La Toya arrived on Saturday at the mansion Jackson had been renting and left without addressing reporters. Moving vans also showed up at the Jackson home, leaving about an hour later. There was no indication what they might have taken away.
The Jackson family issued a statement on Saturday expressing its grief over the death and thanking his supporters.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter," said the statement made through People magazine. "We miss Michael endlessly."
There was no immediate word on whether the second autopsy was being performed right away. Jesse Jackson described the family as grief-stricken.
"They're hurt because they lost a son. But the wound is now being kept open by the mystery and unanswered questions of the cause of death," he said.
Organizers of the annual BET awards show -- which recognizes the best in music, acting and sports -- scrambled to revamp Sunday's show to honour Jackson and his legacy.
Previously announced acts, such as Beyonce and Ne-Yo, hoped to change their planned performances to honour Jackson, said producer Stephen Hill. Other artists, who hadn't planned to attend the ceremony, including Usher and Justin Timberlake, tried to catch last-minute flights to Los Angeles to participate.
Source: TOI
Dr Conrad Murray "helped identify the circumstances around the death of the pop icon and clarified some inconsistencies," Murray's spokeswoman Miranda Sevcik said in a statement on Saturday. "Investigators say the doctor is in no way a suspect and remains a witness to this tragedy."
Murray, a physician with a tangled financial and personal history who was hired to accompany Jackson on his planned summer concert tour, reportedly performed CPR until paramedics arrived. The pop star was declared dead later at UCLA Medical Centre.
Police confirmed that they interviewed Murray, adding that he was cooperative and "provided information which will aid the investigation."
The interview took place on a busy day when one of Jackson's lawyers was chosen to represent the family's legal interests and celebrities descended on Los Angeles for a star-studded public celebration of the King of Pop's life.
L Londell McMillan, who represented Jackson last year in a breach of contact lawsuit and has advised high-profile clients such as Prince, was picked to help the family by Katherine Jackson, the singer's mother, said a person who requested anonymity because the matter is private.
The legal move came as the Rev Jesse Jackson revealed that Michael Jackson's family wants a second, private autopsy of the pop superstar because of unanswered questions about how he died.
"It's abnormal," Jesse Jackson said from Chicago a day after visiting the Jackson family. "We don't know what happened. Was he injected and with what? All reasonable doubt should be addressed."
People close to Jackson have said since his death that they were concerned about his use of painkillers. Los Angeles County medical examiners completed their autopsy on Friday and said Jackson had taken prescription medication.
Medical officials also said there was no indication of trauma or foul play. An official cause of death could take weeks.
There was no word from the Jackson family on funeral plans. Many of Jackson's relatives have gathered at the family's Encino compound, caring there for Jackson's three children.
It remains unclear who Jackson designated as potential guardians for his children. Those details -- likely contained in the 50-year-old singer's will -- have not been released.
An attorney for Deborah Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, issued a statement on Saturday asking that the Jackson family "be able to say goodbye to their loved one in peace."
Sisters Janet and La Toya arrived on Saturday at the mansion Jackson had been renting and left without addressing reporters. Moving vans also showed up at the Jackson home, leaving about an hour later. There was no indication what they might have taken away.
The Jackson family issued a statement on Saturday expressing its grief over the death and thanking his supporters.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives, we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter," said the statement made through People magazine. "We miss Michael endlessly."
There was no immediate word on whether the second autopsy was being performed right away. Jesse Jackson described the family as grief-stricken.
"They're hurt because they lost a son. But the wound is now being kept open by the mystery and unanswered questions of the cause of death," he said.
Organizers of the annual BET awards show -- which recognizes the best in music, acting and sports -- scrambled to revamp Sunday's show to honour Jackson and his legacy.
Previously announced acts, such as Beyonce and Ne-Yo, hoped to change their planned performances to honour Jackson, said producer Stephen Hill. Other artists, who hadn't planned to attend the ceremony, including Usher and Justin Timberlake, tried to catch last-minute flights to Los Angeles to participate.
Source: TOI
We are speechless and devastated: Jackson's family
Describing Michael Jackson's sudden death as "one of the darkest moments", the pop star's family has thanked his fans across the globe in their first reaction since the tragedy.
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon.
"It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times," read a statement conveyed by Jackson's father Joseph to People magazine.
Singer's family has already expressed their frustration over the questions surrounding Jackson's death and his last moments.
"We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you, who Michael loved so much."
Fans have been visiting Jackson's fantasy-themed 'Neverland' ranch with messages, teddy bears, flowers, cards and candles to pay their tribute to the late star.
Source: TOI
"In one of the darkest moments of our lives we find it hard to find the words appropriate to this sudden tragedy we all had to encounter. Our beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in such a tragic way and much too soon.
"It leaves us, his family, speechless and devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost impossible at times," read a statement conveyed by Jackson's father Joseph to People magazine.
Singer's family has already expressed their frustration over the questions surrounding Jackson's death and his last moments.
"We miss Michael endlessly, our pain cannot be described in words. But Michael would not want us to give up now. So we want to thank all of his faithful supporters and loyal fans worldwide, you, who Michael loved so much."
Fans have been visiting Jackson's fantasy-themed 'Neverland' ranch with messages, teddy bears, flowers, cards and candles to pay their tribute to the late star.
Source: TOI
Second autopsy on Jackson performed: Reports
Dissatisfied with the inconclusive result of the first autopsy done on Michael Jackson, the pop star's family got a second independent examination by a private pathologist today.
