Quincy Jones, the celebrated musician and producer who worked with Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Charles and many others, has died at the age of 91.
Quincy Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, said he “passed away peacefully” on November 3 at his home in Bel Air.
“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him,” the family said in a statement.
Quincy Jones was best known as the producer of Michael Jackson’s Thriller album.
Over a career spanning more than 75 years, he won 28 Grammy Awards and was named as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century by Time magazine.
Quincy Jones worked closely with Frank Sinatra and reworked the crooner’s classic Fly Me To The Moon, taking it from a waltz to a swing.
For the film The Wiz, Quincy Jones found himself working alongside a 19-year-old Michael Jackson. He went on to produce Michael Jackson’s album Off the Wall and the pop star’s follow-ups Thriller – which sold 34 million copies int he US alone – and Bad.
In 1985, Quincy Jones gathered 46 of America’s most popular singers of the time, including Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Tina Turner and Cyndi Lauper, to record We Are the World.
Quincy Jones co-wrote the song to raise money for those suffering from a devastating famine in Ethiopia. The record was the US equivalent to Band Aid’s Do They Know It’s Christmas.
Quincy Jones also composed the soundtrack to more than 50 films and TV programs including the 1969 British film, The Italian Job.
Actor Joseph Fiennes says he was “shocked” to be cast as Michael Jackson in a TV show for Sky Arts.
Joseph Fiennes plays Michael Jackson in the comedy about a supposed road trip taken by the singer, Marlon Brando and Elizabeth Taylor after the 9/11 terror attacks.
Some fans have reacted angrily to the casting, but Joseph Fiennes said he thought Michael Jackson was “probably closer to my color than his original color”.
Sky Arts said producers had “creative freedom” in the casting.
Joseph Fiennes said he believed Michael Jackson – who died in 2009 – had a “pigmentation issue” with his skin, so the issue of race should not come into play.
However, the actor told Entertainment Tonight: “I’m a white, middle-class guy from London – I’m as shocked [about the casting] as you might be.
“It’s a light comedy look. It’s not in any way malicious. It’s actually endearing. And the more I actually looked at Michael – it’s great, as an actor, to have so much to copy and look at in interviews – the more I kind of fell in love with him.”
Describing the plot of the 30-minute program – titled Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon – Joseph Fiennes said: “Michael and two of his best buddies, Elizabeth Taylor and Marlon Brando, happened to be in New York the night before 9/11.
“It was a concert Michael was giving, and Brando was introducing him on stage.
“I don’t know if this is an urban legend or if it’s true, but the three of them couldn’t get out because air space was shut down, so the three of them jumped in a car and went on a road trip.”
Stockard Channing, who is best known for her roles in TV drama The West Wing and musical Grease, is playing Elizabeth Taylor in the comedy with Brian Cox starring as Marlon Brando.
There has been a backlash on Twitter to the casting, with some using the hashtag #whitewashing and others claiming they thought the story was actually from satirical magazine The Onion.
CNN entertainment reporter Chris Witherspoon posted a 1993 Michael Jackson interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which he discussed rumors he had wanted a white child to play him in a TV commercial, telling the presenter: “Why would I want a white child to play me? I’m a black American (…) I am proud of my race. I am proud of who I am.”
Angela Bassett, who played Tina Turner in biopic What’s Love Got to Do With It, joked on Twitter she had “ordered violet contacts” and was “ready” to play Elizabeth Taylor after Sleepy Hollow star Orlando Jones suggested she play the actress.
The story about the road trip first came to light in a 2011 Vanity Fair article, which quoted a former employee of Michael Jackson as saying: “They actually got as far as Ohio – all three of them, in a car they drove themselves!”
Marlon Brando was said to have annoyed his friends by wanting to stop at nearly every fast food restaurant they passed on the way.
However, one of Elizabeth Taylor’s assistants dismissed the claims, saying the actress had actually stayed in New York and visited Ground Zero in the days after the attack.
Elizabeth, Michael and Marlon will be broadcast later this year as part of a series on unlikely stories from the history of arts and culture.
Janet Jackson has postponed her Unbreakable world tour until spring to have surgery.
The 49-year-old singer said her doctors told her she needs an operation “soon”.
Janet Jackson told fans: “Please pray for me, my family and our entire company during this difficult time.”
She said she would not be giving any details of her health condition.
Janet Jackson began her tour last August in Vancouver and had dates across the US, Canada and Europe till June 2016.
Her next concert had been due to take place in Denver, Colorado, on January 9.
In 2008, Janet Jackson cancelled a string of concert dates after developing migraine-associated vertigo.
“It breaks my heart to tell you that I am forced to postpone the Unbreakable Tour,” she said, adding that fans should hold on to their tickets.
“They will be honored in a special way when the new schedule is announced.”
Unbreakable is Janet Jackson’s 11th album – and the first studio album since her brother Michael Jackson died in 2009, prompting Janet to take a step back from the public eye.
Neverland Ranch, the famed 2,700-acre property in Los Olivos, California that once belonged to the late Michael Jackson, is officially on the market for $100 million.
Now called again Sycamore Valley Ranch, the property was bought by private investment company Colony Capital in 2008 for $23.5 million.
With millions put into its restoration, the listing is being split by Sotheby’s broker Harry Kolb and Hilton & Hyland’s Jeffrey Hyland.
In an interview with The Wall Street Journal Jeffrey Hyland said that they’re “not encouraging a lot of showings”.
A Sotheby’s representative also said: “We’re not going to be giving tours.”
Michael Jackson owned the Neverland Valley Ranch from 1988 to 2005. The musician named the property for Neverland, the fantasy island in the story of Peter Pan, a boy who never grows up.
Following Michael Jackson’s death in 2009, media speculated that his family intended to bury him at the Neverland Ranch, eventually turning it into a place of pilgrimage for his fans, similar to how Graceland has become a destination for fans of Elvis Presley.
Since 2009, the Neverland Ranch rides Balloon Samba, Jeeps, Wave Swinger and Dinos have been featured attractions at the California State Fair in Sacramento.
