"He was the King Of Pop. He was one of the greatest singers and entertainers this planet has ever seen. He was a wonderful humanitarian. He was a lovely person. He was loved by millions of fans worldwide. And now he is...GONE....TOO SOON... "
Michael's body loaded into a van to be taken to the Los Angeles County Coroner's office
This morning a news broke out that Michael Jackson is suffering from a certain lung disease. Few hours after, blogs have been spreading the news that Michael Jackson is dying or even dead!
Michael Jackson is allegedly dying from a potentially fatal genetic disease that is affecting his lungs. This is what Michael Jackson’s biographer is claiming — that the pop-star is waging in the fight of his life against a genetic disease that has left him nearly blind and in need of a lung transplant. Among the other afflictions that biographer Halperin claims he is suffering from are emphysema and chronic gastrointestinal bleeding. So from the sounds of this announcement, it could look bad for Michael Jackson in the near future.
Looking at it from a purely subjective point-of-view, this is bad news for Michael Jackson, and something which wouldn’t be wished on anyone. However, if this announcement, that has been watered down as it makes its way through the media, is at all true could be called in to question. It wouldn’t be the first time that something has been placed in the press that was false about Michael Jackson, and was intended to bring either harm or fame to the maligned pop-star.
Cops in Los Angeles are hunting Michael Jackson's personal doctor amid claims the singer took a deadly overdose of painkiller Demerol before his sudden death yesterday. According to a close family member, Jacko had been given an large dose of the drug - which can trigger heart failure - at 11am local time to help to deal with pain after a rehearsal.
He collapsed in his Hollywood mansion 90 minutes later and was pronounced dead shortly after being rushed to hospital.
Los Angeles police spokeswoman Karen Rayner confirmed that coroner's investigators want to interview the live-in doctor - whose car has been towed away for examination - but stressed he was not under criminal investigation.
"His car was impounded because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death," Ms Rayner said.
The results of a post-mortem could take six to eight weeks to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, the world of music was mourning the loss of one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century.
Thousands of fans gathered outside the hospital as music legends from to Quincy Jones - who produced 59-million selling album Thriller - to Madonna paid tribute to the troubled pop genius.
He's pumping... he's pumping the chest ...he's not responding to anything, SirTHE desperate battle to revive Michael Jackson after his heart attack was revealed last night in a dramatic transcript of the 911 call.
Authorities released a tape of the emergency call, in which a man is heard telling the operator that a 50-year-old man is not breathing and "needs help".
The caller becomes ever more frantic as the conversation continues and says Jacko is "not responding to anything" - even as a doctor attempts to resuscitate him.
This is the full transcript of the call - and you can listen to it using the player below:
Caller: Yes sir I need to, I need an ambulance as soon as possible sir.
Operator: OK sir, what is your address?
Caller: Los Angeles, California. 90077.
Operator: Is it Carolwood?
Caller: Carolwood Drive, yes.
Operator: OK sir, what's the phone number you're calling from? And what's the problem, exactly what happened?
Caller: Sir, I have, we have a gentleman here who needs help, he's not breathing, he's not breathing and we need to, we are trying to pump him but he's not, he's not...
Operator: It's OK. How old is he?
Caller: He's, he's 50 years old sir.
Operator: 50, OK. He's unconscious, he's not breathing?
Caller: Yes, he's not breathing sir.
Operator: Ok. And he's not conscious either?
Caller: He's not conscious sir.
Operator: OK, all right. Do you have him, is he on the floor? Where is he at right now?
Caller: He's on the bed sir, he's on the bed.
Operator: OK, let's get him on the floor.
Caller: OK.
Operator: OK, let's get him down to the floor. May I help you with CPR right now, OK?
Caller: We need, to get, we need...
Operator: OK, we're already on our way there. We're on our way. I'm going to do as much as I can to help you over the phone. We're already on our way. Did anybody see him?
Caller: Yes, we have a personal doctor here with him, sir.
Operator: Oh, you have a doctor there?
Caller: Yeah, but he's not responding to anything, to no, no, he's not responding to the CPR or anything.