The independent autopsy came a day after an initial examination by the LA County coroner's office which did not immediately determine a cause of death, the Los Angeles Times reported, quoting sources familiar with the case.
"We don't like what's going on," family patriarch Joe Jackson told People magazine.
The 50-year-old pop star suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday and the results for his official autopsy could take four to six weeks to be released.
The Jackson's family is reportedly upset with the delay and wanted a second opinion.
Veteran US politician and activist Jesse Jackson, who visited the performer's family on Friday, said that his relatives had a host of questions about the circumstances of Jackson's death.
Jackson's family is concerned with the role of his personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, who was present with the performer when he breathed his last, the newspaper said, quoting Jackson.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what?" Jackson told in an interview to ABC television.
Source: TOI
The independent autopsy came a day after an initial examination by the LA County coroner's office which did not immediately determine a cause of death, the Los Angeles Times reported, quoting sources familiar with the case.
"We don't like what's going on," family patriarch Joe Jackson told People magazine.
The 50-year-old pop star suffered a cardiac arrest on Thursday and the results for his official autopsy could take four to six weeks to be released.
The Jackson's family is reportedly upset with the delay and wanted a second opinion.
Veteran US politician and activist Jesse Jackson, who visited the performer's family on Friday, said that his relatives had a host of questions about the circumstances of Jackson's death.
Jackson's family is concerned with the role of his personal physician, Dr Conrad Murray, who was present with the performer when he breathed his last, the newspaper said, quoting Jackson.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did he inject him? If so, with what?" Jackson told in an interview to ABC television.
Source: TOI
Jackson's doctor cooperating with investigation
Pop star Michael Jackson's cardiologist, the last person to see him alive, has voluntarily contacted the police and has given information that will aid the investigation into pop star's death, the Los Angeles police department said.
"Dr Conrad Murray, the physician who was with Michael Jackson at the time of his collapse, voluntarily contacted the Los Angeles police department," a statement from the police said.
Murray, licensed in Texas, Nevada and California, reportedly administered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to Jackson on Thursday before the paramedics team arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home.
He had also accompanied the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre, where Jackson was pronounced dead.
The detectives had earlier impounded Conrad's BMW car to investigate whether it contained evidence related to Jackson's death. However, they have not released any details about it.
The police had also met Murray briefly after Jackson's death Thursday and they conducted an "extensive interview" with the doctor yesterday.
"Detectives assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division met with Dr Murray and conducted an extensive interview. Dr Murray was cooperative and provided information which will aid the investigation," the CNN online reported quoting a statement from the police.
Murray's lawyer has also said that the doctor is not a suspect in the case and is willing to cooperate.
Source: TOI
"Dr Conrad Murray, the physician who was with Michael Jackson at the time of his collapse, voluntarily contacted the Los Angeles police department," a statement from the police said.
Murray, licensed in Texas, Nevada and California, reportedly administered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to Jackson on Thursday before the paramedics team arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home.
He had also accompanied the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA medical centre, where Jackson was pronounced dead.
The detectives had earlier impounded Conrad's BMW car to investigate whether it contained evidence related to Jackson's death. However, they have not released any details about it.
The police had also met Murray briefly after Jackson's death Thursday and they conducted an "extensive interview" with the doctor yesterday.
"Detectives assigned to Robbery-Homicide Division met with Dr Murray and conducted an extensive interview. Dr Murray was cooperative and provided information which will aid the investigation," the CNN online reported quoting a statement from the police.
Murray's lawyer has also said that the doctor is not a suspect in the case and is willing to cooperate.
Source: TOI
Michael Jackson's doctor hires law firm
A Houston lawyer said his firm has been hired by the doctor who reportedly was with Michael Jackson when the pop star was fatally stricken in his Los Angeles home.
William M. Stradley, a partner in the firm of Stradley, Chernoff & Alford, said his firm has been hired by Dr. Conrad Murray.
Stradley said investigators have indicated Murray is considered a witness and is not a target in any way. Stradley said one of the partners, Edward Chernoff, is in Los Angeles meeting with Police Department investigators.
Stradley said he doesn't know if Murray is taking part in Saturday's meeting. Stradley said Murray accompanied Jackson to the hospital, but he doesn't know if it was Murray who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the singer or called the emergency dispatcher.
The attorney said Murray has cooperated with police from the beginning and never left Los Angeles.
Source: TOI
William M. Stradley, a partner in the firm of Stradley, Chernoff & Alford, said his firm has been hired by Dr. Conrad Murray.
Stradley said investigators have indicated Murray is considered a witness and is not a target in any way. Stradley said one of the partners, Edward Chernoff, is in Los Angeles meeting with Police Department investigators.
Stradley said he doesn't know if Murray is taking part in Saturday's meeting. Stradley said Murray accompanied Jackson to the hospital, but he doesn't know if it was Murray who performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the singer or called the emergency dispatcher.
The attorney said Murray has cooperated with police from the beginning and never left Los Angeles.
Source: TOI
Jackson family wants second autopsy: Coroner
Michael Jackson's family said it would seek to carry out a second autopsy on the late star, Los Angeles County coroner's investigators said on Saturday. ( Watch )
Coroner's investigator Brian Elias said Jackson's family had told his office on Friday they wanted a second autopsy carried out. According to celebrity news website TMZ.com, the new autopsy was already underway at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles coroner's officials had said on Friday after an initial autopsy that Jackson's cause of death would not be finalized until the results of toxicology tests were known in several weeks time. Preliminary findings said there was no evidence of foul play or external physical injury to Jackson, officials said.