Epic Records has premiered a video for Michael Jackson’s new single A Place with No Name on Twitter, which is more commonly used to provide links to others’ material.
To promote the event, Twitter created a map showing Michael Jackson’s top-tweeted songs in different countries.
The release comes in the same week that Twitter declared its goal was to bring “more video into our users’ timelines”.
It added that it sought to make money by charging for “promoted” slots.
“We now offer advertisers the ability to run ads with a new cost per view (CPV) ad buying model,” David Regan, senior product manager, TV and Video wrote on its advertising news page.
Michael Jackson’s A Place with No Name is the first video to premiered on Twitter (photo Wikipedia)
“This means advertisers only get charged when a user starts playing the video.
“Additionally, advertisers using Promoted Video have access to robust video analytics, including completion percentage and a breakout of organic versus paid video views.”
Twitter began experimenting with video in 2012 when it allowed users to embed YouTube links into tweets.
At the start of 2013, it launched the Vine app, which allowed the creation of six second videos designed to play on a loop in newsfeeds.
A few months later it rolled out its Amplify program, which allows advertisers to pay for short pre-roll sponsorship clips that run before videos posted by a select number of organizations.
Video ads have already proved to be a big revenue generator for Twitter’s rival Facebook.
Unlike Facebook, Twitter’s ads will not auto-play when they appear, at least at this stage.
A Place with No Name comes from a recently released posthumous album that features previously unreleased tracks recorded by Michael Jackson between 1983 and 1999.
Katherine Jackson has been ordered by a US court to pay AEG Live $800,000 or costs defending the failed negligence case she brought against the concert promoter.
AEG Live was cleared of liability over the 2009 death of Michael Jackson in a five-month trial last October.
The company had sought $1.2 million to cover costs, but Katherine Jackson’s lawyers claimed it was not justified.
Both parties agreed not to challenge the court’s decision, but may appeal.
Katherine Jackson has been ordered by a US court to pay AEG Live $800,000 or costs defending the failed negligence case she brought against the concert promoter
The exact amount to be paid is expected to be finalized after AEG Live submits an amended list of its costs for items such as court filing fees and travel.
AEG Live’s lawyer Marvin Putnam said the court did the right thing “by ordering Katherine Jackson to pay nearly $1 millio spent in having to defend a matter that she should have never brought in the first place”.
Katherine Jackson’s lawyer Kevin Boyle said the costs would be borne by her and the singer’s three children, all of whom are supported by his estate.
Kevin Boyle added a decision on whether to appeal against the order would be made after AEG Live’s costs were finalized.
The Jackson family sued AEG Live in 2010 claiming it negligently hired and supervised cardiologist Conrad Murray, who gave Michael a lethal dose of the anaesthetic propofol as a sleep aid during his planned comeback tour.
However, a jury concluded the doctor was not unfit or incompetent to do his job and so AEG Live had not been negligent in hiring him.
Conrad Murray – who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for administering the drug – was released from jail last October.
Michael Jackson’s new album, Xscape, featuring eight tracks from the late artist’s archive, will be released on May 13.
Xscape’s track listing was chosen by Epic Records chairman LA Reid, who trawled through four decades of Jackson’s demos and off-cuts.
The tracks were then updated by the likes of Timbaland, who works with Justin Timberlake, and Stargate, who have produced Rihanna and Beyonce.
LA Reid called the process of reworking the songs “contemporizing”.
“Michael left behind some musical performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed strong desire to work with,” said LA Reid.
Xscape, featuring eight tracks from Michael Jackson’s archive, will be released on May 13 (photo Epic Records)
“We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world.”
A deluxe edition of the album will also feature the eight tracks in their original form alongside the remixed versions.
Xscape is the only track on the album to be updated by its original producer – Rodney Jerkins, who worked on the sessions for Michael Jackson’s final studio album, Invincible, in 2001.
John Branca and John McClain, co-executors of Michael Jackson’s estate said: “Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds.
“He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank LA Reid for his vision.”
Other producers involved in the project include John McClain and Jerome “J-Roc” Harmon.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50 from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
One previous album of unreleased material, titled Michael, was issued in 2010.
Among its better tracks were Hold My Hand, a duet with R&B singer Akon which was almost complete at the time of his death, and a cover of Yellow Magic Orchestra’s Behind the Mask, which dated from the 1980s.
A French court has awarded five Michael Jackson fans one euro each for the “emotional damage” they suffered after the pop star’s death.
The case saw 34 fans sue Michael Jackson’s doctor, Conrad Murray, who was jailed in 2011 for the involuntary manslaughter of the singer.
The court in Orleans ruled five fans had proven emotional suffering.
Dr. Conrad Murray served two years of a four-year term for administering a lethal dose of an anaesthetic drug to Michael Jackson and was released in October.
Last month a US court rejected a bid by Conrad Murray to have his conviction for involuntary manslaughter overturned.
Five Michael Jackson fans have been awarded one euro each for the “emotional damage” they suffered after the pop star’s death
The five claimants – two from France, two from Switzerland and one from Belgium – were all members of the French-based Michael Jackson Community fan club.
Their lawyer said they had proven their suffering “with the help of witness statements and medical certificates”.
“As far as I know this is the first time in the world that the notion of emotional damage in connection with a pop star has been recognized,” Emmanuel Ludot told the AFP news agency.
“They have been subjected to ridicule and I am delighted their suffering has been taken seriously by the law.”
The damages were symbolic, he added, and the claimants would not be seeking to claim the one euro each from Conrad Murray.
The five fans say they hope the ruling will help them gain access to Michael Jackson’s grave in Los Angeles, which is closed to the public.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, from an overdose of the powerful anaesthetic propofol.
Conrad Murray’s bid to have his conviction for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson overturned has been rejected by a Los Angeles court.
The Los Angeles appeal court ruled there was substantial evidence of guilt laid out at Conrad Murray’s trial in 2011.
