King of Pop's body to 'lie in state'

Michael Jackson's body will go on public view at his famous Neverland ranch, according to reports.

• Although the family are yet to confirm any details of the 50-year-old's funeral, US media suggest his body will be taken to the ranch about 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
• The complex was where Jackson kept his personal fairground and where he often entertained fans.
• Meanwhile, tributes continue to pour in for the artist with Stevie Wonder performing a rewritten version of one of his biggest hits in honour of the late entertainer.
• It is understood a public viewing of the King of Pop's body has been scheduled for Friday and a private funeral will be held on Sunday.
• Butch Arnoldi, a spokesman for Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department, said: "Our guys are meeting as we speak with the California Highway Patrol to discuss the security issues."
• Meanwhile a Jackson family lawyer confirmed the singer - who suffered a heart attacklast Thursday - had left a will.
• Londell McMillan said: "My clients are now aware after filings that a will has been presented. His various advisers are looking for additional documents."
• Jackson was booked to play 50 gigs at the O2 arena in London starting later this month.
• The King of Pop's tour promoter Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, said he hoped there could be tribute concerts to Jackson.
• Mr Phillips denied Jackson was suffering from stage fright, saying AEG Live would at "some point" be releasing footage of the rehearsals.
• He said the show was going to be "beyond anything", adding: "At some point the world needs to see this production and I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him.
• "The world needs to see this production. It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever, so at some point we want the world to see that.
  "We are discussing with the family so the sooner, the better."
• Describing rehearsals the day before his death, Mr Phillips said: "He was so amazing in the final week.
• "He gave me a hug and said 'now I know I can do this'. He was that engaged and that incredible."
• He added the family wanted the public to share in grief at the funeral but plans had not yet been finalised.

Michael Jackson's body 'won't go on display'

• Michael Jackson's body will not go on public show at his ranch, his family has said, amid news he left his estate to his mother and children.
• A statement released by the Jackson family's PR firm, Sunshine, Sachs & Associates, read: "Contrary to previous news reports, the Jackson family is officially stating that there will be no public or private viewing at Neverland.
• "Plans are under way regarding a public memorial for Michael Jackson, and we will announce those plans shortly."
• And Santa Barbara County officials said there are no final decisions by the family for any funeral or memorial service in the county or at Neverland, located around 150 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
• Meanwhile, the singer's will specifically cuts out ex-wife Debbie Rowe and sees the entire estate left to a family trust which will provide for Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7, who is known as Blanket - as well as his 79-year-old mother Katherine.
• The will - which when written in July 2002 estimated Jackson's estate at more than £300 million - also names his mother as the children's guardian and singer Diana Ross if Katherine is unable to take care of them.
• The will names Los Angeles-based attorney John Branca, a long-time Jackson counsel, and music industry executives John McClain and accountant Barry Siegel as co-executors, but Siegel resigned as a co-executor in 2003.
• The pop star, who died last Thursday at the age of 50 after suffering cardiac arrest at his rented Los Angeles home, left behind a multimillion-dollar estate that includes part ownership in a Beatles music catalogue and his own music company that held rights to some of his music.
• Elsewhere, his long-time friend and leading civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson urged mourners to "celebrate Michael's life" amid reports that obsessed fans were committing suicide in the wake of the superstar's death.
• In a message posted on website YouTube, Mr Jackson said: "This is a time that, while our hearts are heavy and there's great pain and great loss, we celebrate Michael's life.
• "And we celebrate his life by creating futures not funerals, futures not funerals, to make Michael happy and maintain his sense of dignity, (his) sense of decency. It made Michael happy saying 'We Are The World'. Don't self destruct, don't give up or surrender.
• "We fall down sometimes, we get back up again, and again and again. That's the right thing to do. In Michael's name, let's live together as brothers and sisters and not die apart as fools. Through all of this, keep your hope alive."
• Earlier, a nutritionist said the singer pleaded for a powerful sedative to cure his insomnia ahead of his comeback tour in London.
• Cherilyn Lee, 56, a nurse and nutrition specialist in California, said the singer had asked to be prescribed the drug Diprivan - despite warnings that it could have harmful side-effects.
  Jackson, who released Thriller in 1982, the best-selling album of all time, had been booked to play 50 gigs at the O2 arena in London starting later this month.
• Tour promoter Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, denied the singer was suffering from stage fright, saying his firm would at "some point" be releasing footage of the rehearsals.
  He said the show was going to be "beyond anything", adding: "At some point the world needs to see this production and I would imagine it could be done as a tribute with the family, with the brothers performing, some sisters, and the stars that were influenced by him.
• "The world needs to see this production. It would have been, which is the tragedy here, one of the most amazing shows ever, so at some point we want the world to see that. We are discussing with the family so the sooner, the better."
• Describing rehearsals the day before his death, Mr Phillips said: "He was so amazing in the final week. He gave me a hug and said 'now I know I can do this'. He was that engaged and that incredible."

By http://www.michaeljackson50.com/