Reverend Jesse Jackson speaks with Joe Jackson, father of the late pop star Michael Jackson outside Joe Jackson's family home in Los Angeles, California.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office had said a preliminary autopsy on Jackson was inconclusive and a final cause of death would not be known until exhaustive toxicology tests are completed in "six to eight weeks."
Jackson's body was released to his family under cover of darkness late on Friday, and was being kept at an undisclosed location, officials said.
Veteran US politician and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson -- who is not related to the family -- told ABC television's Good Morning America that he had spent Friday counseling the family at their estate.
And he revealed that family members were angry and frustrated by unanswered questions surrounding Jackson's death, and were focusing their attention on the role of the singer's doctor, identified as Conrad Murray.
Murray is reported to have injected Jackson with the powerful painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Los Angeles police said on Friday they intended to interview Murray for a second time after initially speaking to him on Thursday. However Jesse Jackson said the family had a flurry of questions of their own.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did they inject him, if so with what," Jackson said, claiming that Murray had gone missing in the hours immediately following the singer's death.
"His absence raises questions of substance that will not go away until they are answered," Jackson said.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine.'
"He owes it to the family and to the public to say 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Asked if the family would seek their own autopsy, Jesse Jackson replied: "I'm sure they ought to, they probably will."
Los Angeles coroners have said Friday's preliminary investigation showed no evidence of "external trauma or foul play" on Jackson's body.
However friends and associates of Jackson took to the airwaves to voice anger over the role of advisers and physicians that surrounded the star.
New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Meanwhile removal vans could be seen entering the driveway of the mansion in Los Angeles where Jackson collapsed, CNN reported Saturday.
The aftermath of Jackson's death has witnessed a worldwide outpouring of tributes and vigils, with stars, world leaders and devotees of the pop icon offering praise to the man who sold more than 750 million records.
Movie icon Elizabeth Taylor said Friday she was "heartbroken" over her close friend's death.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
Fans staged gatherings across the globe, including 10,000 Danish fans who crammed into a square in Copenhagen for a three-hour tribute concert.
Revelers at Britain's Glastonbury music festival sported T-shirts with slogans like "Michael Jackson RIP" and "I was at Glasto when Jacko died", while graffiti paying tribute to "The King of Pop" adorned tents.
On the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, fans queued again on Saturday in sunshine for the right to file past Jackson's star.
In New York large crowds formed outside the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where Jackson launched his career in 1969.
Jackson's death has sent fans scrambling to stock up on his music, and British chart officials said a compilation album was likely to go to the top of the charts on Sunday.
"We always find where a great icon dies that there's a massive uplift in their music sales as fans want to connect and express their grief through the records," said Gennaro Castaldo of retailer HMV.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Source: TOI
Coroner's investigator Brian Elias said Jackson's family had told his office on Friday they wanted a second autopsy carried out. According to celebrity news website TMZ.com, the new autopsy was already underway at an undisclosed location in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles coroner's officials had said on Friday after an initial autopsy that Jackson's cause of death would not be finalized until the results of toxicology tests were known in several weeks time. Preliminary findings said there was no evidence of foul play or external physical injury to Jackson, officials said.
Reverend Jesse Jackson speaks with Joe Jackson, father of the late pop star Michael Jackson outside Joe Jackson's family home in Los Angeles, California.The Los Angeles Coroner's office had said a preliminary autopsy on Jackson was inconclusive and a final cause of death would not be known until exhaustive toxicology tests are completed in "six to eight weeks."
Jackson's body was released to his family under cover of darkness late on Friday, and was being kept at an undisclosed location, officials said.
Veteran US politician and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson -- who is not related to the family -- told ABC television's Good Morning America that he had spent Friday counseling the family at their estate.
And he revealed that family members were angry and frustrated by unanswered questions surrounding Jackson's death, and were focusing their attention on the role of the singer's doctor, identified as Conrad Murray.
Murray is reported to have injected Jackson with the powerful painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Los Angeles police said on Friday they intended to interview Murray for a second time after initially speaking to him on Thursday. However Jesse Jackson said the family had a flurry of questions of their own.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did they inject him, if so with what," Jackson said, claiming that Murray had gone missing in the hours immediately following the singer's death.
"His absence raises questions of substance that will not go away until they are answered," Jackson said.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine.'
"He owes it to the family and to the public to say 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Asked if the family would seek their own autopsy, Jesse Jackson replied: "I'm sure they ought to, they probably will."
Los Angeles coroners have said Friday's preliminary investigation showed no evidence of "external trauma or foul play" on Jackson's body.
However friends and associates of Jackson took to the airwaves to voice anger over the role of advisers and physicians that surrounded the star.
New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Meanwhile removal vans could be seen entering the driveway of the mansion in Los Angeles where Jackson collapsed, CNN reported Saturday.
The aftermath of Jackson's death has witnessed a worldwide outpouring of tributes and vigils, with stars, world leaders and devotees of the pop icon offering praise to the man who sold more than 750 million records.
Movie icon Elizabeth Taylor said Friday she was "heartbroken" over her close friend's death.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
Fans staged gatherings across the globe, including 10,000 Danish fans who crammed into a square in Copenhagen for a three-hour tribute concert.
Revelers at Britain's Glastonbury music festival sported T-shirts with slogans like "Michael Jackson RIP" and "I was at Glasto when Jacko died", while graffiti paying tribute to "The King of Pop" adorned tents.
