Death of Michael Jackson
From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
|
Death of Michael Jackson
|
|
.jpg)
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of
Fame, surrounded by barriers and covered with flowers, became a
focal point for fans to express grief.
|
|
|
Date
|
June 25, 2009
|
|
Location
|
Holmby Hills,
Los Angeles, California, United States
|
|
Outcome
|
Personal physician convicted of involuntary
manslaughter
|
|
Deaths
|
|
On June
25, 2009, Michael Jackson died
of acute propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication
after suffering cardiac arrest at his home on North Carolwood Drive in the
Holmby Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles. His personal physician, Conrad Murray,
said he had found Jackson in his room, not breathing and with a barely
detectable pulse, and that he administered CPR on Jackson to no avail. After a call
was placed to 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m., Jackson was
treated by paramedics at the scene and was later pronounced dead at the Ronald
Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[1] On the eve
of Jackson's 51st birthday, the Los
Angeles County Coroner concluded
that his death was a homicide.[2] Shortly
before his death, Jackson had reportedly been administered propofol and two anti-anxiety benzodiazepines—lorazepam and midazolam—in his home.[3] His
personal physician was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in 2011 and served a two-year prison
sentence.[4][5]
Jackson's
death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world, creating unprecedented
surges of Internet traffic and causing sales of his music and that of theJackson 5 to
increase dramatically.[6] Jackson
had also intended to perform a series of comeback concerts to over one million people at London's O2 Arena from July 2009 to March 2010.[7] A public
memorial service for Jackson was
held on July 7, 2009, at the Staples Center in
Los Angeles, where he had rehearsed for the London concerts the night before
his death. The service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global
audience of up to one billion people.[8] In 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US $250 million deal with
Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings up until 2017,
and to release seven posthumous albums over the decade following his death.
Jackson's death is ranked No. 1 on VH1/VH1 Classic's list
of 100 Most Shocking Moments in Music.[9]
Contents
·
3 Health
Circumstances[edit]
Jackson's body arrived at Ronald
Reagan UCLA Medical Center on
June 25, 2009, at 1:14 p.m. local time.
Jackson
arrived for rehearsal at Staples Center around
6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 24, according to Ed Alonzo, a magician who
was there. The singer jokingly complained of laryngitis and
did not rehearse until 9 p.m. "He looked great and had great energy,"[10] Alonzo
added. The rehearsal went past midnight.[10] The next
morning Jackson did not come out of his bedroom.[11] According
to the attorney of Conrad Murray, Jackson's personal physician, Murray entered
the room in the afternoon and found Jackson in bed and not breathing. Jackson
had a weak pulse, and his body was still warm.[12] Murray
tried to revive Jackson for five to ten minutes, at which point he realized he
needed to call for help. Murray stated that he was hindered because there was
no landline in
the house. Murray also stated that he could not use his cell phone to call 911 because he did not know the exact
address. Murray stated that he also phoned security, but did not get an answer.
Finally, Murray ran downstairs, yelled for help, and told a chef to bring
security up to the room.[13] By the
time security called 911, Murray's lawyer stated that at least 30 minutes had
passed.[13]
Statements
described Murray as using a non-standard CPR technique on Jackson. During the
tape of the emergency call, released on June 26 one day after Jackson's death,
the doctor was described as administering CPR on a bed, not on a hard surface
such as a floor, which would be standard practice.[14][15] The
doctor's attorney said that Murray placed one hand underneath Jackson and used
the other hand for chest compression, where the standard practice is to use
both hands for compression.[11][16] A Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) spokesperson said the 911 call
came in at 12:21:04 p.m. PST (19:21:04 UTC). Paramedics
reached Jackson at 12:26 p.m. and found that he was not breathing.[17][18]
Paramedics
performed CPR for 42 minutes at the house.[19] Murray's
attorney stated that Jackson had a pulse when he was taken out of the house and
put in the ambulance.[11] An LAFD
official gave a different account, stating that paramedics found Jackson in
"full cardiac arrest", and that they did not observe a change in
Jackson's status on the route to the hospital.[20] LAFD
transported Jackson to Ronald
Reagan UCLA Medical Center.[17] The
ambulance arrived at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m. A team of
medical personnel attempted to resuscitate Jackson for more than one hour. They
were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. at the age of 50.[21][22][23]
Investigation[edit]
Autopsies[edit]
Jackson's
body was flown by helicopter to the Los Angeles Coroner's offices in Lincoln
Heights, where on June 26 a three-hour autopsy was
performed on behalf of the Los Angeles County Coroner by the chief medical examiner, Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran.[24] Jackson's family arranged
for a second autopsy, a practice that could yield expedited—albeit
limited—results.[25] After the
preliminary autopsy was completed, Craig Harvey, chief investigator for the
coroner's office, said there was no evidence of trauma or foul play.[26] On August
28, the LA County Coroner made an official statement classifying Jackson's
death as ahomicide. The county coroner stated that Jackson died
from the combination of drugs in his body, with the most significant drugs
being the anesthetic propofol and
the anxiolytic lorazepam. Less significant drugs found in Jackson's
body were midazolam, diazepam, lidocaine and ephedrine. The coroner is keeping the complete
toxicology report private, as requested by the police and district attorney.[2] On October
1, the BBCreported
that the autopsy report revealed that Jackson was "very healthy"[27] for his
age and that his heart was strong. The document stated that Jackson's most
significant health problem was his chronically inflamed lungs, but this did not
contribute to his death. His other major organs were normal and he had no
atherosclerosis except for some slight plaque accumulation in his leg arteries.[28][29] The
autopsy stated that he weighed 136 pounds (62 kg) with a height of
5'9" (175 cm), which equates to a BMI of
20.1.[30] Fox News
said that this confirmed rumors that Jackson was emaciated,[31] while the
