Michael Jackson's burial was delayed for 3 months after his sister Janet made an odd demand, claims book
As much as Michael Jackson was a controversial figure during his lifetime, his funeral was equally surrounded by drama. The King of Pop's tragic death at his Los Angeles mansion at the age of 50 from acute propofol intoxication, as reported by NBC, took his fans by storm. While the world mourned the loss of a legend, the drama surrounding Michael's funeral was something he never deserved. In a bombshell revelation, an author sheds light on the turmoil behind the scenes, including claims that Janet Jackson delayed the funeral—and the reason behind it is truly surprising.
Author Randall Sullivan reveals shocking details about the events following Michael's death in his new book, 'Untouchable.' In an excerpt from the book published in Vanity Fair, Sullivan revealed that Michael's older sister LaToya Jackson arrived at his rented chateau with her boyfriend, Jeffre Phillips, and demanded access to the house, claiming, "We’re family and we should have access to the house." However, the morning after Michael's death, his younger sister, Janet, showed up with a moving van, and a few hours later, it left with LaToya's boyfriend driving.
Michael's mother, Katherine, Janet, and LaToya "camped out for most of the week" with Ronald Williams, who handled security at the property, noting that they came and went "whenever they felt like it." The scheming over money allegedly continued until Michael's burial. Sullivan reported that Jackson's funeral was delayed until September 2009 (he died in June) because Janet demanded the estate repay her the $40,000 she had paid for his cemetery spot at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California, as per Yahoo! Entertainment.
Following the allegations, Janet's attorney, Blair G Brown, sent a harsh legal letter to Vanity Fair demanding a retraction of an article in the November 2012 issue, as per Today. Brown described the story as "false and defamatory" in the letter addressed to the publication's Editor-in-Chief, Graydon Carter. Brown further demanded a retraction from Vanity Fair, stating that Janet never delayed Jackson's funeral. The lawyer went on to clarify that Janet paid for the funeral and was reimbursed for some expenses by Jackson's estate and that she had never sought reimbursement for other private costs incurred. He called the accusation of Janet holding up the funeral over money "outrageous" and "hurtful," emphasizing her desire to support her brother and family.
Brown requested the outlet retract the statement in its November 2012 issue and issue a correction. However, a Vanity Fair spokeswoman issued a statement to ABC News defending the article, stating that additional reporting revealed Janet actually paid more than the $40,000, as mentioned by Sullivan in his book for Jackson's burial. In 'Untouchable', Sullivan revealed a shocking account of Jackson's family members allegedly rushing to his home just hours after his death on June 25, 2009, to remove items. Sullivan claims that Katherine Jackson called Grace Rwaramba, Michael’s former nanny, asking about the whereabouts of money the singer reportedly hid in black garbage bags beneath the carpets.
Sullivan further claimed that La Toya and her boyfriend were seen by a private security guard loading black garbage bags into duffel bags. However, La Toya later denied the allegations, claiming the money was mostly gone by the time she arrived. La Toya's spokesperson denied the claims, stating that the person Sullivan identified as her boyfriend was actually her business partner. On the other hand, Katherine's lawyer dismissed the allegations, sharing that Katherine's priority was the well-being of Michael's kids, not engaging in any such activity during her son's passing.