andPOP » Homicide

‘Melrose Place’ Star Amy Locane Charged with Vehicular Homicide in New Jersey

andPOP Staff — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:49:35 +0000

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“Melrose Place” star Amy Locane-Bovenizer has been charged with vehicular homicide in New Jersey, reports PopEater.

On Sunday night, Locane-Bovenizer was involved in a hit and run at 9pm near Princeton, New Jersey. While trying to flee the scene, the actress slammed into the passenger side of another car, killing Helene Seeman. Her husband, Fred Seeman, who was driving the car was airlifted to hospital.

Miles away Locane rear ended another car, and when the driver tried calling for help. the actress sped away. The hit driver chased her, and noted she was “swerving and knocking down several mailboxes.”

When Police finally caught up with her, they noted a strong scent of alcohol on her breath. Amy has been charged with second-degree vehicular homicide and third-degree assault by automobile. At her arraignment on Monday afternoon, Superior Court Judge Robert Reed set her bail at $50,000.

Dr. Conrad Murray Gets His Own TV Special

andPOP Staff — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:00:43 +0000

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Isn’t America a great country? Be investigated for the death of the World’s biggest pop star and get your own TV special. According to TMZ, Dr. Conrad Murray has landed a deal with a British documentary producer to film the Doctor’s first day back at work in Houston. A spokesman for Dr. Murray told to TMZ that the production company was “interested in the reaction of patients to his return.” The footage has actually already been shot, but will not air until the investigation of Jackson’s death is completed.

I guess we will all have to wait patiently for this riveting documentary.

LAPD Opens Investigation into Brittany Murphy’s Death

Robert Ostfield — Sun, 20 Dec 2009 23:48:35 +0000

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According to Examiner.com, the LAPD has opened an investigation into the death of actress Brittany Murphy. Detectives working on the case have arrived at the home of Murphy where the 911 call was placed this morning. Murphy was pronounced dead at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after being transported from her home.

It is been reported by numerous sources that Murphy died of cardiac arrest. Paramedics were called to the home but unfortunately were unable to revive her. Brittany Murphy was 32 years old and had starred in numerous films.

Unreleased Michael Jackson Song To Be Unveiled On October 12

Joelle Tomlinson — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:01:19 +0000

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Michael Jackson fans rejoice.

No, the King of Pop has not been resurrected, but his presence can be felt on October 12 at midnight through his latest never-released single, entitled “This Is It.”

The single will be unveiled to the world on www.MichaelJackson.com. According to Sony, the press release states that “This Is It” marks “yet another exciting moment in music history for one of the world’s most revered artists; featuring backing vocals by Michael’s brothers The Jacksons, the song plays during the closing sequence of Sony Pictures’ forthcoming film MICHAEL JACKSON’S THIS IS IT and is on the 2-disc CD set Michael Jackson’s This Is It, which is the stand-alone companion to the motion picture.”

If you’re one of those people who thrive on anticipation, you can wait for the full release, when Sony Music Entertainment’s Columbia/Epic Label Group will release the two-disc album Michael s This Is It internationally on October 27th in North America, to coincide with the release of the Motion Picture on the 28th.

For more information about the film, fans are encouraged to visit www.thisisit-movie.com.

Michael Jackson’s Soundtrack For Documentary OK’d By Judge

Joelle Tomlinson — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 22:40:42 +0000

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It looks as though the King of Pop will live on, not just in spirit, but in a documentary entitled “Michael Jackson’s This Is It.” Less than a week after the trailer for the eagerly anticipated production debuted during the VMAs, a Los Angeles Superior Court judge has approved a deal to release a soundtrack to the film.

According to the LA Times, Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved a deal on Thursday afternoon that gives Jackson’s longtime label home, Sony Music Entertainment, permission to release a CD to accompany the film, which chronicles Jackson’s rehearsals for what was to be his comeback residency at the O2 arena in London.

“This Is It” is slated to open on October 28 and play in theaters for two weeks. According to mtvnews.com, the attorney for the administrators of Jackson’s estate said that in order for the album to be completed on time, Sony has to begin work on it right away. There is no information on what songs might be included on the disc.

The release of the movie and CD could be a potential cash boon for the reportedly debt-ridden Jackson estate, which will reportedly give the singer’s children and their grandmother, Katherine Jackson, more than $86,000 a month in living expenses from the estate. Estimates from the court have the Jackson estate valued at $500 million.