On the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, fans queued again on Saturday in sunshine for the right to file past Jackson's star.
In New York large crowds formed outside the legendary Apollo Theater in Harlem, where Jackson launched his career in 1969.
Jackson's death has sent fans scrambling to stock up on his music, and British chart officials said a compilation album was likely to go to the top of the charts on Sunday.
"We always find where a great icon dies that there's a massive uplift in their music sales as fans want to connect and express their grief through the records," said Gennaro Castaldo of retailer HMV.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Source: TOI
Saturday, 27 June 2009
Jackson family anger mounts, may seek fresh autopsy
The family of Michael Jackson may seek an independent autopsy, it emerged on Saturday amid mounting anger and frustration over the final hours of the tragic pop icon's life.
Jackson's family members were huddled at their family compound in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Encino, where they have been based since the most famous member of their clan died suddenly on Thursday at age 50.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office said Friday a preliminary autopsy on Jackson was inconclusive and a final cause of death would not be known until exhaustive toxicology tests are completed in "six to eight weeks."
Jackson's body was released to his family under cover of darkness late Friday, and was being kept at an undisclosed location, officials said.
Veteran US politican and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson -- who is not related to the family -- told ABC television's Good Morning America that he had spent Friday counseling the family at their estate.
And he revealed that family members were angry and frustrated by unanswered questions surrounding Jackson's death, and were focusing their attention on the role of the singer's doctor, identified as Conrad Murray.
Murray is reported to have injected Jackson with the powerful painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Los Angeles police said Friday they intended to interview Murray for a second time after initially speaking to him on Thursday. However Jesse Jackson said the family had a flurry of questions of their own.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did they inject him, if so with what," Jackson said, claiming that Murray had gone missing in the hours immediately following the singer's death.
"His absence raises questions of substance that will not go away until they are answered," Jackson said.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine.'
"He owes it to the family and to the public to say 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Asked if the family would seek their own autopsy, Jesse Jackson replied: "I'm sure they ought to, they probably will."
Los Angeles coroners have said Friday's preliminary investigation showed no evidence of "external trauma or foul play" on Jackson's body.
However friends and associates of Jackson took to the airwaves to voice anger over the role of advisers and physicians that surrounded the star.
New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Jackson's former producer Tarak Ben Ammar denounced the doctors around the late pop icon as "criminals."
"It's clear that the criminals in this affair are the doctors who treated him throughout his career, who destroyed his face, who gave him medicine to ease his pain," he said.
The aftermath of Jackson's death has witnessed a worldwide outpouring of tributes and vigils, with stars, world leaders and devotees of the pop icon offering praise to the man who sold more than 750 million records.
Movie icon Elizabeth Taylor said Friday she was "heartbroken" over her close friend's death.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
Fans staged gatherings across the globe, including 10,000 Danish fans who crammed into a square in Copenhagen for a three-hour tribute concert.
A moment of silence was held at 2126 GMT, exactly 24 hours after the announcement of Jackson's death.
On the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, thousands of fans queued for hours in boiling sunshine for the right to file past Jackson's star set into the sidewalk.
Jackson's death led to a stampede on the Internet as fans scoured the web for latest updates on the story.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Source: TOI
Jackson's family members were huddled at their family compound in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Encino, where they have been based since the most famous member of their clan died suddenly on Thursday at age 50.
The Los Angeles Coroner's office said Friday a preliminary autopsy on Jackson was inconclusive and a final cause of death would not be known until exhaustive toxicology tests are completed in "six to eight weeks."
Jackson's body was released to his family under cover of darkness late Friday, and was being kept at an undisclosed location, officials said.
Veteran US politican and activist Reverend Jesse Jackson -- who is not related to the family -- told ABC television's Good Morning America that he had spent Friday counseling the family at their estate.
And he revealed that family members were angry and frustrated by unanswered questions surrounding Jackson's death, and were focusing their attention on the role of the singer's doctor, identified as Conrad Murray.
Murray is reported to have injected Jackson with the powerful painkiller Demerol shortly before his death.
Los Angeles police said Friday they intended to interview Murray for a second time after initially speaking to him on Thursday. However Jesse Jackson said the family had a flurry of questions of their own.
"When did the doctor come? What did he do? Did they inject him, if so with what," Jackson said, claiming that Murray had gone missing in the hours immediately following the singer's death.
"His absence raises questions of substance that will not go away until they are answered," Jackson said.
"They (the family) are suspicious of this doctor and they have real reason to be because any other doctor would say 'Here's what happened in the last hour of his life and I was there. I gave him some medicine.'
"He owes it to the family and to the public to say 'These were the last hours of Michael's life and here's what happened.' That's a reasonable expectation."
Asked if the family would seek their own autopsy, Jesse Jackson replied: "I'm sure they ought to, they probably will."
Los Angeles coroners have said Friday's preliminary investigation showed no evidence of "external trauma or foul play" on Jackson's body.
However friends and associates of Jackson took to the airwaves to voice anger over the role of advisers and physicians that surrounded the star.
New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Jackson's former producer Tarak Ben Ammar denounced the doctors around the late pop icon as "criminals."
"It's clear that the criminals in this affair are the doctors who treated him throughout his career, who destroyed his face, who gave him medicine to ease his pain," he said.
The aftermath of Jackson's death has witnessed a worldwide outpouring of tributes and vigils, with stars, world leaders and devotees of the pop icon offering praise to the man who sold more than 750 million records.
