The self-styled King of Pop was only 50 years old when doctors pronounced him dead at 2:26 p.m. in a Los Angeles, Calif., hospital. Paramedics found Jackson in full cardiac arrest — meaning his heart had stopped beating — when they arrived at his rented Holmby Hills home, where he had collapsed.
Michael Jackson’s Autopsy Results
Reports have emerged saying Jackson had been injected with Demerol, a narcotic painkiller, just before he collapsed, and police have said they wanted to question Jackson’s doctor. An autopsy on Jackson’s body revealed no sign of foul play or external trauma but it did not conclude a cause of death. The medical examiner has ordered additional tests, which will take four to six weeks to complete.
Reuters news service reported a law enforcement official has claimed to ABC News that Jackson was addicted to Oxycontin, a painkiller, and was injected with the drug daily, along with Demerol. Jackson’s family members have also said they believe drugs played a role in his death, and a family spokesman expressed concern about the prescription medication Jackson had been taking for injuries he suffered while performing.
Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5
Jackson has been performing since he was a child, where he was part of the group the Jackson 5, with his siblings. The work his career required stole time away from his childhood, Jackson revealed as an adult, hence his reclaiming some of that through his California ranch, Neverland, and love for children, he added.
Jackson’s love for children — he leaves two sons and a daughter, Prince Michael I, Prince Michael II, and Paris — had sparked two accusations of him molesting young boys. He was charged in 2003 with child sexual abuse but acquitted of all charges after a trial that lasted for four months in 2005.
Michael Jackson and Plastic Surgery
Professionally, Jackson’s album “Thriller,” released in the early 1980s, became the world’s best-selling album of all time, with more than 100 million copies sold. As his popularity soared, his image began to change. Rumours of plastic surgery emerged with changes in his appearance, and from what was happening in his personal life. He married music legend Elvis Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie (they divorced), and his pets included a chimp and llama.
The public called his parenting skills into question after he dangled his youngest child, then a baby, over a hotel balcony in Berlin, Germany. (Jackson later regretted the move and denied intentionally doing anything to harm his children). He was protective of his children and their privacy, evidenced by his taking them out covered by veils and blankets.
Now, a veil surrounds the ending of Jackson’s life. An answer as to what killed him may not come for another few weeks. Reaction to his death has been global, with fans and celebrities expressing their grief, and one individual even described his death as the biggest music loss since John Lennon. Jackson led an extraordinary life, and as a result, it looks like he will be remembered for more than just his music.
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