Ex-NFL Star Plaxico Burress Gets 2 Years in Prison in NYC Nightclub Gun Incident

AP

March 31: Plaxico Burress, center, leaves the criminal courts building with his wife, Tiffany, second from right, and his lawyer Benjamin Brafman, right. A gun possession case against Burress has been adjourned until June 15. Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun at a n

March 31: Plaxico Burress, center, leaves the criminal courts building with his wife, Tiffany, second from right, and his lawyer Benjamin Brafman, right. A gun possession case against Burress has been adjourned until June 15. Burress accidentally shot himself in the leg with an unlicensed gun at a n

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NEW YORK — Ex-NFL star Plaxico Burress was sentenced to two years in prison Tuesday as part of a plea deal struck after accidentally shooting himself in the leg with a gun he carried into a New York City nightclub.

The former New York Giants wide receiver was sentenced Tuesday morning in Manhattan's state Supreme Court as part of a plea deal on weapons charges reached last month.

Burress tearfully told his family goodbye as he surrendered to begin his prison stint for attempted criminal possession of a weapon.

Burress was indicted on two counts of weapon possession and one count of reckless endangerment and pleaded guilty Aug. 20. He had faced a minimum sentence of 3 1/2 years on those charges if convicted at trial. He pleaded to the lesser charge and agreed to the two-year term.

Click here for photos.

More coverage from MyFOXNY.com.

With time off for good behavior, Burress likely will serve 20 months. He will be monitored an additional two years after he is freed from prison, which could come as early as the spring of 2011.

The Giants released Burress in April, but the 32-year-old told ESPN he hopes to resume his NFL career when he completes his sentence.

Before the hearing began, Burress played with his preschool-age son, Elijah. Then he hugged and kissed his wife, child, father, grandmother and stepmother.

Burress was so soft-spoken during his apologetic courtroom address that onlookers could not understand him.

Defense lawyer Benjamin Brafton said, "This is a very real tragic case in many, many ways." He called Burress "a fundamentally decent man."

Burress, who caught the winning touchdown for the Giants over the previously undefeated New England Patriots in the final minute of the 2008 Super Bowl, and former teammate Antonio Pierce were at the Latin Quarter nightclub in Manhattan last November when a gun tucked into Burress' waistband slipped down his leg and fired, wounding him.

The gun was not licensed in New York or in New Jersey, where Burress lived. His license to carry a concealed weapon in the Florida had expired in May 2008.

Pierce, who drove Burress to a hospital after the shooting, was not indicted.

Brafman previously said Burress was thinking of his family in taking the plea, but the attorney questioned the recommended prison sentence.

"This was not an intentional criminal act," Brafman said the day of the plea. "In my judgment, a two-year prison sentence is a very severe punishment."

Gil Brandt, an analyst on NFL Sirius Radio and the former head of player personnel for the Dallas Cowboys, said Burress won't be too old for a comeback when he's released from prison.

"First of all, Plaxico is a guy who keeps himself in pretty good shape," Brandt said. "Lots of times guys get heavy in the off-season. He is not a guy who has done that."

But Brandt intimated it could be difficult for Burress to reacquire his football skills after so much time on the sidelines.

"It's like a person who has gone to college or high school and drops out of school for two years," he said. "It is hard to reacquire your study habits. I think it is hard to reacquire the work habits you need to be successful when you have been away from the game for two years or so."

Real Housewife' Kim Zolciak Has a Secret Stripper Past?

Bravo

Kim Zolciak wnet byt the name "Barbi" in the early 2000s, an insider tells Pop Tarts.

'Real Housewife' Kim Zolciak Has a Secret Stripper Past?

"Real Housewives of Atlanta" starlet Nene Leakes recently came forward and admitted to having been a stripper, but could it be that her co-star Kim Zolciak profited from the same profession?

According to sources close to the Bravo babe, in 2003 she spent around three months "making a lot of money" as a stripper at Atlanta’s premiere gentleman’s establishment The Cheetah Club under the stage name "Barbi."

PHOTOS: Click for hot shots of Kim through the years.

