Jackson dad renews call for probe of son's death

MADRID — A week before jury selection begins in the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, the late singer's father renewed calls for a federal probe into his son's death based on his belief a conspiracy was at work.

Joe Jackson, in Madrid to promote a worldwide tour of the hit Spanish musical "Forever King of Pop," said on Friday he believes Dr. Conrad Murray was acting on behalf of other people involved in Michael's career and said Michael had warned his family he would be killed over the publishing rights to hit songs such as "Thriller" and "Billie Jean."

"I want to get the other people that's involved, not just Dr. Murray. That's why I'm trying to get a federal investigation, so they can grab them all," Jackson said.

He characterized Murray as "just the fall guy," in an interview with Reuters, but declined to say who else he thought might be to blame in the death of his superstar son.

"I'm not calling names, but they know who they are," said the patriarch of the family of Jackson singers who helped define the Motown sound of the late 1960s and '70s.

"Michael knew that something was going to happen to him before it happened," said Joe Jackson, who wore his customary black fedora and gold chains.

Michael Jackson, dubbed the King of Pop for his many hits, died in 2009 at age 50 in Los Angeles of a drug overdose only days before he was to begin a series of comeback concerts in London. Murray was hired by concert promoters AEG Live to care for the singer as he rehearsed, and he was giving Jackson the anesthetic propofol to help him sleep at home.

But propofol typically is used in hospitals, not as a sleep aid. Coroners have ruled propofol was the key drug that caused Jackson's death and prosecutors have charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter for improperly administering it.

Murray has pleaded not guilty, and lawyers begin jury selection next week for a trial set to begin in Los Angeles on May 9.

Jackson's legacy
Joe Jackson was in Madrid to present an agreement between the Jackson Family Foundation and the Summum Music production company for a worldwide tour of the hit Spanish musical "Forever King of Pop," which the Jackson family has chosen "to represent Michael's legacy across the world."

Earlier this week Jermaine Jackson, the brother of Michael and a member of the Jackson Five singers, reached a deal with Crown publishing to release a memoir detailing his brother's life and promising to leave "no subject off limits."

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In his life, Michael Jackson had claimed his father was abusive.

On Friday, Joe Jackson declined to comment on Jermaine's book, saying he was working on his own. He did not give details of his memoir, other than saying it would look at his "hard times" early in life, raising a family, working many jobs and molding his sons into the pop stars they eventually became.

Jermaine Jackson's book, titled "You Are Not Alone: Through a Brother's Eyes," is set for release in fall 2011.

Among the legacies left by the King of Pop, Joe Jackson highlighted his son's entries in the Guinness Book of World Records. "Thriller" remains the top-selling album of all time.

"I don't think anyone's going to beat that," Joe Jackson said. However, he predicted Michael's youngest son, Prince Michael II, also known as Blanket, would follow in his father's footsteps.

"He reminds me of Michael when he was small. Some people say there's never going to be another Michael in this life time. Well, we already have one, and he just happens to be a Jackson."

Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters. Click for restrictions.

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Jackson's estate earned $310 million since death (AP)

By ANTHONY McCARTNEY, AP Entertainment Writer Anthony Mccartney, Ap Entertainment Writer – Fri Feb 18, 2:29 pm ET

LOS ANGELES – Despite more than $310 million in earnings since his death, Michael Jackson's lavish spending habits still haunt his legacy and have required lawyers to create new deals and restructure old debts, court records show.

Jackson died more than $400 million in debt, and attorneys are still trying to resolve several pending lawsuits, according to documents filed Thursday by his estate.

The report also states Jackson's estate spent $159 million between the singer's June 2009 death and the end of 2010, with some of the money used for his funeral, burial and to buy the Jackson family's home in the San Fernando Valley north of Los Angeles.

According to the filing, many of Jackson's debts, including his interests in a music catalog that features works by The Beatles and other top-earning musicians, have been restructured.

While Jackson's attorneys have resolved numerous debts and lawsuits, several cases are still unresolved, including disputes over Jackson's "Thriller" music video.

Since soon after the pop singer's death at age 50, attorneys began working on deals to begin to restore luster to Jackson's legacy, which had been tarnished even though he was acquitted of child molestation charges.

Projects have included the release of "This Is It," a film using rehearsal footage from Jackson's planned series of comeback shows; new music and video games; and the rerelease of the singer's autobiography.

An audit of the singer's earnings for already released music is under way and could yield more profits, the filings state.

Experts say Jackson's estate earnings are likely to rival those of another music superstar, Elvis Presley.

Most of the earnings benefit Jackson's three young children and his mother, Katherine, who is their guardian. Renovations on her home, valued at more than $4.1 million, are ongoing.

A judge will review the financial report, which is the first complete accounting of the King of Pop's financial affairs after his death. That hearing is scheduled for May 5.

Jackson's estate attorneys say the judge should expect to retain oversight of the estate for at least another year after that.

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