14 DAY TRIAL // Michael Jackson has not yet been buried, despite the fact that almost seven weeks have gone by since he passed away. Although some reports claimed, at one point, that the Jackson clan had laid his body to rest in an unmarked grave during a secret ceremony, according to Joe Jackson, Michael’s father, this couldn’t be farther from the truth. The late King of Pop will be buried on what should have been his 51st birthday, on August 29, Joe tells the New York Daily News.
Word in the tabloid media has it that the funeral has been postponed for so long not only because of the pending LAPD investigation into the causes of Michael’s death, but also on account of the fact that the family could not come to an understanding as to the burial place itself. One reason for that is the fact that some Jacksons don’t want the grave to turn into a touristic attraction, it has been said, but that no longer seems to be the case, as Joe is very specific about the location and the time the ceremony will take place, the NY Daily News informs.
“The King of Pop will finally be laid to rest. Or so says his dad. Michael Jackson will be buried in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Los Angeles at 10 a.m. on Aug. 29 on what would have been the King of Pop’s 51st birthday, Joe Jackson told Steve Friess, the Daily News’ man in Las Vegas. The elder Jackson indicated that the burial plans had been made final just in the past few days.” the aforementioned publication writes. It is not known yet whether Joe speaks on behalf of the entire family or if he is, again, taking matters into his own hands and dealing with the media without their consent or approval.
As we were telling you yesterday, word emerged that Michael Jackson had not been buried yet, despite reports to the contrary. His body, according to celebrity gossip website / paparazzi agency TMZ, was being held in a freezer at a location where only family members had access, where he would remain until the family could make all the arrangements necessary for the funeral. Should Joe Jackson be right about the date when the ceremony is to take place, a statement from the Jackson clan is pending, speaking on the kind of access – if any – the media and fans will be granted.
In the meanwhile, the police investigation into Michael’s death is still ongoing. No one has yet been charged, but LAPD holds Dr. Conrad Murray as the primary suspect of homicide. For more on this, keep an eye on this space.