A jury found Michael Jackson‘s doctor guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2009 death of the King of Pop.
Dr. Conrad Murray appeared stone-faced as the verdict was read Monday in a Los Angeles courtroom. The 58-year-old doctor, who is to be sentenced November 29, is facing up to four years in prison. He could also lose his medical license.
Jackson‘s sister LaToya screamed out upon hearing the verdict, while his crying mother, Katherine, was consoled by her son, Jermaine Jackson.
Murray‘s supporters looked somber over the news, with one shaking her head back and forth, mouthing the word “no.”
Jackson fans who had gathered outside the courtroom burst into applause and cheered as the verdict, “Guilty!,” was announced.
The decision was reached after less than nine hours of deliberation. The prosecution asked for Murray to be remanded into custody immediately. “He is now a convicted felon,” prosecutor David Walgren said.
Defense lawyer Ed Chernoff argued that he is not danger to the community before Murray was escorted out of the courtroom by the Sheriff.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009. The complete story of his death finally emerged during the six-week trial. It was the tale of a tormented genius on the brink of what might have been his greatest triumph with one impediment standing in his way — extreme insomnia.
Testimony came from medical experts, household employees and Murray‘s former girlfriends, among others.
The most shocking moments, however, came when prosecutors displayed a large picture of Jackson‘s gaunt, lifeless body on a hospital gurney and played the sound of his drugged, slurred voice, as recorded by Murray just weeks before the singer’s death.
Jackson talked about plans for a fantastic children’s hospital and his hope of cementing a legacy larger than that of Elvis Presley or The Beatles.
“We have to be phenomenal,” he said about his “This Is It” concerts in London. “When people leave this show, when people leave my show, I want them to say, `I’ve never seen nothing like this in my life. Go. Go. I’ve never seen nothing like this. Go. It’s amazing. He’s the greatest entertainer in the world.”‘
Throughout the trial, Jackson family members watched from the spectator gallery, fans gathered outside with signs and T-shirts demanding, “Justice for Michael,” and an international press corps broadcast reports around the world. The trial was televised and streamed on the Internet.
Prosecutors portrayed Murray as an incompetent doctor who used the anesthetic propofol without adequate safeguards and whose neglect left Jackson abandoned as he lay dying.
Murray‘s lawyers sought to show the doctor was a medical angel of mercy with former patients vouching for his skills. Murray told police from the outset that he gave Jackson propofol and other sedatives as the star struggled for sleep to prepare for his shows. But the doctor said he administered only a small dose on the day Jackson died.
Lawyers for Murray and a defense expert blamed Jackson for his own death, saying the singer gave himself the fatal dose of propofol while Murray wasn’t watching. A prosecution expert said that theory was crazy.
Murray said he had formed a close friendship with Jackson, never meant to harm him and couldn’t explain why he died.
The circumstances of Jackson‘s death at the age of 50 were as bizarre as any chapter in the superstar’s sensational life story.
As I stand here, trying to do the “Moon Walk” from all the excitement I’m about to share with you all, I want to warn you in advance, it will also get you pumped up and ready for the holidays.
Sony has officially announced this afternoon, that the much anticipated, long-awaited, newly completed recordings from the King of Pop‘s 11th studio album entitled ‘MICHAEL’ (his first since 2001 offering ‘Invincible’) will be released on December 14 by Epic Records in conjunction with the Estate of Michael Jackson. Later on today, an exclusive teaser for the project will appear on www.michaeljackson.com; on Monday, November 8th the world premiere of “Breaking News,” a full track from the album, will stream on the site for one week only.
Sony announced in a press release posted online yesterday…
“The creative process never stopped for the King of Pop who was always planning for his next album; unbeknownst to many fans around the world Michael Jackson was writing and recording songs continuously everywhere from a friend’s home in New Jersey to studios in Las Vegas and Los Angeles with a small group of handpicked collaborators. Now, through the unique stories that will be told about the songs that comprise ‘MICHAEL’, fans will get mind-blowing insight into how this artist worked and a chance to hear the songs he most recently created along with tracks that Michael had a desire to bring to fruition.
“Breaking News,” a never heard before song by Michael that appears on the new album was recorded in New Jersey in 2007 and recently brought to completion. Fans can begin pre-ordering the album on www.michaeljackson.com in the next 24 hours.
The attached image of the album cover of ‘MICHAEL’ was created by painter Kadir Nelson in 2009. In the oil painting, Kadir – who is known for story telling through his art – takes us on a journey through some key moments and important people in Michael Jackson’s life.
