Timeline

Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

The life of Michael Jackson, who died unexpectedly on June 25, 2009 at age 50.

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Nov. 5, 1949

Family

Joe Jackson, 20, and Katherine Scruse, 19, marry in 1949. Jackson, an aspiring musician, works as a crane operator at a Gary, Indiana steel plant.

May 29, 1950

Family

The oldest of the nine Jackson siblings, Rebbie, does not launch a music career until 1984. A cabaret singer and backup vocalist, her most recent album, "Yours Faithfully," came out in 1998 on Michael Jackson’s label MJJ.

May 4, 1951

Family

Along with Michael, Jackie becomes one of the lead singers of Jackson 5. His childhood dream was to become a baseball player, which he put on hold to launch his music career. He later released two solo albums and is currently running his record label, Jesco.

Oct. 15, 1953

Family

Tito, who plays guitar, formed the original Jackson family group known as The Jackson Brothers along with Jackie and Jermaine. His three sons formed the group 3T in the 1990s.

Dec. 11, 1954

Family

Jermaine was the only Jackson to stay with the record label Motown when his brothers split from the label. He was a staunch defender of Michael during his brother's trial on child molestation charges.

May 29, 1956

Family

La Toya began her career singing backup for the Jackson 5. She later released 10 solo albums. La Toya was estranged from her family for a period, reuniting after she divorced Jack Gordon.

March 12, 1957

Family

Marlon sang with his brothers first in the Jackson 5 and later with The Jacksons. He was unsuccessful in launching a solo career after the brothers disbanded. He went on to work as a real estate agent in Southern California.

Aug. 29, 1958

Family

Michael is the seventh child born to Joe and Katherine Jackson. At an early age, he attracts attention for both his singing and his dancing.

Oct. 29, 1961

Family

Randy, the youngest of the Jackson brothers, eventually sang with the family group. His effort to front his own group, Randy and the Gypsies, produced one album and no tours.

Jan. 1, 1964

Career

The three oldest brothers begin performing as The Jacksons and are soon joined by Marlon and Michael to make the Jackson 5.

Jan. 1, 1966

Career

The brothers, who have been competing on the local talent show circuit, win an all-city talent contest in Gary, Ind.

May 16, 1966

Family

Janet, the youngest of the nine Jackson siblings, was too young to participate in the Jackson 5. As a child, Janet played Penny Woods on the television sitcom "Good Times." She grew up to become a major recording artist in her own right.

Aug. 1, 1967

Career

The Jackson 5 makes its first appearance at the legendary Apollo Theater in New York, winning amateur night.

Jan. 1, 1968

Career

The group signs a six-month deal with Gary-based record label Steeltown.

July 1, 1968

Friends

The Jackson 5 meets legendary Motown head Berry Gordy. In his 1995 autobiography, Gordy writes of that meeting: "This little kid had an incredible knowingness about him that really made me take notice. He sang his songs with such feeling, inspiration and pain -- like he had experienced everything he was singing about. In between songs he kept his eyes on me the whole time, as if he was studying me."

Aug. 1, 1968

Career

The Jackson 5 performs at the Beverly Hills club The Daisy.

March 1, 1969

Career

Berry Gordy signs Jackson 5 to Motown Records. Gordy, already a legendary producer, had first seen the group perform on videotape in 1968 and persuaded them to leave the Gary, Ind.-based Steeltown Records label.

July 1, 1969

Family

The Jackson family moves from their home in Gary, Ind., to Los Angeles, living first in Hollywood.

Aug. 16, 1969

Career

The Jackson 5 performs at Hollywood Palace, its first live show after signing with Motown. Diana Ross and the Supremes are the headliners.

Sept. 1, 1969

Family

After the Jacksons move from Gary, Ind., to Los Angeles, Michael attends sixth grade at Gardner Street Elementary in Hollywood.

Dec. 14, 1969

Career

The Jackson 5 appears on the "Ed Sullivan Show" singing "Stand."

