Rest in Peace, Mike

August 29, 1958 - June 25, 2009

On the morning of June 25, 2009, world renowned music icon and humanitarian Michael Joe Jackson, Sr. died of cardiac arrest brought on by acute propofol intoxication at his home in Los Angeles, California after being injected with several sedatives and a lethal dose of propofol by an onsite doctor. Michael was nearly two months short of his 51^st birthday. He is survived by his 12 year old son, Michael Jr, 11 year old daughter, Paris-Michael, 7 year old son, Prince (aptly named after Michael's maternal grandfather, great grandfather and great-great grandfather), his parents Katherine & Joseph, siblings Maureen (Rebbie), Sigmund Sr. (Jackie), Toriano Sr. (Tito), Jermaine Sr., LaToya, Marlon Sr., Steven Sr. (Randy), Janet, and 33 nieces & nephews. Michael's brother Brandon (Marlon's twin) died at birth in 1957.

Michael's death was mourned worldwide. Upon the announcement of his demise, there was so much internet traffic that it nearly came to a complete halt. Many people grieved publicly and showed their love for him in different ways. Most left flowers and held candlelight vigils for months after his death. Others grieved in private while viewing the endless TV shows, videos and tributes that aired in Michael's memory.

Within days, numerous magazines published editions celebrating Michael's life & legacy.

Michael's family and friends gathered for a viewing on the evening of July 6, 2009 at the Hall of Liberty in Hollywood-Forest Lawn Memorial Park. His private funeral was held at the same location the following morning.

Michael's grandmother, Martha Bridges, was buried at Hollywood-Forest Lawn in 1990. His former sister-in-law, Delores "Dee Dee" Martes, is buried there as well.

A public memorial service for Michael took place on July 7, 2009 at the Staples Center (and via video feed at the Nokia Theatre) in Los Angeles, California. It was attended by over 18,000 people and aired on TV worldwide (which garnered well over 60 million viewers). Michael's closed casket was brought into the Staples Center by his brothers. Music artists, stars and noted people such as Berry Gordy, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, Brooke Shields, Magic Johnson, The Andrae Crouch Choir, Mariah Carey, Queen Latifah, Martin Luther King III, Bernice King, Usher, Pastor Lucius Smith, Ron Boyd, Jennifer Hudson, Kobe Bryant, John Mayer, Shaheen Jafargholi and others participated. Marlon Jackson offered a final eulogy to his brother, while Michael's daughter Paris expressed how much she loves and misses her daddy, and brother Jermaine sang one of Michael's favorite songs, "Smile". It was a very touching and fitting tribute. It was nominated by the NAACP for Outstanding Variety Series or Special at the 2010 NAACP Image Awards, which it won. (Many find the nomination extremely offensive, as it was not an entertainment special, but the memorial service of someone the world loved and lost.)

This is the program that was given to all attendees during Michael's public memorial service at the Staples Center and the Nokia Theatre...

After two autopsies, many inquiries, search warrants, interrogations, and raids of pharmacies and doctor's offices, the Los Angeles County Coroner publicly released a statement on August 24, 2009 ruling Michael's death a homicide. This led to an investigation of several doctors by the Los Angeles Police Department, California Attorney General, Drug Enforcement Administration and Los Angeles County Coroner in order to build a case for trial.

On August 29, 2009, what would have been Michael's 51^st birthday, events and gatherings were held worldwide. Director Spike Lee hosted an outdoor party in rainy Brooklyn, New York which had a turnout of close to 10,000 fans. August 29 was also proclaimed "Michael Jackson Memorial Day" in Brooklyn. Mexico set a new world record when 13,597 people gathered to simultaneously perform the dance from Michael's video, "Thriller". A new wax figure was unveiled at Madame Tussauds in Hollywood. There was a sizeable turnout for Michael's birthday party at his childhood home in Gary, Indiana, which was concluded with a candlelight vigil. A line of clothing inspired by Michael was introduced in Bangalore. His brothers Tito and Marlon held a concert in his honor in St. Thomas. Michael was also awarded a star on the Palms Casino Resort's Walk of Fame in Las Vegas. Fans gathered to celebrate in London, Paris, Bucharest, Germany, Hollywood, Peru, Barcelona, Moscow, Japan, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, China, India, at the gates of Neverland Ranch, outside his family's Encino home, and in many other locations, as birthday greetings for Michael covered the internet.

Michael's body was laid to rest in the Holly Terrace section of the Great Mausoleum in California's Glendale-Forest Lawn Memorial Park on the evening of September 3, 2009 following a private funeral service/farewell ceremony for family and close friends.