Conrad Murray was sentenced to four years in jail, but was released last October after serving two years of his term.
The former doctor was convicted of administering a lethal dose of an anaesthetic drug to Michael Jackson in 2009.
In a ruling amounting to 68 pages, the court said Michael Jackson “was a vulnerable victim and that [Conrad Murray] was in a position of trust, and violated the trust relationship by breaching standards of professional conduct in numerous respects”.
The court also said that imposing the maximum sentence of four years at the original trial was right, as the evidence revealed a “callous disregard” for Michael Jackson’s health and safety.
They added that it was clear that Conrad Murray “administered a number of dangerous drugs to Mr. Jackson without the appropriate medical equipment, precautions or personnel in place”.
Conrad Murray’s bid to have his conviction for the involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson overturned has been rejected by a Los Angeles court
Their ruling also concluded that Conrad Murray had been wrong to leave Michael Jackson unattended at the time.
Conrad Murray’s appeal argued that the trial judge had excluded jurors from hearing evidence.
It was also argued that the judge quashed attempts by Conrad Murray’s lawyers to introduce arguments about other doctors who had treated Michael Jackson.
His legal representative Valerie Wass said that Conrad Murray’s intention is to take the matter to a higher court.
In a separate development, the insurers of Michael Jackson’s This Is It tour have settled with the late singer’s estate over a policy amounting to $17.5 million.
The wrangle over the matter was due to go to trial next month.
The policy was taken out to insure against postponement or cancellation of the series of London concerts. Michael Jackson died of a drugs overdose while preparing for the shows.
Lloyd’s of London had asked for the policy to be declared null and void, saying they were not told that the star was taking powerful medication.
Details of the settlement have not been disclosed.
A series of legal cases have taken place since Michael Jackson’s death more than four years ago.
The family of late star Michael Jackson has lost its bid for a second wrongful death trial against concert promoter AEG Live.
AEG Live was cleared of liability in October after a five-month trial.
Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine Jackson and his children had claimed the jury was not given proper instructions, but a judge has ruled against a retrial.
The megastar died in 2009 after being given an overdose of powerful anaesthetic propofol by Conrad Murray, which AEG Live had hired as his personal doctor.
The promoter of Michael Jackson’s comeback concerts, This Is It, was sued by the singer’s mother, 83, and three children Prince Michael, Paris and Blanket.
But the company was cleared of negligence by the jury, which concluded that Conrad Murray had been sufficiently qualified for the job.
In court in Los Angeles the Jackson family had argued that the jury was not given the right verdict forms and their instructions were confusing.
“The court finds no jury confusion, based on the admissible evidence,” said Superior Court Judge Yvette Palazuelos.
Michael Jackson’s family has lost its bid for a second wrongful death trial against concert promoter AEG Live
A statement from AEG Live was released through its lawyer Marvin Putnam.
“We were confident that the court would uphold the jury’s verdict,” he said.
Marvin Putnam added: “This is also fantastic news for the taxpayers of California, who won’t have their hard-earned money wasted retrying plaintiffs’ baseless claims. Enough is enough.”
Lawyers for the Jackson family said they may send their appeal to a higher state court.
“We believe there are numerous ways that we can win on appeal,” said lawyer Kevin Boyle.
Jurors who spoke after October’s verdict said it did not mean they thought Conrad Murray was ethical in his care of Michael Jackson, but that he was fit and competent to serve as the singer’s doctor when he was hired.
Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 for Michael Jackson’s death. He was released in October after serving half of his 4-year sentence, under a California state plan to reduce prison overcrowding.
The former doctor’s medical licenses remain suspended or revoked in the US states where he previously practiced medicine.
TJ Jackson, Michael Jackson’s nephew, has asked a judge to dismiss a petition filed by his cousin, Anthony Jackson II, who is challenging TJ’s guardianship of the King of Pop’s three children.
TJ Jackson, 35, was placed in charge of Prince, Paris and Blanket in July 2012, following a family feud, which was sparked by the apparent disappearance of family matriarch Katherine Jackson.
Katherine Jackson had previously been appointed the guardian of her grandkids following the Michael Jackson’s death in 2009.
TJ Jackson was placed in charge of Prince, Paris and Blanket in July 2012
She subsequently agreed to co-parent the youngsters with TJ, but the pair has since been faced with a new fight from Anthony Jackson II, who has filed his own legal papers asking to be named the children’s new guardian.
However, TJ Jackson claims Anthony, who is said to be his cousin, has failed to properly outline the reasons for his petition and he is therefore requesting the challenge be thrown out of court, reports TMZ.
In his documents, TJ, son of Tito Jackson, reveals he and Katherine Jackson are doing well as co-guardians and insists Prince, Paris and Blanket are happy with the arrangements.
Drummer Ricky Lawson has died at a suburban Los Angeles hospital following a brain aneurism at the age of 59.
He collaborated with musicians including Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston.
Ricky Lawson collaborated with musicians including Michael Jackson, Eric Clapton, Phil Collins and Whitney Houston
Ricky Lawson’s uncle, Paul Riser of Detroit, said Tuesday that Lawson was removed from life support 10 days after the aneurism diagnosis and died around 7 p.m. Monday.
Ricky Lawson was being treated at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center in Long Beach, California, about 25 miles south of Los Angeles.
Conrad Murray, who was convicted in the death of Michael Jackson, is suing the state of Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine.
Conrad Murray’s attorney said Thursday that the cardiologist has former patients eager for him to work again.
The doctor, who was released from a California jail this week after serving less than two years for involuntary manslaughter in Michael Jackson’s death, accuses the Texas Medical Board of prematurely revoking his license.
Conrad Murray claims in his lawsuit filed in Austin that his 2011 conviction isn’t final in California until his appeals are exhausted.
He states in an affidavit that he’s more than $400,000 in debt and can’t afford to pay court costs.
Conrad Murray, who was convicted in the death of Michael Jackson, is suing the state of Texas for stripping his right to practice medicine
“Anybody who wants to work in this country ought to be able to have the right to do so. Dr. Murray is like everyone else, in that he needs to be able to do his line of work,” said Charles Peckham, Conrad Murray’s attorney.