Stay tuned for the worldwide launch of the official first single from ‘MICHAEL’ later this month.
British duoLa Roux calls on Kanye West to collaborate for their latest single, “In for the Kill.” In the remix version, lead singer Elly Jackson icily coos over cut-and-paste synths, allowing Kanye to show off his skills midway through the tune. “The Thriller version of Michael,” raps West, who will also appear in the music video.
“He’s a very exciting person to be around. He’s a special breed of person. He’s not quite like anyone I’ve ever met before.” “He’s very, very, very creative. He comes up with ideas every five seconds. We’ve had a very interesting three days. It’s a very interesting mix of things.”
Kanye West announced the official album title on Tuesday morning (October 5) via his Twitter. The name has been floating around for some time in various rumor reports and blog postings, but in the shorter iteration of ‘Dark Twisted Fantasy’.
“The first song on the album is called “Dark Fantasy” produced by the RZA, co-produced by me and No I.D.” West added. “I ain’t letting no leaks have any [effect] on my song choices… “All of the Lights” is the next single, but wait till y’all hear the final!”
On Monday, West also confirmed the album’s release date, November 22. The project will arrive a day before Nicki Minaj‘s debut, ‘Pink Friday,’ and a number of other albums getting a jumpstart on the holiday shopping season.
The first two singles from ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’ have already been released, “Power” and “Runaway,” featuring Pusha T.
Another track scheduled to appear on the project, “Lost in the World,” leaked online last week, leading West to announce he was canceling his weekly free “G.O.O.D. Fridays” music offering. But by Friday night, he recanted and delivered the sartorial “Christian Dior Denim Flow,” featuring John Legend, Kid Cudi, Pusha T, Lloyd Banks and Ryan Leslie.
On Tuesday, West also assured fans of the G.O.O.D offerings that some of those songs would be included on the album too.
In other news….
Kanye West’s ‘Runaway’ London Screening Was A ‘Mad Event’
After showing ‘surreal’ film, West stuck around for two hours of Q&A, MTV UK reporter says. Kanye West invited a very select group of about 100 journalists and bloggers to the Wednesday-night London screening of his 35-minute art film for the song “Runaway.” Among them was MTV UK reporter Tom Thorogood, who got on the phone on Thursday morning (October 7) to talk about the typically over-the-top audience with the Louis Vuitton Don.
“It was a mad event,” Thorogood said of the screening, which included a rambling two-hour Q&A session during which West took any and all questions about the film and his upcoming albums. “Halfway through, an American guy from his label asked for one last question and just as the person asked it, Kanye said, ‘Why is this the last question?’ and said he was happy to talk as long as people wanted him to.”
Thorogood said there are perhaps only two dozen words spoken in the “ambitious … great looking” 35-minute art movie, whose narrative he described as “very loose and abstract.” If anything, he suspected it could be chopped up into five separate mind-bending music videos, though it only uses heavily altered snippets of West‘s music that are quite different from the versions of such songs as “Monster,” “Runaway” and the Bon Iver-sampling “Lost in the World” that fans have heard so far.
“It opens with shots of Kanye in a sports car and slow motion shots of deer and then you see a huge explosion and you see he’s crashed into the Phoenix,” said Thorogood of the other star of the film, model Selita Ebanks, who plays the Phoenix and who has been seen on ‘Ye’s arm at events lately. “He picks her up in his arms and walks away from the car which explodes behind him.” The title of the film then flashes on the screen and the first voice you hear is a snippet of Nicki Minaj‘s English-accented rhyme from “Monster.”
In another scene, Thorogood said you hear a brief bit of “Power,” which Kanye taps out on the same kind of MPC drum machine he played on both the VMAs and on “Saturday Night Live.” The three- to four-minute bit features Ebanks silently dancing around West as the song plays. “It was quite clear that [the movie is about] what he said about this before being about his story … a representation of his career,” Thorogood said.
And in a setup cued to the new song “Lights” that is likely to be the most iconic of the film, Thorogood said Kanye (a.k.a. “Griffin”) and the Phoenix watch as a marching band stomps across the screen carrying a giant, somewhat flimsy-looking papier-mâché model of Michael Jackson‘s head.
“With the passing of Michael Jackson, I feel a responsibility to bring things to our generation that can inspire and bring real culture to pop culture,” West told the audience in London about the film shot over four grueling days in Prague last month. “I want to use my power in a proper way.”
In another pivotal scene, West and the Phoenix arrive for a formal dinner at a huge table and are given weird looks by their fellow diners, one of whom asks, “Why didn’t you leave the monkey in the zoo?”
