'I love you daddy': Prince, Paris and Blanket's personal tributes to father Michael Jackson as they unveil his charity artwork

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Family affair: Paris, aunt LaToya, Prince and Blanket pay tribute to their father as they unveil some of his works of art in Los Angeles earlier today

They may have lost their famous father more than two years ago, but Michael Jackson's children are clearly determined to keep his memory alive.

Prince, 14, Paris, 13 and nine-year-old Blanket today unveiled artwork by the singer, donated to the Children's Hospital, Los Angeles.

They were joined by their aunt LaToya and grandmother Katherine to the ceremony which saw 13 pieces of artwork containing personal tributes from the singer's children.


Growing up fast: The three children appear happy to continue with their father's legacy


What a cutie: Nine-year-old Blanket looks like he'll be a heartbreaker when he's a young man


The pieces were all signed by the late King of Pop and included a photograph of him.

Sketches included one of Mickey Mouse, a throne and a drawing of Jackson icon Peter Pan.

There was also a drawing of his famous moonwalk.


Cool chick: But Paris didn't realise that her mirrored aviator shades were wonky



Unveiling: Prince and LaToya take off a covering which reveals a picture by Jackson


His children, whose faces were once so long hidden by their protective father, seemed relaxed in the public eye.

Fast growing teenagers Prince and Paris towered above LaToya and Jackson's mother Katherine who wore a bright orange jacket.

Prince looked grown up in a all black outfit and kept a pair of sunglasses on throughout the ceremony.

Paris wore a peach coloured top under a white waistcoat, while her aunt LaToya sported a boxy white jacket over slim fitting trousers.

The works were donated by Brett Livingstone-Strong, an artist and friend of Jackson's.

'I think if Michael was here today, he would be so thrilled,' he told the assembled guests.


Matriarch: The three growing children were joined by their grandmother Katherine Jackson


Tribute: Michael Jackson's artwork contained notes from his three children


Works of art: Paris and LaToya inspect one of the drawings of Mickey Mouse, depicted in blue ink


Poignant: The children wrote personal messages on the signed works, with Blanket signing off with 'I love you daddy'


'I believed his talent flowed over to become an incredible artist himself. He often dreamed of having an exhibit.'

The children had written some personal messages on the paintings, with Blanket penning a note which read: 'My father's art and music always make everyone happy.'

It ended with a poignant: 'I love you daddy.'



Fan: Prince wore sunglasses as he inspects a picture of Jackson icon Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up


Guardian: Prince sits next to his grandmother and guardian Katherine at the ceremony


Grand unveiling: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa helps Paris reveal one of the artworks as Blanket looks on


Family: Aunty LaToya speaks at the ceremony honouring her brother


Personal: A note penned by Prince on a photograph of his late father


On display: The drawings included two of Jackson's famous moonwalk boots


source: dailymail

Michael Jackson's Thriller jacket sells for £1.1million at auction

By Daily Mail Reporter


Iconic: The jacket Michael Jackson wore in his classic Thriller video has sold at auction for $1.8million USD (£1.1m)


The famed black-and-red calfskin jacket that Michael Jackson wore in the classic Thriller video was sold at auction for $1.8 million USD (£1.1m).

Darren Julien, president and chief executive of Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills, said the jacket was bought by Milton Verret, a commodities trader from Austin, Texas, yesterday.

The jacket is one of two Jackson wore during the filming of the 1983 Thriller video.


The singer wears the jacket in a scene with a troupe of zombies who rise from their graves and break into a dance routine.

Mr Verret said the jacket would be sent on tour and used as a fund-raising tool for children's charities.

A portion of the sale price will go to the Shambala Preserve, a big cat sanctuary caring for two tigers Jackson once owned.

Classic: Jackson wore the red leather jacket in the 1982 music video


Jackson, 50, died of an overdose of sedatives on June 25 2009 as he prepared for a series of comeback concerts in London.

Hundreds of fans marked the two-year anniversary of the singer's death by gathering for a memorial outside the Gary, Indiana, home where Jackson grew up.

The Times of Munster said revellers swayed to Jackson's songs during Saturday night's tribute. Poets, local singers and dancers also entertained the crowd.

Anniversary: This weekend marked two years since the singer's death on June 25, 2009


Mayor Rudy Clay welcomed visitors to the event and said the city would not stop celebrating Jackson's memory.

