Last month, TMZ reported that Debbie Rowe, the former wife of Michael Jackson, was engaged to Marc Schaffel, a long-time friend of Rowe and a once friend and producer of Jackson. Originally, she dismissed the gossip site’s news of her engagement; she claimed it was false.
Rowe later revealed that she, originally, turned down Schaffel’s proposal because of a health scare. She feared cancer was killing her, but it turned out she had sarcoidosis, an auto-immune disease. Once Rowe knew the diagnosis wasn’t deadly, she changed her mind about the proposal.
Rowe told TMZ live that “he’s helped me with a lot of things. And friendship sometimes turns into a relationship.” She also expressed that her kids really like Schaffel. Rowe and Schaffel have not set a wedding date yet.
Besides becoming engaged, Rowe has begun the process to get full custody of her two kids with Jackson, Paris and Prince. She would like to take over guardianship of Blanket as well, who is not biologically her child.
A source told TMZ that “Rowe is deeply concerned about the environment in the Jackson home. She likes Katherine Jackson but believes she has gotten way too old to serve as guardian ... Katherine's not connected with the kids or involved in their lives”
She also has some problems with the Jackson brothers influence in her children’s lives. According to the TMZ source, Rowe finds Jermaine Jackson “creepy and extremely inappropriate.” She wants him far away from her children.
The brothers have already fired back at Rowe claiming "[The children] are well loved and well taken care of. We are quite taken back [sic] that Ms. Rowe has decided now to enter their lives, after she abandoned her children many years ago for money."
Rowe plans to file a document making her the guardian of Paris and Prince. Then she wants to move them to her ranch in Palmdale CA, where she runs a horse breeding and raising business.
Image via Debbie Rowe, Facebook
Michael Jackson passed away from a drug-complicated heart attack nearly five years ago, but his fans have kept him very much alive over that time through his music and videos. Now, however, it looks like they’ll have some new material coming their way.
Epic Records has announced that a new album filled with finished tracks from the King of Pop will be released on May 13. Titled Xscape, the album is full of talent from producers like Timbaland, who came in and tweaked the songs enough to make them work in today’s world.
“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,” Reid said in a statement. “We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world.”
Epic will also release a bonus deluxe edition which will include all the songs in their original form, before Timbaland’s input. The title track was actually a cut that was supposed to make it on 2001’s Invincible but was eventually taken out. As for the new album, those who were close to Jackson have reportedly given it their approval.
“Michael was always on the cutting edge and was constantly reaching out to new producers, looking for new sounds,” said co-executors of Jackson’s estate John Branca and John McClain. “He was always relevant and current. These tracks, in many ways, capture that spirit. We thank L.A. Reid for his vision.”
Brandon Howard is the son of Miki Howard and, some say, Michael Jackson. Miki was a musical artist managed by Michael’s father Joe Jackson in the 80s. Brandon is now 31. He is also said to be the “kid” referenced in Michael’s 1982 hit “Billie Jean.”
A DNA test was done to examine the genetic relationship. The organizers of the test allegedly obtained Michael Jackson’s DNA from an orthodontic device of his that had been purchased at an auction. The results show that there is a 99.9 percent chance of a positive parental match.
The match was announced at a press conference in Beverly Hills by Alki David, digital entrepreneur and heir to the Coca-Cola Hellenic shipping company. Dental surgeon Joseph Goodman revealed the results of the DNA test. He was the one who extracted a sample of the King of Pop’s DNA from the dental device he purchased at the auction.
The alleged test documents were shown to some of the press conference’s attendees, but did not identify the laboratory that performed the analysis. The paperwork also did not contain the names of the test subjects. David said this was because DNA tests are usually done anonymously and other information was excluded for security purposes. “I’m sure that there will be doubters…but it is what it is,” David stated. Michael Jackson’s estate lawyer Howard Weitzman was skeptical. He said, “It sounds like a fraud,” and that they had never heard of Howard. “He’s never made any claims with the estate,” he said, adding that any deadline for claiming to be an offspring of Michael Jackson has long since passed.
Howard confirmed in a Facebook post that he gave the organizers a sample of his DNA for the test. Corey Feldman, a former child actor and close friend of Howard, said that his friend agreed to give a sample for his own peace of mind. “His intention was to keep it for himself,” added Feldman. Feldman believes Howard is Michael Jackson’s son.