Associated Press stated that his weight was in the acceptable range.[29]
Law
enforcement agencies[edit]
Although
they did not immediately announce that they suspected foul play, by the day
after Jackson's death the Los
Angeles Police Department (LAPD)
began to investigate the unusual and high-profile case.[32] By August
28, the LAPD had announced that the case would be referred to prosecutors who
might file criminal charges.[2] Because
the LAPD did not secure Jackson's home, and allowed the Jackson family access
to it too, before returning to remove certain items, the department raised
concerns by some observers that the chain of custody had
been broken.[33][34] The police
maintained that they had followed protocol.[34] On July 1,
the Drug
Enforcement Administration (DEA)
joined the LAPD in the investigation. Having the authority to investigate
issues otherwise protected by doctor-patient
confidentiality, the DEA could legally follow the entirety of what
appeared to be the complex trail of prescription drugs supplied to Jackson.[33] California
Attorney General Jerry Brown announced
that his office was helping the LAPD and DEA to create a statewide database of
all medical doctors and prescriptions filled.[35]
The LAPD subpoenaed medical
records from doctors who had treated Jackson. On July 9, William Bratton,
then the Los Angeles Chief of Police, indicated that investigators were
focusing on the possibility ofhomicide or accidental overdose, but had to
wait for the full toxicology reports from the coroner.[36] The Los Angeles Times quoted a senior law enforcement source
as saying authorities may not pursue charges even if the coroner declares the
case a homicide, because Jackson's well-documented drug abuse would make any
prosecution difficult. Nonetheless, the source said prosecutors had not ruled
out more serious charges "all the way up to involuntary manslaughter"
if it were determined that Jackson's death was indeed caused by the drug propofol.[37]
Drug-use
allegations[edit]
Jackson
was said to have used propofol, as well as alprazolam (an antianxiety agent), and sertraline (an antidepressant).[38] Other
drugs named in connection with him included omeprazole, hydrocodone,paroxetine, carisoprodol, and hydromorphone.[39] After his
death, police found several drugs in his home, including propofol. Some of
these drugs had labels made out to Jackson under pseudonyms, while others were
unlabeled.[40][41] A 2004
police document prepared for the 2005 People v. Jackson child abuse trial alleged that Jackson
was taking up to 40 alprazolam pills a night.[36] Alprazolam
was not found in his bloodstream at his time of death.[3] Dr. A.J.
Farshchian, Michael Jackson's friend and confidante, has claimed that Jackson
was scared of drugs.[42]
Deepak Chopra, an internist, endocrinologist, and speaker about mind–body intervention who was a friend of Jackson's for 20
years, expressed concern that, despite presumably having access to a large
arsenal of drugs, Jackson appears to have been given no naloxone, a drug used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose.[43] Chopra
also criticized what he saw as "enabling" by some Hollywood doctors: "This
cult of drug-pushing doctors, with their co-dependent relationships with
addicted celebrities, must be stopped. Let's hope that Michael's unnecessary
death is the call for action."[43]
Eugene
Aksenoff, a Tokyo-based physician who had treated Michael Jackson and his
children on a few occasions, expressed concern about Jackson's use of and
interest in various drugs. Aksenoff told The Japan Times that
Jackson asked for stimulants so
that he could get through some demanding performances. Aksenoff said he refused
to prescribe them. He recalled that the singer suffered chronic fatigue, fever, insomniaand other symptoms and took a large amount of
drugs. He suspected one of the major factors causing Jackson these symptoms was
excessive use of steroids or other skin-whitening medications.[44] According
to the toxicological tests effectuated on Jackson's body, no addiction had been
reported, and none of the experts called to testify at Murray's trial have
identified the singer as a drug addict.[3] Janet
Jackson confirmed that the Jackson family tried to stage an intervention in early 2007, when Michael was living
in Las Vegas.[45] Janet Jackson and
some of her brothers allegedly traveled to his home, but were turned away by
security guards who were ordered not to let them in. He was also rumored to
have refused calls from his mother. "If you tried to deal with him,"
one source told CNN, "he would shut you out. You just wouldn't hear from
him for long periods." The family denied that they had tried to intervene.[46]
Propofol[edit]
An ampouleof propofol
Of all the
drugs found in Jackson's home, the one that most concerned investigators was propofol (Diprivan),
a powerful anesthetic administered intravenously in hospitals to induce and
maintainanesthesia during
surgery.[47] Nicknamed
"milk of amnesia" because of its opaque, milk-like
appearance (and a play on the words "milk of magnesia"), the drug has been associated
with cardiac arrest,[47] but it
still may be increasingly used off-label for anxiolytic and
other medically unsubstantiated purposes.[41] Several
propofol bottles—some empty, some full—were found in Jackson's home.[41]
On June
30, Cherilyn Lee, a nurse who had worked as Jackson's nutritionist, said that
he had asked her in May to provide propofol to help him sleep, but she refused.
He told her he had been given the drug before for persistent insomnia, and that a doctor had said it was safe. Lee
said she received a telephone call from an aide to Jackson on June 21 to say
that Jackson was ill, although she no longer worked for him. She reported
overhearing Jackson complain that one side of his body was hot, the other side
cold. She advised the aide to send Jackson to a hospital.[48]
Arnold
Klein told CNN that Jackson used an anesthesiologist to administer propofol to
help him sleep while he was on tour in Germany. CNN said the anesthesiologist
would "take him down" at night and "bring him back up" in
the morning during the HIStory tour of 1996 to 1997.[46]
Medical
professionals[edit]
The Los Angeles Times wrote that the DEA was focusing on at
least five doctors who prescribed drugs to Jackson, trying to determine whether
they had had a "face to face" relationship with him, and whether they
had made legally required diagnoses.[41] Fox News Channel published
a list of nine doctors who they said were under investigation.[49] The Sunday Times wrote
that the police wanted to question 30 doctors, nurses, and pharmacists,
including Arnold Klein.[50] Klein said
that he occasionally had given Jackson pethidine to
sedate him, but had administered nothing stronger, and that he had turned his
records over to the medical examiner.[51]
Personal physician[edit]
Main article: Trial of Conrad
Murray
Murray practiced out of the Armstrong Clinic in Houston.