Thorogood said the film had French subtitles for the sparse dialogue, which were likely a holdover from Tuesday night’s screening in Paris, since West said the version he showed in London was still a rough cut. Among the other new songs featured in the movie is one called “Blame Game,” which contains a healthy sample of the melancholy piano groove in cult electronic musician Aphex Twin‘s 2001 song “Avril 14th,” as well as vocals from frequent ‘Ye collaborator John Legend, which the rapper said may or may not make the final cut of the album.
West introduced the film to his London audience by saying, ” ‘Purple Rain,’ [Pink Floyd’s] ‘The Wall,’ Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ — I wanted to do a modern version of that.” He also said that about “90 percent” of the music featured in the film appears on his upcoming fifth album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, due out on November 22.
Plus….
Kanye West Adds M.I.A., La Roux And Alicia Keys To Album, ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,’ which might also feature Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Mos Def and Santigold.
It was the court of the Crimson King (remember the red suit at the VMAs?) on Wednesday in London as Kanye West spoke to a select group of journalists and bloggers about his upcoming “Runaway” mini-movie and accompanying album, ‘My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy,’ due out November 22.
In addition to screening the nearly wordless, trippy fantasia on the high prices of fame and individuality, ‘Ye also dropped some information on a number of the collaborators he’s got lined up for the album. According to our colleague Tom Thorogood of MTV UK, during a rambling two-hour Q&A session, West mentioned that he’s been in the studio with everyone from Alicia Keys to M.I.A., Kid Cudi, Mos Def and Santigold working on tracks for Fantasy.
He also confirmed that Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon is “all over” the album, a fact we already learned when a demo of “Lost in the World” recently leaked, which features re-recorded vocals from the BI track “Woods.” The pair reportedly recorded at least nine tracks together, and West has said Vernon is slated to appear on multiple songs.
Among the other new tracks featured in the movie is “Blame Game,” which contains a healthy sample of the melancholy piano groove in cult electronic musician Aphex Twin’s 2001 song “Avril 14th,” as well as vocals from frequent ‘Ye collaborator John Legend, which may or may not make the album’s final cut. Other collaborators who’ve dropped in on sessions include Wu-Tang mastermind RZA and hip-hop icon Pete Rock.
NME also reports that West said the album could feature vocals from La Roux‘s flame-haired frontwoman, Elly Jackson, as well as Chicago hip-hop don producer No ID.
‘Ye also said he’s traveling back to France soon — he debuted the film there Tuesday — to finish work on his mini-album with Jay-Z, ‘Watch the Throne’.
And, in typically epic Kanye fashion, the Chicago MC said he’s planning a spectacular live show for the “Fantasy tour”, which he wants to wind up in front of the Egyptian pyramids. Unfortunately, he told the crowd, they’re not available until April.
Which Kanye collabo are you most excited about?
Listen to Kanye West ft. Drake – “All Of The Lights (Ghetto University)” below….
Who is the world’s highest earning celebrity? Which power couple dominates the entertainment world? What pop star commands the most searches on the Internet? The new Guinness World Records 2011 edition out now reveals all this and more in its celebrity-filled pages.
As one of the most talked about pop stars in recent memory, it should come as no surprise that Lady Gaga earned two records for the new book – “Most Searched-For Female” on Google and “Most Weeks On UK Chart In Any Year” with an astounding 154 weeks.Gaga shares her place in the new book alongside two of music’s superstars – Jay-Z and Beyonce. Named the year’s biggest “Power Couple”, Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter and Beyonce Knowles earned an astounding $122 million through June 2009.
In tribute to the “King of Pop”, the new Guinness World Records book features a special page devoted to Michael Jackson. The untimely death of MJ made the entertainer the “Most Searched-For Male” on the web and earned him several posthumous records reinforcing his spot at the top of the entertainment world. MJ, a fan of the Guinness World Records book, is a multiple record holder receiving eight over his lifetime for his chart achievements, album sales, earnings and charity donations.
This world renowned and celebrated annual, Guinness World Records 2011, contains the most comprehensive collection of the greatest and most amazing accomplishments from this past decade and beyond. A “must-have” for both knowledge-seekers and aspiring record-breakers of all ages, Guinness World Records 2011 is available September 15th for the suggested retail price of $28.95. For more information about Guinness World Records 2011, to find out how you can participate in Guinness World Records Day 2009 or to vote for your favorite records, visit their website at: www.guinnessworldrecords.com.
Dr. Ross-Lee slammed Mocienne Jackson’s outrageous rumors today when she told TMZ reporters that it was impossible for her to have had a baby by Michael in 1975, because she had never met him at that point in her life.