"She didn’t do it for long, but was very popular among the crowd," said our insider.

The Cheetah Club declined to comment, but according to a rep for Zolciak, she did indeed work at Cheetah, but "as a cocktail waitress."

However Zolciak herself has now come forward to say she never worked the stage.

"I've never stripped," she tells Tarts. "[My former rep] is a loose cannon spreading lies. I am not affiliated with him whatsoever."

The controversy comes as the reality starlet recently took her career to new heights by releasing a surprisingly successful dance single "Tardy for the Party" and even earned herself a role presenting on VH1 "Divas in New York" last week. We’re also told that "everyone is coming after her" to release a full-length pop album, so while things are looking up professionally, the single starlet is taking time out to improve her personal life too.

Zolciak met with "The Millionaire Matchmaker" Patti Stanger this past Wednesday and apparently Stanger is going to her hook her up with a nice, wealthy fellow, our source says (but, again, Zolciak denies).

Just like in fairy tales. Sigh...

Linda Bollea Withdraws Motion to Sue Hulk Hogan

Just a few weeks ago Linda Bollea was up in arms that ex hubby Hulk Hogan hadn’t given her the money and Harley Davidson she said he agreed too in their divorce settlement, so she filed a motion for enforcement and/or contempt against him in the Pinellas Superior Court.

Now it looks as though she got her bike and her bank.

Bollea withdrew the motion on Friday, asserting that the former pro wrestler finally honored his word.

"Hulk Hogan resolved our demands and complied with the Confidential Marital Settlement Agreement and Final Judgment of Dissolution of Marriage," Bollea’s attorney told Tarts. "We are pleased that Hulk Hogan abided with the parties’ agreement and hope we will not need to file a similar motion against him in the future."

Charlize Theron Takes Swipe at Anna Wintour in Her Own Territory

Charlize Theron looks simply stunning as she graces the cover of the new issue of Vogue magazine, but did the actress take a deliberate swipe at Anna Wintour and her fur-lovin' ways?

Theron turned up to the interview donning a red PETA "Fight Breedism" shirt, which would not have gone down well with Miss Wintour, who makes no secret of the fact that animal skins are a must in her fashion bible.

"Anna would have been livid, I've know models that have met with her and the second they mention a passion for animals, they are completely blacklisted," snitched an inside source.

Rush Limbaugh Guest Stars on 'Family Guy', Sasha Baron Cohen Does 'Simpsons'

Seth McFarlane has made no secret of the fact he’s political views skew prominently to the left, but he was beyond honored to have recently welcomed Rush Limbaugh into the studio to record a guest role in his animated series "Family Guy."

"I don’t agree with his political views, infact I’m very much the opposite but I loved having him on the show," McFarlane told Tarts at his pre-Emmy party in Hollywood on Friday night. "But Rush is a great guy."

The premise of Limbaugh’s guest role involves the family dog Brian being weaned off his liberal ways and turning into Limbaugh’s greatest fan, following him around town, moving into his home and even attempting to take over his radio show.

On the topic of guest stars, "The Simpsons" recently shot an episode (set to air in March 2010) featuring Sacha Baron Cohen as a crazy tour guide who takes the dysfunctional family around Israel on their travels. We’re told Cohen’s character fights with Marge while Homer becomes convinced he is the messiah.

The Real Reason Women Have Sex

FNC

“Why Women Have Sex.”

Given the stereotype that women are never in the mood, it’s not surprising that this book title is grabbing people’s attention. Written by researchers Cindy Meston and David Buss, the work flushes out the results of a survey of 1,006 women.

And their findings are all over the board; the authors highlight 200 reasons.

RELATED: New Book Reveals the Real Reason Women Have Sex

So why do women have sex? The vast majority (84 percent) have sex to guarantee a quiet life or to persuade their men to do some housework. Some of the other reasons given in interviews include...