The clinic was raided during an investigation of Murray in July 2009.
Cardiologist Conrad
Murray joined Jackson's camp in May 2009 as part of Jackson's agreement with AEG Live, the promoter of his
London concerts. Murray first met Jackson in Las Vegas when the
doctor treated one of the singer's children. AEG Live said the singer insisted
the company hire Murray to accompany him to England.[52] During
Murray's trial it emerged that AEG employed the doctor and that Jackson did not
sign the contract for the above-cited employment either.[53]
Murray
said through his attorney that he did not prescribe or administer pethidine or oxycodone to
Jackson, but did not say what, if anything, he did prescribe or administer.[47]Los
Angeles police said the doctor spoke to officers immediately after Jackson's
death, and during an extensive interview two days later. They stressed that
they found "no red flag" and did not suspect foul play.[14] On June
26, police towed away a car used by Murray, stating that it might contain
medication or other evidence. The police released the car five days later.[33]
Politician
and minister Jesse Jackson, a friend of Michael Jackson's family,
said that the family was concerned about Murray's role. "They have good
reason to be [...] he left the scene."[54] Over the
next few weeks, law enforcement grew increasingly concerned about the doctor,
and on July 22 detectives searched Murray's medical office and storage unit in Houston, removing items such as a computer and two
hard drives, contact lists and a hospital suspension notice.[55] On the
27th, an anonymous source reported that Murray had administered propofol within
24 hours of Jackson's death.[56] Murray's
lawyers refused to comment on what they called "rumors, innuendo or
unnamed sources."[57] The
following day, the ABC News program Nightline reported that investigators had
searched Murray's home and office in Las Vegas, and that Murray had become the
primary focus of the investigation.[58] On August
11, a Las Vegas pharmacy was searched by investigators looking for evidence
regarding Murray, according to an anonymous police source cited byThe New
York Times.[59] Murray's
lawyer advised patience until the toxicology results arrived, noting that
"things tend to shake out when all the facts are made known".[58] On
February 8, 2010, Murray was charged with involuntary manslaughter by prosecutors in
Los Angeles. Murray pleaded not guilty and was released after posting $75,000
(USD) bail.[60] Shortly
after, the California Medical Board issued an order preventing Murray from
administering heavy sedatives.[61]
On January
11, 2011, the judge from Murray's preliminary hearing determined that Murray
should stand trial for involuntary manslaughter in the Jackson case. The judge
also suspended Murray's license to practice medicine in California.[62] The trial
was originally to begin on March 24, but a delayed opening rescheduled it for
May 9. Finally, the trial was rescheduled to September 8, with no further
delays, as reported byCNN.[63] The jury
selection of Murray's trial began on September 8, 2011, in Los Angeles. The trial
began on September 27, 2011.[64] On
November 7, 2011, Murray was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter[65]and he was
held without bail to await sentencing.[66] On
November 29, 2011, Murray received the maximum sentence of 4 years in prison.[67] Murray was
released on October 28, 2013,[5] due to
California prison overcrowding and good behavior.[68]
Health[edit]
Michael Jackson's initial death certificate, issued
pending toxicology reports
The amendment form issued by the coroner for his death
certificate, after toxicology reports became available. Note the change of
cause from "deferred" to "acute propofol intoxication" and
the ruling of "Homicide" added.
Further information: Michael
Jackson's health and appearance
Stacy
Brown, a biographer, said Jackson had become "very frail, totally, totally
underweight," and that his family had been worried about him. Another
biographer, J. Randy Taraborrelli,
who became friends with Jackson in the 1970s, said Jackson had suffered from an
addiction to painkillers which went on and off for decades.[26] Arnold Klein, Jackson's dermatologist, confirmed that Jackson misused
prescription drugs, and that Klein had diagnosed Jackson with vitiligo and lupus. Yet,
Klein said, when he saw Jackson at his office three days before his death, the
singer "was in very good physical condition. He was dancing for my
patients. He was very mentally aware when we saw him and he was in a very good
mood."[51]
Family and legal affairs[edit]
Further information: Jackson family and The Jackson 5
Jackson is
survived by his three children, Prince Michael Joseph Jackson (b. 1997);
Paris-Michael Katherine Jackson (b. 1998), born during his marriage to his
second wife, Debbie Rowe; and Prince Michael Jackson II, known as
"Blanket", born in 2002 to a surrogate mother. He is also survived by his
brothers, Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon and Randy; sistersRebbie, La Toya and Janet; and parents Joseph and Katherine. Katherine was granted temporary
guardianship of Michael's three children on June 29, 2009.[69]
Family reaction[edit]
The
Jackson family released a collective statement following the death:
Our
beloved son, brother and father of three children has gone so unexpectedly, in
such a tragic way and much too soon. It leaves us, his family, speechless and
devastated to a point, where communication with the outside world seems almost
impossible at times.[70]
La Toya
indicated that the family would file a lawsuit against anyone they believed
responsible for her brother's death, as well as push for criminal charges.[71] In 2009,
she stated that Jackson might have been administered an ultimately lethal dose
of drugs by "a shadowy entourage" of handlers[71] and, in
2010, said that she believed her brother "was murdered for his music
catalogue."[72] Shortly
after Jackson's death, the family raised questions about the role of AEG Live, the This Is
It concert
promoter, in the last few weeks of his life.[54] Joseph has
since filed a complaint with the California Medical Board alleging that AEG
Live was illegally practicing medicine by demanding that Murray get Jackson off
various medications. The complaint also alleges that AEG Live failed to provide
the resuscitation equipment and nurse which Murray had requested. AEG spokesman
Michael Roth declined to comment on the complaint.[73]
After
Murray pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter charge, several members of the
Jackson family said they felt he deserved a more severe charge.[74] On June
25, 2010, Joseph filed awrongful death lawsuit against Murray. The lawsuit
alleges that Murray repeatedly lied to cover up his use of propofol, did not
keep sufficient medical records and was negligent in his use of medications on
Jackson. Murray's civil attorney, Charles Peckham, denied that Murray gave
Jackson anything life-threatening.[75] On August
15, 2012, Joseph dropped his wrongful death lawsuit against Murray.[76][77]
On
September 15, 2010, Panish
Shea & Boyle LLP also
filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of Michael Jackson's three children
and his mother against the Anschutz Entertainment
Group, Inc. (AEG) and its subsidiaries and principals (including
Randy Phillips, Kenny Ortega, Paul Gongaware and Thimothy Leiweke).[78] The suit
alleges that AEG put their desire for profits from the This Is It concerts over
the health and safety of Michael Jackson, ultimately causing his death".