Jan. 31, 1970

Career

"I Want You Back" recorded on the album "Diana Ross presents the Jackson 5" hits No. 1 on the charts, the first of Michael's 18 chart-topping songs over the course of his career.

April 25, 1970

Career

"ABC" becomes the Jackson 5's second No. 1 single, spending two weeks atop the Billboard charts.

June 19, 1970

Career

The Jackson 5 perform at the Forum to a record crowd of 18,675.

June 27, 1970

Career

"The Love You Save" rises to No. 1 for two weeks. The third chart-topper for the Jackson 5.

Oct. 17, 1970

Career

"I'll Be There," which first hits the Billboard charts in September, climbs to No. 1 for five weeks.

Nov. 19, 1970

Career

The Jackson 5 -- from left, Jackie, Tito, Michael, Jermaine and Marlon -- attends the NAACP Image Awards.

Jan. 1, 1971

Friends

Michael Jackson, 12, meets Quincy Jones. Years later they collaborate on "The Wiz" and "Thriller."

Feb. 1, 1971

Family

The Jacksons move to a gated home on Hayvenhurst Avenue in Encino. The purchase price is recorded as $140,000.

April 29, 1971

Career

An 11-year-old Michael makes the cover of Rolling Stone. He already has six gold records.

Jan. 1, 1972

Career

Michael Jackson releases his first solo album, "Got to Be There," containing the hits "Got to Be There" and "Rockin' Robin."

Oct. 14, 1972

Career

"Ben," the title song from the movie (and album) of the same name, hits No. 1, Jackson's first time atop the charts as a solo artist.

April 1, 1973

Career

Jackson releases a solo album that The Times' review describes as having "a flock of romantic ballads" for "Jackson's army of adolescent female fans."

Dec. 15, 1973

Family

Jermaine Jackson marries Berry Gordy's daughter, Hazel Joy, in a $200,000 wedding at the Beverly Hills Hotel, uniting two powerhouse music families. The marriage lasts 14 years and produces three children.

Aug. 30, 1974

Family

Joh'Vonnie is born to Joseph Jackson and his mistress, Cheryl Terrell.

Jan. 1, 1975

Career

The Jackson 5, with the exception of Jermaine who is married to Berry Gordy's daughter, split with Motown. The remaining brothers perform as The Jacksons.

June 1, 1975

Career

The Jacksons work with Philadelphia producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff on their first two post-Motown records.

June 16, 1976

Career

The Jacksons' 30-minute variety show debuts on CBS. The group recorded four shows for CBS.

June 18, 1977

Career

Michael Jackson in his motion picture debut as the Scarecrow joins Diana Ross in the role of Dorothy, Richard Pryor as the Wiz and Lena Horne as Glenda.

Jan. 1, 1978

Friends

Michael Jackson and Tatum O'Neal make news when they start dating. Years later, Jackson says in a television interview that Tatum -- who won an Oscar in 1973 at the age of 10 for her role in "Paper Moon" -- had tried to seduce him.

Oct. 24, 1978

Career

Playing the Scarecrow in "The Wiz," Michael makes his film debut. It is this year that Jackson is believed to have had the first plastic surgery on his nose after a dancing accident in which he broke it.

Aug. 5, 1979

Career

"Off the Wall," Jackson's breakthrough album as a solo artist, is released.

Oct. 13, 1979

Career

"Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" hits No. 1. It is Jackson's first chart-topper under the Epic label.

Jan. 18, 1980

Career

The American Music Awards are dominated in the soul categories by Jackson, with awards for favorite male vocalist, favorite single ("Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough") and favorite album ("Off the Wall").

Jan. 19, 1980

Career

"Rock With You" spends four weeks at No. 1.

Jan. 1, 1981

Family

After paying his father $500,000 for half interest in the Hayvenhurst Avenue home in Encino that his family bought in 1971, Jackson tears down the ranch house and builds a Tudor mansion.

