Michael Jackson Murder Charges in Days | Terry Harvey Murder charges in days | Michael Jackson | Cops hunt killer
JACKO SHOCK: Autopsy result bombshell as cops close in on 'killer'
I TRIED TO HELP: Music promoter pal Terry
By James Desborough, 19/07/2009
THE death of Michael Jackson is to become a MURDER investigation, the News of the World can reveal. An autopsy on the superstar has shown he died from an injected overdose of heavy-duty painkiller Diprivan. Police have told his family they will press charges against one or more people within DAYS and there will be a criminal TRIAL. It could involve whoever administered the injection and anyone who made it available to the star. Last week La Toya Jackson told the News of the World she knew who had murdered her brother. Yesterday's astonishing development was revealed by Terry Harvey, a long-time friend of the Jackson family, in an exclusive interview with us. Terry said: "The autopsy shows that Michael died of a drug overdose with Diprivan and a range of pills in his stomach. He had needle marks on his neck and all over his body. "The authorities have told the family the Drug Enforcement Administration are pushing for a criminal charge. "It is likely to be second-degree murder, due to the actions which led to his death. They have been assured that someone, or maybe more than one person, will be brought to trial. "The family are working with the DEA and Los Angeles Police Department to work out which doctor prescribed Michael these drugs and how far back this serious problem runs." Terry also revealed that as soon as the murder inquiry is announced the Jacksons intend to SUE AEG, the promoters behind Jacko's planned London O2 comeback shows, for £30million for "wrongful death". The family, headed by father Joe, say its bosses failed in their duty of care towards Jacko and could have saved his life.
Respected music promoter Terry, currently working with girlband TLC, said: "The family is speaking about whether there is enough evidence to take a private lawsuit against the promoters or the doctors involved. "Once the criminal charges are announced, the family will file for a wrongful death lawsuit. "Joe Jackson has made no secret of his efforts to step in to get Michael to rehab while he prepared for his London shows. The question is how much did the concert organisers know about his drug problems and who was feeding him the drugs? "I can see Joe filing a lawsuit against anyone who is found to have caused fatal harm to his beloved son. "He and the rest of the family are serious about getting to the bottom of his son's death and insists it's foul play. It's no secret that AEG appointed a doctor to look after Michael's welfare." The company have claimed they did everything they could to help Jacko prepare for the 50-date tour. AEG's representatives have always insisted Jacko was fit, healthy and in "great shape" during his rehearsals.
Terry is also the first member of Jackson's inner-circle to confirm the star's horrendous, long-term addiction to prescription drugs. He said Jacko died a JUNKIE thanks to daily injections of Diprivan (or Propofol) and another painkiller Vistaril, plus swallowing a cocktail of pills including anxiety drug Xanax, anti-depressants Prozac and Zoloft and anti-indigestion drug Prilosec. Terry added: "Michael had a long-term drug habit. He was no different to a drug addict living in a crack house. What he wanted was served up to him. He didn't go to the stores to get his fix, it was brought to him. He started in 1984 after he got burned filming that Pepsi advert. But in recent years it spiralled out of control and he was even self-injecting. "By the end he knew how to administer these drugs himself as he had so much medical knowledge. Now he's dead everyone is washing their hands of it. I don't believe that Michael injected himself in the neck though. "The jury is out on everyone in his inner circle. I believe some of them actually got him drugs. These people should be thrown into jail." Last night leading pathologist Dr Cyril Wecht backed Terry's claim that the case will become criminal. Dr Wecht, who worked on the Anna Nicole Smith drug case, said: "If Diprivan was given to Michael Jackson, prescribed by some physician, and it was administered by him or anybody else at his home then it goes beyond negligence. The drugs need to be administered by a trained anaesthetist. It is to be given only in a hospital setting because it is susceptible to bacterial contamination. "For all of these reasons, if any doctor prescribed Propofol for Michael Jackson to take at home himself that is gross wanton negligence which, as I understand it, is manslaughter."
Terry, who is friends with Joe Jackson and Michael's brother Tito, got close to the star's aides in his final days after agreeing to promote a one-off Jackson 5 reunion in 2010. And he is adamant that Michael needed to go to rehab before returning to the stage in London this month and begged 50-year-old Jacko's associates to let him step in. Terry, 49, said: "I told them Michael had a drug problem. I said we need to 'get him off the junk'. "They said my concerns were meritless and changed the subject. I didn't hear a word afterwards." Terry told how Jacko's dad tried to get Michael to go to rehab in March. He said: "Joe wanted to get his son cleaned up as he was so keen to do the family show deal for 2010. "He knew he wasn't ready for these summer shows in London. Joe called him on the phone and said to Michael, 'Let's get it together. Let us help you and clean the house'. Michael said 'OK' to appease his dad but he didn't even take his words in. By that stage he was an addict. "He still thought he was the biggest star in the world. He did what he wanted. He felt he wasn't ready to go. "Joe went to the house at least three times to intervene, but couldn't get through to his son." Concerned Terry even offered to take care of Jacko. He said: "I begged Joe to get me into the house. I wanted to fight off all the enablers and keep them away. "We had suspicions who was getting him prescription pills, but it was important to stop it first and deal with them later.
"MJ needed to be looked after one-on-one. Aside from the drugs Michael knew that these shows were too much for him. He needed the money, but it was all too much too soon. I knew in his heart he didn't want to and more importantly couldn't do these shows." Terry told how Jacko called him after the O2 shows were announced. He said: "Michael came on the phone and said, 'I only signed up for 10 shows. I didn't sign for 50. You are gonna have to rearrange the schedule to two shows a week.' Michael could only do two shows a week due to the strain on his voice let alone the physical stress of doing two hours on stage." Two weeks ago AEG boss Randy Phillips told the News Of The World Jacko was lazy and had turned up for just two weeks of the four months of rehearsals. But Terry said: "The TV has been showing clips of his rehearsals and from what I can see Michael wasn't even singing live. "He was struggling with his dance moves. I was told he had his vocals sequenced on stage so if he didn't want to sing live they just switched on the tape." Days before his death Jackson postponed his 02 debut from July 8 to July 13 blaming the "size and scope" of the production. Terry added: "Michael knew he had to do these shows as he was in so much debt. "The concert company put a lot up front and wanted to get a return on their money. The shows and the pressure got bigger than he could handle. "Michael pushed himself to the edge as he didn't want to let the fans down."
TERRY HARVEY was not paid for this interview.
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