Roth declined to comment on the lawsuit, saying that AEG had not seen it.[79]
On November
7, 2011, Michael Jackson's family arrived at the courthouse in Los Angeles
shortly after the jury announced they reached their verdict: Guilty. Michael's
father Joe Jackson replied to reporters, only saying, "Justice."
LaToya Jackson tweeted that she was shaking uncontrollably when she heard the
verdict, and continued to tweet her emotions throughout the day.[80]
Estate[edit]
Further information: Value of Sony/ATV
Music Publishing
Jackson's
last will was filed by attorney John Branca at
the Los Angeles County courthouse on July 1, 2009. Signed
July 7, 2002, it names Branca and accountant John McClain as executors; they
were confirmed as such by a Los Angeles judge on July 6, 2009.[81] All assets
are given to the (pre-existing) Michael Jackson Family Trust (amended March 22,
2002),[82] the
details of which have not been made public. The Associated Press reports that,
in 2007, Jackson had a net worth of $236.6 million: $567.6 million in assets,
which included Neverland Ranch and
his 50% share of Sony/ATV Music Publishing'
catalogue, and debts of $331 million.[83] The
guardianship of his three children is given to his mother, Katherine, or if she
is unable or unwilling, to singer Diana Ross.[84] The will
states that Jackson's former wife Debbie Rowe was omitted intentionally.[85] Jackson's
will allocates 20% of his fortune as well as 20% of money made after death to
unspecified charities.[86]
Media
reports suggested that settlement of Jackson's estate could
last many years.[87] The value
of Sony/ATV Music Publishing is estimated by Ryan Schinman, chief
of Platinum Rye, to be US$1.5 billion. Shinman's estimate makes Jackson's
share of Sony/ATV worth US$750 million, from which Jackson would have had
an annual income of US$80 million. Sony Corporation has not commented on
whether it intends to buy Jackson's share of Sony/ATV from the Jackson estate.
Jackson's creditors could force a distressed sale, which would act in Sony's favor
since it would lower the sale price, but only if the trust set up by Jackson
for his stake in Sony/ATV is revocable. A distressed sale would lower the value
of Jackson's estate, and thus might not raise enough to cover the debts owed by
the estate.[88]
Taxation of estate[edit]
The estate
administrators and the IRS have estimated portions of the estate differently.[89][90] The estate
estimated that the value of Jackson's likeness is only $2,105; whereas the IRS
estimated that the likeness to be worth $434.26 million.[90] The estate
estimated "no worth in Jackson's interest in a trust that owns some songs
of his and the Beatles, but the IRS valued it at $469 million."[90] Also in
dispute is the value of "Jackson's share of the Jackson 5 master
recordings rights, stocks and bonds, and various cars Jackson owned."[90][91] The IRS proposed
"imposing $505 million in taxes plus an additional $197 million in
penalties, including a gross valuation misstatement penalty."[89][90] On July
26, 2013, the estate filed a U.S. Tax Court petition claiming "the IRS
overestimated the value of its assets, including Jackson's likeness, real
estate, a Bentley, a Lloyds of London insurance policy, Jackson's share of MJJ
Ventures Inc., and two trusts.".[91][92] Jackson
estate attorney Paul Hoffman of Hoffman, Sabban & Watenmaker told Bloomberg
News, "The IRS is wrong."[92] The case
title is Estate of Michael J. Jackson v. IRS, 17152-13, U.S. Tax Court in
Washington, DC.[91]
Public reaction[edit]
Media
and Internet coverage[edit]
Wikipedia spikes at 15:00 hrs in Los Angeles, June 25.
The first
reports that Jackson had suffered a cardiac arrest, then that he had died, came
from TMZ.com, a Los Angeles-based celebrity news website.
Doctors at Ronald
Reagan UCLA Medical Center pronounced
Jackson dead at 2:26 p.m., and 18 minutes later at 2:44 p.m., TMZ
published: "Michael Jackson passed away today at the age of 50."[18] The Los Angeles Times website confirmed the report at
2:51 p.m. PDT (5:51 p.m. EDT).[93] The news
spread quickly online, causing websites to slow down andcrash from
user overload. Both TMZ and the Los
Angeles Times suffered
outages.[93] Google initially
believed that the input from millions of people searching for "Michael
Jackson" meant that the search engine was under
attack. Twitter reported a crash, as did Wikipedia at 3:15 p.m.[94] The Wikimedia Foundation reported nearly a million visitors to
Jackson's biography within one hour, probably the most visitors in a one-hour
period to any article in Wikipedia's history.[95] AOL Instant Messenger went down for 40 minutes. AOL called it a "seminal moment in
Internet history", adding, "We've never seen anything like it in
terms of scope or depth."[96]
Around 15%
of Twitter posts—or 5,000 tweets per
minute—reportedly mentioned Jackson after the news broke,[97][98] compared
to the 5% recalled as having mentioned the Iranian elections or the flu pandemic that
had made headlines earlier in the year.[98] Overall, web traffic ranged
from 11% to at least 20% higher than normal.[97][99] MTV and BET aired marathons of Jackson's music videos.[100] Jackson
specials aired on multiple television stations around the world. The British
soap opera EastEnders added
a last-minute scene, in which one character discussed
the news with another, to the June 26 episode.[101] Whilst all
British newspapers printed pictures of Jackson in his youth or in his prime, The Sun (for the day after his death) was the
only paper to show Jackson from 2009 at his frailest, and keeping to their
regular promotion of 'Wacko Jacko.' The next day The Sun fell into course with the rest of the
newspapers and Jackson was the topic of every front-page headline in The Sun for about two weeks following his
death.[102] Magazines
including TIME published
commemorative editions.[103] A scene
that had featured Jackson's sister La Toya was cut from the film Brüno out
of respect toward Jackson's family.[104]
According
to an analysis released by the Global Language Monitor,
"72 hours after his death, Jackson jumped to the No. 9 spot for the global
print and electronic media. For Internet, blogs and social media, Jackson
jumped to the No. 2, only trailing the election of Barack Obama to the
presidency of the United States. The results showed the growing disparity
between the mainstream global media, and what is playing out for news on the
Internet, and beyond".[105] Paul JJ
Payack, president and chief word analyst of GLM said, "the death of
Michael Jackson has resulted in a global media event of the first order",
and added, "the fact that he has broken into the top media of the 21st
century is a testament to the global impact of the man and his music."
