LOS ANGELES [Peter Paul Media] – Michael Jackson, the most memorable and recognizable celebrity of this generation, died Thursday at the age of 50, officials said.
“He was pronounced dead this date [June 25] at 2:26 p.m. P.T. at [Ronald Reagan] UCLA Medical Center,” L.A. County Chief Coroner Craig Harvey said via email to Peter Paul Media.
“Anatomical findings show no evidence of trauma to the body or evidence of foul play.” The cause of death has been deferred pending the results of additional toxicological tests and tissue studies ordered by the medical examiner, a statement reads. Results are expected in six to eight weeks.
The Los Angeles Police Department said in a statement to Peter Paul Media that the King of Pop had been transported to hospital “from his residence to the hospital on June 25, 2009 at about 1 p.m. local time.
“As in all cases of undetermined death, the Police Department will investigate this occurrence and the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office will determine the cause of death,” the department said.
Jackson, born on August 29, 1953 in Gary, Indiana, arrived at hospital in a coma after being found unresponsive in a Holmby Hills home he was renting, just west of the city. Doctors tried for at least an hour to revive the icon at UCLA Medical Centre but were unsuccessful, CNN reported.
Jackson, 50, spent 40 of those years in the public eye, the New York Times reported. His passing spread globally within minutes due to the large number of social media updates and web searches around the world, simultaneously.
His music came back to the forefront around the world hours after his death with sales of his albums skyrocketing as news spread, MTV reported.
The last health update came in March when officials from AEG Live, the promoter of his upcoming London shows, said he had passed a 4 ½ medical exam with doctors “despite reports of Jackson’s ill health” Reuters reported.
The King of Pop achieved endless accolades to his name, including a few Guinness World Records. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, both as a member of the Jackson 5 and as a solo artist.
His 1982 album Thriller is the second highest selling original album of all time, going platinum 28 times with 33 million copies sold. He won 13 Grammy Awards during his famed career and as of 2000, he supported 39 charitible organizations, another world record.
Peter Paul Media 