Operator: Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guys are doing CPR as instructed by a doctor, he has a higher authority than me, and he's there on the scene. Did anybody witness what happened?
Caller: No, just the doctor sir. The doctor's been the only one here.
Operator: OK, so did the doctor see what happened?
Caller: (Speaking to doctor) Doctor, did you see what happened sir? (Speaking to operator) Sorry, you just, if you can please...
Operator: We're on our way, we're on our way. I was, I'm just passing these questions on to our paramedics, but they're on their way there, sir.
Caller: Thank you sir. He's pumping, he's pumping the chest, he's not responding to anything sir. Please...
Operator: OK, OK, we're on our way. We're, we're less than a mile away, we'll be there shortly.
Caller: Thank you sir, thank you.
Operator: OK sir. Call us back if you need any help. Thank you. Goodbye.
Caller: Yes sir.
Michael had been due to perform a marathon 50 concerts at London's 02 from next month: the tour was to restore his reputation and his bank balance after a decade in which his controversial private life drowned out his stardom.
Friends said the stress of the forthcoming tour - which sold out in 24 hours and had already been pushed back once - may have contributed to the star's declining health.
Jackson leaves three children, Michael Joseph Jackson Junior, Paris Michael Katherine Jackson and Prince "Blanket" Michael Jackson II.
If I don't tour they'll kill me
TORMENTED megastar Michael Jackson was terrified of performing the 50 London gigs that were looming, but told pals: "If I don't tour they'll kill me."
The singer's mental health crumbled in the days before he died, it was claimed.
His drug dependency was out of control as the singer once dubbed The Greatest Showman on Earth fell victim to a dark dread he had never experienced - stage fright.
Jacko's exhausted body finally collapsed after being weakened further by gruelling rehearsals for the string of comeback shows due to start at the O2 arena next month.
A source close to him said last night: "There were serious concerns for his mental health near the end - so much so that he was seeing a psychiatrist.
"He said he was being pushed into a corner and had an irrational fear that he would die or be killed if he didn't perform in London.
"He kept saying that he had to do the concerts because he owed too much money.
"But all the time he was saying these things, his body was starting to shut down as he became more and more dependent on drugs.
"His friends say he signed his death warrant when he put pen to paper for the O2 shows. He wasn't up to it physically or mentally."
Aides became increasingly concerned about Jacko's mood swings in the days before his death.
One moment he would be excited, energetic and full of enthusiasm for his British shows.
But the next he would sit staring into space and refuse to respond to anyone around him.
He also became anxious about the small surgical scar on his chest following his skin cancer surgery and was dismayed when he was prescribed extra pills for a minor infection.
He told staff he was convinced the cancer was killing him and that he was being punished by God - though he did not say why.
All attempts to calm him by suggesting postponing the shows on health grounds were said to have fallen on deaf ears.
He is alleged to have responded: "I owe money everywhere. They will kill me if I don't sing in London."
Throughout Jacko's troubled life, his turmoil was reflected in disturbing changes he had made to his face. In recent weeks it was his mind that was being distorted.
The Jackson family's lawyer yesterday blamed his inner circle - dubbed The Enablers - for pushing him too hard.
Brian Oxman, who comforted Jacko's relatives, including sister La Toya and brothers Jermaine and Randy, said: "This was something I feared and something which I warned about."
Former producer and friend of Jacko Tarak Ben Ammar also claimed the hypochondriac star had previously been a victim of "charlatan doctors".
He said: "It's clear to me the criminals in this affair are the doctors who treated him throughout his career - who destroyed his face and gave him medicine to ease his pain.
"He was a hypochondriac and one never really knew if he was sick because he had become surrounded by charlatans who were billing him thousands of dollars' worth of drugs, vitamins." Another source added: "Michael was convinced that if he didn't perform in London he would die.
"He would say, 'They will kill me', but no one ever really understood who he was talking about. He seemed paranoid."
Promoters of the shows at the O2, in Greenwich, South-East London, said Jacko had passed a rigorous 4½-hour medical before signing the deal in March.
