Pop icon Michael Jackson dies at 50
Updated Thu. Jun. 25 2009 7:44 PM ET
Michael Jackson, the "King of Pop," has died after suffering cardiac arrest at his Los Angeles home. The singer had been preparing for a major comeback after years of seclusion.
A fire department official said Jackson was not breathing when paramedics arrived at his rented Bel Air mansion at 12:26 p.m.
Jackson, 50, was treated at UCLA Medical Center. But hospital officials were unable to revive him.
"One of Michael Jackson's staff members called 911," TMZ correspondent Nina Parker told CTV News Channel. "Once the paramedics arrived, we were told that he was unresponsive and had no pulse. The paramedics were unable to revive him at the home, nor were they able to when he arrived at the hospital."
Lawyer Brian Oxman, a spokesperson for the Jackson lawyer, said prescription medications may have contributed to the death -- but no official cause has been given.
"For the last many months, and almost more than a year, this family has been talking about the use of medications by Michael and warning he was going to wake up dead," Oxman, his voice wavering, told CTV News Channel. "This was our fear."
Jackson's death came as he prepared for a major comeback next month, after years of seclusion. He was scheduled to perform 50 shows in London's O2 Arena, with the financial backing of two billionaires.
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R.I.P.
