CELEBRITY REACTIONS TO MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH

CELEBRITY REACTIONS TO MICHAEL JACKSON'S DEATH

Michael Jackson Died - Rare Photo Tribute Video

Jackson died by injecting Demorol

Last night it was suspected that Michael Jackson’s collapse and subsequent death could have been caused by an overdose of painkiller.

An Emergency Room source at UCLA hospital said Jackson aides told medics he had collapsed after an injection of potent Demerol — similar to morphine.

A Jacko source said: “Shortly after taking the Demerol he started to experience slow shallow breathing.

“His breathing gradually got slower and slower until it stopped.

“His staff started mouth-to-mouth and an ambulance was called which got there in eight minutes “But found he was in full respiratory arrest, no breathing and no pulse. They started full CPR and rushed him to hospital.

“When he arrived they started resuscitation, giving him heart shocks and inserted a breathing tube and other supportive measures to try and save his life.

“He never regained consciousness.The family was told that he had passed.”

A record of the call-out read: “50 year old male Not breathing at all.” It gave the time of the call- out as 12.21pm local time.

Medics administered heart massage and oxygen along the route. But they could not revive the star.

Jacko’s family were informed and rushed to his bedside as weeping fans began massing outside the city’s UCLA Medical Centre.

There were screams of “You’ve got to save him, you’ve got to save him” as the star was stretchered in.

Mom Katherine made it to the hospital shortly after her son, although his father Joe was in Las Vegas when told the news. Close pal Elizabeth Taylor also rushed to the hospital to say her goodbyes.

Finally a doctor appeared and told shocked relatives and aides that all efforts to restart his heart had failed and that he had died.

Madonna said in a statement: “I can’t stop crying over the sad news. The world has lost one of the greats, but his music will live on forever!”

Spears said in a statement: “I was so excited to see his show in London. We were going to be on tour in Europe at the same time and I was going to fly in to see him. He has been an inspiration throughout my entire life and I’m devastated he’s gone!”

Michael Jackson's Body Handed Back To Family

Michael Jackson's body has been released to his family by the coroner in Los Angeles as the investigation continues into how he died.

Police have been speaking to the singer's personal doctor who was with Jackson when he died.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged of a possible custody battle over Jackson's children, according to Sky sources.

Debbie Rowe, biological mother to the star's two eldest children, could take full custody of Paris and Michael Junior under California law, according to TMZ.com.

But the showbiz website says Jackson's family have vowed to fight such a move.

The LA coroner's office said the post mortem showed no external injuries or evidence of foul play but deferred cause of death for further tests.

Spokesman Craig Harvey said exhaustive toxicology tests will take "approximately four to six weeks to complete".

Jackson's body had been locked in its own crypt while in the mortuary, Fox News quotes a source as saying.

Coroner's Office Delays Verdict On Why Jacko Died

Body Handed Back To Family

Breaking News

11:49am UK, Saturday June 27, 2009

Michael Jackson's body has been released to his family by the coroner in Los Angeles as the investigation continues into how he died.

Van leaving LA coroner's office at the time Michael Jackson's body was released

Police have been speaking to the singer's personal doctor who was with Jackson when he died.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged of a possible custody battle over Jackson's children, according to Sky sources.

Debbie Rowe, biological mother to the star's two eldest children, could take full custody of Paris and Michael Junior under California law, according to TMZ.com.

But the showbiz website says Jackson's family have vowed to fight such a move.

The LA coroner's office said the post mortem showed no external injuries or evidence of foul play but deferred cause of death for further tests.

Spokesman Craig Harvey said exhaustive toxicology tests will take "approximately four to six weeks to complete".

Jackson's body had been locked in its own crypt while in the mortuary, Fox News quotes a source as saying.

No plans have been announced but his family say they have not ruled out a public funeral.

LA Police Department assistant police chief Charlie Beck said the further tests would provide "key results that will steer the direction of the investigation".

"We are still trying to determine whether prescription drugs were involved," Mr Beck said at a news conference.

The police chief added that his department had arranged an interview with Jackson's cardiologist, Conrad Murray, who was with the 50-year-old when he collapsed at his Bel-Air home on Thursday afternoon.

"LAPD did talk to the doctor initially but an extensive follow-up interview wasn't carried out, so we have to do that now," he said.

Earlier, Dr Murray's car was seized because detectives wanted to see if there was "any evidence of the nature of the death in that vehicle", Mr Beck said.