Last night, Randy Jackson told TMZ reporters that the whole thing, “sounds kinda crazy.” That’s what we were thinking when this story 1st broke.
Today, Mocienne Jackson’s outrageous claim is seeming even further from the truth.
Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee tells TMZ that M.P. Jackson, “is not my daughter.” She also told sources that the woman is “delusional.” According to Dr. Ross-Lee she responded to one of Mocienne’s emails a few years ago to inform her that she was mistaken and to wish her well. There was even a time when Mocienne Jackson, “was really harassing me at my office,” says the Doctor. She was even forced to have her employer contact the police to get the harassment from Mocienne to stop. Dr. Ross-Lee told TMZ that the entire thing is nothing short of “bizarre.”
According to Dr. Ross-Lee’s biography, she graduated from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1973. She then worked a rotating internship at Martin Place Hospital in Detroit. She also signed on with an older doctor, and after three months she left his practice and went to work on the East Side for a physicians’ group. On July 1, 1974, she opened her own practice, which she ran until 1984. Dr. Ross-Lee also married her 2nd husband in 1976.
I’d say her life was pretty full! When would she have had the time to hide a lovechild that she conceived with Michael Jackson? Remember, Mocienne was born in 1975.
This story sounds a little crazy, but if what Mocienne Jackson says is true, that would make her the daughter of the King of Pop and Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, the first African-American woman to administer a medical school in the United States. Somebody pay up, because this woman is long overdue for her trust fund baby lifestyle!
Here’s the deal, Mocienne Petit Jackson has filed a claim in Los Angeles County Superior Court asking a judge for permission to conduct a DNA test to prove she is Michael Jackson’s biological daughter. Mocienne Jackson claims that back in 1975, when Michael Jackson was a 17-year-old he secretly impregnated her mother Barbara. Barbara, is the sister of legendary, pop diva Diana Ross! MPJ says that when she was 9 years old, Michael’s mom, Katherine Jackson, devised a plan to “abduct” her and send her to Belgium to protect Michael’s “reputation.” According to Mocienne, all 7 of her abductors were later murdered. She is currently living in the Netherlands and has now decided to come forward with her story, so she can “formally claim my part of my father’s inheritance.” Mocienne also wants custody of Michael Jackson’s children so she can give them a “more normal life.” She also made it a point to state that she was diagnosed with Vitiligo, the same skin condition Michael Jackson suffered from. At this point, The Jackson and Ross families have not responded to the allegations.
So what do you think? Could this woman be the offspring of these two individuals?
Sunday night marked the 2010 BET Awards, hosted by Queen Latifah, and an all-star roster of celebrities presented, performed, and took home top honors.
Between Prince‘s Lifetime achievement award and Queen Latifah running the show, there was plenty of royalty at last night’s 10th anniversary of the BET Awards. But in the midst of the performances of accolades, the stage was also set for a few big names to make their comebacks.
Jermaine Jackson announced the first return of the evening when he introduced the tribute to his late brother, thanking everyone for their love and support over the past year. He added, “There is one tribute performance we have yet to see…here he is.”
Chris Brown was poised behind the curtain, looking like the silhouette of Michael Jackson himself. Once he came out, there was a palpable moment of tension so strong, it could almost be felt through the TV.
Brown crotch-grabbed and moon-walked his way like a pro through the Michael Jackson songs as a supportive audience cheered him on.
But then the opening bars from “Man in the Mirror” began to play, and we all braced for the irony of the words. Brown got through about one line of the song before his voice started to quiver with tears. After a few heartfelt efforts to regain composure, Brown fell to his knees sobbing and completely gave up trying to sing as the backup track took over.
But Brown wasn’t the only one returning to the stage: Kanye West opened the show on top of a mountain – literally – as he performed his latest single, “Power.” T.I gave an upbeat performance that had the whole crowd moving, and El DeBarge was also a surprising treat as he performed a new song from his upcoming album and a medley of his R&B hits.
Queen Latifah kept the show flowing as she changed outfits about 500 times, and Alicia Keys also had a good night. She won Best Female R&B artist, Best Collaboration for her work with Jay-Z in “Empire State of Mind,” and also fit in two performances: a medley set of her own songs early on in the program, and then she joined in the Prince tribute.
But probably the best Prince performance of the night came from the one and only Patti LaBelle, who sang “Purple Rain” like we’ve never heard it before. LaBelle flicked her shoes off into the audience where Prince picked one of them up and gestured in respect to the diva.
LaBelle came back and joined Chaka Khan on stage to formally present Prince with his Lifetime Achievement Award.