Commentators around the globe made connections between Jackson's death and the
problems they perceived with everything from the racial dichotomy that Jackson
sang about, to the "profoundly tragic figure of Michael Jackson"[106]—from
American capitalism[107] and globalization, to the fall of the music industry in
the 1980s. "Commentators around the world have absolutely flipped",
wrote Patrik Etschmayer of Switzerland's Nachrichten newspaper.[108] Le
Figaro columnist
Yann Moix said that although Jackson, like his iconic Moonwalk, lived life in
reverse, the world at his death shed "identical and universal tears".[109]
Statistics
published by the Pew Research Center suggested that two out of three
Americans believed the coverage of Jackson's death was excessive, while 3% felt
it was insufficient.[110] In the UK,
the BBC received over 700 complaints from
viewers who thought the death dominated the news.[111] On June
29, American
conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh said
the coverage was "a horrible disgrace" and lent his support to
activist-ministers Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who were fighting to stem the press's
speculation about what caused the death.[112] Other
conservatives, including commentator Bill
O'Reilly[113] and
Congressman Peter T. King,[114] also
disapproved of the media attention Jackson's death received. Meanwhile, Hugo Chávez, the President of Venezuela,
called the pop star's death "lamentable news",[115] but
criticized CNN for giving this news more coverage
than they gave a coup d'état taking place in Honduras.[107][115]
In August
2009, there were reports that Michael Jackson's family paid social media
marketing company uSocial.net to increase the numbers of followers on Jackson's
Twitter profile.[116] According
to the New York Daily News,
uSocial was contracted to deliver 25,000 followers to the account.[117] It was not
specified whether the service was rendered before or after his death.
Grief[edit]
Jackson's star on theHollywood Walk of
Famebecame a focal point for public grief.
News of
Jackson's death triggered an outpouring of grief around the world. The
circumstances and timing of his death were compared to those of Elvis Presley and John Lennon. Fans gathered outside the UCLA Medical
Center, Neverland Ranch, his Holmby
Hills home, the
Hayvenhurst Jackson family home in Encino, the Apollo Theater in
New York, and at Hitsville U.S.A., the old Motown headquarters
in Detroit where Jackson's career began, now the Motown Museum. Streets around
the hospital were blocked off, and across America people left offices and
factories to watch the breaking news on television.[118] A small
crowd, including the city's mayor, gathered outside his childhood home in Gary, where the flag on city hall was flown at half staff in
his honor.[119] Fans in
Hollywood initially gathered around the Walk of Fame star of another
Michael Jackson—unable to access the singer's star, which had been
temporarily covered by equipment in place for the Brüno film
premiere.[120] Grieving
fans and memorial tributes relocated from the talk radio host's star the next
day.[121]
From Odessa[122] to Brussels,[123] and
beyond, fans held their own memorial gatherings. U.S. President Barack Obama sent
a letter of condolence to the Jackson family,[14] and theHouse of
Representatives observed
a moment of silence.[124] Obama
later stated that Jackson "will go down in history as one of our greatest
entertainers".[125] Former
South African President Nelson Mandela issued
a message through his foundation saying Jackson's loss would be felt worldwide.[126]
Fans visiting the makeshift memorial set up outside the
Neverland Ranch entrance shortly after Jackson's death.
In Japan,
where Jackson had somewhat of an idol status, the top government spokesman and
other ministers expressed their condolences. Internal Affairs and
Communications Minister Tsutomu Sato told reporters, "I feel sad as I had
watched him since he was a member of Jackson Five." "Defense Minister
Yasukazu Hamada has credited him with building a generation with his music."[127] "'He
was a superstar. It is an extremely tragic loss. But it is fantastic he was
able to give so many dreams and so much hope to the people of the world,' said
Health Minister Yoichi Masuzoe."[128]
British
Prime Minister Gordon Brown issue
a brief statement on Jackson's death: "This is very sad news for the
millions of Michael Jackson fans in Britain and around the world." The Conservative opposition
leader, David Cameron, said, "I know Michael Jackson's
fans in Britain and around the world will be sad today. Despite the
controversies, he was a legendary entertainer."[129]
Russian
fans gathered outside the U.S. embassy in Moscow to mourn. One told Russia's Novosti newspaper, "This is so difficult!
I'm hurt, very hurt! … For us, this is a very great loss. To us, he became a
symbol of the spiritual world. It's hard to convey how great a loss this is."[130] France's
Minister Culture, Frédéric Mitterrand, said, "We all have a Michael
Jackson within."[131] Elizabeth Taylor, a long-time friend, said she can't
imagine life without him.[132] Liza Minnelli told
CBS, "When the autopsy comes, all hell's going to break loose, so thank
God we're celebrating him now."[133] His sister
La Toya claimed that his daughter said he was being overworked. La Toya is
quoted as saying: "She said, 'No, you don't understand. They kept working
him and Daddy didn't want that, but they worked him constantly'. I felt so bad."[134]
Tributes[edit]
During the second leg of Madonna's Sticky & Sweet
Tour in June 2009, she
and a Jackson impersonator performed a medley of Jackson's songs while photos
of Jackson's were shown on a screen behind them.
