Diamond Company LifeGem Turning Lock of Michael Jackson's Hair into Jewels

New York Daily News.

A Chicago diamond company plans to turn locks of Michael Jackson's hair into bling. LifeGem founder Dean VandenBiesen said his company will extract carbon from the King of Pop's hair and turn it into crystals, which can be refined into diamonds. And LifeGem claims to have done it before with locks from another musical icon Beethoven. VandenBiesen said the company obtained a chunk of the pop star's hair from the producer of an infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial shoot during which Jackson's hair caught on fire. The company should be able to extract about 10 diamonds from the hair, he said. LifeGem has not set a price for the gems, but Beethoven's went for $240,000 each. The announcement from LifeGem comes in a string of bizarre Jackson body part bombshells. London's Daily Mail reported Sunday that a witness said Jackson was missing his nose when he died. Instead, there was just "a small hole where the singer's nose should have been." "The prosthesis he normally attached to his damaged nose was missing, revealing bits of cartilage surrounding a small dark hole," the witness told the Mail. London's Mirror reported last month that the King of Pop was to be buried without his brain, claiming it was removed by the coroner to complete an autopsy. Jackson died from a cardiac arrest at his Beverly Hills mansion on June 25. The cause and circumstances around his sudden death are still unknown.

Items taken from Michael Jackson's doctor's buildings listed

(CNN)

Texas authorities released court documents Thursday detailing the items seized from the medical office and storage unit of Dr. Conrad Murray, the cardiologist who was with Michael Jackson when he fell ill and died on June 25.Detectives searched both sites in Houston on Wednesday for "evidence of the offense of manslaughter," according to court documents. Murray's attorney confirmed the search Wednesday.

Among the items removed from Murray's office were a computer; 27 tablets of Phentermine, a prescription-strength appetite suppressant; 1 tablet of clonazepam, an anti-anxiety medication; and some Rolodex cards. From Murray's storage unit, authorities removed two computer hard drives; an "important contact list"; a suspension notice from Houston's Doctors Hospital; notices from the Internal Revenue Service; and a list of medical and hospital documents.

Jackson's former nurse, Cherilyn Lee, was also approached on Wednesday by investigators who wanted copies of medical files she had on the singer, Lee told CNN's Nancy Grace. Lee said she handed over the files to officials with the coroner's office. Ed Chernoff, a Houston lawyer hired by Murray soon after Jackson's death, confirmed that Los Angeles Police detectives and federal Drug Enforcement Administration agents used a search warrant to enter Murray's office in northeast Houston on Wednesday morning. "The search warrant authorized law enforcement to search for and seize items, including documents, they believed constituted evidence of the offense of manslaughter," Chernoff said in a written statement Wednesday.

Chernoff said members of Murray's legal team were at the medical office during the search, which he said "was conducted by members of the DEA, two robbery-homicide detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department and Houston Police officers." "Law enforcement concluded their search around 12:30 p.m. and left with a forensic image of a business computer hard drive and 21 documents. None of the documents taken had previously been requested by law enforcement or the L.A. coroner's office," Chernoff said. Tammy Kidd, a spokeswoman at Chernoff's office, said the search "was absolutely a surprise to us, because we've had open lines of communication this whole time."

"Based on Dr. Murray's minute-by-minute and item-by-item description of Michael Jackson's last days, he should not be a target of criminal charges," Chernoff said Tuesday. "Dr. Murray was the last doctor standing when Michael Jackson died and it seems all the fury is directed toward him." Los Angeles investigators have interviewed Murray twice, Chernoff said. A third interview has not been scheduled, he said. Police impounded his car, which had been parked at Jackson's Holmby Hills home, the night after Jackson's death. It was released to Murray several days later.

"Dr. Murray is frustrated by negative and often erroneous media reports. He has to walk around 24-7 with a bodyguard," Chernoff said. "He can't operate his practice. He can't go to work because he is harassed no matter where he goes." At least two investigations are under way into Jackson's death. The Los Angeles County coroner is waiting for toxicology results to determine a cause of death, while the city Police Department, with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, is looking at the possibility of criminal charges. A coroner's office spokesman said the autopsy findings could be released in the next week or more.