Texas Medical Board spokesman Jarrett Schneider said the agency cannot comment on pending litigation.
Conrad Murray was convicted of causing Michael Jackson’s death in June 2009 by providing him with the powerful anesthetic propofol as a sleep aid. Michael Jackson was in the midst of preparations for a series of comeback concerts and Conrad Murray was serving as his physician.
The doctor filed the lawsuit Friday, three days before he was freed after serving half of a maximum four-year sentence.
Conrad Murray previously maintained clinics in Houston and Las Vegas. His medical license is currently suspended in California.
In court papers filed in Texas, Conrad Murray expresses concern that the revocation of his Texas license could give California reason to take the same action.
Music mogul Quincy Jones is suing the estate of Michael Jackson for $10 million in unpaid royalties.
Quincy Jones says Michael Jackson’s estate and Sony Music Entertainment improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees.
The music producer says they also broke an agreement giving him the right to remix master recordings for albums released after Michael Jackson’s death in 2009.
Quincy Jones produced some of Michael Jackson’s top discs including Off the Wall and Thriller.
The Jackson estate said that it was saddened by the lawsuit.
Quincy Jones produced some of Michael Jackson’s top discs including Off the Wall and Thriller
“To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael,” a statement said.
Earlier this month the family of Michael Jackson lost a negligence case against concert promoters AEG Live over the death of the 50-year-old pop star.
A jury concluded Dr. Conrad Murray, who was looking after the singer ahead of his concert tour, was not unfit for his job – and so AEG had not been negligent in hiring him.
Michael Jackson died in 2009 after taking an overdose of a surgical anaesthetic.
Madonna was the top earner on Forbes’ recent Celebrity 100 list, raking in $125 million, but Michael Jackson easily topped her though, earning $160 million over the past year.
It’s the third time in the past five years that the top-earning celebrity in the world has come from the graveyard.
Much of Michael Jackson’s money comes from two Cirque du Soleil shows. Immortal, a touring show, has grossed over $300 million since opening last year. One, which opened at the Mandalay Bay in May, is routinely sold out. Both shows feature the usual Cirque du Soleil acrobatics but One comes with a bonus: a hologram-like illusion of Michael Jackson performs Man in the Mirror at the end of the show.
Michael Jackson also still earns from his music and his half of the Sony/ATV catalog, which includes hits by The Beatles, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift among others.
The King of Pop reclaims the No. 1 spot on Forbes magazine’s list from his friend Elizabeth Taylor.
Elizabeth Taylor, who passed away in 2011, earned an estimated $210 million in the 12 months to October 2012 thanks to a series of lucrative auctions at Christie’s of Taylor’s art, jewels and clothes. This year her earnings dropped to an estimated $25 million, landing her in fourth place.
Over the past 12 months, Elizabeth Taylor’s estate earned big bucks from her White Diamonds perfume, which in 2012 brought in $53 million in retail in the U.S. alone, according to Euromonitor International, her rights in old movies and her smart stock and real estate investments. Elizabeth Taylor’s estate, now represented by Hollywood talent agency UTA, is at work on several licensing deals. Expect to see Elizabeth Taylor’s name on high-end clothing and cosmetics in the near future.
Michael Jackson tops Forbes’ Top-Earning Dead Celebrities 2013
Forbes magazine’s list looks at earnings between October 2012 and October 2013. The magazine count money coming into the estate and it doesn’t deduct for how the estate handles it. To come up with its estimates Forbes talks to estate managers, licensors and lawyers involved in the dead celebrity business.
Ranking second on our list is Elvis Presley with an estimated $55 million in posthumous earnings. Elvis Presley may have taken a back seat to Michael Jackson, but his estate is still earning steadily thanks to his eternally popular image and his famous home, Graceland. That was enough to convince billionaire Leon Black and his firm, Apollo Global Management, to buy CKX, the parent company of American Idol and the estates of both Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali, for $509 million in 2011.
Michael Jackson’s family has lost the negligence case against concert promoters AEG Live over the death of the pop star.
A jury concluded Dr. Conrad Murray, who was looking after Michael Jackson ahead of his concert tour was not unfit for his job – and so AEG had not been negligent in hiring him.
Michael Jackson died in 2009 at the age of 50 after taking an overdose of a surgical anaesthetic.
Dr. Conrad Murray was jailed for four years for involuntary manslaughter for administering the drug.
To reach its verdict, the jury of six men and six women had to go through five key yes-no questions seeking to establish whether AEG was responsible for Conrad Murray’s hiring in the first place and concerning his competence for the job.
The jury decided that AEG Live did hire Conrad Murray but found that he was not unfit or incompetent for the job.
Delivering the verdict, jury foreman Gregg Barden said: “That doesn’t mean we felt he was ethical.”
The ruling was welcomed by AEG Live, who argued that they hired Conrad Murray at the request of Michael Jackson and had no knowledge of the star’s drug dependency.
“I counted Michael Jackson a creative partner and a friend,” said AEG Live executive Randy Phillips, who had testified at the trial.
Michael Jackson’s family has lost the negligence case against concert promoters AEG Live over the death of the pop star
“We lost one of the world’s greatest musical geniuses, but I am relieved and deeply grateful that the jury recognized that neither I, nor anyone else at AEG Live, played any part in Michael’s tragic death.”
Michael Jackson’s 83-year-old mother Katherine was in court for the verdict, and appeared emotional as it was read out, Reuters news agency reports.
Katherine Jackson’s lawyer, Kevin Boyle, said the family was “of course… not happy with the result as it stands now. We will be exploring all options legally and factually and make a decision about anything at a later time.”
In closing arguments, the Jackson lawyers had suggested the damages they were seeking could exceed $1 billion – amounts AEG Live had described as “absurd”.
Michael Jackson died on June 25, 2009, at his rented home in Los Angeles where he was rehearsing for a series of worldwide This Is It concerts.