He hoped the This Is It gigs would revive his flagging career and boost his tarnished image.
Jacko desperately needed the estimated £50million he was set to make from the shows.
He had plunged into debt despite being worth £350million in his heyday.
At the time of his death he was almost bankrupt, living on friends' generosity and bank handouts.
Experts said it would be largely up to his family to sort out what promised to be a financial nightmare.
Mr Oxman said: "I suspect that the death of Michael Jackson is only the beginning of the legal battles over not only his property but also his children."
More than 750,000 tickets were sold for the London gigs but concerns grew after the first four were postponed last month.
Promoter AEG Live now faces the prospect of a £300million black hole in its finances.
Jacko's death has hit it with a £51million bill for ticket refunds.
Other factors, including production costs, planned future tour revenue, and advance payments made to Jacko sent the total soaring.
Shocked fans began turning the O2 into a shrine to him yesterday.
Among those mourning the star was Mohammed Rizwan, 26, who had spent £1,300 on tickets to see 17 of the London concerts.
The salesman, from Stratford, East London, said: "I'm gutted - not because I'll miss the shows but because I'm going to miss him."
First night ticket-holder Paul Carter, of Chafford Hundred, Essex, said: "He was our generation's Elvis Presley."
Floral tributes, banners, pictures and messages were piled up outside the former Millennium Dome.
Suzanne Butler, 27, a legal editor from Bromley, Kent, wept as she read some of the notes.
She said: "I could not go to work today. I was too upset."
Mimi White, 33, from London, said: "When I heard I freaked out. I could not stop crying and I was praying it was not true."
Jenny Williams, 41, a civil servant from Basildon, Essex, said: "I called Jacko my dancing partner because I grew up with his music."
Jacko's death also dominated talk among rock fans at the Glastonbury festival, Somerset. Student Harriet Molloy, 22, said: "His songs were playing everywhere."
And a flash mob of hundreds of Jacko fans danced to his music outside London's Liverpool Street station yesterday evening.
My brother, King of Pop
BRAVE Jermaine Jackson spoke for his devastated family when he hailed Jacko as "my brother the legendary King of Pop".
In a moving Press conference a clearly shaken and emotional Jermaine told how his parents, brothers and sisters had watched as doctors spent a desperate hour trying to revive Michael.
The medics were finally forced to admit to the sobbing Jackson clan there was nothing they could do.
Speaking at the UCLA Medical Centre in Los Angeles where 50-year-old Michael died, Jermaine said: "My brother, the legendary King of Pop Michael Jackson, passed away on Thursday June 25 2009 at 2.26pm.
"It is believed that he suffered cardiac arrest in his home.
"His personal physician, who was with him at the time, attempted to resuscitate my brother as did the paramedics who transported him.
"Upon arriving at the hospital at 1.14pm a team of doctors including emergency physicians and cardiologists attempted to resuscitate him for over an hour.
"They were unsuccessful."
Insiders said the family had gone through hell as they witnessed the fight to save Michael.
When he was first stretchered in there were screams of "You've got to save him, you've got to save him" from shocked members of the family, The Sun can reveal.
Sister La Toya, 53, was sobbing hysterically throughout. She repeatedly screamed out "Why?" as it became clear hopes of saving her beloved brother were becoming futile.
Michael's 43-year-old sister Janet - who had flown in from a film shoot - sat in silence in a hospital corridor with tears streaming down her cheeks.
Also there was Michael's dad Joe, 79, who had rushed in from Las Vegas, and his wife Katherine.
They were joined by other sister Rebbie, 59, along with brothers Jackie, 58, Tito, 55, Marlon, 52, and Randy, 47.
Rebbie's singer son Austin, 23, and Jacko's actress pal Elizabeth Taylor also rushed to the hospital along with 54-year-old Jermaine's manager and close friend Frank Dileo.
A source told The Sun: "The whole Jackson clan were at the hospital and were in total shock.
Harmony
"They were sat in the standard green hospital waiting area. Some cried, many were hugging each other but for the most they were completely silent."
