- Related: Warhol's Jackson portrait out of auction
- Related: Michael Jackson's death certificate
- Related: Fact check: Michael Jackson plasticized?
- Blog: More entertainment at OnTheRedCarpet.com
- More: Most Popular stories, videos and more
- More: Get breaking news alerts
But Leonard Rowe, a friend of Jackson, disagrees.
"Michael Jackson was not ready, he was not fit," Rowe said.
Rowe managed Jackson's Off the Wall tour and had been rehired this year. He told 'Good Morning America' that Jackson had given him specific orders: To negotiate a limit to his appearances with concert promoter Randy Phillips.
"I attempted to do that, I spoke to Randy Phillips that following Monday morning on the phone and he told me to shove off. He didn't want to talk about it," Rowe said.
Phillips responded to Rowe's accusations in a statement.
"Our original agreement with Michael Jackson called for 31 shows. Michael was willing to increase the number of performances to 50," Phillips said.
Rowe says Jackson was being controlled by the purse strings.
"If Michael Jackson's best interest had been in their hearts ... I could venture to say Michael would be with us now," he said.
Jackson's sister LaToya said her brother was pressured into that agreement, and now she says the death was part of a plot for profit. She blames no one specifically.
"Michael was worth well over a billion in music publishing assets,and somebody killed him for that. He was worth more dead than alive," LaToya Jackson said.
LAPD is investigating at least five of Jackson's doctors. Jackson's father Joe Jackson said he is suspicious of Dr. Conrad Murray, who was the physician at the house when the ambulance arrived. Then he vanished for days.
A spokesperson for Murray says the doctor is cooperating with investigators.
For now, everyone awaits the results of the complete autopsy. The entire findings will not be disclosed until Friday at the very earliest.
- Video: Complete video coverage of Michael Jackson
- Video: Jackson rehearsing 2 days before death
- Photos: Michael Jackson public memorial
- Photos: Celebs attend Jackson memorial
Report Typo |
Send Tip |
Get Alerts | Most Popular
Follow @abc7 on Twitter | Become a fan on Facebook
