MICHEAL JACKSON LAID TO REST

September 4th, 2009 by Ravi Matah | Posted in News   Comments Off on MICHEAL JACKSON LAID TO REST
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Seventy days after his sudden death, Michael Jackson will be interred on Thursday evening at the Forest Lawn Cemetery. It is still not certain whether this will be his last resting place. Only his family and closest friends attended the private funeral inside the ornate Great Mausoleum on the grounds of Forest Lawn cemetery in Glendale, California.

The memorial service was to commence at 7.00 PM  but started only at 8.30 and was wrapped up at 11.50 PM Eastern time.

The news media, which has closely covered every aspect of Jackson’s death, was kept at a distance, with cameras no closer than the cemetery’s main gate. There was only one camera perched some 2000 feet up from the place of the memorial service through which CNN managed to show some footage of the goings on inside.

The members of Jackson family arrived late for the ceremony. After the invitees had settled down, Joe Jackson and Katherine Jackson arrived.
They were then followed by other members of the family. The family convoy comprising of 26 vehicles, all black sedans and SUVs, arrived at the Forrest lawn Cemetery amongst tight police escort. Janet Jackson was also visible there talking to other invitees. All the brothers of Michael Jackson were wearing dark suits and a black band on the right arm as a mark of respect to their departed brother.

The invitation card for this memorial ceremony comprised of nine pages and contained photographs of the legendry icon MJ. ‘After the ceremony they’ll drive to an Italian restaurant eight miles away in Pasadena, California for “a time of celebration,’  the nine-page engraved invitation said. Jermaine Jackson was also seen supervising the event. Thereafter the three children of Michael Jackson arrived, also in a black limousine.

The hearse carrying MJs body was brought to the cemetery under heavy police escort. When all the invitees and the family members settled down, the coffin, bedecked in white flowers, containing the body of Michael Jackson was brought to the centre of the area where the ceremony was to begin.

Katherine Jackson was seen crying at the funeral ceremony. Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley and Ex-wife of Michael Jackson, was very emotional when the casket containing MJs body was brought there.

 Singer Gladys Knight, a longtime friend to Jackson, performed and sang ‘Lord’s prayer’ at the commencement of the memorial service. Amongst the celebrities present were Elizabeth Taylor and Macaulay Culkin. The spokesperson for the family said that they will provide a recorded footage later for viewing by the public.

The ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson was finally laid to rest on Thursday in a sunset ceremony attended by family and close friends.

The private service was a star-studded affair with close pal Diana Ross in attendance and soul legends Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight  sang by the grave.

The pop icon’s  burial has been delayed by division among Jackson family members, though it was MJs mother, Katherine Jackson who would make the final decision, brother Jermaine Jackson recently told CNN.

The Forest Lawn  site boasts that the mausoleum “has been called the ‘New World’s Westminster Abbey’ by Time Magazine.

The legendary pop icon died on June 25, 2009, at the age of 50 and his death has been officially ruled as homicide by the prosecutors.

It is not clear how close tourists will be allowed to Jackson’s resting place. Security guards aided by cameras keep a constant vigil over the graves and crypts, which are surrounded by a world-class collection of art and architecture.

The LA county coroner had stated during the ruling that Jackson died from “intravenous injection by another” and his personal doctor Conrad Murray, is the subject of a manslaughter investigation

 

Ravi Matah

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