Movie icon Elizabeth Taylor said Friday she was "heartbroken" over her close friend's death.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
Fans staged gatherings across the globe, including 10,000 Danish fans who crammed into a square in Copenhagen for a three-hour tribute concert.
A moment of silence was held at 2126 GMT, exactly 24 hours after the announcement of Jackson's death.
On the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, thousands of fans queued for hours in boiling sunshine for the right to file past Jackson's star set into the sidewalk.
Jackson's death led to a stampede on the Internet as fans scoured the web for latest updates on the story.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Source: TOI
Jackson was on a deadly cocktail of drugs: Report
The toxicology report in pop star Michael Jackson is still awaited but the sources close to the pop star's entourage have revealed the singer was on a deadly diet of powerful narcotic pain relievers. ( Watch )
The star was injected three-times a day with narcotic Demerol. He was also taking three 3mg tablets of another strong narcotic painkiller, Dilaudid and was recently prescribed Vicodin, an opiate drug derived from codeine, the Sun online reported.
The 50-year-old star died yesterday of a suspected cardiac arrest. However, the cause of his death will only be determined after the toxicology report, which is expected in four to six weeks.
The other medicines that the singer was reportedly taking are, Soma, a muscle relaxant in 2mg doses twice a day, Xanax, a sedative taken in 0.5mg doses twice a day, Zoloft, an anti-depressant was taken in 100mg doses.
Another anti-depressant Paxil was also taken by the star to treat anxiety and obsessive behaviour. Michael took it in 20mg pills and Prilosec, an over-the-counter pill for heartburn, the newspaper reported citing sources from Jackson's entourage.
The singer was recently prescribed anti-biotics to fight of infection following his skin cancer surgery.
Earlier reports had also suggested that Jackson had started eating one meal a day as he had a phobia about gaining weight before his 50-date comeback concerts in London from July 13.
He had told a physician that he had been taking painkillers regularly since 1985 and had used them to counter the effects of more than a dozen cosmetic surgery operation, the newspaper said.
Jackson's painkiller addiction began in 1984 after he suffered burns while singing for a Pepsi-Cola commercial, when the special effects smoke bomb misfired. He had to have major surgery on his scalp, and it is said that because of the intense pain he developed an addiction to painkillers.
The popstar's dosage increased over the years as he struggled to cope with the decline of his pop career, his mounting debt and his legal battles against child abuse allegations.
Source: TOI
The star was injected three-times a day with narcotic Demerol. He was also taking three 3mg tablets of another strong narcotic painkiller, Dilaudid and was recently prescribed Vicodin, an opiate drug derived from codeine, the Sun online reported.
The 50-year-old star died yesterday of a suspected cardiac arrest. However, the cause of his death will only be determined after the toxicology report, which is expected in four to six weeks.
The other medicines that the singer was reportedly taking are, Soma, a muscle relaxant in 2mg doses twice a day, Xanax, a sedative taken in 0.5mg doses twice a day, Zoloft, an anti-depressant was taken in 100mg doses.
Another anti-depressant Paxil was also taken by the star to treat anxiety and obsessive behaviour. Michael took it in 20mg pills and Prilosec, an over-the-counter pill for heartburn, the newspaper reported citing sources from Jackson's entourage.
The singer was recently prescribed anti-biotics to fight of infection following his skin cancer surgery.
Earlier reports had also suggested that Jackson had started eating one meal a day as he had a phobia about gaining weight before his 50-date comeback concerts in London from July 13.
He had told a physician that he had been taking painkillers regularly since 1985 and had used them to counter the effects of more than a dozen cosmetic surgery operation, the newspaper said.
Jackson's painkiller addiction began in 1984 after he suffered burns while singing for a Pepsi-Cola commercial, when the special effects smoke bomb misfired. He had to have major surgery on his scalp, and it is said that because of the intense pain he developed an addiction to painkillers.
The popstar's dosage increased over the years as he struggled to cope with the decline of his pop career, his mounting debt and his legal battles against child abuse allegations.
Source: TOI
Michael Jackson insisted promoter hire his cardiologist
Just before he died, Michael Jackson insisted that his concert promoter's payroll include his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who was with the entertainer when he collapsed.Dr. Conrad Murray was hired by AEG Live to accompany the pop star to London for his comeback series of concerts, said AEG Live president and chief executive Randy Phillips.
"As a company, we would have preferred not having a physician on staff full-time because it would have been cheaper without the hotels and travel, but Michael was insistent that he be hired,'' Phillips said. "Michael said he had a rapport with him."
Jackson, who collapsed on Thursday at his rented home in Los Angeles, appeared to have suffered a heart attack, a person with knowledge of the situation said. The person, who was not authorized to speak publicly and requested anonymity, said Jackson had a heart attack, which is a blocking of the arteries that deprives the heart of adequate blood.
Jackson's brother Jermaine said on Thursday that it was believed the pop singer went into cardiac arrest, an interruption of the normal heartbeat that can be caused by factors other than heart attack.
The Los Angeles County coroner's office, which completed its autopsy on Friday, said there were no signs of foul play or trauma, but determining the cause of death will require further tests that will take six to eight weeks.
Coroner's officials released Jackson's body to his family late Friday night. No funeral plans have been announced.
A heart attack could help explain why Jackson was in the care of a cardiologist while he went through vigorous training for an upcoming series of concerts in London: Heart attacks can indicate a long-term problem, such as heart disease. It would not necessarily rule out another factor, such as drug use, however.
Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said Jackson was taking some prescription medications, but did not specify what they were.