Janet ... sat in silence in floods of tears
Finally a doctor appeared and told them all efforts to restart Michael's heart had failed
The source added: "All the family went into the operating room and said goodbye to Michael one by one. Michael looked at total peace and in harmony."
Jacko's children Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven, were at Michael's rented Bel Air house as the drama unfolded.
A source said: "They were watching Disney movies and were kept unaware of the situation."
Family friends last night said Jermaine had been the family's rock. Jacko's mum Katherine, 79, seemed very weak and held on to Jermaine for support.
A source said: "She had spent the most time by Michael's side after he died, she was holding and kissing his hand.
"She was the last one to leave the room before his body was taken out of the hospital.
"Katherine is very religious these days. She blames herself for the family's issues.
"She is a committed Jehovah's Witness and is totally heartbroken that her baby is dead.
"There are now serious fears for her health.
"But Michael's nephew Austin seemed to be the worst affected.
"He was in floods of tears all afternoon - Michael was his mentor and someone who he would go to for advice."
The shattered Jackson family left the hospital together and went straight to the family home in Encino about 20 minutes away.
They then solemnly discussed funeral arrangements.
It included a plan to lay Michael to rest alongside Marilyn Monroe at Westwood Memorial Park in LA.
Jacko’s deadly cocktail of drugs
THE deadly drug cocktail taken daily by King of Pop Michael Jackson is revealed for the first time by The Sun today. The shock list emerged as police probing an injection which preceded the star’s tragic death spoke with a doctor last night.
Jacko, 50, was taking up to THREE powerful narcotic pain relievers at the same time — when any more than one is deemed potentially fatal.
Sources close to the singer’s entourage said he was injected three times a day with Demerol - the potent painkiller given to him before his collapse at home in LA on Thursday.
Jacko, who suffered a heart attack, was taking another painkiller, Dilaudid. And sources said he had recently been prescribed yet ANOTHER narcotic pain reliever, Vicodin.
His other drugs included muscle relaxant Soma, a sedative called Xanax and anti-depressant Zoloft. He also took Paxil for anxiety and heartburn pill Prilosec.
Cop talks ... Dr Murray
Police were trying last night to establish who gave his final injection.
Officers were due to speak to heart doctor Conrad Robert Murray, who acted as one of the star's personal physicians.
His whereabouts were unknown at one point, but he was set to be interviewed later.
The Sun can reveal Dr Murray was at Jackson's house the morning he died. He was quizzed in hospital after the star's death.
Another personal doctor to Jacko, Lebanese Tohme R Tohme, was also questioned at the hospital.
Neither had been named as a suspect last night.
A close member of Jackson's family said the daily dose of Demerol was "too much" and confirmed the 11.30am shot caused his death, according to celeb website TMZ.
Los Angeles County Coroner Craig Harvey last night ruled out foul play.
But he would not comment on specific drugs taken by Jacko until the results of tests in four to six weeks.
LIFE IN PHOTOS of Michael Jackson (From PRESENT to Early Days):
In London to launch the This Is It tour in March
A fan sits head in hands outside the 02 dome in London
Viewing the body of James Brown, with Jesse Jackson
Performing "We are the World" at Earl's Court in London
Outside Santa Barbara County Courthouse, California, two months into the child abuse trial - where he was eventually found innocent
Michael Jackson stands on his car to wave to fans after leaving the courthouse during his trial in 2004
Defending himself against child abuse charges in a video taped statement from his Neverland Ranch
Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department booking mugshot
Michael Jackson dangles his baby son out of a fifth storey window as he looks at fans outside a Berlin hotel.
With Britney Spears at concert in Madison Square Garden
With Slash during benefit concert in Munich, Germany
The crotch grab. Germany 1997.
With hero Nelson Mandela in Cape Town
With second wife Deborah Rowe-Jackson, a nurse with whom he had 2 children. They filed fordivorce after three years of marriage.