It was billed as his comeback tour, coming four years after he had been acquitted in a high-profile child molestation case that took a toll on his reputation and his finances.
The five-month civil case heard about his battles with chronic pain and insomnia and a reliance on powerful painkillers.
Michael Jackson died after Dr. Conrad Murray administered an overdose of the hospital anaesthetic propofol to help him sleep.
Katherine Jackson and Michael’s three children had argued that AEG Live were negligent in failing to properly investigate Conrad Murray before hiring him and ignoring signs that the singer was in poor health.
The concert promoters said only Michael Jackson and Conrad Murray knew he was taking the drug and they would have pulled the plug on the tour if they had known.
More than 50 witnesses testified during the trial, including Katherine Jackson and Michael’s eldest son, Prince.
Dr. Conrad Murray is due to be released later this month after serving two years in jail.
Michael Jackson’s civil trial in Los Angeles revealed today that the megastar asked a doctor for propofol 10 years before he died of an overdose of the drug.
Dr. Christine Quinn told how Michael Jackson asked her to give him propofol to help him sleep.
Michael Jackson died of an overdose of the drug given to him by Dr. Conrad Murray.
His mother, Katherine Jackson, is suing promoters AEG Live for $40 billion over her son’s 2009 death. The company has denied any wrongdoing.
Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 over Jackson’s death. AEG, which was promoting his planned comeback concerts, denies it hired Murray.
Dr. Christine Quinn was giving evidence for the defense.
Michael Jackson asked a doctor for propofol 10 years before he died of an overdose of the drug
She said the request for propofol came after she met Michael Jackson while he was undergoing dental procedures.
Dr. Christine Quinn said she told him it was not appropriate to use the drug as a sleep aid.
She told him the sleep you get with anaesthesia “is not real sleep, not restful sleep”.
But Michael Jackson told her it had given him the best sleep he had ever had.
Nurse practitioner Cherilyn Lee also told the court that Michael Jackson had told her he needed propofol to sleep in April 2009.
She said she had warned him that it was unsafe for home use and he might not wake up.
But Michael Jackson told her that doctors had told him he would be fine as long as he was monitored.
She said “his demeanor was <<I have to have this. I have to have this to sleep. You don’t understand, I have not had a good night’s sleep>>”.
AEG Live has also called a number of Michael Jackson’s former doctors to testify.
Dr. Petros Levounis, who had been hired by AEG, told the court on Tuesday that Michael Jackson showed signs that he was shopping around to try to find a doctor who would give him opioid drugs.
Katherine Jackson’s lawyers have said Michael was not an addict.
Michael Jackson, who died in June 2009, would have been 55 today.
Though the King of Pop died four years ago at the age of 50, Twitter was full of birthday greetings and retrospectives of the late singer.
Michael Jackson, who died in June 2009, would have been 55 today
Also, producer Timbaland (Timothy Zachery Mosley) hinted at a new project that could include Michael Jackson’s vocals. In a teaser initially posted on YouTube’s Revolt TV channel, Timbaland talked about being approached by Epic Records executive L.A. Reid about a project that “would be like two kings working together.” Timbaland never mentions Michael Jackson’s name, but the singer’s image appears throughout the clip, which has appeared in several third-party versions since the original was removed from YouTube.
To celebrate his August 29 birth, Sony Music Entertainment is encouraging fans to share birthday wishes — and ideas for making the world a better place — by uploading an Instagram photo or video with hashtags #MJBDay or #MjWeAreOne.
Birthday.MichaelJackson.com will employ Instagram’s API to plot your submission on an interactive map, which lets users click and see other fans’ photos and videos.
The prosecution’s case against promotion company AEG Live, in which Michael Jackson’s mother Katherine – along with his children Prince, Paris and Blanket – alleges the company is responsible for the megastar’s 2009 death, came to a tearful close Friday.
After other recent testimony revealed the massive haul Michael Jackson would have received from the This Is It tour he was rehearsing for when he died, the family the megastar left behind is now reportedly expecting to receive upwards of $40 billion.
This, according to sources who told the New York Post that Michael Jackson’s sister Rebbie, 63, and brothers Jermaine, 58, and Randy, 51, have been meeting in a secret Beverly Hills location to discuss how they’ll divvy up the huge settlement they expect to get out of the case.
According to the source, excitement amongst the performer family has heightened after an accountant testified for the prosecution last week that Michael Jackson could have easily taken home $1.5 billion from his ill-fated tour.
The Post’s source even claims Janet Jackson, arguably the most successful Jackson after Michael, has been involved in some of the meetings.
“I’m not sure [the family] sees it as counting their chickens before they are hatched,” a family member told The Post.
Michael Jackson’s family held secret meetings to plot how they will spend the $40 billion they expect to win from AEG
“Anyone who has followed this trial can easily see AEG is liable. So, it stands to reason that the $1.5 billion . . . would be a starting point.”
A starting point from which, the source said, punitive damages can only go up and up.
“You’re still talking about each getting at least a billion,” the insider claimed.
“A little less if Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Latoya decide they want a piece.”
The Post reports that those three aren’t interested in collecting from the case and say they’re not interested in “blood money”.
Meanwhile, The Post claims Jermaine Jackson already intends to buy the Abu Dhabi theme park Ferrari World and that Randy wants to restore the Neverland Ranch.
“Randy plans to use his share of the money to fight the estate because he’s always been serious about what he feels are Michael’s wishes,”The Post claims.
Katherine Jackson was expected to be the final witness called by her attorneys in the negligence lawsuit against AEG Live that has lasted 12 weeks. The defense case is scheduled to begin next week.
The case surrounds the prosecution’s claim that AEG contributed to Michael Jackson’s death, in part, by hiring Dr. Conrad Murray, who was sentenced to four years in prison in 2011 for his role in the star’s death.
AEG denies it hired the doctor or bears any responsibility for the singer’s death.
Katherine Jackson also said she had heard from her other children that Michael Jackson was abusing prescription medication, but she didn’t know what to believe. She said she visited him in Las Vegas a few years ago to ask him about it.