Coroner's Office Delays Verdict On Why Jacko Died

It was reported by celebrity news website TMZ.com that Jackson had been receiving a daily injection of Demerol, a synthetic narcotic similar to morphine, and may have been given "too much" on Thursday.

Speaking from Los Angeles, Sky's Robert Nisbet said: "There were rumours earlier that Dr Murray was missing, but from the news conference it would seem that he is cooperating with the police."

Nisbet added it was interesting that the police chief had revealed the probe would extend outside the boundaries of California.

"This inquiry appears to be bigger than simply determining the sequence of events that led to Jackson's collapse," he said.

"It may have something to do with prescription drug use and whether he was seeing other doctors."

Running alongside the police investigation is a report by the LA Coroner's office.

Listen To The 911 Call

Body Handed Back To Family

Breaking News

11:49am UK, Saturday June 27, 2009

Michael Jackson's body has been released to his family by the coroner in Los Angeles as the investigation continues into how he died.

Van leaving LA coroner's office at the time Michael Jackson's body was released

Police have been speaking to the singer's personal doctor who was with Jackson when he died.

Meanwhile, reports have emerged of a possible custody battle over Jackson's children, according to Sky sources.

Debbie Rowe, biological mother to the star's two eldest children, could take full custody of Paris and Michael Junior under California law, according to TMZ.com.

But the showbiz website says Jackson's family have vowed to fight such a move.

The LA coroner's office said the post mortem showed no external injuries or evidence of foul play but deferred cause of death for further tests.

Spokesman Craig Harvey said exhaustive toxicology tests will take "approximately four to six weeks to complete".

Jackson's body had been locked in its own crypt while in the mortuary, Fox News quotes a source as saying.

Michael Jackson

See more stories, video and picture galleries on our special Michael Jackson page.

No plans have been announced but his family say they have not ruled out a public funeral.

LA Police Department assistant police chief Charlie Beck said the further tests would provide "key results that will steer the direction of the investigation".

"We are still trying to determine whether prescription drugs were involved," Mr Beck said at a news conference.

The police chief added that his department had arranged an interview with Jackson's cardiologist, Conrad Murray, who was with the 50-year-old when he collapsed at his Bel-Air home on Thursday afternoon.

"LAPD did talk to the doctor initially but an extensive follow-up interview wasn't carried out, so we have to do that now," he said.

Earlier, Dr Murray's car was seized because detectives wanted to see if there was "any evidence of the nature of the death in that vehicle", Mr Beck said.

Coroner's Office Delays Verdict On Why Jacko Died

It was reported by celebrity news website TMZ.com that Jackson had been receiving a daily injection of Demerol, a synthetic narcotic similar to morphine, and may have been given "too much" on Thursday.

Speaking from Los Angeles, Sky's Robert Nisbet said: "There were rumours earlier that Dr Murray was missing, but from the news conference it would seem that he is cooperating with the police."

Nisbet added it was interesting that the police chief had revealed the probe would extend outside the boundaries of California.

"This inquiry appears to be bigger than simply determining the sequence of events that led to Jackson's collapse," he said.

"It may have something to do with prescription drug use and whether he was seeing other doctors."

Running alongside the police investigation is a report by the LA Coroner's office.

Listen To The 911 Call

It revealed Jackson was taking some unspecified prescription medications and said further tests had been ordered.

So far, it has only been revealed that Jackson went into cardiac arrest at his home and was taken to the UCLA medical centre where he was pronounced dead.

A recording of the 911 emergency call has shown Jackson was not breathing or responding to CPR when the alarm was raised.

The caller said he needed help "as soon as possible" and only the star's personal doctor was with him when he fell ill.

During the call to the Los Angeles Fire Department the man said: "Sir, we have a gentleman here that needs help and he's not breathing.

"He's not breathing and we're trying to pump him, but he's not ... he's not breathing. He's not conscious, sir."

See how Jackson's famous fans reacted to his death.

The post mortem was reportedly performed by Dr Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran, who was a star witness in the O.J. Simpson trial.

Brian Oxman, a lawyer for the Jackson family, said the singer's relatives had been concerned about his health for some time.

"Michael appeared at rehearsals a couple of times," he said. "But his use of medications had gotten in the way.

"His injuries which he had sustained performing, where he had broken a vertebra and he had broken his leg from a fall on the stage, were getting in the way."

The first reports of Jackson's death emerged on the internet and sparked a huge surge in online traffic as people searched for the latest news.

TV channels around the world interrupted programmes to break the news of Jackson's death, while many radio stations have been playing his hits back-to-back.