In a Facebook video, Howard said he had nothing to do with the press conference and he had never proclaimed himself to be the King of Pop’s son. “I’m definitely not suing the estate,” he said, reasoning that he has been well taken care of, and that he has no need for others’ money because he makes his own.
Brandon Howard being Michael Jackson’s son needs files and evidence to be released or it’s not real, we need to hear from the Jackson’s too.
— MichaelJackson fans! (@WeloveyouMJJ) March 6, 2014
The King of Pop’s estate is now generating cash, sources say. When Michael Jackson died almost five years ago, he was overwhelmed with debt. He has made millions in his lifetime from endorsements, concerts, and his own music, but his earnings could not keep up with his luxurious lifestyle.
Jackson lived an extravagant lifestyle and reportedly spent around $30 to $50 million annually on himself alone. By the time of his death in 2009, unpaid bills had piled up with his publicists, agents, and lawyers.
One of his biggest purchases was the Neverland Valley Ranch, a private amusement park and Jackson’s home from 1988 up to 2005. The cost of the ranch alone was $17 million, and cost $5 million a year just to maintain the property. Along with that purchase, he also spent millions on a divorce settlement, lawsuits, antiques, clothes, Bentleys, and his diamond-encrusted gloves.
Jackson was also known to spend millions of dollars on several video projects, which amount to about $65 million.
After Jackson’s death, his executors planned a comeback to make the King of Pop’s finances shift to the positive side. This was carried out mainly by doing licensing and publishing deals, so that they did not have to sell the singer’s music portfolio. Jackson’s future music rights, which amounted to $250 million, were sold to Sony. His lawyers also joined several home videos to come up with the movie “This is It,” which to this day is said to have made more than $500 million.
Jackson’s three kids – Prince, Paris, and Blanket – are the chief beneficiaries. They get to spend $8 million yearly — $3 million on education, $28,500 monthly rental for a mansion, $600,000 in security, and $300,000 for a vacation.
Michael Jackson’s estate is being heavily pursued by the IRS for “undervaluing assets” and now faces a $702 million charge. In U.S. Tax Court documents, executors estimate that Michael’s net worth at his time of death in 2009 was around $7 million; the IRS is now arguing that his worth was actually $1.125 billion. The tax collectors are reporting that the claims are so grossly inaccurate that they qualify for the gross valuation misstatement penalty, which doubles the usual penalty from 20% to 40%. That’s $505 million in tax charges, and $197 million extra in penalties.
The dispute centers around an argument on the value of Michael’s “image and likeness,” which the estate estimated at only $2,105. The IRS says it’s closer to $434 million. The Estate also valued Michael’s interest in a trust that owned songs by The Beatles at zero (really?), when it’s actually $469 million by the IRS’ calculations.
You mean the Beatles catalog isn't worthless? | Michael Jackson Estate Targeted By IRS — Shocking Tax-Cheating Allegations…
Not surprisingly, the Estate is fighting these charges, saying in a statement: “The Estate of Michael Jackson disputes the IRS position in its entirety…the Estate used independent, nationally-recognized and highly-qualified expert appraisers in determining the value of the Estate’s assets. The IRS consultant’s values are not based on standard appraisal methodology, but rather are speculative and erroneous assumptions unsupported by the facts or law. The Estate has paid over $100 Million dollars in taxes and is in full compliance with the tax laws.”
In the four years since his death, the Estate has reportedly generated $500 million, with $60 million coming from the film This Is It and $250 million for the Michael Jackson Immortal World Tour. However, if the court rules in favor of the IRS, the Estate will turn that money over to the government, most likely in the form of a payment plan over the next 15 years.
Although Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson’s daughter, did not make it home for Christmas, she was with her family to ring in the new year. Paris returned to her grandmother Katherine Jackson’s home, for the first time since she attempted suicide in June 2013.
Shortly after, Katherine issued a statement, regarding the suicide attempt, and asked for people to respect Paris’ privacy. “Being a sensitive 15 year old is difficult no matter who you are. It is especially difficult when you lose the person closest to you,” the statement read. “Paris is physically fine and is getting appropriate medical attention. Please respect her privacy and the family’s privacy.”
Several days before she was hospitalized, Paris was very active on Twitter, posting disturbing tweets. “I wonder why tears are salty?” she tweeted. An hour later she wrote: “yesterday ,all my troubles seemed so far away now it looks as through they’re here to stay.”
