Two of Michael Jackson's former confidantes say they tried in vain to keep him from abusing painkillers and other prescriptions, but others in the singer's circle kept the drugs flowing.
Medium Uri Geller told The Associated Press yesterday that he often had "to shout at Michael, to scream at Michael," as he tried to confiscate the singer's medications.
Ex-bodyguard Matt Fiddes also says the pop idol abused prescription medications, not recreational drugs. Fiddes says Jackson took so many prescription drugs that he ended up incoherent.
The circumstances surrounding Michael Jackson's death have since become a federal issue, with the DEA asked to help police take a look at the pop star's doctors and possible drug use.
The DEA was asked to help the probe by the Los Angeles Police Department, a law enforcement official in Washington told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the investigation.
The federal agency can provide resources and experience in investigating drug abuse, illicit drug manufacturers known as "pill mills" and substances local police may not be familiar with, the official said on Wednesday.
While the investigation into the singer's death deepened, passionate Michael Jackson fans spent another day in an uneasy limbo, awaiting word from the King of Pop's camp about where and when a memorial service might be held for their hero - and if they're even invited.
Speculation about the potential location of a memorial ricocheted during the day from the Staples Center to the Los Angeles Coliseum to the Nokia Theater.
One spot that was ruled out as an immediate memorial venue was Jackson's sprawling Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara County. Jackson family spokesman Ken Sunshine said a public memorial was in the works for Jackson but it wouldn't be held at Neverland.
That came as a blow to many Jackson fans who had already descended on the estate in the rolling hills near Santa Barbara with the hope of attending a public viewing.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.
Many of Jackson's die-hard fans refused to believe that the family would bury their most famous son without acknowledging the supporters who helped propel him to superstardom.
On the legal front, Jackson's 7-year-old will was filed Wednesday in a Los Angeles court, giving his entire estate to a family trust and naming his 79-year-old mother Katherine and his three children as beneficiaries. The will also estimates the current value of his estate at more than $500 million.
Katherine Jackson was appointed the children's guardian, with entertainer Diana Ross, a longtime friend of Michael Jackson, named successor guardian if something happens to his mother.
Jackson's lawyer John Branca and family friend John McClain, a music executive, were named in the will as co-executors of his estate. In a statement, they said the most important element of the will was Jackson's steadfast desire that his mother become the legal guardian for his children.
The will doesn't name father Joe Jackson to any position of authority in administering the estate. Also shut out is ex-wife Debbie Rowe, the mother of his two oldest children.
The executors moved quickly to take control of all of Michael Jackson's property, going to court hours after filing the will to challenge a previous ruling that gave Katherine Jackson control of 2,000 items from Neverland.
Paul Gordon Hoffman, an attorney for the executors, told Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff his clients are the proper people to take over Jackson's financial affairs. He called Katherine Jackson's speed in getting limited power over her son's property "a race to the courthouse that is, frankly, improper".
Judge Beckloff urged attorneys from both sides to try to reach a compromise. A hearing on the estate was set for Monday.
The will, dated July 7, 2002, gives the entire estate to the Michael Jackson Family Trust. Details of the trust will not be made public.
(China Daily/AP July 3, 2009)