"We do not consider him to be uncooperative at this time," said police deputy chief Charlie Beck, noting that detectives spoke with the doctor after Jackson's death. "We think that he will assist us in coming to the truth of the facts in this case."
Records reveal years of financial troubles for Murray, who practices medicine in California, Nevada and Texas. His Nevada medical practice, Global Cardiovascular Associates, was slapped with more than $400,000 in court judgements, and he faces at least two other pending cases and several tax liens.
Beck declined to answer questions about how long the doctor had been with Jackson before paramedics were summoned, or if any drugs had been administered.
Phillips said AEG Live advanced Jackson money to pay for Murray's services as part of the production costs. Phillips said he asked Jackson why he wanted Murray with him full-time.
"He just said, 'Look, this whole business revolves around me. I'm a machine and we have to keep the machine well-oiled,' and you don't argue with the King of Pop,'' Phillips said.
The promoter said that sometime in February Jackson submitted to "five-plus hours of physicals that the insurance underwriter insisted on. We were told he passed with flying colors."
Based on those results and the nature of the comeback shows, all of which were to be held at the same venue from July 13 to March, AEG Live wasn't concerned about Jackson's history of medical issues.
"This wasn't as strenuous as a tour. There was no travel," Phillips said. "He and the kids were going to be living in this beautiful home outside London and shows were spread out over six months. For him, it seemed like the perfect way to come back.''
Phillips attended Jackson's rehearsal at Staples Center on Wednesday night, when the entertainer was on stage for about three hours before leaving at 12:30 a.m.
"He was dancing as well or better than the 20-year-old dancers we surrounded him with," the promoter said. "He was riveting. I thought we were home free. I thought this was going to be the greatest live show ever produced. He looked great.''
Phillips said AEG Live held multiple insurance policies covering cancellation of the shows.
``We had pretty good coverage, but a lot of it is going to depend on the toxicology results,'' he said. ``We need to know what the cause of death was.''
A 911 call released by fire officials on Friday shed light on the desperate effort at the mansion to save Jackson's life before paramedics arrived Thursday afternoon. Jackson died later at UCLA Medical Centre.
In the recording, an unidentified caller pleads with authorities to send help, offering no clues about why Jackson was stricken. He tells a dispatcher that Jackson's doctor is performing CPR.
"He's pumping his chest," the caller says, "but he's not responding to anything."
Asked by the dispatcher whether anyone saw what happened, the caller answers: ``No, just the doctor, sir. The doctor has been the only one there.''
Lou Ferrigno, the star of "The Incredible Hulk," said he had been working out with Jackson for the past several months. Still, Jackson's health had been known to be precarious in recent years, and one family friend said Friday that he had warned the entertainer's family about his use of painkillers.
"I said one day we're going to have this experience. And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson," Brian Oxman, a former Jackson attorney and family friend, told NBC's "Today" show. "The result was I warned everyone, and lo and behold, here we are. I don't know what caused his death. But I feared this day, and here we are."
Oxman claimed Jackson had prescription drugs at his disposal to help with pain suffered when he broke his leg after he fell off a stage and for broken vertebrae in his back.
The worldwide wave of mourning for Jackson continued unabated for the man who revolutionized pop music and moonwalked his way into entertainment legend.
"My heart, my mind are broken,'' said Elizabeth Taylor, who was one of Jackson's closest friends and married one of her husbands at a lavish wedding at the pop star's Neverland Ranch in 1991. She said she had heard the news as she was preparing to travel to London for Jackson's comeback show, and added, "I can't imagine life without him."
Scores of celebrities who knew or worked with Jackson, or were simply awed by him, issued statements of mourning. Some came through publicists and others through emotional postings on social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook, where countless everyday fans were sharing memories as well.
His two ex-wives both said they were devastated. One of them, Lisa Marie Presley, posted a long, emotional statement on her MySpace page in which she said her ex-husband had confided to her 14 years ago that he feared dying young and under tragic circumstances, just as her father, Elvis Presley, had.
"I promptly tried to deter him from the idea, at which point he just shrugged his shoulders and nodded almost matter of fact as if to let me know, he knew what he knew and that was kind of that," Presley said.
When he was on trial on child molestation charges in 2005, Jackson appeared gaunt and had recurring back problems that he attributed to stress. His trial was interrupted several times by hospital visits, and Jackson once even appeared late to court dressed in his pajamas after an emergency room visit.
After his acquittal, Jackson's prosecutor argued against returning some items that had been seized from Neverland, the Santa Barbara County estate Jackson had converted into a children's playland. Among the items were syringes, the powerful painkiller Demerol and other prescription drugs.
Demerol carries a long list of warnings to users. The government warns that mixing it with certain other drugs can lead to reactions including slowed or stopped breathing, shock and cardiac arrest.
Source: TOI
Police to question Jackson's cardiologist
Police investigating pop star Michael Jackson's sudden death are now seeking to question a Las Vegas cardiologist who was present at the singer's home when he collapsed.
Dr Conrad Murray who is licensed in Texas, Nevada and California, reportedly administered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to Jackson on Thursday before the paramedics team arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home. Murray also accompanied the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre, where the singer was pronounced dead, Los Angeles Times reported.
Sources said that the investigators briefly spoke to Murray but plan to question him further.
Los Angeles police department (LAPD) deputy chief Charlie Beck said detectives impounded Conrad's car because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death.
The LAPD wants to interview the doctor, who attempted to revive Jackson on Thursday at his Holmby Hills home. Beck said detectives have contacted the doctor but would not say when they plan to meet with him.
