American Morning
Jackson's final moments – what his doctor told police
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/06/29/intv.chernoff.jackson.art.jpg caption="Ed Chernoff, attorney for Michael Jackson's doctor, speaks to CNN's Kiran Chetry."]
There are new questions today about the sudden death of Michael Jackson. What really happened in his final moments before 911 was called to his home? What exact medications was he taking at the time and who prescribed them?
Joe Jackson, Michael's father, spoke publicly on Sunday for the first time since losing his son. He was on the red carpet at the BET awards telling CNN he has a lot of concern and doesn't “like what happened.”
Dr. Conrad Murray, a cardiologist, was there when Michael Jackson went into cardiac arrest. Los Angeles police interviewed Murray for three hours on Saturday along with his lawyer Ed Chernoff. Chernoff spoke to Kiran Chetry on CNN’s “American Morning” Monday.
Kiran Chetry: What was discussed during the meeting with investigators and you and your client?
Ed Chernoff: Well, generally it was just about the circumstances leading up to the point in time where Michael Jackson stopped breathing. What happened the night before, what happened that day, his history, his relationship with Michael Jackson – that kind of thing.
Chetry: That was a three-hour long meeting. Are there any other meetings with police that they want to have with your client, who they’re saying is not a suspect and it’s not a criminal investigation. They just want to talk to him; maybe figure out exactly what went wrong.
Chernoff: There’s no meeting scheduled. We've let them know we're available to them any time they need us, any questions they have. We have told them that the medical examiner is free to call us. We'll be available to them. If they have any questions once toxicology comes out. I expect they will have some questions and we'll be ready to answer them.
Chetry: Now, was your client, Dr. Murray, aware of what prescriptions Michael Jackson was taking?
Chernoff: Well, yes. I mean, you know, Dr. Murray prescribed certain things to Michael Jackson, as a doctor. He had medical conditions, medical complaints. Now, there have been some questions about whether or not he was taking substances that Dr. Murray did not know about. But as far as we know, Dr. Murray knew what Michael Jackson was taking, knew what he was doing, and kept up with it all.
Fmr. Jackson family attorney alleges drug abuse
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/06/26/brian.oxman.art.jpg caption="A former family attorney for the Jackson family claims people around Michael Jackson enabled drug abuse."]
Results from an autopsy on entertainer Michael Jackson are expected Friday, according to the Los Angeles coroner's office. The "King of Pop," who was prepping a comeback tour, died Thursday at age 50.
Brian Oxman, a former attorney for the Jackson family, says Michael Jackson was over-medicated and that he was surrounded by “enablers.” He spoke to T.J. Holmes on CNN’s “American Morning” Friday.
T.J. Holmes: You spoke of these “enablers” who didn't help Jackson and that he was over-medicating and it had a lot to do with these drugs. Your quote was that the Anna Nicole Smith case was nothing compared to what happened with Michael Jackson. Do you know what kind of medication he was on?
Brian Oxman: I have not discussed what medications he's on, because I think that's a matter for Michael's privacy, which should not be discussed. My main point has been that I talked to this family about it. I warned them. I said that Michael is over-medicating and that I did not want to see this kind of a case develop. And in particular, in the Anna Nicole case, I said if that's what's going to happen to Michael, it's all going to break our hearts.
And my worst fears are here. I do not know what the cause of Michael’s death was. I don't know if it’s cardiac arrest. I don't know if it's an infarct. I don’t know if it’s a congenital abnormality. We have to await the coroner's results and the toxicological screening to make sure we know before we can say any kind of allegation to anyone.
Holmes: You say he was over-medicating. He was getting this stuff from somewhere. Was he surrounded by people who were doing everything they had to do in making sure they kept this medication close by when he wanted it?
Oxman: He had over-medication and it was a serious problem. And the exact people who were doing this – I'm not going to point any fingers. All I know is that I had warned that this was a problem and this is my worst fear. It is a nightmare.
'King of Pop' Michael Jackson is dead
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) - An autopsy on entertainer Michael Jackson has been scheduled for Friday and results are expected by afternoon, according to the Los Angeles, California, coroner's office.
The "King of Pop," who was preparing for a comeback tour, died Thursday at age 50.
Jackson, under apparent cardiac arrest, was taken from his home by paramedics to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where a team of physicians tried to resuscitate him for more than an hour, said Jackson's brother Jermaine. He said the music idol was pronounced dead at 2:26 p.m. (5:26 p.m. ET).
Another one of Jackson's six siblings told CNN that he learned of Jackson's death through his manager, Frank Dileo.
"Frank told me that Michael last night was complaining about not feeling well. He called to tell him he wasn't feeling well," Marlon Jackson said. "Michael's doctor went over to see him, and Frank said, 'Marlon, from last night to this morning, I don't know what happened.' When they got to him this morning, he wasn't breathing."
Actress Farrah Fawcett dies of cancer at 62
(CNN) - Farrah Fawcett, the blonde-maned actress whose best-selling poster and "Charlie's Angels" stardom made her one of the most famous faces in the world, has died. She was 62.
Farrah Fawcett rose to fame in the 1970s, thanks to a best-selling poster and the hit show "Charlie Angels."
Fawcett, who checked into a Los Angeles, California, hospital in early April, had been battling anal cancer on and off for three years.
Ryan O'Neal, Fawcett's romantic partner since the mid-1980s, recently told People magazine that the sex symbol was declining.
"She stays in bed now. The doctors see that she is comfortable. Farrah is on IVs, but some of that is for nourishment. The treatment has pretty much ended," he said in a story posted May 7.
Bon Jovi's volunteer initiative
Jon Bon Jovi is helping a lot of people go home again. He participated at the National Conference for Service and Volunteering as an ambassador for the Entertainment Industry Foundation – Hollywood's leading charity.
Yesterday he made a special appearance to an audience of more than 4,500 service leaders who were kicking off a multi-year campaign to help make service and volunteerism a national priority.
For more information on these charities:
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