Marshall Bingaman, 30, of Kansas City, Missouri, said he made a nine-hour drive to Gary to pay tribute to Jackson's life and events like the memorial helped keep the star's memory alive.


source:dailymail

Dr Conrad Murray wants Michael Jackson autopsy photos banned from trial

By Daily Mail Reporter



Request: Dr Conrad Murray's lawyers have filed a motion asking a Los Angeles judge to ban autopsy photos of Michael Jackson being shown to jurors at the trial


Michael Jackson's personal physician Dr Conrad Murray wants to prevent gruesome autopsy shots of the singer being shown during the trial.

Lawyers for Murray, who is being tried for involuntary manslaughter over Jacko's death, fear the images could prejudice the jury.

In a motion filed this week, attorneys Edward Chernoff and Nareg Gourjian said: 'These photographs are graphic, gruesome and highly prejudicial.'


They explained the graphich photos could make the jury react on an emotional level and cloud members' judgement.

The motion continued: 'Admission of these photographs to the jurors will jeopardize Dr. Murray's right to a fair trial because of the significant risk that the jury will base their decision not on the evidence presented, but on emotional grounds which play no part in a criminal action.'

The defence have also asked the judge to exclude references to events surrounding Murray that don't involve his treatment or relationship with the singer, RadarOnline reported.

Such matters include the doctor's child support obligations, his children, his infidelities, meeting women at strip clubs, and other lawsuits that have been filed, settled or resolved.

It is expected that Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Michael E. Pastor will rule on the defence submissions on April 21.

Lawyers for the prosecution and defence will interview prospective jurors on May 4 to determine what they know about the case and assess levels on bias considering the high profile nature of the case.

Already 170 possible jurors have been given a 29-page questionnaire to fill out to determine what they know about the case, RadarOnline reports.



source:dailymail

Don't Take it Personal! Judge orders Jermaine Jackson to pay $80,000 in back child support

By Daily Mail Reporter


Bitter battle: A Los Angeles judge has ordered Jermaine Jackson to pay his ex-wife Alejandra $80,000 in back child support


This is not a good start to the weekend, at least for Jermaine Jackson.

The Don't Take It Personal singer has been ordered to hand over $80,000 in missed child support payments, although he says he's too poor to pay.

Jermaine, 56, appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom today battling ex-wife Alejandra Jackson over his $3,000 a month support payments for their two children, Jaafar and Jermajesty Jackson.


Michael Jackson's older brother had hoped to have the amount he pays reduced, but a judge denied claim.

Jermaine is currently about $100,000 behind, but the judge slightly lowered the amount that he will have to hand over.

Because the singer and dancer is so far behind in his payments, his California driver's license was recently revoked, but it will be reinstated if he makes a minimum payment of $5,000 on April 4.

Jermaine, who has appeared on a couple of different reality shows including Celebrity Big Brother UK in 2007, claims part of the reason he hasn't been making payments is because he doesn't have the money.


Caught in the middle: Jermaine's two sons, Jaafar and Jermajesty seen here in 2009, are at the centre of his custody battle

'The $3,000 payment; they judged that off of one show I was on, Big Brother,' he told U.S. website Radaronline.

Jermaine reportedly received several hundred thousand dollars for appearing on Big Brother.

He also made big bucks for starring on the 2009 A&E reality series The Jacksons: A Family Dynasty.

Still, Jermaine says he can't afford his his child support payments, nor does he think he should have to make them, since his ex-wife has been living rent free at the Jackson family compound in Encino, California for years.

'The problem is she's been living in the Havenhurst house for 18 years. She has never once paid a bill.'

He added: 'Justice is not justice. It is so unfair.'

As for Alejandra, she may have one this round, but her legal troubles are far from over.

She's currently embroiled in a bitter battle with Michael Jackson's estate over her living arrangement at the Encino estate.

Last month lawyers for the Jackson family appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom in an effort to evict Alejandra and her four children- two by Jermaine and two by his brother Randy.

'She has lived at the property for 20 years. We pay for everything,' the Estate’s attorney Howard Weitzman said in court.

He added: 'It’s time for her to move.'

Michael's mother Katherine has stepped up efforts to send Alejandra away, since Michael Jackson's three children moved in, but so far Jermaine's ex has refused to leave.

Alejandra and Jermaine Jackson were married in March 1995.


source;dailymail