1995: Barechested on German TV
Accepting the MTV award for best dance video with sister Janet
With President Bill Clinton at a gala on the eve of Clinton's first inauguration as president of the United States in Washington
Showing Oprah Winfrey around Neverland in a rare TV interview
In the Whitehouse with former First Lady Laura Bush
On the Bad tour in France
Even the making-of video for Thriller spent time at Number 1
Michael Jackson's first gold album, awarded for "Thriller" in 1982. It sold some 60 million copies, still a world record, won eight Grammy awards and charted a record six top ten singles. It made Michael more than £100 million.
The Wiz was a flop - but Jackson was introduced to Quincy Jones who went on to produce classic albums Off The Wall, Thriller and Bad
As lead singer of the Jackson Five at a performance at the Mill Run Playhouse. Michael's solo career had taken off with single Ben.
Michael (centre) poses with the other members of the Jackson 5, Tito, Randy, Jackie & Marlon
MICHAEL JACKSON: HIStory
THE EARLY YEARS
29th Aug 1958 Born Michael Joseph in Gary, Indiana. Parents were Joseph and Karen Jackson. Six brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, Steven, and Randy. Three sisters: Maureen, LaToya and Janet. All eleven family members lived in a small two-bedroom clapboard house at 2300 Jackson St.
1963 Mother Katherine became a Jehovah's Witness. Began to attend school at Garnett Elementary. Also became "the lead guy" in the Jackson singing group.
1964 Jacksons performed first non-contest show at a Big Top supermarket.
Aug 1967 Jackson Five performed in the Amateur Show. Won in the most prestigious category the "Superdog".
July 1968 Jacksons signed contract for Motown.
Oct 1969 First single "I want you back" released.
Dec 1969 First album "Diana Ross Presents The Jackson 5" released.
31st Jan 1970 "I Want You Back" reached number one in the Billboard chart. Sold more than six million copies.
STARDOM
1972 "Ben" released as a single was first solo number 1 and sold 1.7 million copies in the U.S alone.
1975 Jackson Five and Michael signed with Epic. As well as "a signing bonus" of $750,000 they were guaranteed $350,000 per album.
1978 Starred in the film "The Wiz" along with Diana Ross. The film flopped but was notable in Michael's career in that it introduced Michael to Quincy Jones.
1979 Collaborated with Quincy Jones in making "Off the wall". This sold more than 10 million copies and established Michael as a superstar in his own right. It included the number one singles "Don't stop till you get enough" and "Rock with you".
MEGASTARDOM
1982 "Thriller" released. Again produced by Jones, this sold upwards of forty million copies, which remains a record. It received eight Grammy awards and charted a record six top ten singles. It made Michael more than £100 million.
28th Jan 1984 While filming a Pepsi Cola commercial in Los Angeles a canister, designed to send smoke billowing around him, exploded and set fire to Michael's hair. He subsequently needed laser treatment for his scarred scalp.
1985 Bought "The Beatles" song back catalogue for £31 million.
Nov 1986 Michael revealed that he sleeps in a £90,000 pressurised oxygen chamber to help stop ageing. He claimed "I believe if I treat my body properly I'll live to be at least 150."
1987 "Bad" album released. Went straight in at number one in the Billboard chart.
Apr 1988 Autobiography "Moonwalk" published.
1991"Dangerous" album released.
TROUBLED 90s
1992 Video for single "Black and White" attracted much criticism for the violence of its ending which featured Jackson grabbing his crotch and smashing a car with a hammer.
1993 In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Michael said he had been whipped and abused as a child by his father.
Aug 1993 13 year old Jordan Chandler accused Michael of sexual abuse. Among the allegations reported over the ensuing months was that Michael repeatedly "kissed and fondled" Jordan.
25th Jan 1994 Jackson's lawyers announced £26.6 million out of court settlement with Jordan Chandler.
26th May 1994 Married Lisa Marie Presley in Santa Domingo, Dominican Republic.
21st Sept 1994 LA district attorney Gil Garcetti ruled that no charges would be brought against Michael because Jordy Chandler had "repeatedly" refused to testify
1995 "HIStory" double album of past and new songs released. Sales were disappointing and the new tracks were panned by the critics.