Michael Jackson’s Life Up For Grabs

Emma Renda — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:34:07 +0000

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For a minute there, the entire history of pop music was hanging in the balance of some very unsteady hands. Michael Jackson’s esate, now in the control of his family, is famously known to include the entire Beatles discography but TMZ assures us the Fab Four’s musical history will not be included in a massive auction scheduled for April.

Jackson’s personal effects, many from his fabled Neverland ranch, will be auctioned to boost the assets in order to pay off the debt claimed by a number of creditors, according to the Guardian UK. But the Beatles catalogue, and the rest of Jackson’s publishing catalogue, will stay in the trust of his kids who can expect to profit more from it in the long-term than any immediate return if it were sold now.

In financial reports released in August, Jackson’s bottom line net worth was calculated to be $1,360,839,979, according to TMZ who viewed the documents. Of that, though, $1,150,000,000 is the Sony-ATV Publishing Trust holding the Beatles catalogue. The Jackson trust purchased ATV in 1985, after McCartney turned down the opportunity, and merged it ten years later in a deal with Sony. Now the third-largest music publishing company in the world, it owns the rights to music by Bob Dylan, Elvis Presley, Eminem, Willie Nelson and Taylor Swift, to name a few.

The Los Angeles auction is the first salee of Jackson’s property actually sanctioned by Jackson himself, after he tried to halt an auction in 2007 of he and his family’s properties acquired by a New Jersey businessman.

In life, the sale would signify Jackson’s departure from the grandeur of his celebrity existence – perhaps in the wake of his aquittal in 2005 of child molestation charges, which was followed by his abandonment of Neverland Ranch.

Now after Jackson’s death, the auction could mean one of two things: either a very poignant glimpse to the extraordinary extent to which Jackson tried to substitute real life with inanimate materialism. Or, it could turn out to be nothing more than a public bone collection of the only tangible remains of the King of Pop.

Neverland Ranch was literally emptied last summer, when Jackson commissioned Darren Julien, a renowned celebrity autioneer, to scrutinise the land. More than 2,000 items were cleared from the premises, including the amusement park that occupied only part of the 38 acres inside the ranch. The iconic gates of Neverland are now leaned against the wall of a warehouse somewhere in Los Angeles.

Julien is forecasting the April auction to be a regular frenzy of a sale as both media and fanatics are expected to flock to the Beverly Hilton event. Jackson’s signature diamond-studded glove that he wore when he married Debbie Rowe was auctioned to Warwick Stone on behalf of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for a whopping $49,000.

The April auction will feature more than 2,000 items, including exclusive artifacts from Jackson’s Neverland Ranch that have never been seen by the public eye. When Julien and his team were invited by Jackson in 2007 to scrutinise the Ranch, they were astonished at the bizarre accumulation inside.

“It seemed as if everything he owned was made of bronze and marble and gold,” said Michael Doyle, a member of Julien’s team according to the Guardian UK.

Along with custom-made crowns and an ornate throne that was part of Jackson’s bedroom decor, vintage arcade games and Jackson’s vast collection of 18th- and 19th century art will be available. Jackson’s stage costumes will inevitably go up for grabs, such as the fedora he wore in the video for “Billie Jean” and outfits dating as far back as his days in the Jackson 5. His personal souvenirs, such as military insignia he gathered during his world travels will go, along with a regal cape his children Paris and Prince Michael gave him as a Father’s day gift.

A large part of Jackson’s personal belongings will not be included in the auction, and only time and financial necessity will determine what other aspects of Jackson’s historic life will be sold to the clamouring hands of his admirers and debt collectors.

Official Poster for Michael Jackson’s This Is It

Robert Ostfield — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:07:45 +0000

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The poster for Michael Jackson’s This Is It has officially been released by Sony Pictures, who are producing the film. This Is It hits theatres on October 28th and features the legendary singer preparing for his last performance which would have taken place beginning this summer starting at London’s O2 Arena. The Estate of Michael Jackson is in full support of the release of the film.

R. Kelly Tries To Be Michael Jackson

Emma Renda — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:55:28 +0000

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This news might be a few days old, and it might involve a totally irrelevant celebrity, but it just had to be reported on.

R. Kelly (famous for the one-liner in “Ignition” and a criminal pedophilia lawsuit a few years back) wants to finish the album Michael Jackson had started recording before his death. No lie. You gotta give this guy credit for trying but I think you would agree this is a little tasteful and way too soon.