1. She’s alleviating boredom – it gives her something to do.

2. She wants to relieve a stress headache or migraine.

3. She’s trying to put an end to an argument.

4. She wants a better complexion.

5. She’s thanking her date for a nice dinner, a present, or spending a lot of money on her early on in the relationship.

6. She’s after a spiritual experience since sex is seen as “the closest thing to God.”

7. She’s refining her sexual skills.

8. She feels sorry for the fellow.

9. She likes that he has an extravagant lifestyle.

10. She’s in a long-distance relationship and wants action now versus later.

Ironically, romance and passion ranked low on females’ reasons for having sex. Instead, sex was viewed as being all about fun, with 60 percent of survey respondents admitting to regularly sleeping with a male friend who was not their boyfriend.

Attraction, too, apparently ranks low on a lady’s list. What’s interesting to note about this factor is that while most men find most women sexually attractive, researchers said that the gals don’t see the guys in quite the same way.

Women reported being attracted to men who were described as tall, having a deep voice, and smelling good. A male having a symmetrical body was also liked, indicating that he could give her strong children. Still, those men not living up to such visions can take comfort in her preference of men with lower levels of testosterone, since this suggests that he’s less likely to pursue others.

It’s important to take these findings with a grain of salt. The way that they’ve been presented largely reinforces the idea that women aren’t sexual by nature as much as capable of using sex as a bargaining tool. Writings cast women as using sex manipulatively or to put up with a partner and her relationship.

Then, muddling matters in terms of how to interpret results is the issue of women having sex versus wanting sex. These are two different factors in one’s sexual activity that aren’t being dealt with independently. Which reasons are ones where women desired sex or skin-on-skin contact? Which reasons felt instinctual?

The University of Texas study has also been criticized for focusing solely on university students at the UT Austin campus who were mostly young and white. We have to remember that these are the results of one group of women — they’re not representative of all women. Still, the book’s press release claims that the work is the “richest and deepest psychological understanding of female sexuality.”

Really?

Collectively, the reasons presented in this survey make all women look conniving, selfish, narcissistic, and shallow when it comes to sex. It paints us as using sex for bartering purposes or approaching it as a hobby or sport. And while that may be the case for these women to some degree, the original research and book actually misrepresent all women by claiming that these findings apply to all of us.

There are a lot more reasons why women are having sex — and they aren’t being captured in this book.

If you ask me, and lot of other women of all ages and backgrounds out there, the reason women have sex, they’ll tell you... They’re having sex to express affection, to get in tune with their sexual core and feel sexy, to make love, to feel close to another, to maintain a long-term relationship by keeping the passion alive, to relish a shared, special moment... and because they like sex when it feels good.

Dr. Yvonne K. Fulbright is a sex educator, relationship expert, columnist and founder of Sexuality Source Inc. She is the author of several books including, "Touch Me There! A Hands-On Guide to Your Orgasmic Hot Spots."

Tape of 911 Call Released as Michael Jackson Autopsy Under Way

Reuters

May 5: Michael Jackson gestures during a news conference at the O2 Arena in London.

May 5: Michael Jackson gestures during a news conference at the O2 Arena in London.

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The recording of a 911 call made shortly before Michael Jackson was rushed to the hospital Thursday that reports a 50-year-old man is "not breathing" was released Friday as authorities conducted an autopsy on the pop music icon.

The autopsy began Friday morning in an attempt to clear up the mystery surrounding Jackson's untimely demise, including whether prescription drugs played a role.

"We have a personal doctor here sir, but he's not responding to anything," a man's voice can be heard telling the dispatch during the call."He's not responding to CPR or anything."

Meanwhile Friday, law enforcement officials were looking to speak with Jackson's personal live-in physician, who was briefly interviewed by detectives at the scene Thursday.

LAPD Spokeswoman Karen Rayner told FOX News that police hope the physician — whose identity police have not confirmed — can help with the investigation.

Rayner stressed that he was not under criminal investigation, but coroner's investigators wanted to contact him for more information. His car was impounded last night by police.

But other reports about the mystery doctor were far more disturbing — according to TMZ, he may have given Jackson a possibly fatal narcotic injection.

A local Houston report claims the doctor's name is Conrad Robert Murray, a cardiologist based out of Texas. The LAPD did not confirm that information.