VIDEO INSTRUMENTAL YOU ARE NOT ALONE MJ

Jackson Family War Over Michael's Will

Posted Jul 21st 2009 2:30AM by TMZ Staff

Jackson family sources tell us there's a bitter dispute over who will call the shots in probating Michael Jackson's will. Katherine Jackson has hired an attorney. Londell McMillan and we're told it's a done deal that McMillan will challenge the co-executors Michael selected. We're told most of the brothers. Randy the notable exception are angry that McMillan has asserted himself by challenging co-executors John Branca and John McClain, both long time advisers and friends of M.J. Ultimately, we're told, Joe Jackson has asserted his influence over Katherine to hire McMillan. We're told Katherine is really being manipulated and doesn't even have real objections to Branca and McMillan. Randy is coy on who Joe and McMillan want as executor in place of or in addition to Branca and McClain. The family is worried Joe and McMillan will rack up legal fees and the estate will suffer. Pretty ironic, since Michael cut Joe out of the will and he gets zippo as a beneficiary.

Joe Jackson: There are no plans for Michael Jackson's children to become the 'Jackson 3'

LOS ANGELES -

Joe Jackson has no plans to take Michael Jackson's grieving kids on the road as the "Jackson 3," the family patriarch vowed Monday. "I'm not encouraging them to do nothing. They have to be what they are, kids at the moment," he said on "Larry King Live," distancing himself from earlier statements that he saw star quality in the youngsters. He called the "Jackson Three" rumor "a bunch of jive." Jackson also denied ever hitting his late son, despite Michael's accusations to the contrary.

"I never abused my son," the former crane operator and boxer from Gary, Indiana, said. "Michael was never beaten." In his first live interview since his son's sudden death of a suspected drug overdose, Jackson backed away from earlier comments to ABC that he wanted to help raise Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Blanket, 7, so they could "grow up to be strong Jacksons." "I keep watching Paris…she wants to do something," he previously told ABC. "And Blanket, he can really dance."

Jackson Doc Declines to Chat with Cops

Posted Jul 18th 2009 9:00AM by TMZ Staff

We've learned Dr. Conrad Murray canceled an interview with the LAPD. As we have already reported, the LAPD is treating Michael Jackson's death as a homicide. Detectives have their sights set on Murray, as the person who may have administered the drug Propofol, which we're told is the primary cause of Jackson's death.We're told the LAPD planned a third interview with Dr. Murray earlier in the week. The doctor was interviewed the day Jackson died and again two days later. Reps from the L.A. County Coroner's office planned to attend the third interview, but we're told Dr. Murray's lawyer called and said the doctor would not be speaking to the cops at this time. And here's the best part. Our sources say the cops called the lawyer back and they were referred to the lawyer's lawyer who said Dr. Murray's lawyer would not be speaking to them!

Michael Jackson Investigation Focuses on Personal Doctor

Michael Jackson’s personal physician Dr. Conrad Murray is reportedly at the center of the LAPD and coroner’s office investigations into whether the star’s sudden cardiac arrest was the result of prescription drug use, TMZ reports. Sources tell TMZ that despite giving two interviews to authorities, Murray is still not fully cooperating with law enforcement officials. Based on one of the Murray interviews, investigators conducted another search of Jackson’s home, this time finding the intravenous sedative Propofol, an anesthesia that isn’t supposed to be administered outside of a hospital, TMZ writes.

Rock Daily reported last week that Los Angeles police chief William Bratton said investigators are awaiting the results of the toxicology report before determining “Are we dealing with a homicide or are we dealing with accidental overdose?” Sources tell TMZ that there is evidence that Murray administered Propofol to Jackson before the singer’s death. If it’s discovered that Propofol was responsible for killing the singer, Murray might face manslaughter charges. Murray had previously hired lawyers to attend his meetings with police in the days following Jackson’s death. Murray admitted to waiting nearly a half-hour before calling 911 after discovering Jackson with a faint pulse in his Los Angeles bedroom.

Nurse/nutritionist Cherilyn Lee who treated Jackson said the singer was “adamant” about receiving Diprivan, which is the brand name for Propofol, Rolling Stone reported in the days following his death. An overdose of the sedative could cause someone to stop breathing, which leads to a buildup of carbon dioxide buildup in the body that could result in cardiac arrest. Jackson’s initial autopsies revealed no defects with the singer’s heart, so the cause of death will likely be revealed when the Los Angeles Coroners receives the results of a toxicology report.