Nov. 6, 1982

Career

Jackson's duet with Paul McCartney rises to No. 2 on the charts.

Nov. 30, 1982

Career

"Thriller" breaks music world records. The album is No. 1 in the U.S. for 37 consecutive weeks, with hits including "Billie Jean," "Beat It" and "Thriller." Jackson's moonwalk dance move and the mini-movie video for "Thriller" become part of the sensation.

March 5, 1983

Career

"Billie Jean" spends seven weeks at No. 1 after debuting on the Billboard charts.

March 25, 1983

Career

Jackson debuts his moonwalk during a performance of "Billie Jean" at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium during a benefit concert honoring Motown. The Times' Robert Hilburn says: "Jackson went through a series of dazzling dance steps with a confidence and sensual exuberance that rivaled James Brown's '60s peak."

March 31, 1983

Career

"Beat It" breaks MTV's color barrier. The channel reaches 10 million homes.

April 30, 1983

Career

"Beat It" becomes Jackson's ninth No. 1 hit

Dec. 2, 1983

Career

MTV scores another coup, debuting Jackson's 14-minute video for "Thriller."

Dec. 10, 1983

Career

Working again with famed Beatle Paul McCartney, their duet rises to No. 1.

Jan. 27, 1984

Health

Jackson is hospitalized with second degree burns to his scalp after a special-effects smoke bomb explodes while he's filming a spot for a multimillion-dollar Pepsi campaign at the Shrine Auditorium. The accident takes place in front of 75 young fans.

Feb. 28, 1984

Friends

Jackson arrives at the Shrine Auditorium for the 1984 Grammy Awards with Brooke Shields as his date. He wins eight Grammys. The only major category he loses is Best Song, which goes to Sting for "Every Breath You Take." Jackson had been nominated for both "Billie Jean" and "Beat It."

March 15, 1984

Career

A cover story in Rolling Stone on Jackson's musical empire asks: "Trouble in Paradise?"

May 1, 1984

Friends

Mick Jagger and Jackson record "State of Shock" at New York's A&R Studio.

May 14, 1984

Career

Jackson meets President Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan at the White House where he is honored for supporting the first lady's campaign against drunk driving. The president remarks: "Well, isn't this a thriller. We haven't seen so many people since we left China."

July 6, 1984

Career

The much anticipated "Victory Tour" opens at the Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Resentment about the high cost of the tickets prompts Jackson to announce he plans to "donate all the money I make from our performances to charity."

Sept. 5, 1984

Career

In a virtually unprecedented move, at Jackson's request his personal manager, Frank Dileo, calls a news conference to deny "once and for all" tabloid reports that the singer is gay.

Nov. 20, 1984

Career

Michael Jackson's name is added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. His star is in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.

Dec. 9, 1984

Career

Jackson's final "Victory Tour" shows are held at Dodger Stadium. The tour, promoted and financed by Chuck Sullivan, loses about $20 million.

Jan. 1, 1985

Career

Jackson co-writes "We Are the World" with Lionel Richie. The song, which benefitted famine relief in Africa, was recorded in Hollywood with some of the biggest names in the music industry.

Feb. 6, 1985

Career

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis visits Jackson at his Encino home, drawing crowds of onlookers. Onassis was Jackson's editor on a memoir for Doubleday he that ultimately does not write. The Times' Robert Hilburn worked with Jackson on the book before it was abandoned.

April 13, 1985

Career

"We Are The World," written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie, hits No. 1 for four weeks.

Aug. 1, 1985

Career

Jackson spends $47.5 million to acquire the catalog that controls the rights to Beatles songs.

Sept. 1, 1986

Health

The National Enquirer publishes a photo of Jackson in what appears to be a hyperbaric chamber. The singer says it's part of a program to extend his life beyond its natural span.

Sept. 12, 1986

Career

Jackson's 3-D musical film "Captain EO" (directed by Francis Ford Coppola) premieres at Epcot's Journey Into Imagination.