Overwhelmed by the amount of praise coming from the audience, Prince asked everyone to sit down and said he was “speechless.” He started by thanking Jehovah, and then remarked on the future of music. “I do believe the future is in good hands, there is so much talent here,” he said.
Then Prince offered some words of wisdom to the young talent in the room. “I was pretty wild in my younger days and you don’t have to do what I did and you don’t have to make the mistakes I made,” he said. “Thank you for a wonderful night tonight, I’ll never forget it as long I live.”
Trey Songz took home Best Male R&B Artist and Drake won Best Male Hip Hop Artist. Nicki Minaj received the award for Best Female Hip Hop Artist and thanked the female rappers who paved the way for her.
Rihanna received the coveted Viewer’s Choice Award for “Hard,” but was not there to accept it. Also not there to accept Awards were Beyonce’ and Lady Gaga, who won Video of the Year for their collaboration in “Video Phone,” and Jay-Z was absent from the show as well.
Chris Brown had the last word, at least for the night. After his Jackson tribute, he was announced as the surprise winner of BET’s Fandemonium award, a prize determined by fan votes, beating out apparent favorites like Justin Bieber, Trey Songz and Nicki Minaj.
Stepping to the stage to receive his trophy, Brown gave a quick acceptance speech. “I let you all down before, but I won’t do it again,” he said. “I promise you.”
Here’s a breakdown of all the winners…
Winners included:
Viewers’ Choice: Rihanna (not at awards ceremony)
Best Female R&B Artist: Alicia Keys
Best Male R&B Artist: Trey Songz
Best Female Hip Hop Artist: Nicki Minaj
Best Male Hip Hop Artist: Drake
Best New Artist: Nicki Minaj
Best Group: Young Money
Video of the Year: Beyonce and Lady Gaga for “Video Phone” (not at awards ceremony)
Best Actress: Mo’Nique
Best Actor: Idris Elba
Best Movie: Precious
Sportsman of the Year: Lebron James
Sportswoman of the Year: Serena Williams
Prince also won a Lifetime achievement award and John Legend won a humanitarian award.
The show’s top performances were given by Chris Brown, who paid tribute to Michael Jackson and ended sobbing on stage during “Man In The Mirror,” and Patti LaBelle’s cover of “Purple Rain” in honor of Prince.
Below is a video from Chris Brown’s Michael Jackson Tribute:
Alicia Keys Tribute to Prince:
Source: CNN, BET, YOUTUBE
~ “Alicia Keys’ performance had me at the edge of my seat when she climbed on top of her piano. I was so nervous that she wouldn’t fall, even Prince looked nervous. As for Chris Brown, I was so excited to see him perform, and hear how the crowd cheered him on. It was one of the best performances I saw. He really knows how to break down Michael Jackson’s moves. Welcome back Chris Brown.”
[The Jackson Family visit Micheal Jackson grave on the 1st Anniversary of his death at Forest Lawn Memorial Park at Glendale, California.]
On the one-year anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death, Janet, Randy, Tito and Jermaine Jackson gathered at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, Calif. to pay their respects.
The group — all dressed in black — arrived around 11 a.m. PT and entered through a back entrance of the mausoleum in which Michael is interned. About 500 fans also quietly gathered, many wearing sequined jackets or white gloves, according to a witness.
Michael‘s children Prince, 13, Paris, 12, and Blanket, 8, were not in attendance. They were last publicly spotted in Hawaii Thursday with their grandmother (and legal guardian), Katherine Jackson.
“Sorry Big Bro, for not getting ur children there on the anniversary of ur last day. I tried,” Twittered Randy.
Katherine traveled to Michael‘s hometown of Gary, Ind. Friday afternoon, where she unveiled a marble memorial of her son. A cell-phone vigil was also held in broad daylight outside Michael‘s childhood home.
Joe Jackson filed a wrongful death suit against Michael‘s doctor, Conrad Murray, Friday at the federal court in downtown Los Angeles, TMZ.com reported. Joe claims Dr. Murray withheld information from doctors and EMTs that could have saved Michael‘s life, and he’s suing the doctor for unspecified damages as a result. (A federal court clerk told the site there was a “mistake” in the paperwork, though, so the lawsuit will have to be refiled.)
Source: OMG!
R.I.P. Michael Jackson, you will forever be missed.
Jackson died on June 25, 2009. The complete story of his death finally emerged during the six-week trial. It was the tale of a tormented genius on the brink of what might have been his greatest triumph with one impediment standing in his way — extreme insomnia.
For more on this story click here.
JNEL & J. Magazine 