Paris has been living in Utah at a therapeutic boarding school since she left Los Angeles, after receiving treatment. Katherine told Hello! magazine that Paris was “doing much better”, and that her treatment is “going good, really good”.
“She’s my baby,” Katherine continued. “It’s hard for me, really hard. All I wanted these kids to be is happy. The night [Michael Jackson] died Paris was crying and said ‘I want to go and see Daddy, I don’t want to be without him.'”
Hopefully things will continue to improve for Paris, and she will be able to join her family, at home, for good.
Britney Spears had a surprise for any “King of Pop” fans in the audience last night. During her performance of “Me Against The Music”, the popstar donned a fedora and struck signature Michael Jackson poses. When reportedly asked about the performance by US Weekly, Spears admitted that it had been indeed a tribute to the late Jackson. She also stated that her favorite part of the show was simply her and the spotlight and considered the moment a true tribute to the departed music icon.
Britney Spears had performed with the late Michael Jackson in the past. During his 30th Anniversary Special, Britney Spears played the role of love interest during a performance of “The Way You Make Me Feel”.
Spears has cited Jackson and his sister Janet as major musical influences, so the tribute isn’t surprising and is probably heart-felt.
Perhaps she wanted to add a bit of excitement to her Las Vegas show, which thus far has had mixed reviews.
The La Times review was rather scathing, saying that the show’s title “Piece of Me” was more than apt for what was delivered: Just a piece of a promising performance rather than an entirely enjoyable show.
Ouch.
Much of the criticism of the opening shows has been centered around the idea that Spears is not really singing. Lip-synching is actually something that Spears had been accused of in the past, though many had been willing to give her a break. After all, it’s not easy to hold a note and dance your behind off at the same time. The problem is that according to many reports, Spears just isn’t dancing anymore. If the pop icon is hardly working up a sweat through actual dance, there isn’t a valid reason to avoid singing live.
The ability to step outside the box with surprise additions to the show could be enticing. However, if Spears doesn’t step up her game, her Las Vegas shows are in danger of falling humiliatingly flat. Heart-felt tributes or not.
Michael Jackson’s only daughter, Paris Jackson, was able to make it home to spend time with her family for New Years after her reported suicide attempt back in June. The teen was reunited with her birth mother and her grandmother during her break from school for the holidays, and although she wasn’t able to make it home to California for Christmas, she was able to join her family in time to ring in the new year. She took to Instagram with a picture (shown above) of herself and her birth mother , Debbie Rowe, very simply captioned, “momma : )”
Paris was vacationing in Hawaii during Christmas and Christmas eve with her mother, brothers, and grandmother, Katherine Jackson, who is the guardian of Paris and her two brothers. Paris attempted suicide back in June by downing painkillers and slitting her wrists. She was sent shortly after to the Diamond Ranch Academy in Utah, an elite and secluded treatment center for youth aged 12 to 18, specializing in grief and depression issues. On the topic of her granddaughter, Katherine said, “She is in a good place, getting the help she needs. She is doing much better. The treatment is going good, really good. She’s my baby. It’s hard for me, really hard. All I want these kids to be is happy.”
Paris is now home in California at her grandmother’s house, where she rung in the new year. She will be staying with her grandmother for a few days as she finishes out her winter break, and will be returning to Utah afterwords. Undisclosed sources say to E! News that Paris is doing well, and that her recovery is also taking an upturn. Hopefully, Paris will be able to return to her family in full health soon; in the meantime, it’s great to hear that she gets to spend time with her loved ones as she heals, even if only for a little while.
La Toya Jackson’s best friend Jeffre Phillips proposed to her on her reality show, Life With La Toya, and on Friday the two officially tied the knot. Longtime friends and business partners, the two exchanged vows in front of a small group of very close friends and family members.
Katherine Jackson, La Toya’s mom, and Prince Jackson, son of the late Michael Jackson, were in attendance for the nuptials.
La Toya reportedly sought a boyfriend as part of her reality show a while back, but friends say that was fake. It was simply hype to insert some excitement into the show. Jeffre reportedly knew all about the plan, and went along with the scheme in order to help boost the show’s ratings. La Toya and Phillips have purportedly been an item for a while now.
Twitter was abuzz with La Toya Jackson’s wedding news.
La Toya Jackson got married on 6th of December 2013
Hopefully this marriage is a far cry better than La Toya Jackson’s previous marriage. She and Jack Gordon, her former manager, were married in the late 1980s. Said to be a horrific marriage, Gordon supposedly abused and controlled her for about seven years.