“He promised, he kept saying, <<I’m OK>>,” Katherine Jackson told the jury.
“Sometimes the mothers are the last to know.”
Katherine Jackson said she told her son: “I don’t want to hear on the news that you’re not here anymore.”
Paris Jackson has been released from hospital and moved to another medical facility, one month after trying to take her own life.
Michael Jackson’s daughter was admitted to UCLA Medical Center following her suicide attempt on June 5, and on Tuesday she was taken to other facility.
The location of Paris Jackson’s new residence is unknown but a source close to the family have confirmed that the treatment centre was chosen by her grandmother Katherine and biological mother Debbie Rowe.
The two women selected the new medical facility on the advice of the 15-year old’s doctors at the UCLA hospital.
Paris Jackson has been released from hospital and moved to another medical facility, one month after trying to take her own life
A source told People magazine that the decision to take Paris Jackson – who slashed her wrists and overdosed on pills – to another treatment centre rather that home was for her own benefit.
“The feeling is that Paris is still a danger to herself,” the insider explained.
“Both Katherine and Debbie want her to get the help that she needs.”
It is unknown if this treatment centre is the same location reported in The Sun and The New York Post, which claims the troubled teen would be moving into the $10 million Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah.
“As far as Paris is concerned she is fine and is ready to go home, but the doctors and her family are not taking any chances. She tried to end her own life and it doesn’t get more serious than that,” a source close to the family said.
“They are terrified she will have a major relapse if she has access to Twitter and the Internet again – especially with all the shocking information that is coming out in the AEG wrongful death court case.”
The insider continued: “[The Diamond Ranch Academy] is a secluded treatment centre for 12 to 18-years-olds that specializes in depression and grief management.
“While she’s there she can be around kids going through similar problems and concentrate on getting well again, without pressures from the outside world and all the negativity on the Internet.”
Paris Jackson has allegedly struggled with depression since her father died at the age of 50 in 2009.
Kenny Ortega, the director of Michael Jackson’s planned comeback shows, has broken down in tears while giving evidence at the megastar’s wrongful death trial.
Kenny Ortega said Michael Jackson’s appearance was “very, very troubling” at a rehearsal, days before his death in June 2009.
“I saw a Michael that frightened me,” Kenny Ortega told the jury.
The director was giving evidence for a third day in the case against live event promoter AEG Live.
AEG Live is being sued by Michael Jackson’s mother for $40 billion over his death.
Katherine Jackson claims the company failed to properly investigate Michael’s personal doctor, Conrad Murray, and missed warning signs about his failing health as he prepared for his This Is It tour.
Conrad Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after giving Michael Jackson a lethal dose of the anaesthetic propofol in 2009.
The company has denied any wrongdoing.
Kenny Ortega gave evidence at Michael Jackson’s wrongful death trial
Kenny Ortega told the jury on Wednesday that, based on Michael Jackson’s condition, he didn’t believe the This Is It concerts could go forward.
The director said Michael Jackson appeared to be under the influence of an unknown substance during at least four rehearsals.
Kenny Ortega said he was under the impression Michael Jackson’s strange behavior followed visits to his doctor.
Michael Jackson’s state was “fairly obvious” to others involved in the production, he added.
The singer also missed several scheduled rehearsals, said Kenny Ortega, adding that during a session six days before his death, he was cold, shivering and seemed lost.
Kenny Ortega, 63, told the court that Michael Jackson improved somewhat as the night went on but wasn’t coherent when he arrived that day. The singer didn’t rehearse that night.
Reading an email he sent to the CEO of concert promoter AEG Live hours after the rehearsal, Kenny Ortega shed tears as he described Michael Jackson as a “lost boy”.
Kenny Ortega said he sent the email to alert AEG officials about Michael Jackson’s condition and trusted them to get the singer appropriate care.
He said he repeatedly called Conrad Murray that night, “the doctor who I thought would be the most natural person” to help.
“Then I reached out to AEG, Michael’s partners, to make sure they were aware of how I felt and what I saw,” he added.
Kenny Ortega outlined a tense meeting with Conrad Murray the following day, during which Murray assured him and AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips that Michael Jackson was capable of rehearsing.
AEG has denied it hired Conrad Murray and said there was no way it could have known the doctor was giving Michael Jackson propofol as a sleep aid.
Kenny Ortega – who directed the High School musical trilogy – is the highest-ranking tour worker to give evidence at the trial and had the most direct contact with AEG executives and Michael Jackson.
The trial, currently in its 11th week, is expected to last until the end of July.
Wade Robson, a former child dancer who is accusing Michael Jackson of years of abuse, says he will ask the FBI to release the files on The King of Pop.
Wade Robson’s lawyers hope the material, which claims Michael Jackson paid $35 million to hush up “abuse victims”, will help win their case.
Choreographer Wade Robson, now 30, is suing Michael Jackson’s estate claiming the star molested him time and time again when he was a child.
This is despite the fact he denied being abused by Michael Jackson at the 2005 trial when the star was cleared of abusing another child.
Yesterday the Sunday People revealed the files show Michael Jackson paid huge sums of hush money over 15 years.
US crime-busters seized the material – including tapes, phone transcripts and names of 17 alleged victims – from investigator Anthony Pellican, who worked for Michael Jackson.
His documents were not passed to prosecutors in Michael Jackson’s 2005 trial.
Last night a friend of Wade Robson said: “He was shocked by the news of this report emerging yesterday.
“Wade has already asked his lawyers to contact the FBI to see if they could access the information.
“He feels his case could be bolstered if he could get another child or even more to come out and support what he went through at the hands of Jackson.
“It has been over 20 years, but right now his prime concern is to build a case to show the world he is in the right.”
The source continued: “Wade has been rocked by the reaction to his claims.
Former child dancer Wade Robson is accusing Michael Jackson of years of abuse
“He knows if he stands shoulder to shoulder with another accuser he might be viewed sympathetically.”