June 8, 1987

Career

Without explanation, Jackson withdraws his request for a zoning variance that would have paved the way for the addition of a giraffe to his backyard zoo in Encino. He already has permits to keep a chimpanzee, a llama and a deer behind the walls of his gated estate.

Aug. 1, 1987

Career

Jackson releases the album "Bad," which becomes another international hit.

Sept. 9, 1987

Career

Bubbles the chimpanzee, dressed in a red and white sweater, arrives on a separate plane half an hour before Jackson arrives with the rest of his 85-person entourage to start a 12-nation world tour. Jackson takes the chimp to tea during a visit to the mayor of Osaka, Japan. "We were surprised to see the chimpanzee, but we understand he is (Jackson's) good friend," an Osaka city official said.

Sept. 19, 1987

Career

Jackson's duet with Siedah Garrett becomes his 10th No. 1 hit.

Oct. 24, 1987

Career

Jackson's single "Bad" rises to No. 1 for two weeks.

Jan. 23, 1988

Career

"The Way You Make Me Feel" hits No. 1.

March 1, 1988

Family

Jackson buys a 2,700-acre ranch in the Santa Barbara County for about $28 million and a small hotel nearby, for his entourage, for $5 million, according to several real estate sources.

March 26, 1988

Career

"Man in the Mirror" rises to No. 1 for two weeks.

July 2, 1988

Career

Jackson has his 14th No. 1 hit with "Dirty Diana."

Aug. 14, 1988

Career

Jackson and Sammy Davis Jr. perform together in Monaco.

March 1, 1989

Family

Jackson's older sister makes news by posing in the nude for Playboy. The cover teases: "MICHAEL'S SISTER IN A THRILLER PICTORIAL"

Dec. 1, 1989

Career

Vanity Fair magazine names Jackson the "Celebrity of the '80s" after he sells a combined 60 million albums between "Thriller" and "Bad."

Oct. 1, 1990

Career

Jackson and Elton John are selected as the first recipients of the Ryan White Memorial Award, which was named in the memory of the young AIDS victim.

March 20, 1991

Career

Jackson signs a long-term contract with Sony Corp. that guarantees him an unprecedented share of the profits from his next six albums, his own record label, a role in developing video software products and a shot at movie stardom. Sony officials say they expect to earn $1 billion from the partnership.

March 25, 1991

Friends

Michael Jackson and Madonna, platonic friends, arrive at the Academy Awards arm in arm and sit side by side at the ceremony and later at an after party at Spago.

Oct. 6, 1991

Friends

Jackson gives Elizabeth Taylor away at her marriage to Larry Fortensky. The $1-million ceremony took place at Neverland.

Nov. 1, 1991

Family

La Toya appears on the cover of Playboy for a second time. The issue features a 10-page pictorial and excerpts from her autobiography "La Toya: Growing up in the Jackson Family"

Nov. 6, 1991

Family

In a scathing interview with The Times, Jermaine Jackson explains that the cantankerous lyrics to his song "Word to the Badd!!," were written in retaliation for eight months of unreturned phone calls. The song criticizes his younger brother for allegedly changing his skin color and obtaining plastic surgery. "I understand he's a very busy person, but after you repeatedly try to contact your own brother and he doesn't call you back, you begin to wonder if he hasn't just completely lost touch with reality," Jermaine, 37, told The Times.

Nov. 15, 1991

Career

Jackson apologizes after a four-minute coda to his video "Black or White," showing the singer attacking a car and simulating masturbation prompts a negative response.

Nov. 24, 1991

Career

Jackson releases "Dangerous." The Times review says: "Though it's far from his best work, Jackson really can't lose with this project, since literally no one in the world except Jackson himself--and possibly a few Japanese executives--holds the realistic expectation that this or any album he'll ever make again will outsell or outphenomenalize 'Thriller.' "

Dec. 7, 1991

Career

"Black or White" hits No. 1 and stays atop the charts for seven weeks.