Congratulations to both La Toya Jackson and Jeffre Phillips on their marriage. May they enjoy many years together.
Dr. Conrad Murray continues to claim his innocence in the death of iconic performer Michael Jackson. The 60-year-old heart surgeon was released from prison three weeks ago, but has already spoken about the legendary singer and dancer. In a recent interview with The Mail, the doctor shifted blame for the tragic death on the superstar himself. ‘I did not kill Michael Jackson. He was a drug addict. Michael Jackson accidentally killed Michael Jackson,’ Murray said.
Murray was imprisoned for involuntary manslaughter, and served half of his four-year-sentence before being released. Though the doctor began working for the King of Pop in 2006, Murray says that he did not prescribe all the drugs located in Jackson’s system at the time of death. “That night he just couldn’t sleep. I prescribed him drugs to help, including Valium and Lorazepam, but he was begging, pleading, close to tears. I told him, ‘This is not normal. What I’ve given you would put an elephant to sleep’. In the other bedroom, the police found an open bottle of Lorazepam. They found tablets in his stomach. I didn’t give him those. Michael took extra tablets. And he injected himself,” Murray said.
During an April interview with CNN‘s Anderson Cooper, Conrad Murray likened his personal story to a sad, Nat King Cole Christmas song. “He is a little boy that Santa Claus forgot, and goodness knows, he did not want a lot. He wrote a note to Santa for some crayons and a toy. It broke his little heart when he found Santa hadn’t come.” Murray recited before continuing, “In the streets, he envied all the lucky boys, but goodness knows, he didn’t want a lot. I’m so sorry for that laddie who hasn’t got a daddy. He’s a little boy that Santa Claus forgot. That song tells my story. That’s how I grew up. I had no toy. I had nothing. As I grew up, my heart has been whole and my heart says to help, and all I do is to give. I want to give.”
Murray has been vilified in the hearts of many Michael Jackson supporters who continue to mourn the passing of the talented, if not somewhat troubled star. Murray summarized his own views on the dynamics of this relationship that involved a doctor and a celebrity, “I tried to protect him but instead I was brought down with him.”
Famed producer Quincy Jones is suing Michael Jackson’s estate, claiming that he is owed at least $10 million dollars. The claims are aimed at The King of Pop’s estate and Sony Music Entertainment, insisting that they improperly re-edited songs to deprive him of royalties and production fees, according to AP.
The producer worked with Jackson on three of his most popular solo albums, “Off the Wall,” ”Thriller” and “Bad”, and more recently on the movie “This Is It”, for which he claims he should have received Producer credit. Jackson’s hits “Billie Jean,” ”Thriller” and “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough” are among the songs Jones claims were re-edited to deprive him of royalties and his producer’s fee.
The lawsuit states Jones’ belief that the Jackson parties “secretly entered into a venture agreement with Sony” where Sony and the Jackson Label would share profits according to The Hollywood Reporter. But Jones also alleges that rights to the master recordings “reverted from Sony to MJJ” and albums featuring the performances of Jackson were “distributed by the Jackson Label, instead of Sony, including albums embodying one or more of the Masters.”
Therefore, the defendants are charged with an effort to “divert” revenues to MJJ and “disguise” the revenues as “profits” instead of “royalties.”
According to the lawsuit, “By removing such Disguised Royalties from the pool of revenues upon which Jones’ royalties are calculated, MJJ purposely reduces the royalties … payable to Jones under both of the Agreements.”
Jackson’s estate disagrees with Jones’ stance and wrote in a statement that it was saddened by Jones’ lawsuit. “To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael.”
Jones’ attorney, Henry Gradstein, said, “Quincy has been frustrated with these matters for a number of years, felt he was not making any progress and needed to take more formal action.”
Legendary music record producer and songwriter, Quincy Jones, has filed a lawsuit against the estate of Michael Jackson. He alleges that the singer owes him millions in record royalties and production fees associated with some of Jackson’s greatest hits.
Jones’ lawsuit seeks compensation in the amount of an estimated $10 million from Jackson’s estate and Sony Music Entertainment. His claim also states that both entities knowingly released re-mastered versions of the songs in an effort to manipulate his entitlement to royalties and production-related cost. In addition to being used for the “This Is It” soundtrack, the re-mastered music was also included in several Cirque du Soleil shows based on a number of Jackson’s hits that Jones produced.