On June
30, 2009, U2 while performing their first show of
the U2 360 tour in
Barcelona dedicated the song "Angel of Harlem" to Jackson. Bono sang verses from "Man In The Mirror" and "Don't
Stop Till You Get Enough" at the end of the song. On July 10,
2009, six thousand fans attended a musical tribute in Jackson's hometown of Gary, Indiana. Local performers staged a medley of
his songs, and mayor Rudy Clay unveiled a seven-foot memorial to him. Jesse
Jackson addressed the crowd, stating, "This is where Michael learned to
dance, where he learned to sing, where he learned to sacrifice."[135] The Game, was among the first performers to release a
tribute song: his single "Better on the Other Side"
came out the day after Jackson's death. Produced by DJ Khalil, this song featured vocals by Diddy, Chris
Brown, Polow da Don, Mario Winans, Usher, andBoyz II Men.[136] A wide
variety of other artists recorded musical tributes, such as 50 Cent,[137] LL Cool J, Robbie Williams, Akon and guitarist Buckethead (whose
song entitled "The
Homing Beacon" was inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138]
On June
26, multiple artists, such as Pharrell Williams and
Lily Allen, paid tribute to Jackson at the Glastonbury Festival.[139] Performances
included Allen wearing a single white glove (which was a signature look for
Jackson) for her set on the Pyramid Stage, while The Streets performed a cover
of "Billie Jean".[139] Tributes
to Jackson at the musical festival continued over the weekend from June 26 to
June 28.[140] On July 5,
2009. Madonna performed a tribute to Jackson during
the second leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour.[141] While
performing a medley of Jackson's songs, as a Jackson impersonator performed
Jackson's signature moves, photos of Jackson were shown on screen behind them.[141][142] After the
performance, Madonna told the crowd, "Let's give it up for one of the
greatest artists the world has ever known", leading to applause from the
crowd.[142]Beyonce Knowles dedicated
her song "Halo" to
Jackson during multiple concerts during her I Am... World Tour.
Knowles, who cites Jackson as her biggest influence, has been referred to as
Jackson's heir apparent, along with drawing continuous
comparisons to him.
Artists
from the metal and hard rock community
also paid homage to Jackson. Metallica paid
tribute to Jackson during its encore at the Sonisphere Festival.
Honoring Michael Jackson during its July 4 headlining appearance at the event,
the band played a portion of 'Beat It' before easing into a riotous cover of Queen's 'Stone Cold Crazy'.[143] Boston
hard rockers Extreme performed
a cover version of Jacksons's "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin"
at the Midnight Rodeo in Amarillo, Texas.[144] Judas Priest bassist Ian Hill, spoke about Jackson in an interview for an
internet blog: "He was an immense star, wasn't he? Let's face it. He's a
worldwide superstar really and the grief that everybody's is showing, it doesn't
surprise me at all. He was a very, very talented man." [145] Members of
the legendary metal bandBlack Sabbath released official statements regarding
Jackson's death. Drummer Bill Ward:
"For those in heartache today, I wish you all wellness in healing. A great
entertainer has died. I think those who experienced and heard his heart are
more enlightened people for it than before. I believe you're all most fortunate
to have connected to Michael Jackson." [146] Bassist Geezer Butler: "Saddened and shocked to hear of
the passing of Michael Jackson. He truly was, and always will be, a true icon.
'Thriller' was one of the greatest pop masterpieces of all time. A sad day for
our world. R.I.P." [147] Legendary
shock rocker, Alice Cooperreleased the following statement:
"Michael Jackson was easily as influential as James Brown, and that's saying a lot. We had Vincent Price in
common. I used him first on 'Welcome To My Nightmare'
in 1975, and he later used him on 'Thriller'. Nobody moved like Michael, he was
truly the King of Pop." [148] Van Halen guitarist Eddie Van Halen, who worked with Jackson during the
recording of Thriller, stated: "I am really shocked; as I'm sure the world
is, to hear the news. I had the pleasure of working with Michael on 'Beat It'
back in '83 — one of my fondest memories in my career. Michael will be missed
and may he rest in peace." [149]Queen guitarist Brian May stated
in his official website: "Hard to know what to say — what to feel. I find
myself wondering what might have happened on his tour... The number of dates in
the U.K. that he had committed to was insane. I did have a feeling it was
impossible, but I was so shocked to hear that he went so suddenly. Very sad. Of
course, I still think of him as a boy — he used to come and see us (Queen) play
when we were on tour in the States, and he and Freddie Mercury became
close friends, close enough to record a couple of tracks together at Michael's
house. Tracks which have never seen the light of day. Michael was the boy star
of the Jackson Five, and always the most screamed at. I remember in their show,
they tried very hard to make all the brothers equal in the presentation, but it
was abundantly obvious that all most of the girl fans really wanted to see was
little Michael. It was Michael who heard our track 'Another One Bites the Dust'
when he came to see us on 'The Game' tour ... and told us we were mad if we
didn't release it as a single." [149] Former Guns n' Roses guitarist Slash, who played guitar on Jackson's single
"Give In to Me" stated: "Really sad news about Michael. He was a
talent from on high." [149] Chris Cornell of Soundgardenand Audioslave performed
a cover version of "Billie Jean" on June 27, 2009, at the Peace &
Love festival in Borlänge, Sweden.[150] Steve Vai and Andy Timmons of Danger Danger performed
an instrumental version of "Beat It" at the Meinl Guitar Festival
2009 on June 27 in Gutenstetten, Germany.[151] Former Skid Row frontman, Sebastian Bach commented:
"Another angel down... I am very sorry for my friend Jermaine's loss. I lived with Jermaine for three
weeks last year (during the filming of the second season of CMT's hit series,
'Gone Country'), and we talked about his brother frequently. He said to me,
'When you cut up my brother, you're cutting up me'. I feel for the Jackson
family, because I know all too well how they feel. Unfortunately." [152] Geoff Tate of Queensrÿche stated:
"I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, watching him and his brothers
perform on television. He made performing seem easy and inspired my generation
with his music and his grace. He was one of a kind and will be missed but his
music will live forever." [152] Legendary
Swedish guitarist Yngwie Malmsteen recorded
"Beat It" with ex-Judas Priest/Iced Earth frontman Tim "Ripper" Owens on vocals.[153] Guitarist Buckethead wrote
a song entitled "The
Homing Beacon", inspired by Jackson's 3-D film, Captain EO.)[138] Alternative
metal band CKY performed
"Beat It" for the duration of their "Carver City" Tour. In
some instances, guitarist Chad I Ginsburg wore
T-shirts depicting Jackson during the performances.[154] Poison drummer Rikki Rockett commented:
"Michael Jackson — huge loss!!! The words genius and musical are used in
the same sentence too often. Not in the case of Michael Jackson. His musical
expression will never be topped and his inspiration will live forever.