Further Information About Michael Jackson’s Homicide

Emma Renda — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:43:05 +0000

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Michael Jackson’s death was officially ruled a homicide by the L.A. County Coroner, according to TMZ.com.

The cause of death was said to be acute Propofol intoxication. While Propofol and Lorazepam (Ativan) were said to be the cause of Jackson’s death, a host of other drugs were found in Jackson’s system including Midazolam (Versed), Diazepam (Valium), Lidocaine (topical anesthetic) and Ephedrine (used to treat hypotension associated with anesthesia), as listed on TMZ.

Although Jackson’s death has been ruled a homicide at the hands of his doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, it does not necessarily mean criminal charges. Murray is the target of a manslaughter investigation, according to the Los Angeles Times, but Jackson’s history of drug dependency will factor largely into any criminal trial.

Aside from the rumours of who’s to blame for his death, the world has been exposed to a host of whispers about the real paternity of Jackson’s kids.

Most ridiculously, The Sun UK reported Macaulay Culkin (yes, the star of Home Alone and long-time boyfriend of Mila Kunis) donated sperm allowing Jackson to create his youngest son, Prince Michael II (a.k.a Blanket). Culkin is the godfather of Jackson’s two sons, but has not issued a public statement about the claims of parenthood.

Jackson’s brother Marlon released a statement that while Jackson did not conceive his children naturally, “they were Michael’s kids, regardless of where they came from,” according to The Sun UK.

Despite the outlandish rumours, Jackson’s true fans are still pouring out in droves to show their support.

Spike Lee (acclaimed director, including the 1996 music video for Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us”) hosted a birthday party in NYC’s Prospect Park where thousands of fans gathered to dance to his hits spun by DJ Spinna, and a number of speeches by Lee, Rev Al Sharpton and Tracy Morgan. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz attended and declared Aug. 29 Michael “King of Pop” Jackson Memorial Day in Brooklyn.

Michael Jackson’s Death Mysterious on Many Levels

Emma Renda — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 17:58:13 +0000

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Michael Jackson’s death was caused by a lethal dose of Propofol, a sleep aid his doctor, Dr. Conrad Murrary, administered for insomnia, according to a series of reports from the L.A. County Coroner on TMZ.com.

Dr. Murray told the LAPD he gave Jackson a 25 mg dose of Propofol the morning of Jackson’s death, along with a cocktail of other anti-anxiety medication and sleep aids, as reported in a search warrant affidavit. But the L.A. County Coroner says there were only trace levels of other drugs in Jackson’s system, while they confirm a lethal level of Propofol in his system.

TMZ.com posted some helpful figures: it takes 400 mg of Propofol to induce sleep in someone of Jackson’s size, which is 16 times more than the amount Dr. Murray said he administered to Jackson. Dr. Murray also claimed Jackson had become dependent on the drug in doses of 50 mg.

Jackson’s time of death also remains a mystery. Dr. Murray told the LAPD Jackson stopped breathing at 10:52 a.m., he then performed CPR but did not have anyone call 911 until 12:21 p.m. Paramedics say Jackson was dead when they arrived on the scene, but did not take his body temperature because they were too busy performing CPR.

And to make matters even murkier, a video posted on LiveLeak shows the coroner’s van Jackson’s body was reportedly in pulling into an unidentified parking garage and a figure resembling Jackson climbing out. It’s a long shot, but it was bound to happen eventually.

The medical investigation is ongoing.

Michael Jackson’s Death Is A Homicide

Robert Ostfield — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 03:56:25 +0000

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After weeks and weeks of speculation and waiting, the official word from the Los Angeles corner is MJ’s death was a homicide. The report reveals that a dangerous amount of propofol was found in Michael’s blood. Propofol is a extremely powerful anesthetic that is generally used in operating rooms to induce unconsciousness. According to the Los Angeles Times, Michael’s doctor Conrad Murray admitted to giving Mr. Jackson 25 milligrams of propofol prior to his death. Additionally upon the arrival of the Los Angeles Police to Michael’s house, police found a variety of drugs for inducing sleep within the home. There has been no official statement from the Jackson family regarding these recent developments.

Joe Jackson On Larry King

Robert Ostfield — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:50:58 +0000

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Ok I agree this story is getting a little tired (no offense to Michael Jackson) but did anybody else just feel awkward watching this interview? And I can’t comment if Joe Jackson beat Michael or not, however I am sure Joe Jackson is not all there. Additionally anybody else notice Larry King is starting to act more like TMZ than CNN?