(image)
Jones’ legal team also points out that the act of re-mastering the records is an concise breach of contract. Jones’ production contracts with Jackson stated that he was entitled to have the first call in regards to any editing of the songs, as a means of protecting his professional reputation and musicianship.
(image)
According to Billboard, Jones also claims that he went unaccredited for his work on Jackson’s final project, “This Is It.” Jones’ legal counsel is requesting a full accounting report of the estate’s earnings from the works in question to determine how much he is entitled to. “Quincy has been frustrated with these matters for a number of years, felt he was not making any progress and needed to take more formal action,” said Jones’ attorney Henry Gradstein.
The Jackson estate released a brief statement in regards to Jones’ allegations. “To the best of its knowledge, Mr. Jones has been appropriately compensated over approximately 35 years for his work with Michael.”
Most people may not know the extent of Jones’ involvement with Michael Jackson’s career, but Jones is responsible for a vast majority of the legendary singer’s most notable hits. If you’ve ever listened to any Michael Jackson record, 9 times out of 10, you’ve heard some of Quincy Jones’ work.
(image)
Jones’ produced Jackson’s entire “Off the Wall” album. The 1979 album includes the self-titled “Off the Wall” record, in addition to hit songs like “Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough,” “Rock with You,” and “She’s Out of My Life.” As of today, the album has sold more than 20 million copies world wide, and is certified 8x multi-platinum in the United States.
(image)
However, Jones’ greatest work with Jackson came with the release of the “Thriller” album. The full nine-track -album that housed seven hit singles was also produced by Jones. “Thriller” has been deemed the “best selling album of all time,” selling an estimated 65 million copies worldwide. The iconic album includes monumental hits including the self-titled “Thriller” track, “Beat It,” “Billie Jean,” “P.Y.T.,”and “Human Nature.”
(image)
Jones’ was also the main producer on Jackson’s “Bad” album, which sold approximately 65 million units worldwide. With hits like, “Leave Me Alone,” “Dirty Diana,” “The Way You Make Me Feel,” and “Man in the Mirror,” the “Bad” album is considered Jackson’s second best-selling album, behind “Thriller.
More than four years after the King of Pop passed, it looks like the legal issues surrounding his death may finally be resolved. The family of “Thriller” singer Michael Jackson had filed a lawsuit against his concert promoter for negligence, which was dismissed today. The family wanted up to $1.5 billion from the promotion company AEG Live.
Jackson’s family claimed that AEG Live, who was promoting Jackson’s “This Is It” tour, hired Michael Jackson’s physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who discovered Jackson not breathing on June 25, 2009. Murray tried to revive Jackson after finding him, but waited around half an hour before calling 911. Jackson was announced dead shortly thereafter.
Murray was eventually charged with and found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for his part in Jackson’s death, which included giving the singer too many prescription drugs. After Murray was found guilty, Jackson’s family went after the promoter, since they believed that AEG Live was responsible for providing the doctor. AEG said that Jackson hired Murray himself.
The lawsuit Jackson’s family filed against the promotion company went to a jury trial, which lasted for five months. “AEG Live did not have a crystal ball,” defense attorney Marvin Putnam said during the trial. “Dr. Murray and Mr. Jackson fooled everyone. They want to blame AEG for something no one saw. AEG would have never agreed to finance this tour if they knew Mr. Jackson was playing Russian roulette in his bedroom every night.”
After closing arguments were made last week, the jury deliberated for three days until making their decision earlier this evening. According to NPR, the decision that AEG Live wasn’t negligent in Jackson’s death was “unanimous.”
When asked why they found in favor of the promotion company, juror Kevin Smith said it was because “Michael Jackson was used to getting his way. He could pretty much get what he wanted…Anybody that said ‘no,’ they were out of the mix and he’d find somebody else.”
While AEG Live CEO Randy Phillips is happy with the decision, he regrets that it came to this. “I counted Michael Jackson a creative partner and a friend,” Phillips said. “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.”
Do you agree with the verdict that AEG Live isn’t liable for Michael Jackson’s death, even though they hired his doctor? Respond below.
Michael Jackson’s death was a tragedy in 2009, yet the family is still battling in court as to who’s fault it is. After another court case, the promoter of Michael Jackson is now sharing the fault of Jackson’s death. A Jury found AEG Live LLC not negligent today.