Jan. 9, 1992

Career

Jackson is featured on cover of Rolling Stone for an article on the making of the "King of Pop."

Feb. 1, 1992

Career

Michael Jackson sits with orphaned and abandoned Ivory Coast children whom he invited to the Intercontinental Hotel in Abidjan.

Nov. 15, 1992

Career

ABC airs "The Jacksons: An American Dream." The two-part mini series, which stars Angela Bassett as Katherine Jackson, was made with the cooperation of the Jackson family. The Times review calls it: "that rare television biography that sings, though its tune is frequently downbeat. It's a rocking, pulsating, gyrating, bewitching five hours that resonate the angry rhythms behind the joyous music of a dysfunctional family that produced one of the most electrifying entertainers of our time."

Jan. 19, 1993

Career

Jackson joins President-elect Bill Clinton and Stevie Nicks, of Fleetwood Mac, as they sing "Don't Stop" for the grand finale of the Presidential Gala at the Capital Centre in Landover, Md.

Jan. 31, 1993

Career

Jackson performs at the 1993 Super Bowl XXVII in Pasadena.

Feb. 10, 1993

Career

In a telecast that draws 62 million viewers, Oprah Winfrey speaks with Jackson. It is his first solo interview in nearly a decade. Jackson tells her that being a child performer prevented him from having a typical childhood. "I compensate for that," he told Winfrey. "People always wonder why I have children around. . . . I adore all that stuff."

Feb. 24, 1993

Career

Jackson is honored as a Grammy legend, awarded by the Recording Academy for his contributions and influence in the recording industry.

May 1, 1993

Career

Jackson attends the World Music Awards in Monaco, where he gets three awards.

Aug. 17, 1993

Legal

Jackson becomes the subject of a criminal investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department after a 13-year-old boy tells authorities the singer sexually abused him over four months. Private eye Anthony Pellicano, who was hired by Jackson, says the singer is the victim of a $20-million extortion attempt by the boy's father.

Aug. 24, 1993

Career

Jackson performs at National Stadium in Bangkok during the opening concert of the Asian leg of his "Dangerous" world tour.

Sept. 4, 1993

Family

Michael Jackson's family, arriving in Taipei, defends the pop superstar against allegations that he sexually abused a 13-year-old boy. During a news conference, family members accuse the media of "influencing the public" unfairly.

Sept. 6, 1993

Career

Pop superstar Michael Jackson emerges from the seclusion of his troubled Asian tour and draws a crowd as he spends $5,000 on toys. A Jackson bodyguard knocks a fan to the ground and a Taiwanese fan is injured as a crowd of about 200 pressed forward to catch a glimpse as Jackson completed a private shopping spree at a Toys R Us store.

Sept. 14, 1993

Legal

The 13-year-old boy at the center of child molestation allegations against Jackson files a civil suit accusing him of sexual battery, negligence and fraud. Jackson is on tour in Moscow but his private investigator, Anthony Pellicano, says the singer anticipated the suit would be filed. Pellicano alleges Jackson is being extorted for millions.

Nov. 12, 1993

Career

After being dogged by the allegations and missing several concerts, Jackson abruptly cancels his tour in Mexico City. In a televised statement, he says he is addicted to painkillers and is seeking treatment. PepsiCo later announces that it has terminated its multimillion-dollar, nine-year sponsorship of Jackson because of the canceled tour.

Dec. 8, 1993

Family

Jackson's sister La Toya accuses her brother of sexually molesting young boys, saying, "This has been going on since 1981, and it's not just one child." Other members of Jackson's family rally to his defense and brand La Toya a profiteering liar.

Dec. 22, 1993

Career

Breaking a five-week silence, Jackson says in a televised statement that allegations against him are "disgusting" and "totally false."

Jan. 25, 1994

Legal

Attorneys for Jackson and the boy who alleged in a lawsuit that the singer sexually molested him settle the case out of court. Sources close to the negotiations said the settlement was for $15 million to $24 million, with some of the money paid to the boy in cash and the rest funneled into a trust fund.