Jackson’s alleged prescription drug use has come under the microscope in recent weeks as the LAPD and the DEA seek out the enabling doctors who made it possible for Jackson to consume “30 to 40 Xanax pills a night,” as one former Jackson security guard told law enforcement officials in 2004. Jackson’s drug use reportedly escalated to the point that sister Janet Jackson attempted — but ultimately failed — to stage an intervention in 2007.

Michael Jackson Fans Gather at London's O2 arena

The Associated Press Monday, July 13, 2009; 3:34 PM

LONDON --

Hundreds of Michael Jackson fans gathered outside London's O2 arena to pay tribute to the star on what would have been the evening of his first concert. The fans brought candles and flowers to lay outside the 23,000 seat arena Monday, where Jackson was due to begin his run of 50 concerts. Some danced, others wrote tributes and watched images of Jackson beamed on a big screen. Social networking sites and Michael Jackson fan sites had encouraged people to come to the arena Monday to remember the singer.

Report: LaToya Jackson says Michael Jackson was murdered for his money; cash, jewels missing

LONDON (AP) —

Two British tabloids quote LaToya Jackson

as saying she believes her brother Michael Jackson was murdered as part of a conspiracy to steal his fortune.She reportedly says her brother's assets of more than 1 billion dollars made him a tempting target and that cash and jewelry worth roughly $2 million was taken from his home after his death.Her comments were published Sunday. The News of the World quotes her as saying she knows who is to blame for her brother's death and is determined to see them brought to justice.She also reportedly says her brother did not want to perform 50 shows in London but was pressured to do so.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/videobeta/watch/?watch=01cee550-7d9a-4d21-83f9-e83b9ae38eb8&src=front

Jackson Death Certificate

Posted Jul 7th 2009 5:13PM

by TMZ Staff

We've obtained a copy of Michael Jackson's death certificate. On cause of death, it says "deferred." It does say Forest Lawn Cemetery was a "temporary" disposition of the body. As we first reported the body will not go back to Forest Lawn. Final burial is pending at an unknown location.Jackson's occupation is listed as "musician." The type of business is "entertainment."

Years in occupation -- 45.As for race, the word "black" is written.The informant -- the person who gave the information for the death certificate -- is listed as La Toya Jackson.The place of residence is not listed as the Holmby Hills home -- rather, it's listed as his parents' home in Encino.

Michael Jackson Funeral

Follows to this link to see Live Recording Michael Jackson Funeral http://www.webtvhub.com/michael-jackson-funeral/ http://mashable.com/2009/07/07/cnn-live-stream-michael-jackson/

Jackson Ticket Odds Are Bad -- Very Bad

Posted Jul 4th 2009 7:48AM by TMZ Staff.

DONT book your plane tickets yet --

you're probably going to be watching the Michael Jackson memorial from home.A spokesman for the Jackson family revealed that after only seven hours, over 500,000 people had entered the lottery for memorial tickets. Okay, time for some quick math: that means that roughly 71,500 people per hour have signed up. And if you extend that rate for the remaining 25 hours (especially since the lottery has been opened up to the entire world), you get a total number of around 2.3 million.Only 8,750 of those people will get tickets to the memorial (two tickets per person), and some of those people will get only get passes to the "satellite event" in the Nokia Theatre across the street-- like watching it on TV but in a pressure cooker with thousands of other people.

Massive demand for Jackson memorial tickets

Reuters, Jul 4, 2009 8:26 am PDT.

More than half a million fans from around the world applied for 17,500 free tickets to Michael Jackson's public memorial service next week, organizers said on Friday as a massive security operation got underway. The life and music of the self-proclaimed "king of pop," who died of sudden cardiac arrest last Thursday, will be celebrated on Tuesday at the Staples Center, a basketball arena in downtown Los Angeles. Officials on Friday unveiled an ambitious online lottery that will allow fans to attend either the televised service at the arena or watch the proceedings on a big screen at the nearby Nokia Theater.