Jackson’s mother brought a civil suit against AEG, suing them for hiring Dr. Conrad Murray. Dr. Murray was convicted in 2011 for involuntary manslaughter for causing Jackson’s death by administering his fatal overdose of propofol in 2009. Katherine Jackson blamed AEG Live for not doing a thorough background check. The jury disagreed.
Michael Jackson had bouts of insecurity, during his demanding show schedule and frequently had terrible insomnia. The drug propofol is not meant to be used outside operating rooms, but Murray was willing to buy it in bulk and administer it to him on a nightly basis.
The company’s defense denied hiring Murray and said Jackson picked the doctor for his upcoming shows. “AEG would have never agreed to finance this tour if they knew Mr. Jackson was playing Russian roulette in his bedroom every night,” AEG Live attorney Marvin Putnam said.
Putnam told jurors that the company would have pulled the plug on the shows if they knew he was using the anesthetic.
The Jackson’s family lawyer argued AEG’s only interest was launching a world tour for the King of Pop that would accumulate millions in profits.
Jackson’s mother and his three children are living off his estate, which provides a comfortable lifestyle for them and erased trifling debts by releasing new projects and new music featuring the King of Pop.
Court officials have announced that the jury comprised of six men and six women in the Michael Jackson wrongful death case is about to deliver the much anticipated verdict.
It’s scheduled to be read at 3:30 PM PT. TMZ will be live streaming the announcement on their website.
Katherine Jackson and Michael’s three children are suing AEG, claiming the company negligently hired and supervised Dr. Conrad Murray. They’re also saying that he pushed Jackson way beyond his personal limits for his “This Is It” tour.
Jackson’s mother sued concert promoter AEG Live LLC over the hiring of Murray. In 2009 Murray was the one who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter for giving Jackson an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.
Katherine Jackson claimed AEG Live should have done a thorough background check on Murray.
The company denied hiring Murray and said he had been picked by the singer as the doctor for his upcoming shows.
Debbie Rowe, former wife of Michael Jackson, is having to testify this week about Jackson’s use of propofol before Dr. Conrad Murray began treating him. The trial involves AEG Live, the concert promoter Jackson was working with before his death, and a lawsuit brought against them by members of Jackson’s family. They say the company would have done anything to get Jackson to perform, even when he clearly wasn’t well, and that they are responsible, in part, for his death. Also involved is Murray, who injected Jackson with what turned out to be a fatal dose of propofol in 2009. He is currently serving a prison sentence for involuntary manslaughter.
“The symptoms that Mr. Jackson was exhibiting were consistent with what someone might expect to see of someone suffering from total sleep deprivation over a chronic period,” Dr. Charles Czeisler, a Harvard Medical School sleep expert, testified earlier in the trial.
Rowe says that Jackson had trouble sleeping between shows during a 1997 tour and asked doctors to find something that would help him rest. His general practitioner, Dr. Allen Metzger, arranged for the pop star to have a dose of propofol, a surgical anesthetic, after Jackson tried several different sedatives to no avail.
“I think they tried it and it hadn’t worked and if he couldn’t sleep, he couldn’t perform,” she testified. Jackson “was at the end of his rope; he didn’t know what else to do.”
The trouble began, Rowe says, when Jackson suffered burns in an accident during the filming of a Pepsi commercial. After enduring surgery in 1993 to repair his skin, he had to rely on pain medication.
“Michael had a very low pain tolerance, and his fear of pain was incredible,” Rowe testified. “And I think that doctors took advantage of him that way. Michael respected doctors immensely, that they went to school, that they studied and to do no harm. Unfortunately, some of the doctors decided that when Michael was in pain or something that they would try to outbid on who could give him the better drug and so he listened to those doctors.”
AEG Live, who hired Murray to oversee Jackson’s medical needs, says they had no idea Murray was injecting the singer with propofol. However, Jackson’s family says that company executives ignored the signs of Jackson’s failing health in the months before he died.
Michael Jackson has been gone for four years, and the legal battles involving his estate and his family are just beginning.
Jackson’s children–along with his mother Katherine–are suing concert promoter AEG Live for negligently hiring Dr. Conrad Murray to oversee Jackson’s care during the last weeks of his life. Murray has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in Jackson’s death after providing the music icon with a lethal mixture of anesthetics.