World mourns pop legend Jackson

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Tributes from stars and fans have been pouring in for singer Michael Jackson, who has died aged 50 after suffering a cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home.

Pop star Madonna said: "The world has lost one of its greats, but his music will live on forever."

Fans gathered outside the clinic where he was pronounced dead on Thursday. A post-mortem is taking place on Friday.

Family lawyer Brian Oxman told US TV that he had been concerned about the star's use of pain relief medication.

Mr Oxman told ABC's Good Morning America programme that Jackson took prescription pain relief for injuries sustained earlier in his career, including bones broken in a stage fall.

Jackson lawyer's 'medication warning'

"It caused him great pain. He just didn't like to feel such discomfort. He started taking pain medication. It became part of his life."

Mr Oxman added that he had warned that he "would not hold his tongue" about Jackson's use of medication in the event of the singer's death.

US authorities have said final results of the post-mortem could take up to eight weeks while toxicology tests are completed.

Michael Jackson's career in numbers

Paying tribute to the star, musician Sir Paul McCartney said: "I feel privileged to have hung out and worked with Michael. He was a massively talented boy-man with a gentle soul."

The singer's ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley said she was "sad and confused". "This is such a massive loss on so many levels, words fail me."

Pop star Justin Timberlake, who has been compared to Jackson, said: "We have lost a genius and a true ambassador of, not only pop music, but of all music."

The musician added: "He has been an inspiration to multiple generations."

Paramedics were called to the singer's Beverly Hills home at about midday on Thursday after he stopped breathing.

He was pronounced dead two hours later at the UCLA medical centre in west Hollywood. Jackson's brother, Jermaine, said he was believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Speaking on behalf of the Jackson family, Jermaine said doctors had tried to resuscitate the star for more than an hour without success.

He added: "The family request that the media please respect our privacy during this tough time."

"And Allah be with you Michael, always. I love you."

Jackson, who had a history of health problems, had been due to stage 50 concerts at the O2 arena in London, beginning on 13 July.

Concerns were raised last month when four of Jackson's planned comeback shows were postponed, but organisers insisted the dates had been moved due to the complexity of staging the show.

A spokeswoman for The Outside Organisation, which was organising the publicity for the shows, said she had no comment at this time.

'Consummate entertainer'

Broadcaster Paul Gambaccini said: "I always doubted that he would have been able to go through that schedule, those concerts. It seemed to be too much of a demand on the unhealthy body of a 50 year old.

"I'm wondering, as we find out details of his death, if perhaps the stress of preparing for those dates was a factor in his collapse.

"It was wishful thinking that at this stage of his life he could be Michael Jackson again."

Following the news of his death, the singer's albums are currently occupying the top 15 slots of online music retailer Amazon.com's best-seller chart, led by his 1982 smash hit Thriller.

Bands playing at the Glastonbury Festival this weekend are also expected to pay tribute to Jackson's musical achievements.

Thriller Live, a tribute show to featuring the star's music in London's West End, announced it would go ahead.

A minute's silence will be held before the performance and the lights outside the Lyric Theatre, in Shaftesbury Avenue, will be dimmed as a mark of respect.

A special on the life and career of Michael Jackson will be screened on the News channel and BBC One at 1930 BST.

An additional scene has been filmed for Friday's episode of EastEnders which makes a reference to Jackson's death.

Paramedics were called to the singer's house in Bel Air at 1221 (1921GMT) where they performed CPR on Jackson, before rushing him to hospital.

A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the robbery and homicide team was investigating Jackson's death because of its "high profile", but there was no suggestion of foul play.

Biggest seller

Jackson began his career as a child in family group The Jackson 5.

He went on to achieve global fame as a solo artist with smash hits such as Billie Jean and Bad.

Thriller, released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time, shifting 65m copies, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.

"For Michael to be taken away from us so suddenly at such a young age, I just don't have the words," said Quincy Jones, who produced Thriller, Bad and Off The Wall.

"He was the consummate entertainer and his contributions and legacy will be felt upon the world forever. I've lost my little brother today, and part of my soul has gone with him."

Jackson fans react to news of his death

The singer had been dogged by controversy and money trouble in recent years, becoming a virtual recluse.

He was arrested in 2003 on charges of molesting a 14-year-old boy, but was found not guilty following a five-month trial.

The star had three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince Michael Jackson II.

He is survived by his mother, Katherine, father, Joseph and eight siblings - including Janet, Randy, Jermaine and La Toya Jackson.more

MICHAEL Jackson's body at coroner



Michael Jackson reported dead