La Toya Jackson: Michael 'Looked Fabulous,' Wore Pearls At Funeral

NEW YORK — La Toya Jackson says her brother Michael looked "absolutely fabulous" when he was laid to rest last week.

In an interview on ABC's "20/20," she tells Barbara Walters that the King of Pop was dressed in white pearl beads and a big gold belt, "like a belt that you win being a boxer."

"His hair was done beautifully, his makeup was done beautifully," she says.

A pair of sunglasses and a white glove were among the items placed in the casket with him.

Michael Jackson's death on June 25 from a fatal combination of drugs has been labeled a homicide by the coroner's office. Prosecutors are still investigating, and no charges have been filed. But La Toya Jackson says she blames her brother's death on "any and everybody" who gave him drugs.

"They're doctors!" she says. "This is going against their license."

She calls her brother "special," explaining that "he wasn't God, but he was certainly God-like. He was the closest thing to a god that I knew."

The interview is scheduled to air Friday at 10 p.m. Eastern.

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ABC is owned by the Walt Disney Co.

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On the Net:

ABC: http://www.abc.com

Comments

[Cherubim]

11:59 PM on 09/13/2009

To see the official "This Is It" Movie trailer,
Click on the link below: ENJOY
http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=yZuOVue0W­eU
THIS IS PROOF THERE IS LIFE AFTER DEATH!!!!!­!!!!!!

[Cherubim]

12:26 AM on 09/14/2009

THANK YOU GOD, the links below are MUCH clearer:

You tube Stream:
http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=wLnjlZJ-n­zw

Official Site:
http://www­.ThisIsIt-­Movie.com/

[SILVANUS]

03:52 PM on 09/13/2009

Oh LaToya... not easy being the sib with no talent.

[binq56]

02:30 PM on 09/13/2009

The craziness that just keeps on giving. How can they keep him alive in the news any longer? Just wait and see.

[Cherubim]

02:07 PM on 09/13/2009

To quote Dick Gregory;
"Doctors make the best assassins.­"

[spiritpony1]

01:25 PM on 09/13/2009

Having just recently arrived from the planet Jupiter, I do believe I need a one-stop explanatio­n of the American culture---

[shaaronie]

12:49 AM on 09/13/2009

Truth 101 has 19 email addresses so she could fan herself or she got the other patients at the "home" to do it.

[sexyrexy]

04:17 AM on 09/13/2009

it's one flew over the cuckoo's nest.. all over again!

where's the 'shining ' when we need him?? to sort out truthie-fr­uitie??

[Corine]

10:44 PM on 09/12/2009

Thanksgivi­ng dinner at the Jackson's must be so much fun, just like the dinner scene in Tim Burton's Beetlejuic­e,

[beanchihuahua]

09:40 PM on 09/12/2009

I bet someone snapped a few photos of his body and will happily sell them to the magazine with the highest bidder too. It's sad, but nothing surprises me with his family.

[sexyrexy]

10:34 PM on 09/12/2009

if pics were takern?? it won't come from his family but from the morgue that prepared his body.

[Dougdog]

10:53 AM on 09/13/2009

I hate to say it but I'd love to see those pictures. I thought after waiting and hoping to see his funeral the Jackson family cut access to it.

[Inspecther Toclose]

04:06 PM on 09/12/2009

Don't they all, LaToya???

[Trueheart]

03:43 PM on 09/12/2009

Slightly off key.

[Judyisacutie]

11:23 AM on 09/12/2009

I wasn't going to say anything before but the more LaToya opens her mouth to tell personal things about her brother, even how he looked in his casket, the more I think she was a really lousy sister to him.

[Two Cents]

02:00 PM on 09/12/2009

How MJ was dressed in his casket is not "personal" informatio­n; who he did or didn't sleep with would be personal informatio­n. LaToya Jackson didn't "reveal" anything untoward, IMHO. I would further add that, judging by her affect, she did care for him deeply. She has just lost her brother . . . I'd say give her a pass.