The FBI files challenge Michael Jackson’s insistence he never laid a finger on any of the kids invited to his Neverland Ranch in California for unsupervised sleep-overs.
They describe how Michael Jackson was caught groping a child star, molesting others.
A source said: “Spending a year’s royalties to keep him on his throne was worth it. The world never heard what took place.”
Michael Jackson died in 2009 after a medical drug overdose.
The files were revealed as his family attended the Las Vegas premiere of Michael ONE, a lavish stage show.
Audio tapes from Michael Jackson’s secret FBI file offer a sickening insight into his depravity.
They reveal how children would be invited to his estate and how Michael Jackson, who used the codename Blue Fox, would take them way and abuse them with their parents often just feet away.
The tapes are of interviews former employees Philip and Stella LeMarque gave to investigator Anthony Pellican.
Transcripts said:
Stella: Boy A came to see Michael. The parents were in the room smoking p** with a five-month-old baby. At the time he was crazy about Boy A and his little brother.
Philip: Michael likes them young. Boy A was getting too old. The first time Michael saw Boy A in the movie, …. …., he told Boy A he wanted to meet him.
Investigator: Wait a minute. She (an ex-member of Michael Jackson’s staff) makes deals with the parents?
Philip: She makes the deals with the parents to bring everybody… the parents with the kids to the ranch. If there are five, Michael takes the one he wants.
Investigator: You’re saying (the Michael Jackson staffer) brings a selection of kids for Michael to choose from? Like a p**p?
Philip: Yes.
In another excerpt Philip LeMarque tells how he found Michael Jackson with his hands in the pants of another child after being woken up at 2 a.m. to make the star French fries.
And Stella LeMarque says she saw Michael Jackson kissing a boy in his cinema “like lovers” with his mother sitting just two or three rows in front.
Michael Jackson allegedly spent $35 million to at least two dozen young boys he abused over 15 years.
According to Sunday People, whichhas published explosive “secret FBI files” suggesting Michael Jackson molested children from at least 1989, despite his insistence he was just spending time with them.
The damning files claim Michael Jackson assaulted a boy, molested a famous child star and groped another child whose mother wasn’t “bothered” by it.
Jackson family lawyers have to date insisted the King of Pop has only paid off the family of Jordan Chandler, 13, who he allegedly abused in 1993.
However, a sleuth hired by Anthony Pellicano – a celebrity private eye Michael Jackson allegedly hired to make the claims go away – has claimed the star was a “serial child predator” who paid out scores of children he allegedly abused at his Neverland Ranch.
Sunday People says it has evidence to back the investigators claims.
When Anthony Pellicano was investigated in 2002 for bugging Hollywood stars, the FBI seized his files, including many about Michael Jackson.
These included case files CADCE MJ-02463 and CR 01046 which Sunday People claims it has access to.
The files were allegedly not passed on to prosecutors in Michael Jackson’s controversial 2005 molestation trial.
The shocking revelations come after Michael Jackson’s daughter, 15-year-old Paris, recently tried to kill herself.
In further scandal, his family is also trying to sue gig promoter AEG Live who they claim hired Dr. Conrad Murray who prescribed Michael Jackson his last fatal drug dose.
AEG Live denies hiring Conrad Murray, who is currently serving a four-year jail term for involuntary manslaughter.
The investigator, who spoke to Sunday People on the condition of anonymity, said he decided to finally come forward after Michael Jackson’s former child friend Wade Robson revealed he was abused by the star.
Michael Jackson’s family lawyers have to date insisted the star has only paid off the family of Jordan Chandler, 13, who he allegedly abused in 1993
Australian-born Wade Robson, a dancer and choreographer, recently launched a major lawsuit against the Jackson estate, saying he was regularly molested at Neverland in the 1990s.
Sunday People claims it has seen files confirming Robson’s claims.
While Anthony Pellicano is now in jail for racketeering and wire-tapping, his investigator told Sunday People he was hired to help dig the dirt on Michael Jackson and make potential problems disappear.
The investigator said he kept copies of FBI documents naming 17 boys – including five child actors and two dancers – Michael Jackson targeted for abuse.
These included a European boy and the sons of a screenwriter.
The sleuth said at least three boys were paid to stay silent, with the family of a famous film actor given about $596,300 not to talk to the media.
He said a Neverland maid was allegedly paid $2 million after accusing her boss of molesting her son, while another woman who knew her son was being assaulted “turned a blind eye to it because if it didn’t bother him, it didn’t bother her”.
The files on the alleged victims were reportedly compiled when lawyers drew up a list of “potential threats” to Michael Jackson’s image in the early 1990s, when he was on a world tour.
But after the father of Jordan Chandler publicly claimed his son had been abused, other similar accusations began flooding the media.
Jordan Chandler was paid a hefty sum to stay out of the limelight.
“His [Michael Jackson’s] actress friend Elizabeth Taylor encouraged him to hire Pellicano because she had used him to stop dirt on her drug problems being released in the media,” the investigator, who spent two years on the case, alleged.
“Pellicano had links to key figures in the US media and made them dance to his tune.
“With the help of people like Pellicano, the world and his fans never heard what took place at Neverland over 15 years.”
While Michael Jackson was found not guilty of abusing a 13-year-old boy in 2005, the private eye insists the boxes of evidence he helped to collect showed “Jackson was a serial child predator”.
The investigator said he didn’t come forward to upset Michael Jackson’s children, but to finally make public that authorities have shocking information on the dead star that has never been released.
However, long-time Michael Jackson lawyer and friend Brian Oxman said he thought only Jordan Chandler had been paid off, but admitted the “gift list on Michael’s income tax returns was astounding”.
Prince Jackson, Michael Jackson’s eldest son, recalled the moment Dr. Conrad Murray informed him of his father’s death.
Prince Jackson, 16, took to the stand for the first time in the Jackson family’s wrongful death lawsuit against AEG in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
He told the court Conrad Murray simply said: “Sorry kids. Dad’s dead.”