The male on the 911 call told the emergency dispatch that the doctor was the only person at the scene when Jackson lost consciousness.

Jackson, whose fame spanned from his childhood with the legendary Jackson 5 to a superstar solo career that earned him the nickname 'King of Pop,' died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital. He was 50.

The autopsy began at 11 a.m. EDT, though results were not likely to be final until toxicology tests could be completed.

The process could take up to six to eight weeks, Ed Winter, L.A. County Assistant Chief Coroner told reporters Friday morning.

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• EMT Vehicle Leaves Michael Jackson's Home

However, if a cause can be determined by the autopsy, they will announce the results, said Los Angeles County Coroner Investigator Jerry McKibben.

There has been speculation that drugs may have played a role in the death of the icon, with TMZ citing sources who claim he was given a "heavy dose of morphine" before his death. Other reports claim that Jackson received a shot of Demerol — a similar narcotic— shortly before his death.

Brian Oxman, a former attorney of Jackson's and a family friend, said he was concerned about Jackson's use of painkillers and he warned the singer's family about possible abuse.

PHOTOS: Click here for photos of Michael Jackson.

"I said one day, we're going to have this experience. And when Anna Nicole Smith passed away, I said we cannot have this kind of thing with Michael Jackson," Oxman said. "The result was, I warned everyone, and lo and behold, here we are. I don't know what caused his death. But I feared this day, and here we are."

Jackson died at UCLA Medical Center after being stricken at his rented home in the posh Los Angeles neighborhood of Holmby Hills. Paramedics tried to resuscitate him at his home for nearly three-quarters of an hour, then rushed him to the hospital, where doctors continued to work on him.

Click here to see Jermaine Jackson's statement.

"It is believed he suffered cardiac arrest in his home. However, the cause of his death is unknown until results of the autopsy are known," his brother Jermaine Jackson said at a press conference Thursday.

Jackson said his brother's physician was with him at his home at the time of his suspected cardiac arrest, and both the physician and the paramedics who transported to the UCLA Medical Center attempted to resuscitate him.

"Upon arriving at the hospital at approximately 1:14 p.m. a team of doctors, including emergency physicians and cardiologists, attempted to resuscitate him for a period of more than one hour, but they were unsuccessful," he said.

Jackson was pronounced dead at at 2:26 p.m. PDT, his brother said.

"My family request that the media please respect our privacy during this time, and may all love be with you Michael, always. We love you."

Cardiac arrest is an abnormal heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping blood to the body. It can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems.

Jackson's death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

Jackson was born in Indiana in 1958. He rose to fame as part of the successful pop group The Jackson 5, formed with his brothers in 1967. The group went on to earn four number one hits in 1970 alone, and the 12-year-old Jackson became the undeniable breakout star of the group.

In 1972, Jackson enjoyed his first solo hit with the song “Ben.” Six years later, he made his film debut in “The Wiz,” in which he renewed his friendship with producer Quincy Jones.

Collaborating with Jones, Jackson went on to become remarkably successful with his solo efforts “Off The Wall” in 1979 and “Thriller” in 1982.

From there, Jackson went on to become the undeniable “King of Pop,” winning eight Grammy awards for “Thriller” alone.

TOPIC: Click here for the latest on Michael Jackson.

During the 1980s, he became an icon with a distinct style of fashion and performing, as well, wearing one sparkling glove, bejeweled military clothing and short pants with socks.

It was around this time that Jackson began experimenting with excessive cosmetic surgery, including lightening of his skin.

In 1992, Jackson founded the "Heal the World Foundation," a charity that brought underprivileged children to his Neverland Ranch, where Jackson would spend time with them and allow them to stay the night.

This practice raised many eyebrows, especially when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy who had become a regular Neverland guest. Jackson maintained his innocence. In 1994, he settled the case out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Jackson briefly was married to Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis. The union drew intense public scrutiny, there was speculation as to whether the marriage was simply an attempt to improve Jackson’s image, though he maintained that they lived genuinely as husband and wife; however, the marriage broke up after less than two years.

From there, his career never quite recovered, but he remained in the news, making headline after headline for strange and unusual behavior, including dangling his child over a balcony in Germany in 2002.