16-year old Prince Jackson was just 12 when he accompanied his father to the hospital on the day he died, and will likely stand trial on Wednesday. Dr. Gordon Matheson took the stand today as an expert in medical conflicts and said that Murray, who was nearly $1 million in debt at the time he took the high-paying job as Jackson’s personal doctor, might have been inclined to push Jackson to do shows for AEG Live despite his failing health simply because he needed the money.
Murray had been giving Jackson high doses of propofol–at the singer’s request–to help him sleep at night. But the drug keeps the user from having deep REM sleep, and the effects on Jackson’s body were obvious.
“The symptoms that Mr. Jackson was exhibiting were consistent with what someone might expect to see of someone suffering from total sleep deprivation over a chronic period,” Dr. Charles Czeisler, a Harvard Medical School sleep expert, testified Friday at the trial.
Prince will be the only one of the children to testify in court; Paris has recently had personal issues and attempted suicide earlier this month.
According to a TMZ report, Jackson was rushed to a hospital at around 2 am Wednesday morning. The report cites an unnamed source “connected to the emergency response” as saying a possible overdose is suspected, and that multiple cuts were also reported on one of the teen’s wrists. Jackson has reportedly survived the suicide attempt.
Since the 911 call, other unnamed sources have told TMZ that the 15-year-old Jackson has attempted suicide in the past, but that this incident is the most serious yet. There are also reports that Jackson became upset Tuesday night after being prevented from attending a Marilyn Manson concert.
Jackson’s latest tweets seem to corroborate the reports that she engaged in some kind of argument on Tuesday night. She posted a quick tweet reading “that conversation escalated quickly” and then indicated she had been crying before posting lyrics from the Beatles song “Yesterday:”
In the 2005, when Michael Jackson was on trial for molestation charges, Wade Robson defended the King of Pop in court, stating that Jackson never molested him or anyone he knew. Since that time, Robson has gone on to become an award-winning choreographer, working with stars such as Justin Timberlake and creating routines for the network TV show So You Think You Can Dance. He reportedly stayed friends with Jackson until the singer’s death.
This week, Robson recanted his past claims, now stating that he was, in fact, molested by Jackson. According to a TMZ report, Robson is now calling Jackson a “monster” who molested him for seven years, from age 7 to 14.
Robson’s Lawyer stated that Robson had a nervous breakdown last year due to his past. TMZ is now citing unnamed “sources close to the Robson family” as saying Robson began breaking contracts and attending therapy in March 2012.
The claims came as a shock to Robson’s family and Jackson’s fans, as Robson had always staunchly defended the pop star against the allegations. His about-face has prompted much speculation on Twitter over whether Robson was lying in the past or is lying now:
Well, this is one way to shake off those Monday morning blues. Thank you, internet, for this. Just imagine what could have been.
Here’s what it would sound like if Michael Jackson was the one featured on Daft Punk’s new single “Get Lucky.” Just tweak the pitch and speed a little bit and Pharrell Williams quickly morphs into the King of Pop. As you would expect, it’s incredible.
“So I found out just by pitch shifting Get Lucky, the track sounds a lot like Michael Jackson. The ‘He-hee’s,’ ‘Woo’s,’ ‘shamonas’ and other MJ sounds developed on their own when the track sped up,” says creator Maim Ixed on YouTube.
For those of you who ran “Get Lucky” into the ground this past weekend with repeated plays (and who didn’t?), here’s a way to get over the repetition and keep listening to the track:
Daft Punk’s first new (non-soundtrack) song in about eight years has seen incredible but predictable buzz since it (officially) dropped last Friday morning. It not only flew up the iTunes charts, but reportedly set the record for the biggest streaming day for any single track on Spotify in both the U.S. and the U.K.
While her brother Prince has begun a career on-screen as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight, Paris Jackson still has a few years to decide where she wants her life and fame to take her. The 15-year-old high school student this week spoke with The Daily Mail about what she hopes to do in the future.
Jackson, who is already receiving ‘offers’ from NFL cheerleading squads based on blurry footage of her performance cheering at a basketball game, told The Daily Mail that she really wants to be a heart surgeon. The ambition comes, she says, from her impulse to help people.
Jackson also described to the publication what it was like to grow up with her father, pop star Michael Jackson. In particular, she stated that her father made her and her brothers cover their faces in public so that they “could have what he didn’t, which was a normal childhood.”
Jackson also expressed a desire to renovate her father’s infamous Neverland estate, saying that she could use it to benefit “less privileged children.” Paris and Prince have stated in the past that they intend to purchase the property with their inheritance.