But within minutes, the staplescenter.com http://www.staplescenter.com/ server crashed. Officials warned additional disruptions were likely as fans logged on ahead of the Saturday deadline at 6 p.m. PDT. "You might want to consider watching this from the comfort of your own home," said Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry, who is doubling as the city's acting mayor. The ceremony will also streamed online. A wide area around the venues in downtown Los Angeles will be blocked off for the 10 a.m. event. Both local and state law-enforcement agencies have been marshaled for duty. A local news-radio station reported that more than 1,400 officers from the Los Angeles Police Department alone have been asked to volunteer for duty on Monday and Tuesday. The LAPD, which has about 9,000 officers in total, declined to comment on the report or to reveal a staffing number. A Jackson family spokesman also declined to provide details of the memorial service, but said there would not be a funeral procession and Jackson's body would not be at the memorial. Funeral arrangements have not been disclosed, but security has been beefed up at the Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills mortuary, where his body is believed to be held.

Officials were also tight-lipped about the cost of the memorial service, and who would pay for it. Like other U.S. cities, Los Angeles is strapped for cash in the global recession and similar questions about public tax revenues being spent for such an elaborate ceremony surfaced last month when a $2 million celebration was given for the champion Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team. That event, which attracted over 500,000 people, was eventually funded through private donations.

The city has already budgeted for LAPD overtime, Perry said, adding that officials would "deeply appreciate" help to offset incremental costs, such as transportation, sanitation and staging. Winners of the tickets will be contacted on Sunday and directed to pick up a pair of tickets and wristbands on Monday. No tickets will be sold. The massive demand raised the question of counterfeiting or scalping, drawing pleas from organizers for fans to act responsibly. "For those that would try to take advantage of this, shame on them," said Tim Leiweke, the president and CEO of AEG, the closely held entertainment concern that owns the venues and was backing Jackson's planned comeback concerts in London.

Jackson's last performance was at the Staples Center. The night before he died of sudden cardiac arrest last Thursday, he rehearsed for the tour at the venue.

(Additional Reporting by Dean Goodman; Editing by Bill Trott and Todd Eastham)

Michael Joseph Jackson died at age 50 in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009.

Michael Joseph Jackson died at age 50 in Los Angeles on June 25, 2009.

He spent a lifetime surprising people, in recent years largely because of a surreal personal life, lurid legal scandals, serial plastic surgeries and erratic public behavior that have turned him -- on his very best days -- into the butt of late-night talk-show jokes and tabloid headlines. But when his career began to take off nearly four decades ago as a member of the pop group the Jackson 5, fans and entertainment industry veterans recognized something else about the pint-size musical dynamo that was unusual: He was in possession of an outsize, mesmerizing talent.

The introduction to his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame entry seemed apt as a global audience followed reports of his hospitalization and then death:"Michael Jackson is a singer, songwriter, dancer and celebrity icon with a vast catalog of hit records and countless awards to his credit. Beyond that, he has transfixed the world like few entertainers before or since. As a solo performer, he has enjoyed a level of superstardom previously known only to Elvis Presley, the Beatles and Frank Sinatra."

Plan to bury Michael Jackson at Neverland fizzles

LOS ANGELES –

A plan to bury Michael Jackson at his sprawling Neverland ranch fizzled Wednesday, leaving details about his funeral undecided as another mystery was solved: His newly unveiled will says his mother should raise his children, or failing her, Diana Ross.The changing funeral circumstances thwarted many Jackson fans who had descended on the estate in the rolling hills near Santa Barbara with the hope of attending a public viewing."We're terribly disappointed," said Ida Barron, 44, who arrived with her husband Paul Barron, 56, intending to spend several days in a tent.

"We were going to listen to music and watch Michael Jackson DVDs and party all night long, not just to have fun, but in memory of Michael Jackson," Paul Barron said. "Now we're going to have to just go home." Jackson's 7-year-old will, filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, gives his entire estate to a family trust and names his 79-year-old mother Katherine and his children as beneficiaries. The will also estimates the current value of his estate at more than $500 million.

Katherine Jackson was appointed their guardian, with entertainer Diana Ross, a longtime friend of Michael Jackson, named successor guardian if something happens to his mother. Ross introduced the Jackson 5 on the Ed Sullivan Show in the late 1960s and was instrumental in launching their career.

Meanwhile, Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said a public memorial was in the works for Jackson but wouldn't be held at Neverland. In addition, it appeared more likely that a funeral and burial would take place in Los Angeles, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press.