On October 24, 2009, fans from 32 countries broke the world record during "Thrill the World", an event in which participants dressed as zombies and danced simultaneously to Michael's hit song, "Thriller". A total of 22,932 fans participated, surpassing the world record set by Mexico on August 29, 2009. The event also raised $85,000 for 80 charities.

Due to recent celebrity deaths resulting in prescription drug overdoses, the Controlled Substance Utilization Review and Evaluation System (CURES) was upgraded in September 2009 to include a real-time access Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) system. The new system will allow healthcare professionals instant tracking of a broad range of controlled substances that a doctor prescribes for a patient. This will prevent any doctor from claiming they didn't know what medications their new patient was already taking. It also gives law enforcement officials access to the database to combat prescription drug abuse. The CURES system, which has been in use by pharmacists since 1999, contains the name of every doctor that prescribes controlled medicines, the person for whom the drug is prescribed, the quantity and date of the prescription.

Several weeks of rehearsal footage for Michael's last planned concert called, "This Is It", was compiled for a movie with the same title. The trailer premiered during the MTV Video Music Awards on September 13, where Janet Jackson opened with a tribute to her late brother. An advanced screening of "This Is It" premiered in select theaters on October 27, 2009 and became the first film released on a Tuesday to earn $2.2 million domestically in one day. It earned $20.1 million worldwide on October 28, its official opening day. The original plan was to have the movie run in theatres worldwide from October 28 to November 10, 2009. After pulling in $101 million during its first week, Sony decided to extend its run through December 3, 2009. The movie's full run earned over $250 million worldwide. Michael's song, "This Is It", is included on a 2-disc CD with the same title that was released on October 27, 2009. His new album reached number one in the U.S. on Billboard's Top 200 on November 4, 2009, with of 373,000 copies sold during the first week of its release. "This Is It", the movie, was released on DVD on January 26, 2010 and sold over 1.2 million copies during the first week. The movie was nominated by the NAACP for an 'Outstanding Motion Picture' award. The 41st Annual NAACP Image Awards aired February 26, 2010.

On November 3, 2009, Michael was awarded "Entertainer of the Year" at the Soul Train Music Awards. He currently holds the record for the most Soul Train awards won. Michael was also posthumously nominated for five American Music Awards, which aired on November 22, 2009. He won four of the five awards, becoming the most honored artist in AMA history, with a record-breaking 23 AMAs. His 2009 awards were for Pop/Rock Favorite Male Artist, Pop/Rock Favorite Album ("The Ones"), Soul/R&B Favorite Male Artist, and Soul/R&B Favorite Album ("The Ones").

Michael's iconic 1983 video "Thriller" was inducted into the Library of Congress' National Film Registry on December 30, 2009. It is the first music video to be preserved at the registry.

Michael was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award during the 52^nd Annual Grammy Awards on January 31, 2010. His children, Michael Jr. and Paris, accepted the award on his behalf. Youngest son Prince remained backstage with his grandmother, Katherine.

Michael will be honored with a large mural at the entrance of the Hoyt-Schermerhorn subway station in Brooklyn, New York. His video "Bad" was filmed in the station in 1987.

The investigation into Michael's death wrapped up in late January 2010. The case was presented to the L.A. County District Attorney in early February. Because Michael's death is a high profile homicide case, the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office contemplated convening a grand jury to seek an indictment against his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, who administered the lethal dose of propofol. They instead opted out of a grand jury indictment, thus keeping the case "open" to public observation once it goes to trial.

Dr. Conrad Murray was arraigned at Airport Court in Los Angeles on February 8, 2010 on a charge of involuntary manslaughter resulting in Michael's death. (The five-page complaint says he "did unlawfully, and without malice, kill Michael Joseph Jackson" by acting "without due caution and circumspection.") He surrendered the same day in order to avoid arrest. Several Jackson Family members were in attendance. Hundreds of fans planned to protest at the courthouse if Conrad Murray was not brought in handcuffed. He was not restrained at all. Soon after entering the court, he entered a 'not guilty' plea. Bail was set at $75,000, three times the standard amount for such cases. Conrad Murray had to surrender his passport and is no longer aloud to be in possession of, or prescribe, anesthetics. He was taken into custody and posted bail shortly after. Also, the medical board filed a motion to have his medical license revoked. Their document filed with the court claimed Conrad Murray showed "utter disregard for the care and well-being of the persons entrusted to his care." If found guilty of involuntary manslaughter, Conrad Murray will face up to four years in prison. The judge ordered him to return to court on April 5, 2010.