Beck however, declined to say whether detectives found medication in the car.
"But that is the obvious evidence that could be contained in the vehicle, and I'm not commenting on whether anything like that has been found. But that is typically the reason why a physician's vehicle at the scene of a death would be confiscated," Beck said.
Detectives with LAPD's Robbery-Homicide division are still trying to determine what treatment, if any, Murray gave to Jackson in the hours before his death, the source said.
According to media reports, Jackson had received a shot of the painkiller Demerol before he collapsed. The 50-year-old singer has a history of addiction to painkillers.
Meanwhile, an advisor to Jackson, Dr Tohme Tohme, who had rejoined the singer's team last week, said he never saw pills or other medication at the rented home.
"I'm not aware of him taking anything," Tohme said. Jackson was happy and performed the challenging routines for his scheduled London concert series without any problem at rehearsal at Staples Centre on Monday, he said.
"He was in the best of health. He performed unbelievably," said Tohme, who is trained as an orthopaedic surgeon but not currently practicing.
Source: TOI
Dr Conrad Murray who is licensed in Texas, Nevada and California, reportedly administered CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to Jackson on Thursday before the paramedics team arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home. Murray also accompanied the singer to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Centre, where the singer was pronounced dead, Los Angeles Times reported.
Sources said that the investigators briefly spoke to Murray but plan to question him further.
Los Angeles police department (LAPD) deputy chief Charlie Beck said detectives impounded Conrad's car because it may contain evidence related to Jackson's death.
The LAPD wants to interview the doctor, who attempted to revive Jackson on Thursday at his Holmby Hills home. Beck said detectives have contacted the doctor but would not say when they plan to meet with him.
Beck however, declined to say whether detectives found medication in the car.
"But that is the obvious evidence that could be contained in the vehicle, and I'm not commenting on whether anything like that has been found. But that is typically the reason why a physician's vehicle at the scene of a death would be confiscated," Beck said.
Detectives with LAPD's Robbery-Homicide division are still trying to determine what treatment, if any, Murray gave to Jackson in the hours before his death, the source said.
According to media reports, Jackson had received a shot of the painkiller Demerol before he collapsed. The 50-year-old singer has a history of addiction to painkillers.
Meanwhile, an advisor to Jackson, Dr Tohme Tohme, who had rejoined the singer's team last week, said he never saw pills or other medication at the rented home.
"I'm not aware of him taking anything," Tohme said. Jackson was happy and performed the challenging routines for his scheduled London concert series without any problem at rehearsal at Staples Centre on Monday, he said.
"He was in the best of health. He performed unbelievably," said Tohme, who is trained as an orthopaedic surgeon but not currently practicing.
Source: TOI
Jackson feared dying like Elvis, says ex-wife Presley
Michael Jackson told ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley he feared dying young like her "King of Rock 'N' Roll" father Elvis.
In a blog on her MySpace page titled "He Knew", Lisa Marie, who was married to Jackson for just under two years between 1994 and 1996, said her ex-husband had once confided his fear of dying suddenly.
"Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general," Presley wrote.
"I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Father's Death. At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.'"
Jackson's sudden death Thursday from an apparent cardiac arrest triggered an outpouring of grief that has evoked comparisons with the 1977 death of Elvis at the age of 42.
Presley also used her blog to hit out at the constant swirl of rumor and speculation surrounding her marriage to Jackson, which some critics derided as a public relations stunt designed to burnish the star's image after 1993 allegations of child abuse.
"I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once," Presley said.
"Our relationship was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a 'Normal life' found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much," Presley wrote.
"I wanted to 'save him' I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened."
Source: TOI
In a blog on her MySpace page titled "He Knew", Lisa Marie, who was married to Jackson for just under two years between 1994 and 1996, said her ex-husband had once confided his fear of dying suddenly.
"Years ago Michael and I were having a deep conversation about life in general," Presley wrote.
"I can't recall the exact subject matter but he may have been questioning me about the circumstances of my Father's Death. At some point he paused, he stared at me very intensely and he stated with an almost calm certainty, 'I am afraid that I am going to end up like him, the way he did.'"
Jackson's sudden death Thursday from an apparent cardiac arrest triggered an outpouring of grief that has evoked comparisons with the 1977 death of Elvis at the age of 42.
Presley also used her blog to hit out at the constant swirl of rumor and speculation surrounding her marriage to Jackson, which some critics derided as a public relations stunt designed to burnish the star's image after 1993 allegations of child abuse.
"I am going to say now what I have never said before because I want the truth out there for once," Presley said.
"Our relationship was not 'a sham' as is being reported in the press. It was an unusual relationship yes, where two unusual people who did not live or know a 'Normal life' found a connection, perhaps with some suspect timing on his part. Nonetheless, I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much," Presley wrote.
"I wanted to 'save him' I wanted to save him from the inevitable which is what has just happened."
Source: TOI
No foul play in Jackson's death: Coroner
There was no evidence of foul play in the death of pop superstar Michael Jackson, Los Angeles coroners said on Friday after conducting an autopsy. ( Watch )
Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said a final cause of death on Jackson would be deferred until the results of toxicology tests, due to be completed in "four to six weeks," were known.
But Harvey said that examiners had found "no evidence of trauma" to Jackson's body and no indication of foul play.
Jackson's autopsy took place on Friday amid heartfelt tributes to the singer, and as speculation mounted about the cause of death for the 50-year-old who sold more than 750 million records and whose music defined the 1980s.