[Two Cents]

07:41 AM on 09/12/2009

Say what you will about LaToya Jackson, the quotation discussed in the article is one small part of the entire interview. I've not watched the interview in its entirety, but one thing LaToya Jackson says that is absolutely true: Murray's use of Prince was both suspicious and cruel: < http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=wgSM1cqhb­M0&NR=1 >. On another note, I don't believe that LaToya is "crazy" -- in earlier tapes of her interactin­g with Michael Jackson it is clear that she feels incapable of "measuring up", which is unfortunat­e. (She was not in the shadow of only MJ, but earlier she was in the shadow of the five most well known brothers.) Given that, I think Janet Jackson is amazing for having establishe­d herself in the same industry as Michael Jackson. It was not merely Janet Jackson's talent that motivated her achievemen­ts -- and let us not forget that she has many --but "moral luck" in having an incredible strong sense of self and independen­ce. (As MJ would say, "G'on girl!" :o)

[Irish55]

09:09 AM on 09/12/2009

Nice comments. I don't think she is "crazy" either. I did watch the interview and while I agree with her that there was misconduct and maybe even criminal misconduct - I doubt Michael was murdered. Negligent homicide or something like that, yes, Something went wrong at the hands of another person - and that person should have to answer for it. It was so sad to hear her talk about the kids - how much Paris loves her dad (it sounds like she really had a special bond with Michael - maybe being the only girl?) and Dr, Murray involving Prince on that morning was, you're right, cruel. I don't know all that much about LaToya but it sounds like she cared for Michael deeply and is trying her best to honor his wishes and memory. I give a lot of credit to Janet too - I think she is a very strong woman - and a talented one. It could not have been easy to forge her own path but she did - and look at her now. I wish LaToya and the Jackson family the best. It's nice to hear that Michael's kids are doing well - and that they are surrounded by love.

[harriettubman]

10:30 AM on 09/12/2009

Dr. Murray was setting up his alibi. The timeline just doesn't add up. He sends two workers to his storage facility around 9:00 am. This gave him time to get things together then called Prince upstairs at noon. Why would a profession­al doctor call in a little boy to witness something like that? I believe MJ died in his sleep before 9:00am on 6/25. I really do. That's why Dr. Murray refused to pronounce MJ dead and sign the death certificat­e. Even EMT said he appeared dead.

[harriettubman]

10:25 AM on 09/12/2009

Reading about so much jealousy amongst them all, I believe those emotions were created by Joe. I've seen him in interviews being asked which were the more talented of his children. As a parent I would've refused to answer that question. Sure, MJ & Janet may be the bread winners but Jermaine can certainly sing too. LaToya is not a singer to me. That may be what she wants to do but that is not her gift.

Janet carved her own name. She refused to collaborat­e with MJ until she made her own way. She didn't want it to appear she was riding on his coat tails.

Having put MJ at the center also turned him into an egomainiac­. I've read where he managed his nephews but they weren't allowed to compete against him in the U.S. WTH? He also squashed many deals for Jermaine and his brothers too. This is what happens when parents start singling out children. MJ got what he wanted from childhood all the way to his untimely death. He didn't know what "no" ever meant.

[ggirl]

11:05 PM on 09/11/2009

I was a fan of Michael's and I never heard him say he was god, or god like. Someone should give this woman a bible so she can see who god is, and maybe give her a job.

[harriettubman]

11:00 PM on 09/11/2009

I watched it and LaToya did a good job. I don't believe the murder accusation but she did a good interview for once. She wasn't over the top, appeared to tell the truth. Barb asked some great questions too.

[chitown]

01:43 AM on 09/12/2009

And yet Barbara Walters, with all her experience­, and the limitless resources of ABC News, got the children's ages WRONG. Did they fire all the fact-check­ers in a cost-cutti­ng move?

[PilgrimForProgress]

07:20 PM on 09/11/2009

Godlike? Respectful­ly, I'd have to disagree. MJ was a talented guy and a major philanthro­pist. God, according to the Bible anyway, was a homicidal maniac with a liking for genocide. Don't see the resemblenc­e.

I know, I know, "god" with a small "g." But I enjoy watching conservati­ve sheeple get worked up over stuff like this. They're still mad that the Beatles were bigger than Je.su.s.

[KristinNoelle]

09:30 PM on 09/11/2009

What is the whole capital G thing about? Am I dissing myself because my email has my first name in a lowercase letter?

[ignorantwillyharper]

03:46 PM on 09/12/2009

You know, I've often thought about the little "g" versus the big "G" myself.
Is God going to come down and cut off your big "G", if you print the big "G" instead of the little "g"?