Feb. 1, 1994

Legal

Grand juries in both Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties begin hearing testimony regarding allegations that Jackson molested a boy who visited him frequently at Neverland Ranch. The testimony stretches into March. The family of the now 14-year-old boy had reached an indisclosed out-of-court settlement with Jackson the previous month for a reported $15 to $24 million.

May 26, 1994

Family

Jackson weds Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of late rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley, in a secret ceremony in the Dominican Republic. It is Jackson's first marriage and Presley's second. She has two children from her first marriage.

Sept. 7, 1994

Family

Jackson with wife Lisa Marie Presley on the balcony of their Euro Disneyland hotel suite.

Sept. 8, 1994

Family

Jackson opens the MTV Awards, appearing on stage holding hands with wife Lisa Marie Presley. "And they said this would never last," he said, before embracing and kissing Presley.

Sept. 21, 1994

Legal

Prosecutors say no charges will be filed against Jackson because the boy who initially alleged he had been abused refused to testify. But they pointedly decline to clear Jackson of wrongdoing and point out they can reconsider at any point until the six-year statute of limitations expires.

April 18, 1995

Family

Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley welcome children at Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County to the World Children's Conference.

June 1, 1995

Career

Diane Sawyer interviews Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley about their marriage. Asked if they were intimate, Presley responds: "Do we have sex? Yes! Yes! Yes!"

June 1, 1995

Career

"You Are Not Alone," a single from the two-disc CD set "HIStory," is released. The album sells poorly, failing to make back the more than $35-million promotional expense.

Sept. 2, 1995

Career

"You Are Not Alone" becomes Jackson's final No. 1 hit.

Sept. 7, 1995

Career

Jackson performs during the 1995 MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

Dec. 6, 1995

Health

Jackson collapses at New York City's Beacon Theatre while rehearsing for a TV special and is hospitalized. "Mr. Jackson suffered a fainting reaction possibly due to a cardiac arrhythmia with dehydration," his doctors said in a statement distributed at Beth Israel Medical Center North Division. His wife, Lisa Marie, visits him in the hospital.

Jan. 1, 1996

Career

Jackson and Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal announce the formation of a joint venture called Kingdom Entertainment.

Jan. 18, 1996

Family

Lisa Marie files for divorce after 20 months of marriage. The couple had vehemently denied speculation that the marriage was a publicity stunt.

July 1, 1996

Career

Jackson visits Africa and meets with Nobel Prize winner Nelson Mandela.

Nov. 15, 1996

Family

Jackson marries dermatology nurse Debbie Rowe, who is six months' pregnant at the time. "Please respect our privacy and let us enjoy this wonderful and exciting time," he says in a written statement. His publicist says the ceremony took place in Sydney, Australia.

Jan. 1, 1997

Career

Jackson signs a preliminary letter of intent to build a theme park in the Polish capital, joining hands with Warsaw Mayor Marcin Swiecicki after the signing.

Feb. 13, 1997

Family

Debbie Rowe gives birth to Prince Michael Jr. After saying he wants the child to have a "normal life," Jackson sells baby pictures to the National Enquirer and Britain's OK.

Feb. 16, 1997

Friends

Michael Jackson arrives with Elizabeth Taylor at her 65th birthday party at the Pantages Theatre.

May 1, 1997

Career

Jackson releases "Blood on the Dance Floor" to poor reviews. The Times critic called the album's title apt: "Jackson is hemorrhaging, and a string of emergency surgeons--of the mixing board variety--try to stop the bleeding."

May 6, 1997

Career

Jackson and his brothers are inducted as a group into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his introduction, Motown records founder Berry Gordy says the group gave "black kids from the ghetto a license to dream." The brothers disappoint those who had hoped to see them sing together at the event.

April 3, 1998

Family

Debbie Rowe gives birth to Paris Michael Katherine.

