Michael Jackson could have been alive if one change was made during his last weeks, says family lawyer
It's been over 15 years since Michael Jackson died following a drug overdose. However, the Jackson family's attorney, Brian Oxman, stated that the King of Pop would still be alive if his father, Joe Jackson, hadn't been stopped from seeing him during his last couple of weeks. Just a month before Michael's tragic death that took place on June 25, 2009, Joe reportedly told his close pal and lawyer Oxman that his superstar son was on the brink of an overdose. For the uninformed, let us share with you that Michael passed away at the age of 50 due to a cardiac arrest, which was caused by an overdose of propofol and benzodiazepine.
During an interview with The Mirror, Oxman, who has been the legal representative of the Jackson family since the 80s, said, “Joe would have been the only one to have [gotten] through to Michael and saved his life. I still believe that." In a separate confessional, Joe shed light on his son's untimely demise and quipped, “This is the way the story had to end. It was almost as if it was written in the stars.” On the other hand, Oxam mentioned how Michael 'hated' the portrayal of his story when he was alive, "but this is the legacy and what we have to live with.”
Joe (who was the mastermind behind the renowned pop band The Jackson 5) and his wife, Katherine Jackson, met Michael at the Beverly Hills Hotel in mid-May 2009. When Joe shared his concerns during that meeting, Michael's three children, Paris Jackson, Prince Jackson, and Bigi Jackson, were also present there. At that point, Joe told Michael, "Michael, you're in trouble." After the strained confrontation, Oxman shared, "Joe left that meeting, and he called me afterwards and said, ‘Brian, he ain’t going to make it. They are killing him. I know what my son is like. He is screaming for help, Brian... He’s going to die. I just know it. He’s not doing well, Brian. He’s going to die’.” In the end, Joe's paternal instinct was correct.
Back in the day, Michael relied on his personal doctor, Conrad Murray, to cure his insomnia with anesthesia and sedation pills. Michael also allegedly hid these vivid details from his mother. Oxman further elaborated, "When she asked him about doctors, Michael said, 'I have it under control'. She begged him, 'You cannot do this. You need to go and get medical help'." Joe was deeply worried about Michael and felt that he was facing drug dependency again, self-medicating while "being pushed too hard" by concert bosses. In 1993, Michael even stopped his Dangerous Tour for a rehab stint after being addicted to Valium and Ativan.
Oxman explained, "Michael knew he was in trouble. He was contractually committed to London and afraid because he had been advanced millions of dollars. No matter what his dad did, he could not get through all the layers of craziness and the so-called protectors. It was only Joe who knew how to protect his son, but yet he was excluded. He knew how to talk with Michael and negotiate for him to get better. Had Michael allowed his family in, Joe would have saved him. Joe knew how to communicate with his son and deal with the business problems, too. He would’ve got Michael to do the shows when he was ready but wouldn’t have permitted this drug crap. He knew it had to be ‘No more Murray or Klein’.”
As per The Mirror US, Oxman shed light on Michael's relationship with his father and noted, “Michael told me, ‘My father used to make us rehearse, and I never wanted to. He would take his belt off, and he would chase me’. When I asked if he ever hit him, Michael replied, ‘No. I was too fast for him’. When I said, ‘Everybody thinks he beat the crap out of you’, he just changed the subject, saying, ‘Don’t use that word. That’s a nasty word’. Joe loved his son and was protective over him for years.” Speaking of Michael's death, Oxman commented, "I get upset every single day thinking about Michael passing. He had so much more to offer the world. There really was no one like him, and the world has never seen a performer like him in ten lifetimes.”