R.I.P." In October 2013, an all-star tribute album was released featuring
current and former members of Iron Maiden, Kiss, Motörhead,Testament, Guns N' Roses, Fozzy, Quiet Riot, Dio, Whitesnake, Mr. Big, among
others.[155]
Jackson's
sister La Toya released her song, "Home", on
July 28 as a charity single in
her brother's honor. All proceeds are being donated to one of Michael's
favorite charities.[156] BET's annual 2009 Awards
Ceremony aired three
days after Jackson's death, on June 28, 2009. It featured a tribute to the
singer. Host Jamie Foxx said,
"We want to celebrate this black man. He belongs to us and we shared him
with everybody else." The ceremony featured performances of several of
Jackson's songs, including pieces from his time with The Jackson Five and
those from his solo career.[157] Joe
Jackson and Al Sharpton were in the audience, and Janet Jackson spoke briefly
on behalf of the family. The show was the most watched BET annual awards show
in the awards shows history.[158] A few days
after Jackson's death, there were news reports to the effect that AEG Live, the
promoter for Jackson's This Is
It concerts, was preparing a tribute
concert for September
2009. The show would reportedly follow the style arranged for the This Is Itconcerts.[159][160] However,
no details of any such concert have been announced.
The day
after Jackson's death, the mayor of Rio de Janeiro announced
that the city would erect a statue of the singer in the favela of
Dona Marta. Jackson visited the community in 1996 and filmed a music video for
"They Don't Care About Us"
there. The mayor said that Jackson had helped make the community into "a
model for social development."[161] Memorials
were held all over the world, in places as diverse as Tokyo,[161]Bucharest[162] and Baku,
Azerbaijan.[163] In Midyat, Turkey, even a Salat al-Janazah (Islamic
funeral prayer) was performed, and traditional funeral helva was
cooked and distributed.[164] The music
video for "Do the Bartman",
a Simpsons song
co-written by Jackson, was broadcast ahead of an episode rerun of The Simpsons on June 28. It featured a title card
paying tribute to Jackson.[165] The 1991 Simpsons episode that Jackson guest starred in
under the name of John Jay Smith, "Stark Raving Dad", was broadcast on Fox on
July 5.[166] The
episode had been broadcast on the Dutch Comedy Central the
day after his death, and was dedicated to Jackson's memory.[167] His 1978
film The Wiz (in
which he co-starred alongside Diana Ross and Richard Pryor) was briefly re-released in a rare 35mm
format and was shown at the Hollywood Theater in his honor. It was also
re-released a week prior to the release of Michael Jackson's This Is
It in select
cities. Madonna opened the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards with a speech about Michael Jackson. Janet Jackson made
an appearance at the VMAs to pay musical tribute to her late brother and honor
his career.[168] He was
honored with a posthumous lifetime achievement award during the 52nd Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010.[169] Jackson,
who had an acting role in the 1978 film The Wiz, was featured in the 82nd annual Academy Awards
ceremony's "In Memoriam"
tribute.[170]
Record sales[edit]
Jackson's
record sales increased dramatically, eightyfold by June 29, according to HMV.[171] Bill Carr
of Amazon said
the website sold out of all Jackson and Jackson 5 CDs
within minutes of the news breaking, and that demand surpassed that for Elvis Presley and John Lennon after
their sudden deaths.[172] In Japan,
six of his albums made SoundScan Japan's Top 200 Albums chart,[161] and in
Poland, Thriller 25 topped
the national album chart and was replaced by King of Pop the following week.[173]
In
Australia, 15 of his albums occupied the ARIA top
100 as of July 5, four of them in the top ten, with three occupying the top
three spots. He had 34 singles in the top 100 singles chart, including four in
the top ten. Album sales were 62,015 for the previous week; singles tallied
107,821 units.[174] In the
second week, album sales rose from the previous week and tallied 88,650 copies.
On July 12, four albums were in the top 10 with three occupying the top three
spots. In New Zealand, Thriller
25 topped the chart.[175] In
Germany, King of Pop topped the album chart,[176] and from
June 28 to July 4, nine of his albums occupied the Top 20 ofCAPIF in Argentina.[177] In
Billboard's European Top 100 Albums, he made history with eight of his albums
in the top ten positions.[178] As of
August 3, King of Pop has spent four weeks atop Billboard's
European Top 100 Albums chart.[179] The
Collection also spent
two weeks atop the same chart.[180]
In the UK,
on the Sunday following his death, his albums occupied 14 of the top 20 places
on the Amazon.co.uk sales chart, with Off the Wall at the top. Number Ones reached the top of the UK Album Chart, and his studio albums occupied number
two to number eight on the iTunes Music Store top albums. Six of his
songs charted in the top 40: "Man in the Mirror" (11), "Thriller" (23), "Billie Jean" (25), "Smooth Criminal" (28)", "Beat It" (30), and "Earth Song" (38).[181] The
following Sunday, 13 of Jackson's songs charted in the top 40, including
"Man in the Mirror", which landed the number two spot.[182] He broke Ruby Murray's 1955 record of five songs in the top 30.[183] The
Essential Michael Jackson topped the
album chart, giving Jackson a second number one album in as many weeks. He had
five of the top ten albums in the album chart.[184] In third
week sales, The Essential
Michael Jackson retained the
number one position and Jackson held three other positions within the top five.[185] By August
3, Jackson had sold 2 million records and spent six consecutive weeks atop
the album chart.[179][186] He
retained the top spot on the album chart for a seventh consecutive week.[187]
In the
U.S., Jackson broke three chart records on the first Billboard issue date that followed his death.