July 7, 1998

Career

Don Barden, a Detroit businessman, joins Jackson in unveiling their plans for a $1-billion entertainment and casino complex in that city to be called Majestic Kingdom. It would include the Michael Jackson Thriller Theme Park, a hotel resort designed by the singer, a casino, botanical gardens, nightclubs and restaurants.

June 1, 1999

Friends

Jackson and guitarist Slash perform during the benefit concert "Michael Jackson & Friends" at Olympic Stadium in Munich.

April 1, 2000

Family

Jackson and Rowe divorce.

March 19, 2001

Career

Jackson is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Sept. 7, 2001

Career

Jackson sings with his trademark white glove during his "30th Anniversary Celebration: The Solo Years" concert at New York's Madison Square Garden.

Oct. 1, 2001

Career

Jackson's release of "Invincible" is met with more poor reviews. Times' critic Robert Hilburn writes: "There are some inspired moments in the 77-minute collection, but there are also stretches that are sappy, derivative and labored. The excesses show what happens when you have an unlimited budget, no time constraints and an uncertain vision."

Jan. 1, 2002

Family

Prince Michael II is born. Jackson tells an interviewer the baby was conceived by a surrogate mother impregnated with his sperm; he said a contractual agreement prevented him from identifying her. The child's exact birth date was not released.

July 7, 2002

Legal

Jackson signs a will giving his mother custody of his three children if he dies when they are still minors. He names Diana Ross as the backup caregiver. The will, which surfaces days after his death, states his estate should be handled through the Michael Jackson Family Trust, which he established in March 2002.

Nov. 13, 2002

Legal

Michael Jackson testifies in Santa Maria Superior Court after he was accused of canceling concert appearances and costing a promoter millions of dollars.

Nov. 20, 2002

Family

Jackson makes headlines for dangling Prince Michael II over the balcony of his Berlin hotel room.

Feb. 1, 2003

Career

A documentary by British journalist Martin Bashir airs on ABC's "20/20" and draws 27.1 million viewers. A 12-year-old boy tells of how he struck up a friendship with Jackson, stayed at Neverland with his family's blessing and shared a bedroom with Jackson. "Why can't you share your bed?" Jackson asks Bashir. "The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone. It's a beautiful thing. It's very right; it's very loving. Because what's wrong with sharing a love?"

June 1, 2003

Legal

Jackson settles a $12-million breach-of-contract lawsuit by his former top advisor, Myung-Ho Lee, avoiding a trial that threatened to spill details of his financial empire into open court.

Nov. 18, 2003

Legal

Scores of Santa Barbara County law enforcement officers descend on Neverland Ranch, searching the estate for evidence in what authorities will only describe as an "ongoing criminal investigation." A warrant is issued later for his arrest.

Nov. 19, 2003

Legal

Santa Barbara County Sheriff Jim Anderson answers questions about the arrest warrant issued for Michael Jackson. High-profile defense attorney Mark Geragos -- already representing Scott Peterson in his trial on charges that he murdered his wife and unborn child -- says he has been retained by Jackson.

Nov. 20, 2003

Legal

Santa Barbara law enforcement officials book Jackson on multiple counts of child molestation. He is released after posting $3-million bail. According to a lawyer for the Jackson family, the case stemmed from a 12-year-old boy's charges of molestation during visits to Neverland in winter 2002. Sources say the boy alleged that Jackson served him wine and then molested him several times.

Dec. 1, 2003

Career

Leonard Muhammad, the son-in-law of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan, takes an increasingly prominent role in Jackson's circle.

Dec. 18, 2003

Legal

Prosecutors formally charge recording superstar Michael Jackson with seven felony counts of child molestation, and two claiming that he administered an "intoxicating agent" to a young cancer patient in hopes of seducing the boy at Neverland Ranch.