18th Jan 1996 Lisa Marie Presley filed for divorce citing "irreconcilable differences".
19th Feb 1996 Michael Jackson's performance of Earthsong at the Brit Awards disrupted when Jarvis Cocker jumped on stage and wiggled his bottom at the audience before being chased off by extras.
14th Nov 1996 Michael married nurse Debbie Rowe, 37 in Sydney.
13th Feb 1997 Debbie Rowe gave birth to Michael's first child called Prince Michael Jnr.
3rd Apr 199 Second child, a baby girl called Paris born.
8th Oct 1999 Divorce papers were filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court ending Michael's marriage to Debbie Rowe. Their lawyer, Howard J Rubenstein, said the couple "mutually agreed to end their marriage".
14th Oct 1999 Was announced that Michael was giving Debbie Rowe £5 million in exchange for their two children in a divorce settlement.
7th Jan 2000 Reported that Michael was going to quit the music business and said his next album would be his last.
3rd Sept 2000 Pictures in The News of the World show that Michael's son Prince had blond hair and baby blue eyes.
6th Mar 2001 Michael addressed the Oxford University Union on the subject of childcare and promoted his new initiative "Heal the Kids".
7th Sept 2001 Michael Jackson hosted the first of two star studded concerts at Madison Square Gardens to celebrate his 30 years in showbiz.Marlon Brando, Liza Minnelli, Elizabth Taylor, Ray Charles, Britney Spears, Destiny's Child and Yoko Ono were amongst those who appeared. Michael himself only sang one song, his new single "You Rock My World", it was his first live American concert appearance in 11 years.
30th Oct 2001 Jackson released the album Invincible.
22nd Aug 2002 It was revealed that Michael Jackson had secretly became a father for the third time. But even close associates did not know who the child's mother was.
10th Oct 2002 A book written by Jackson's former brother-in-law Jack Gordon claimed that Jackson hit his pet chimp Bubbles, paid both his wives to marry him and used injections to make his skin paler.
19th Nov 2002 Michael Jackson was criticised after he dangled his baby, Prince Michael the Second aka Blanket, over the fifth floor balcony rail of a hotel in Berlin.
20th Nov 2002 Jackson took his children Prince Michael and Paris Michael to Berlin Zoo. The children's faces were obscured by veils prompting concern over their bizarre upbringing.
3rd Jan 2003 ITV televised Living with Michael Jackson, a documentary where he was interviewed by Martin Bashir. He discussed how he let children sleep in his bed. He admitted that he had had 2 operations on his nose but denied he had changed his appearance in any other way. He talked about his traumatic childhood. His three children were also shown, their faces obscured by masks and veils.
12th Feb 2003 Michael agreed a £1.5 million deal with the Fox network in America to show his own version of the Bashir documentary entitled Take 2: The Documentary They Wouldn't Show You.
4th Mar 2003 The magazine Vanity Fair claimed that Michael Jackson paid £100,000 to put voodoo curses on 25 "enemies" that included Steven Spielberg and David Geffen. It alleged that to strengthen the spell he spent another £100,000 on a ritual bath of animals' blood for which eighty beast were slaughtered.
8th Apr 2003 Michael Jackson put his Californian ranch, Neverland, on sale for £15million.
27th May 2003 Jackson's former financial advisers, Union Finance and Investment Corporation, filed court papers suing him for £8million in unpaid debts and expenses.
13th Sept 2003 Michael opened Neverland to the public attempting to sell tickets for five thousand dollars each. However, tickets were being sold on eBay for far less than that.
18th Nov 2003 Dozens of police officers used a warrant to search Michael Jackson's Neverland mansion. Jackson's lawyer, Brian Oxman, said the search was connected to sexual abuse allegations brought by a boy aged 12.
20th Nov 2003 Michael Jackson gave himself up to police and was led in hand cuffs into Santa Barbara sheriff's office. He surrendered his passport and paid £1.9million in bail.