Jackson lawyer Brian Oxman said he and family members voiced concerns over the star's use of drugs as he prepared for a gruelling series of comeback concerts in London designed to relaunch his career.
Candles placed in front of the portrait of pop star Michael Jackson at the US embassy in Moscow
"I know Michael was rehearsing and working extremely hard to get in shape in order to perform in London," Oxman told ABC television's Good Morning America. New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Jackson's former producer Tarak Ben Ammar denounced the doctors around the late pop icon as "criminals."
"It's clear that the criminals in this affair are the doctors who treated him throughout his career, who destroyed his face, who gave him medicine to ease his pain," he told France's Europe 1 radio.
Celebrity website TMZ.com -- which broke the news of Jackson's death -- reported on Friday that the star had been injected with the powerful painkiller Demerol about an hour before he lost consciousness.
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said investigators spoke with the doctor briefly on Thursday, but they wanted to speak with him again.
A tape-recording of the 911 call from Jackson's home was released on Friday in which a caller could be heard telling an operator that repeated attempts to revive Jackson had been unsuccessful.
The caller also said Jackson's personal physician had been the only witness to the singer's collapse. "(The doctor) is pumping the chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please," the caller is heard saying.
Jackson's family, including the star's three young children, were reportedly huddled at an estate in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Encino. Meanwhile there were tributes from Jackson's close friend Elizabeth Taylor and a spokesman for US President Barack Obama.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday the US leader regarded Jackson as an icon but thought aspects of his life were sad and tragic.
"The president... said that he had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic, his condolences went out to the Jackson family and fans that mourned his loss," Gibbs said.
Fans staged gatherings across the world. At Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, fans left flowers and lit candles.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Despite the acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar, who named his ranch after Peter Pan's "Neverland" and furnished it with Disney-inspired rides, struggled to recover.
Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his elder brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.
In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson's first solo album for Epic Records, "Off the Wall," a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.
They teamed up again in 1982 for "Thriller," which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million.
Source: TOI
Los Angeles County Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said a final cause of death on Jackson would be deferred until the results of toxicology tests, due to be completed in "four to six weeks," were known.
But Harvey said that examiners had found "no evidence of trauma" to Jackson's body and no indication of foul play.
Jackson's autopsy took place on Friday amid heartfelt tributes to the singer, and as speculation mounted about the cause of death for the 50-year-old who sold more than 750 million records and whose music defined the 1980s.
Jackson lawyer Brian Oxman said he and family members voiced concerns over the star's use of drugs as he prepared for a gruelling series of comeback concerts in London designed to relaunch his career.
Candles placed in front of the portrait of pop star Michael Jackson at the US embassy in Moscow"I know Michael was rehearsing and working extremely hard to get in shape in order to perform in London," Oxman told ABC television's Good Morning America. New age guru and Jackson confidante Deepak Chopra -- a qualified cardiologist -- told CNN bluntly: "I think drugs killed him."
Jackson's former producer Tarak Ben Ammar denounced the doctors around the late pop icon as "criminals."
"It's clear that the criminals in this affair are the doctors who treated him throughout his career, who destroyed his face, who gave him medicine to ease his pain," he told France's Europe 1 radio.
Celebrity website TMZ.com -- which broke the news of Jackson's death -- reported on Friday that the star had been injected with the powerful painkiller Demerol about an hour before he lost consciousness.
A Los Angeles Police Department spokesman said investigators spoke with the doctor briefly on Thursday, but they wanted to speak with him again.
A tape-recording of the 911 call from Jackson's home was released on Friday in which a caller could be heard telling an operator that repeated attempts to revive Jackson had been unsuccessful.
The caller also said Jackson's personal physician had been the only witness to the singer's collapse. "(The doctor) is pumping the chest but he's not responding to anything, sir, please," the caller is heard saying.
Jackson's family, including the star's three young children, were reportedly huddled at an estate in the northern Los Angeles suburb of Encino. Meanwhile there were tributes from Jackson's close friend Elizabeth Taylor and a spokesman for US President Barack Obama.
"My heart... my mind... are broken," Taylor said in a statement. "I loved Michael with all my soul and I can't imagine life without him... I still can't believe it. I don't want to believe it. It can't be so."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said Friday the US leader regarded Jackson as an icon but thought aspects of his life were sad and tragic.
"The president... said that he had aspects of his life that were sad and tragic, his condolences went out to the Jackson family and fans that mourned his loss," Gibbs said.
Fans staged gatherings across the world. At Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, fans left flowers and lit candles.
While Jackson ruled the charts and dazzled audiences with dance moves like the "moonwalk" in the 1980s, his once-stellar career was overshadowed by his startling physical transformation and multiple allegations of child abuse.
He lived as a virtual recluse following his 2005 acquittal on charges of child molestation and plotting to kidnap his young accuser.
Despite the acquittal, the trial was a body blow from which the pop music superstar, who named his ranch after Peter Pan's "Neverland" and furnished it with Disney-inspired rides, struggled to recover.
Born on August 29, 1958, Jackson made his show business debut with four of his elder brothers in the Jackson Five pop group, and went on to lead the stage clan with a piping soprano and dazzling dance moves.
In 1979, Quincy Jones produced Jackson's first solo album for Epic Records, "Off the Wall," a huge disco-oriented success that sold 10 million copies.
They teamed up again in 1982 for "Thriller," which became the top-selling album of all time, with sales exceeding 41 million.
Source: TOI