Michael's mother Katherine gave a press conference at the Raddison Hotel at Star Plaza in Merrillville, Indiana (via global link) on March 29, 2010 to announce the first annual International King of Pop Fanvention in Gary, Indiana. The Fanvention took place August 26–29, 2010 and expected to attract well over ten thousand fans from around the world. The event included autograph and photo sessions with people that worked with and knew Michael. Members of the Jackson family were in attendance and participated in question and answer sessions about Michael. A dance party and gala also took place. Tours also ran to the Jackson family home in Gary, Indiana throughout the weekend. Vendors were on hand to sell memorabilia and collector’s items. A special salute to Michael was performed by young entertainers from the northwest Indiana area on August 29^th, and there was a huge birthday celebration as well. Guest performers included Triple Dose Band (lead by Mike's cousin Keith), his niece Genevieve, and the 'This Is It' dancers.

Michael's estate signed a $200 million contract with Sony Music Entertainment on March 15, 2010. It is the biggest record deal in history and will release 10 projects in the next 7 years. The previously released "This Is It" CD that coincides with the film is the first of the expected projects. Along with albums, movies and video games will be included. The second album was released in December 2010.

Katherine, Joseph, Janet, Randy and Jermaine Jackson arrived in court on April 5, 2010, as did a slew of fans. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor was assigned to the case. However, determination of a preliminary hearing date was postponed until June 14, 2010. During the June court date, a ruling was made on the request by California's attorney general to suspend Murray's medical license. The judge ruled against it. A preliminary hearing date wasn't determined until August 23, 1010.

On June 14, 2010, Michael was inducted into the Apollo Legends Hall of Fame at the historic Apollo Theater in New York City and on June 25, 2010, a monument was unveiled outside his childhood family home in Gary, Indiana during a fan gathering. A plaque was also unveiled in London's Lyric Theatre one day prior.

Fans around the world celebrated Michael's life on the first anniversary of his demise. Various tributes and shows were held around the world in Michael's honor. His youngest brother Randy arranged for fans to gather at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, California. Randy, Janet and Tito visited Michael's mausoleum in private. Fans were not allowed in, but were able to mourn outside of the building that houses Michael's burial site. About 500 people showed and left flowers, candles and photos.

As Michael's siblings visited his grave and his mother & children attended the unveiling of his monument in Gary, Indiana, his father Joseph Jackson was filing a wrongful death suit against Conrad Murray in federal court.

On August 14, 2010, Michael was honored as 2010 C.V. Whitney Hall of Fame inductee. The induction took place at the National Museum of Dance & Hall of Fame.

Katherine and Joseph were in attendance during the August 23, 2010 court date. The judge finally set a preliminary hearing date of January 4, 2011.

The second of several albums was released on December 14, 2010 as part of a seven-year deal between Sony and Michael's Estate. The album titled, "Michael", contains ten of his unreleased songs, including "Much Too Soon".

"Michael" sold 300,000 units worldwide its first week.

The first day of the preliminary hearing to prove there is enough evidence against Dr. Conrad Murray to for him to stand trial took place on January 4, 2011, as scheduled. The hearing is expected to take at least two weeks and bring as many as 30 witnesses to the stand. EMTs, security guards, bodyguards, and people involved with Michael's "This Is It' tour were a few of the first witnesses called. By the third day, it was clear that Dr. Murray had no idea how to administer CPR, had taken his time calling 911 and had a security guard call only after having him remove medical vials, propofol, etc. from the room. It was also clear that the doctor failed to mention (to the paramedics) everything he had given Michael that morning, including propofol, and that he also refused to declare Michael dead when the paramedics arrived, although he was flatlined for some time prior to their arrival.

During the second week of the preliminary hearing, a ruling had been made that Dr. Murray's phone records can be used as evidence against him, as he was out of the bedroom making calls and texting while Michael was dying. Also, a pharmacist confirmed that, within two months prior to Michael's death, Dr. Murray ordered 130 vials of propofol in 100-millileter doses and another 125 in 20-millileter vials, as well as more than 40 vials of the sedative Versed and the anti-anxiety drug Ativan, all of which was sent to Murray's girlfriend's home in Santa Monica, California, where he was staying. On January 11, the 7^thday of the hearing, it was declared that Dr. Murray will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter. He also had his California medical license revoked.

The trial was originally scheduled to begin on March 28, 2011. However, it was delayed until May 9 due to, amongst other issues, setbacks in selecting a jury. Michael's mother, siblings and children are expected to take the stand, along with nearly 100 others. The judge agreed to allow two autopsy photos to be admitted as evidence.