In 2004, police raided the Neverland Ranch, issuing an arrest warrant for charges of child molestation based on allegations of a boy who had appeared in Martin Bashir's infamous documentary about Jackson. Later that year, a man filed a lawsuit against him, alleging he had been molested 20 years earlier, explaining that he had repressed the memory until 2003. However, a judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit.

In 2005, he was cleared of charges he molested the 13-year-old cancer survivor at Neverland in 2003. He had been accused of playing the boy with alcohol and groping him. The case took a fearsome toll on his career and image, and he fell into serious financial trouble.

Jackson was preparing for what was to be his greatest comeback: He was scheduled for an unprecedented 50 shows at a London arena, with the first set for July 13. He was in rehearsals in Los Angeles for the concert, an extravaganza that was to capture the classic Jackson magic: showstopping dance moves, elaborate staging and throbbing dance beats.

Hundreds of people gathered outside the hospital as word of his death spread. The emergency entrance at the UCLA Medical Center, which is near Jackson's rented home, was roped off with police tape.

In New York's Times Square, a low groan went up in the crowd when a screen flashed that Jackson had died, and people began relaying the news to friends by cell phone.

"No joke. King of Pop is no more. Wow," Michael Harris, 36, of New York City, read from a text message a friend sent to his telephone. "It's like when Kennedy was assassinated. I will always remember being in Times Square when Michael Jackson died."

Police Release 911 Call, Seek Clues in Jackson's Death

Life of Fame and Scandal Ends at 50 on Eve of Comeback Concerts

ETHAN SMITH

Associated Press

Michael Jackson performs at the Super Bowl XXVII halftime show, on January 31, 1993.

The Los Angeles Fire Department released the 911 emergency call from Michael Jackson's home, a day after the pop icon died from suffering cardiac arrest.

A caller reported that Mr. Jackson was on a bed, he wasn't breathing and wasn't responding to CPR. The unidentified caller said Mr. Jackson only was with his personal doctor at the time.

An autopsy was planned for Friday afternoon, though results weren't likely to be final until toxicology tests are completed, a process that takes several days and sometimes weeks.

View Slideshow

Associated Press

Fans stage an impromptu celebration of the life of Mr. Jackson outside UCLA Medical Center.

Police investigating Mr. Jackson's death looked into his medical treatment, seeking to interview one of the pop king's doctors and seizing a car that they said may contain drugs or other evidence. Authorities towed a BMW from Mr. Jackson's rented home "because it may contain medications or other evidence that may assist the coroner in determining the cause of death,'' police spokeswoman Karen Rayner said.

Mr. Jackson, age 50, was one of the most successful, visible and influential pop singers in history. His albums sold hundreds of millions of copies and his music videos helped define the medium.

Sales of his music and videos soared after his death was reported. Amazon.com Inc. sold out of its stock of CDs by Mr. Jackson and the Jackson 5. Barnes & Noble Inc. said its stores were currently sold out of most Jackson CDs, DVDs and books.

Mr. Jackson gained equal attention for his personal life. He was known for his flashy, theatrical dressing style, his repeated recourse to plastic surgery, which significantly altered his look over his career, and, in later years, two accusations of child molestation.

His 1980s habit of wearing a single white glove inspired a short-lived fashion trend, while his signature moonwalk dance became nearly as iconic as his music and look.

Mr. Jackson spent many years at his 2,600-acre ranch, Neverland, in Los Olivos, Calif., which was outfitted as a kind of playground for a child with an unlimited allowance, with carnival rides, a movie theater and two working railroad lines.

His death fell on the eve of what was to be an ambitious and potentially lucrative rehabilitation of his career after several years of controversy during which he stopped performing or releasing new music. Mr. Jackson's last major moment in the spotlight had occurred in 2005, when he was acquitted of criminal child-molestation charges. But even before then, his career had been stuck in a holding pattern.

King of Pop Michael Jackson Dies

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Pop star Michael Jackson has died at age 50 after being rushed to UCLA Medical Center.