The entire top nine positions on Billboard's Top Pop Catalog Albums featured titles related to him. By the
third week it would be the entire top 12 positions.[188] Number
Ones was the
best-selling album of the week and topped the catalog chart with sales of
108,000, an increase of 2,340 percent. The
Essential Michael Jackson (2)
and Thriller (3) also sold over 100,000 units. The
other titles on the chart are Off
the Wall (4), Jackson Five's Ultimate
Collection (5), Bad (6), Dangerous (7), HIStory:
Past, Present and Future – Volume 1 (8) and Jackson's Ultimate
Collection (9).
Collectively, his solo albums sold 422,000 copies in the week following his
death, 800,000 copies in the first full week, and 1.1 million copies in the
following week of his memorial service.[188] He also
broke a record on the Top Digital Albums chart, with six of the top 10 slots,
including the entire top four. On the Hot Digital Songs chart
he placed a record of 25 songs on the 75-position list. In the U.S., Jackson
became the first artist to sell over one million downloads in a week, with
2.6 million sales.[189][190]
By August
5, Jackson had sold nearly 3.8 million albums and 7.6 million tracks
in the U.S.. Number Ones was the best-selling album for six out
of seven weeks that followed his death.[191][192] By year's
end in 2009, Jackson had become the best selling artist of the year selling 8.2
million albums in the U.S.[193] He also
became the first artist in history to have four of the top 20 best-selling
albums in a single year in the U.S., nearly doubling the sales of his nearest
competitor.[194][195] Jackson
was also the third best selling digital artist of 2009 in the U.S., selling
approximately 12.35 million units.[196] In the 12
months that followed his death Jackson sold nine million albums in the U.S.,
and 35 million albums worldwide.[197] His estate
also generated revenues of one billion dollars.[198]
Services[edit]
Memorial[edit]
An estimated one billion viewers saw coverage of the memorial
held in the Staples Center, pictured here during the
memorial service.
Main article: Michael
Jackson memorial service
A private
family service was held at Forest
Lawn Memorial Park in
Los Angeles, after a public memorial at the Staples Center in
Los Angeles, California on July 7, where Jackson had rehearsed on June 24, the
day before he died. The memorial service was organized by Jackson's concert
promoter, AEG Live,[199] who gave
away 17,500 free tickets (even if AEG was initially out to sell them, but due
to complaints had to desist)[200] to fans
worldwide through an online lottery that attracted over 1.2 million
applicants in 24 hours,[201] and over a
half-billion hits to the webpage.[202] The
service was broadcast live around the world, and was believed to have been
watched by up to 2.5 billion people.[8][203]
Jackson's
solid-bronze casket (which reportedly cost USD $25,000)[50] was placed
in front of the stage. Numerous celebrity guests attended the services.[204] His
brothers each wore a single, white, sparkling glove, while Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Jermaine Jackson and
others sang his songs. Jackson's then 11-year-old daughter, Paris, broke down
as she told the crowd, "I just want to say, ever since I was born, Daddy
has been the best father you could ever imagine ... and I just want to say I
love him... so much."[205] Marlon Jackson said,
"Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."[206]
Burial[edit]
According
to reports, Jackson's burial was originally scheduled for August 29, 2009
(which would have been his 51st birthday).[207] His
service and burial was held at Glendale's
Forest Lawn Memorial Park on
September 3, 2009.[208] The burial
was attended by his family members, first wife Lisa Marie Presley as well as his old friends Macaulay Culkin, Chris Tucker, Quincy Jones, Eddie Murphy and Elizabeth Taylor, amongst others.[209] The
service began with Jackson's three children placing a golden crown on his
casket.[209]
Jackson's
funeral cost one million dollars.[210][211] Cost for
the funeral included; $590,000 for Jackson's crypt in Forest Lawn's Great
Mausoleum, a vast granite and marble filled palazzo, guest invitations for
$11,716.[210][211] The bill
for security, including the fleet of luxury cars that delivered Jackson's
children, parents and siblings to the ceremony, came to $30,000; the florist's
bill was $16,000; and the funeral planner was paid $15,000.[210] Howard
Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate executors noted that Jackson's family decided
on the details of the ceremony, but said a lavish funeral fit the life Jackson
lived, commenting, "It was Michael Jackson. He was bigger than life when
he was alive."[210][211]
Jackson's
remains are interred in the Holly Terrace section in the Great Mausoleum. The
mausoleum is a secure facility that is not accessible to the general public or
to the media, except on an extremely limited basis. The unmarked crypt,
which is partially visible at the tinted entrance of the Holly Terrace
mausoleum, is covered in flowers fans leave, which are placed by security
guards outside the crypt.[208] The family
had considered burying Jackson at Neverland Ranch. However, some family members
objected to the site, saying that the ranch had been tainted by the sexual
abuse allegations.[208] Also, the
owners of the ranch would have had to go through a permitting process with
county and state government before establishing a cemetery at the site. In July
2010, security was increased at the mausoleum due to vandalism by fans leaving
messages such as "Keep the dream alive" and "Miss you sweet
angel" in permanent ink.[212]
No comments:
Post a Comment