On May 2, the judge delayed the trial yet again because defense attorneys requested more time to counter new prosecution experts. There was a hearing on June 24 to determine if 100 hours of raw concert footage can be used to show that Michael was in poor health days before he died. The judge agreed to allow the unreleased footage to be reviewed. The defense hoped this footage would show Michael in poor health in order to argue that a pre-existing condition caused his death, but to no avail. On July 25, the judge decided against using the footage in court because it showed Michael in good health and added no significant value to the case.

On the second anniversary of Michael's death, the Grammy Museum unveiled a permanent exhibit devoted to him. Also, fans from around the world sent memorial signs, cards, letters, flowers, etc. to Forest Lawn. Fans also gathered there, at Neverland Ranch, and at Hayvenhurst to once again pay their respects.

BlueWater Productions is preparing to release a comic detailing Michael's life just in time for his 52nd birthday.

Spike Lee once again planned to hold a huge outdoor party in Brooklyn, New York to celebrate Mike's birthday as well as his music. Due to a hurricane, the party originally scheduled for August 27, 2011 was cancelled.

Katherine, Joseph and Michael's children were present for Michael's 4-day birthday celebration in Gary, Indiana August 26-29, 2011. The party was held outside Michael's childhood home and included live music, a circus, etc. Younger brother Randy greeted fans at Michael's burial site in California.

Jury selection for the trial against Conrad Murray began September 8, 2011 and concluded on September 22. The 30-page questionnaire given to all potential jurors for this case can be seen here. The jury panel consists of seven men and five women:

Juror #127 Mexican-American female, 54 years old, property manager, she has a daughter who was an alcohol and drug user 5 years ago, and she thinks famous people -- notably Paris, Britney and Lindsay -- are treated differently in court. She loved MJ's music as a girl.

Juror #145 White male, 45, partner in management consulting firm, wife is pediatric nurse at a hospital, he's served twice on a jury before (murder and rape cases), watched "This is It" on Netflix.

Juror #61 White female, 57, unemployed, worked in past for Red Cross, divorced, listens to NPR, followed the OJ Simpson cases, her younger brother uses drugs, served 5 times on a jury.

Juror #70 White male, 54, college professor of animation and art, created characters for motion pictures at Disney, briefly met Jackson when he worked at Walt Disney Co in the 1980s and the singer was starring in a "Captain EO" film that was a Disney theme park attraction, followed OJ trial, convicted of DUI, thinks celebs are not treated the same by police and can bend rules. MJ fan.

Juror #44 Cuban/Mexican-White male, watches History Channel, Pawn Stars, Sons of Anarchy and Modern Family, listens to Howard Stern, family members with alcohol addiction, served on a civil jury, fan of MJ, especially Thriller.

Juror #49 White female, 43, head of communications for international marketing firm, watches NCIS and Hawaii Five-0, and motor sports/speed channel, worked in medical marketing, juror in criminal child sexual abuse case involving incest, does not think cops are more lenient with celebs.

Juror #100 (Debbie Franklin) White female, 48, paralegal for 30 years, watches Big Brother, Survivor, Amazing Race, watched Casey Anthony trial, brother is an EMT, people of wealth and fame treated differently in court system.

Juror #52 Mexican male, 51, USPS letter carrier, watches Law and Order, wife is back-office medical assistant, fan of MJ.

Juror #99 Hispanic male, 42, school bus driver, father was addicted to alcohol, father-in-law died from alcohol abuse, served on a jury, MJ fan.

Juror #38 Hispanic female, 36, customer service rep, filed for bankruptcy, listens to Ryan Seacrest on radio, watched Casey Anthony trial because it involved a child, former employer is a doctor, father was an absent alcoholic, shot in a drive-by shooting in 1993, on a DUI jury, MJ fan.

Jury #128 African American male, 54, technical director for TV, cousin is a judge and another cousin who's a lawyer, his dad died of alcoholism, juror on 3 cases, loved the Jackson 5 as a kid, now likes Jay Z.

Juror #108 Male "Wasp," 32, book seller, watches So You Think You Can Dance, Project Runway, girlfriend, in U.S. Army National Guard, grandparents attended AA, brother got DUI recently, thrown from a horse once, juror in civil trial, trained actor, MJ fan.

The trial, which began on September 27, 2011, aired in its entirety on TruTV's "In Session" as well as HLN. Per the judge, the jury was not sequestered. In lieu of sequestering the jury, the judge has lectured them on their duty to insulate themselves from information about the trial and told the jury if they can't promise to avoid Internet sites dealing with the case as well as avoid discussing the case on networking sites, they will be dismissed. Six seats will be given out daily to the general public, with strict guidelines. The trial was expected to end by October 28, 2011. Click here for a list of witnesses. (See below for more trial updates.)