A profligate lifestyle and his massive legal fees had also left the singer with $500 million in debt, and he defaulted on a $24.5 million loan backed by Neverland. However, Mr. Jackson had made a few key business decisions early on that kept him afloat through the tabloid-fodder madness that eventually engulfed him. By acquiring and holding lucrative music-publishing he assets, including the rights to many Beatles songs, he was able to maintain a modicum of financial stability.

Nevertheless, by early 2009, Mr. Jackson was so overextended financially that he was in a panic about money, people close to him said.

In March, concert promoter AEG Live announced that Mr. Jackson would perform a series of shows at its O2 arena in London. Demand for tickets proved to be enormous, and the run was eventually extended to 50 concerts, with hundreds of thousands of tickets sold. The dates were spread over several months, starting in early July and stretching well into 2010.

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• Michael Jackson's business decisions, and reaction to his death on social media in a segment from the Wall Street Journal This Morning podcast.

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• Discuss: How did Jackson influence music and the music industry?

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• WSJ on MJ: Hedcuts Through the Years
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• Speakeasy: Jackson Created a Shared Experience

Jackson in the Journal

• Digits: Beware the Michael Jackson Spam
• Wealth Report: What Is Jackson's Estate Worth?
• Economic Reality Prompts a Makeover at 'Neverland' (06/13/09)
• The King of Pop Returns to Stage (03/06/09)
• Michael Jackson: The Next Elvis? (06/13/08)
• Beatles Songs May Help Pay Pop Star's Debts (04/13/06)
• It Won't Be a Song For Jackson to Keep Assets, Save Career (6/14/05)
• Michael Jackson's Other Battle: Staving Off Financial Disaster (6/8/05)
• In This Michael Jackson Video, He Sings South Korea's Praises (12/16/97)
• Did Michael Speak? Yes! Yes! He Said, 'Thank You' (Sigh) (04/01/92)
• Pop and Rock Tours Like Michael Jackson's Grow More Complex (07/09/84)
• PepsiCo Gambles Big on an Ad Campaign With Michael Jackson (02/21/84)

Mr. Jackson's agreement with AEG Live, owned by Denver billionaire Phil Anschutz, included an option to extend the concert series even further into a world-wide tour over three years or more. All told the tour could have earned him $400 million.

In preparation for the London performances, Mr. Jackson had undergone a five-hour physical examination. AEG Live Chief Executive Randy Phillips said in March that Mr. Jackson had "passed with flying colors."

But signs of trouble arose even as the singer was preparing for the initial concerts. The first four dates were postponed, ostensibly because the singer needed more time for dress rehearsals in the venue. Some people close to the singer expressed doubt whether he would be able to pull off so many concerts.

Born in 1958 in Gary, Ind., Mr. Jackson was quickly pushed into the limelight. Even at a very young age he was the star of the Jackson Five, the singing group his father, Joseph Jackson, assembled with five of the Jackson sons.

The Jacksons quickly graduated from local talent shows to the national stage. They signed to Berry Gordy's Motown Records and enjoyed a string of hits that included "ABC" and "I Want You Back." But life under their hard-charging father and manager took its toll, and Mr. Jackson had anything but a normal childhood.

After striking out on his own, Mr. Jackson's fame grew. His 1982 "Thriller" is one of the best-selling albums in history.

Thursday afternoon, the sidewalks outside UCLA Medical Center were overflowing with people. Some onlookers burst into tears even before an official announcement of his death had been made. Other impromptu Michael Jackson memorials popped up around the country, including one outside Harlem's famed Apollo Theater.

View Slideshow

Associated Press

Mr. Jackson performed before a sold-out crowd at the Los Angeles Sports Arena in November 1988.

In 1993, he faced a child-abuse investigation after a 13-year-old named Jordan Chandler accused the pop star of inappropriate behavior. The child's family sued Mr. Jackson for $22 million. The singer later paid a multi-million-dollar settlement while maintaining his innocence.

A brief marriage to Elvis Presley's daughter, Lisa Maria Presley, ended in divorce. Another marriage, to Debbie Rowe, produced two children but also ended in divorce. He had a third child, Prince Michael II, whose mother he never identified publicly.