Prince Jackson is a witness in a lawsuit claiming AEG negligently hired Conrad Murray, the doctor who was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter for giving Michael Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
According to TMZ, Prince Jackson was in the lounge room of the family’s Holmby Hills mansion when his father went into cardiac arrest on June 25, 2009.
He recalled hearing screams and Conrad Murray called him upstairs. Prince Jackson said his father was “half hanging out of the bed” while the doctor was trying to resuscitate him.
Prince Jackson said his sister Paris, 15, who is being treated following a suicide attempt earlier this month, suffered the most in the wake of their father’s death.
He recalled she screamed that she “wanted her daddy” while Conrad Murray was performing CPR.
Prince Jackson said: “She was my dad’s princess. She definitely is dealing with [his death] in her own way.”
He also revealed his father was excited about going back on tour before his death but wasn’t happy about the terms of the ill-fated shows.
Prince Jackson told jurors his father wanted more time to rehearse and had several tense phone conversations with promoters of his This Is It shows that sometimes ended with his father in tears.
The teen said his father remarked after one of the conversations: “They’re going to kill me,” but he did not elaborate.
Prince Jackson recalled the moment Dr. Conrad Murray informed him of his father’s death
AEG denies it hired the physician or bears any responsibility for the entertainer’s death.
Prince Jackson testified that he saw AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips at the family’s rented mansion in a heated conversation with Conrad Murray in the days before his father died. The teenager said he saw Randy Phillips grabbing Conrad Murray’s elbow.
Randy Phillips “looked aggressive to me”, Prince Jackson testified.
Michael Jackson wasn’t at home at the time and was probably at rehearsals, Prince said.
For the first time, the teenage publicly provided details about the day his father died. Prince Jackson testified that he saw Conrad Murray performing CPR on his father, who was hanging halfway off a bed.
It appeared his father’s eyes were rolled up in the back of his head, Prince Jackson told jurors.
Prince Jackson’s eyes appeared red as he recalled being told by Conrad Murray at a hospital that his father was dead.
The testimony began with the teenager showing jurors roughly 15 minutes of private family photos and home videos.
He described growing up on Neverland Ranch and showed the panel videos of the property’s petting zoos and other amenities. After his father’s acquittal of child molestation charges, Prince Jackson described living in the Middle East, Ireland and Las Vegas.
Prince Jackson told the jury that his father was always working, but his children had no idea he was a global superstar.
“We always listened to his music, but we never knew how famous he was,” he said.
Prince Jackson said he and his sister Paris watched a video of one of their father’s performances and got a sense of his fame when overwhelmed fans were carried from his shows on stretchers.
He is the first Jackson family member to testify during the trial, now in its ninth week. Attorneys have said TJ Jackson, who serves a co-guardian to Prince and his siblings, and Taj Jackson, are also expected to take the witness stand. They are the sons of Tito Jackson.
Prince Jackson, his sister Paris and brother Blanket are plaintiffs in the case against AEG, which their grandmother and primary caretaker filed in August 2010.
In court, Prince Jackson wore a black suit with a dark grey tie with his long brown hair tucked behind his ears. He spoke softly as he began testifying, and the first exhibit shown to jurors was a photo taken with their grandmother on his and Paris’ first day of school.
He described his school life, including taking a summer course in U.S. history, participating on the school’s robotics team and volunteer work.
Another image shown to jurors was Michael Jackson playing piano with his son while Prince was still an infant or toddler.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Brian Panish asked Prince Jackson whether he was interested in pursuing a career in music.
“I can never play an instrument and I definitely cannot sing,” Prince Jackson said to laughter from the jury.
He said he wanted to study film or business when he goes to college.
Prince Jackson said he helped attorneys pick out the videos and photos shown in court.
Michael Jackson sheltered his children from the public eye while he was alive, often obscuring their faces while out in public. The children have been more public in recent years, appearing at a star-studded memorial service and other events honoring their father.
Paris Jackson, 15, had also been expected to testify during the case but was hospitalized last month and her status as a witness remained unclear. Attorneys for AEG played a snippet of her videotaped deposition last week, and more of her testimony may be played for the jury later in the trial.
Blanket Jackson, 11, is not expected to testify.
The jury of six men and six women has learned numerous details about Michael Jackson’s role as a father during the case. They’ve heard about a secret trip to a movie weeks before Michael Jackson’s death, a private circus he hired for Paris’ 11th birthday, and Blanket’s interest in his father’s dance rehearsals.
Paris Jackson was reportedly the victim of cruel cyber-bullying, it has been claimed today.
Paris Jackson, 15, is reported to have suffered so many vile taunts on-line that she was eventually pushed to breaking point.
TMZ reports that Paris Jackson – who attempted to take her own life earlier this month – was almost “destroyed” by the vicious insults.
“Some of the comments involve the various molestation allegations … others involve the odd life Paris lived while Michael was alive,” the site claims.
The source adds: “They destroyed her.”
Paris Jackson has suffered so many vile taunts on-line that she was eventually pushed to breaking point
It is understood that Paris Jackson, who is recovering at UCLA Medica Center, does not currently have access to the social networking site Facebook.
However, her family are reportedly worried for Michael Jackson’s daughter when she eventually returns to the site.
The reports suggests that family members have even tried to shut down the account, but Facebook’s policy states that no family members have the right to shut down an account if the user is 13 years of age or older.
Adding to Paris Jackson’s troubles before her suicide attempt earlier this month, was her part in her family’s wrongful death suit, regarding her father Michael Jackson, against concert promoters AEG.
Paris Jackson was recently seen giving a video testimonial, recorded in March this year, which was replayed during the trial last week.
The videos were used after lawyers for the Jackson family told the judge that Paris, who is suing concert giant AEG along with her grandmother Katherine, 83, and siblings, would be unable to testify in person due to the fact that she is still recovering in hospital.
During a testimony in the Jackson family’s wrongful death suit against AEG Live regarding Michael Jackson’s death, personal chef Kai Chase revealed Paris is “devastated and lost”.
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