Katherine Jackson's civil suit against AEG Live will be heard in court September 2012.

Cirque du Soleil premiered "Michael Jackson - The Immortal World Tour" on October 2, 2011. They plan a 47-city world tour before settling in Las Vegas. A soundtrack for the show, entitled "Immortal", was released on November 13, 2011 and is available as a single 15-track album or a deluxe double-disc 22-track album.

Katherine, Jackie, Tito, Marlon and Latoya Jackson gave a press conference on July 25 to announce a tribute concert for Michael in Cardiff, Wales. Proceeds will benefit charities in the U.S. and U.K. The tribute concert took place on October 8, 2011. Jackie, Tito, Marlon, Latoya, and Tito's sons performed amongst other celebrities that included Smokey Robinson, Glady's Knight, Christina Aguilera, Ne-Yo, etc. Michael's kids graced the stage to say a few words. Katherine and a few other family members were in the audience.

On November 1, 2011, a documentary produced and narrated by Mike's friend David Gest was released on Blu-ray and DVD. The documentary entitled, "Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon", shows never before seen family photos and concert footage.

On November 3, 2011 closing arguments were heard in the case against Conrad Murray, the doctor charged in Michael's death. The case was turned over to the jury at the end of the day. They began deliberation on November 4. Jury instructions in this case can be seen here. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on the first day. They continued on November 7, 2011 and reached a verdict of guilty at 11:00am PT. Conrad Murray was taken into custody and was sentenced for involuntary manslaughter on November 29, 2011.

Following the verdict, Katherine and Joe Jackson released this statement: "We have been waiting for this moment for a very long time and we couldn’t hold back tears of joy in the courtroom. Even though nothing can bring back our son, justice has finally been served! We can’t wait to go home and share this day with Michael’s children."

The new album, "Michael Jackson: Immortal", was released on November 21, 2011. It contains "re-imagined" versions of Michael's songs that were performed/played during the Cirque du Soleil show.

Michael's song, "Hold My Hand" has been nominated for Soul Train award for Record of the Year. The 2011 Soul Train Awards were presented November 17, 2011 and aired on November 27.

Marlon Jackson was stopped at an airport on November 28, 2011 and asked his opinion regarding the pending outcome of the sentencing of Conrad Murray:

On November 29, 2011, Michael's family issued the following statement during Conrad Murray's sentencing hearing: "There is no way to adequately describe the loss of our beloved father, son, brother and friend. We still look at each other in disbelief. Is it really possible that he is gone? As Michael's parents, we could never have imagined that we would live to witness his passing. It is simply against the natural order of things. As his brothers and sisters, we will never be able to hold, laugh or perform again with our brother Michael. And as his children, we will grow up without a father, our best friend, our playmate and our dad. We are not here to seek revenge. There is nothing you can do here today to bring Michael back. But we will keep the love in our hearts that Michael embodied throughout his life. His passion was for unifying the world through the gift of his artistry. We respectfully request that you impose a sentence that reminds physicians that they cannot sell their services to the highest bidder and cast aside their Hippocratic oath to do no harm. As we all know from this tragedy, doing so can have devastating results. The Bible reminds us that men cannot do justice, they can only seek justice. That is all that we ask as a family. And that is all that we can ask for here." Following this statement and comments from attorneys, the judge sentenced Conrad Murray to the maximum of 4 years in prison. Although the judge was unable to ensure that Murray would spend those 4 years in prison as opposed to county jail due to the newly enacted criminal justice realignment act, the District Attorney says he will make certain to do all he can to have Murray serve his time in state prison.

Murray was initially held responsible for paying restitution to Michael's estate and to his children. That case was scheduled for January 23, 2012. However, it was dropped, as it was determined that Murray could not afford to pay.

Michael was immortalized in a hand and foot print ceremony at Hollywood's Grauman's Chinese Theatre on January 26, 2012 in a celebration of the legacy of the King of Pop and the Los Angeles debut of Cirque du Soleil's production of "Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour". Michael's mother Katherine, brothers Jackie & Tito and his children Michael Jr. (a.k.a. Prince), Paris and Prince (a.k.a. Blanket) were in attendance. Michael's children used their father's sequined glove and shoes to make impressions in the cement. They also left their handprints. The event was streamed live via Twitter @michaeljackson with additional photos and live coverage of the event tweeted from Twitter's music channel @twittermusic.