In 2003, new problems began to surface for Mr. Jackson after he said during the filming of a British documentary that he shared his bed with boys. The next year, Jackson faced an arraignment in California after a teenage cancer survivor said that the pop star had gotten him drunk and molested him.

In 2005, a trial began in Santa Maria, Calif., where Jackson defended himself against charges of child molestation and providing alcohol to minors, and faced a possible 20-year prison sentence. Though he was acquitted on all counts, the three-month trial exposed many details of Mr. Jackson's personal life.

Pop Legend Michael Jackson Dead at 50

AP

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• Music icon Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, a source close to the family told FOX News.

Music icon Michael Jackson died Thursday afternoon at a Los Angeles hospital, a source close to the family told FOX News.

Debra Opri, a former Jackson family attorney, confirmed that the legendary singer, 50, was rushed to the hospital Thursday afternoon, where he later died at 3:15 p.m. EDT after falling into a deep coma.

Multiple reports claimed that shortly after noon Thursday, Jackson went into cardiac arrest and had to receive CPR in the ambulance. As the news broke, Joe Jackson, his father, told multiple news sources that his son was "not doing well."

Paramedics responded to a 911 call at around 12:26 p.m. PDT, the Los Angeles Times reported. He was reportedly not breathing at the time of their arrival.

A Jackson spokesman was unavailable for comment.

His death brought a tragic end to a long, bizarre, sometimes farcical decline from his peak in the 1980s, when he was popular music's premier all-around performer, a uniter of black and white music who shattered the race barrier on MTV, dominated the charts and dazzled even more on stage.

PHOTOS: Click here for photos of Michael Jackson.

Jackson was born in Indiana in 1958. He rose to fame as part of the successful pop group The Jackson Five, formed with his brothers in 1967. The group went on to earn four number one hits in 1970 alone, and the 12-year-old Jackson became the undeniable breakout star of the group.

In 1972, Jackson enjoyed his first solo hit with the song “Ben.” Six years later, he made his film debut in “The Wiz,” where he renewed his friendship with producer Quincy Jones.

Collaborating with Jones, Jackson went on to become remarkably successful with his solo efforts “Off The Wall” in 1979 and “Thriller” in 1982.

From there, Jackson went on to become the undeniable “King of Pop,” winning seven Grammy awards for “Thriller” alone.

During the 1980s, he became an icon with a distinct style of fashion and performing as well, wearing one sparkling glove, bejeweled military clothing and short pants with socks.

It was around this time that Jackson began experimenting with excessive cosmetic surgery, including lightening of his skin.

In 1992, Michael founded the "Heal the World Foundation," a charity that brought underprivileged children to Neverland Ranch where Michael would spend time with them and allow them to spend the night.

This practice raised many eyebrows, especially when Jackson was accused of molesting a 13-year-old boy who had become a regular Neverland guest. Jackson responded to the allegations publicly, maintaining his innocence. In 1994, he settled the case out of court for an undisclosed amount.

Jackson was briefly married the daughter of Elvis Presley, Lisa Marie. The union was publicly scrutinized and speculations arose as to whether the marriage was simply an attempt to improve Jackson’s image, though he maintained that they lived genuinely as man and wife; however, the marriage broke up after less than two years.

From there, his career never recovered, but he remained in the news making headline after headline for strange and unusual behavior, including dangling his child over a balcony in Germany in .

While Jackson was on the set, the police raided Neverland Ranch issuing an arrest warrant for charges of child molestation by the same boy who appeared in Martin Bashir's documentary about Jackson.

A trial took place in 2005, and Jackson was acquitted of all charges. After his acquittal, he relocated to the Gulf Island of Bahrain, where he has reportedly been spending his time writing new music.

In 2004, a man filed a lawsuit against him, alleging he had been molested 20 years earlier but had repressed the memory until 2003. However, a judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit.

Jackson was set to go on European tour of 50 concert dates this year, but he had not booked any dates. There were multiple reports that he was too sick to perform, but Jackson never confirmed the rumors.