18th Dec 2003 Michael Jackson was formally charged with performing lewd acts with a young boy. He was accused of serious sexual conduct with an under age child and that he plied him with an intoxicating agent. The child involved was believed to be Gavin Arvizu who featured in Martin Bashir's documentary on the singer.
16th Jan 2004 Michael Jackson made his first court appearance and pleaded not guilty to seven charges of child molestation and two of giving a child an "intoxicating agent". Jackson played to the crowds of supporters when he arrived at the court in Santa Maria, California, signing autographs and jumping onto the roof of a jeep for an impromptu song and dance routine.
23rd Jan 2004 Michael Jackson's ex-wife, Debbie Rowe, was said to be suing him for custody of their two children, Prince, 6, and Paris ,5. The move came amid claims that the children were not biologically related to Jackson but the children of an anonymous sperm donor.
29th Jan 2004 Jackson's ex-business manager Myung-Ho Lee claimed that the singer was addicted to alcohol and painkillers. He claimed that Michael had been in rehab as recently as 1999 and regularly swigged wine, he dubbed jesus juice, from soft drinks cans.
30th Apr 2004 Jackson was charged with conspiracy to kidnap a child and false imprisonment and could be jailed for up to 74 years if found guilty.
29th May 2004 Daniel Kapan, 18, made detailed allegations of abuse which he claimed was filmed by Jackson and began when he was three-years-old.
16th June 2004 It emerged that Michael Jackson paid 25million dollars to silence allegations of sexual abuse made by Jordan Chandler eleven years-ago.
31st Jan 2005 Jackson's trial began in Santa Maria, California, where he faced charges of sexually abusing a 13-year old leukaemia survivor.
28th Feb 2005 Michael Jackson's trial began with Tom "Mad Dog" Sneddon's opening statement He described how the singer allegedly had visited sexually explicit websites and showed cancer survivor Gavin Arvizo - who was 13 at the time - and his younger brother pornography and plied them with alcohol.
10th March 2005 Jackson arrived an hour late at the court in pyjamas.
8th Apr 2005 A former security guard at Michael Jackson's Neverland ranch testified that he saw the singer sexually abusing a boy in the early 1990s. Ralph Chacon gave graphic evidence at the trial in California. But defence lawyers attacked his credibility, painting him as a bitter ex-employee.
11th Apr 2005 June Chandler, the mother of alleged abuse victim Jordy, gave evidence telling how Jackson had begged her to allow her son to share his bed. She said she initially refused to let teenager Jordy Chandler sleep in Mr Jackson's bed, but relented when the singer got upset. "He said, 'You don't trust me? We're a family... There's nothing wrong,'" she told the court in California.
11th May 2005 Macaulay Culkin admitted that he had slept in Michael Jackson's bed but said that allegations of abuse were "ridiculous". Giving evidence at Jackson's child abuse trial, the former child actor said that he had shared a "special bond" with Jackson.
3rd June 2005 The jurors retired to consider their verdict on the charges against Jackson. The trial had lasted sixty days, with 135 witnesses and more than 1,000 pieces of evidence. Jackson had worn 66 different outfits, including pyjamas. If convicted Jackson would face twenty years in jail.
13th June 2005 Michael was cleared of all 10 counts of abuse by the jury in Santa Monica.
7th Oct 2005 Jackson was seen in public for the first time since being cleared of child abuse charges in June. He attended the Billy Elliot musical in London's West End and was besieged by fans a day earlier at a recording studio in the city, where he was believed to be recording a single for the American victims of Hurricane Katrina.
16th Feb 2006 An appeals court refused to reinstate an order granting pop star Michael Jackson sole custody of his two children with ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
13th Apr 2006 Michael Jackson relinquished control over the $1 billion Beatles back catalogue. Sony agreed to pay $200 million for half of Jackson's stake in order to save him from bankruptcy.
March 2009 After three years largely out of the spotlight, Jackson announces a comeback show of 50 dates at London's O2 arena.
25 June, 2009 Jackson dies from heart attack at his Hollywood home.
Other Photos of Michael Jackson:
HEARTFELT CONDOLENCE TO MICHAEL JACKSON , THE KING OF POP.