Tag: Michael Jackson (page 2)

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. The Michael Jackson Memorial is about to begin. The musical tributes will be great and there's suspense as to who will sing when, the family has not provided a schedule.

If you're watching, here's a thread to weigh in the memorial and the music. You can view the photos of the service below in larger format here.

Update: 11:34 am (MT): "We are going to see the King. No More Dying". They bring the gleaming casket in. It's topped with flowers and really quite beautiful. The crowd rises and claps. It's very tastefully done so far. updates below.

The Michael Jackson memorial service at Staples in L.A. is Tuesday at 1pm ET. 1.6 million applied for tickets awarded online through a computer-generated lottery system. 1 of every 182 who applied received a ticket. From CNN's website:

Tomorrow, join CNN and CNN.com/LIVE for all day coverage of the Jackson Memorial. Don't miss special primetime coverage of the day's events beginning at 8p.m. ET.

CNN will also broadcast the event online. How many plan to watch? The current tally from a poll on its website: 82% won't watch. Five other networks will broadcast the event live.

Fox News says it's official. The LA Times says it's under discussion.

There will be a massive public tribute to Michael Jackson at the Staples Center Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.

People are grumbling about the security costs. How about if everyone who ever enjoyed a Michael Jackson song kicks in $1.00. Wouldn't that cover it?

There are great Michael Jackson videos on all the music channels this weekend. I can't believe Comcast doesn't have a live MTV HD channel. Anyway, you can watch online above. MTV is doing a tribute to him this evening, but there are too many interviews. Better to watch online, or one of the other channels.

The autopsy showed no signs of foul play or trauma to his body. Michael's body has been released to his family. Toxicology tests will take 6 to 8 weeks. His doctor, Houston cardiologist Conrad Murray, who was living with Jackson, has agreed to be interviewed. He's not suspected of criminal activity. Jackson's ex-wife and the mother of two of his children, Paris and Michael, will get custody as she never relinquished her parental rights.

This is an open thread, all topics welcome.

People continue to gather at the UCLA medical center, at Michael Jackson's rented residence in Bel-Air and at the Apollo Theatre in Harlem.

Janet Jackson's spokesman says she's devastated and flying back to California from a pre-filming location. The autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow.

How terrible has tonight's television coverage been? I recap here. As for some of the better coverage, see below: [More...]

Update: Really sad to watch the helicopter fly Michael Jackson's body to the morgue where the coroner will do the autopsy.

A news conference with the hospital where Michael Jackson died is about to begin. I will live-blog. (Update: There is no hospital news conference. I've changed the title to his brother's press conference and posted the video. ]

Hasn't started yet but a LAPD police detective gave a little interview. A coroner's investigation is underway. The robbery/homicide division was assigned because of high profile nature of the death. He said "Don't read anything into it."

Hospital conference still to come. Stay tuned. I may have to change channels. CNN's pundits can't stop talking about unproven allegations against Jackson and even bringing up Joe Jackson's alleged childhood abuse of Michael. [More...]

Update: LA coroner on CNN: At 2:26pm PT Michael Jackson was declared dead. He's evasive but it sounds like he was dead on arrival at the LA Medical Center. (Update: They tried to resuscitate him at the hospital for an hour and failed. His brother Jermaine said his personal physician was with him at his home when he went into cardiac arrest.)

Update: LA Times, CBS and all media outlets except CNN confirms Jackson has died. The hospital reportedly is on lock down as crowds swell around it. (Added: CNN confirms too.)

R.I.P. Michael Jackson. What a sad day. First Farrah, now Michael. Herre's Billie Jean, Live. From the best selling album of all time.

TMZ reports Michael Jackson died of cardiac arrest at his home today. While others are reporting he was taken to the hospital, TMZ says he was dead when paramedics arrived and attempts at resusitation failed.

[More...]

Post-Verdict
Thursday, June 16

Here are the handwritten questions the jury asked during deliberations in the Michael Jackson trial. (pdf)

The Judge unsealed them today.

We give the last word on the Michael Jackson verdict to Jon Stewart of the Daily Show, who hilariously takes apart the media and legal analysts covering the Michael Jackson trial. Crooks and Liars has the video.

Second to the last word- for the best take on the verdict by a legal analyst -- goes to CBS's Andrew Cohen, and his column You Just Had to Be There in Court.

Verdict Watch, Day 7
Monday June 13, 2005

Congratulations to Michael Jackson....Not Guilty on all counts! Kudos to Tom Mesereau and team. Shame on DA Tom Sneddon, man on a mission.

Other losers:

• Martin Bashir
• The Accuser's mother
• Larry Feldman
• Gloria Allred

Sneddon Press Conference: He's not going to quarrel with the jury's verdict. He has not spoken with accuser or family. Denies that his past history with Michael Jackson had anything to do with his office's decision to file.

Verdict Watch, Day 6
Friday, June 9, 2005

The jury has recessed for the weekend without a verdict. There are 2,200 journalists on site.

This is not a surprise. 28 hours of deliberations is not excessive by any stretch, given the 100 pages of jury instructions, 130 witnesses, 14 weeks of testimony and the complex verdict form.

I'll be over at the Washington Post doing an online chat on the Michael Jackson trial. You can join in here.

Documentary producer Martin Bashir is the first witness.