Death of Michael Jackson

Death of Michael Jackson
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, showing flowers for fans to express grief.
Jackson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame became a focal point for fans, surrounded by barriers and covered with flowers.
DateJune 25, 2009; 15 years ago (2009-06-25)
Time2:26 p.m. (Pacific Daylight Time)
LocationWestwood, Los Angeles, California, U.S.
TypeAccidental homicide by acute propofol intoxication
DeathsMichael Jackson
ConvictedConrad Robert Murray
TrialPeople v. Murray
VerdictGuilty
ConvictionsInvoluntary manslaughter
Sentence4 years in prison (paroled after 1 year and 11 months)

On June 25, 2009, the American singer Michael Jackson died of acute propofol intoxication in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 50. His personal physician, Conrad Murray, said that he found Jackson in his bedroom at his North Carolwood Drive home in the Holmby Hills area of the city not breathing and with a weak pulse; he administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to no avail, and security called 9-1-1 at 12:21 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time (UTC–7). Paramedics treated Jackson at the scene, but he was pronounced dead at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Westwood at 2:26 p.m.[1]

On August 28, 2009, the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner concluded that Jackson's death was a homicide.[2] Jackson had been administered propofol and anti-anxiety benzodiazepines lorazepam and midazolam by his doctor.[3] Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in November 2011, and was released in 2013 after serving two years of his four-year prison sentence with time off for good behavior.[4][5]

At the time of his death, Jackson had been preparing for a series of comeback concerts, This Is It, due to begin in July 2009 in London, United Kingdom. Following his death there were unprecedented surges of Internet traffic and a spike in sales of his music.[6] A televised memorial service, held at the Staples Center (later renamed to Crypto.com Arena) in Los Angeles, had an estimated 2.5 billion viewers.[7][8][9] In 2010, Sony Music Entertainment signed a US$250 million deal with Jackson's estate to retain distribution rights to his recordings until 2017 and to release seven posthumous albums of unreleased material over the following decade, but only two were ever released.[10][11]

  1. ^ "Michael Jackson dead at 50 after cardiac arrest". CNN. June 25, 2009. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved August 31, 2009.
  2. ^ "Jackson death a homicide, criminal charge possible". Reuters. August 28, 2009. Archived from the original on January 27, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
  3. ^ "Jackson investigator's errors". Stuff. August 10, 2010. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved May 4, 2013.
  4. ^ "Michael Jackson doctor Conrad Murray released from jail". BBC News. October 28, 2013. Archived from the original on October 19, 2022. Retrieved September 16, 2021.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference NYT-AP-release was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Sales of Michael Jackson's Music Skyrocket Archived May 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, KTLA News, June 26, 2009.
  7. ^ "Hazarika''s funeral creates world record". MSN. July 8, 2009. Archived from the original on August 7, 2014.
  8. ^ "The 3 Most Watched Televised Funerals in History". Beyond the Dash. April 3, 2019.
  9. ^ Hanley, Paul (2014). Eleven. Friesen Press. p. 73. ISBN 9781460250464.
  10. ^ "Licence to thrill". Khaleej Times. June 6, 2011. Archived from the original on October 21, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2021.
  11. ^ "Sony pays $250m for Jackson distribution rights". France 24. March 16, 2010. Archived from the original on October 18, 2022. Retrieved July 13, 2021.