Dec. 26, 2003

Career

In his first interview since being charged with child molestation, Jackson denied the allegations and insisted there was nothing wrong with sleeping with children, according to excerpts released Dec. 26, 2003, by CBS News. "Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists," Jackson told Ed Bradley in an interview.

Jan. 12, 2004

Legal

Michael Jackson's manager, Dieter Wiesner, leaves the Beverly Hills Hotel after an all-day meeting to discuss the singer's legal and financial strategy.

Jan. 16, 2004

Legal

In a barely audible voice, Jackson pleads not guilty to child molestation charges after the judge sternly scolded him for arriving late for the arraignment. Afterward, he climbs on top of an SUV and dances for his fans who have converged at the courthouse.

April 21, 2004

Legal

A grand jury indicts Jackson on charges that he allegedly molested the boy and used alcohol to seduce him. He pleads not guilty.

April 25, 2004

Legal

Less than a week before he was due to be arraigned on a grand jury indictment, Michael Jackson fires attorneys Mark Geragos and Benjamin Brafman and hires Thomas A. Mesereau Jr. "My life is at stake," Jackson said in a statement. "Therefore, I must feel confident that my interests are of the highest priority."

April 30, 2004

Legal

After Jackson is arraigned in a Santa Maria court on charges of child molestation, he spoke at a news conference denying the charges against him.

Dec. 3, 2004

Legal

Law enforcement officials spend two days searching Neverland. Jackson provides a DNA sample.

Feb. 28, 2005

Legal

The trial begins. Over the next 14 weeks, it makes headlines around the world with its sensational revelations, celebrity witnesses -- Jay Leno and Macaulay Culkin -- and Jackson's mysterious ailments and strange behavior.

March 10, 2005

Legal

Wearing what appear to be pajama bottoms with a tuxedo jacket, a frail and disheveled Jackson appears late to a Santa Maria court accompanied by his father.

June 13, 2005

Legal

A jury acquits Jackson of all charges. Although at least one juror says he thought the singer probably had molested children -- "somebody somewhere along the line" -- the panel unanimously said the case in front of them included too much doubt to justify a conviction. Jurors at a post-verdict news conference express a strong distaste for the mother of Jackson's young accuser.

Oct. 21, 2005

Career

Michael Jackson's attorney confirms that the pop singer has made the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain, not Neverland Ranch, his permanent home.

Jan. 5, 2006

Legal

A U.S. district judge tosses out a $10-million lawsuit brought by Jackson against a construction company owner. Jackson filed the suit to reclaim memorabilia he claimed had been stolen. Henry Vaccaro said he had been awarded the items after a business deal with Jackson family members fell apart more than a decade earlier.

Feb. 15, 2006

Legal

The California 2nd District Court of Appeal rules that although Jackson's former wife, Debbie Rowe, made it clear that she wanted to relinquish her parental rights the judge handled the case improperly by failing to have state officials do an independent investigation. The decision reestablishes those rights and opens the door to more litigation.

March 6, 2006

Legal

The owner of a charter jet company and his associate plead guilty to federal charges of conspiring to secretly videotape Jackson when he flew from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara in 2003 to surrender on child molestation charges.

March 17, 2006

Legal

Jackson met a state deadline to pay more than $300,000 in back wages to dozens of Neverland staff members and then hands out pink slips to much of the staff. Spokeswoman Raymone Bain says he is living in Bahrain.

April 13, 2006

Legal

Jackson begins dismantling his empire by agreeing to sell a portion of his publishing catalog. The $325-million refinancing agreement required him to sell half of his 50% state in Sony/ATV to avoid foreclosure on several loans.

May 24, 2006

Legal

Repeating an order he already had made, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge says Jackson and Rowe must publicly file papers from their 2000 divorce. They had paid a judge to preside over the proceeding to avoid a public spectacle.

June 26, 2006

Legal

Jury selection begins in a $3.8-million dispute between Jackson and F. Marc Schaffel who alleged that Jackson owes him for loans to buy jewelry for Elizabeth Taylor, among other things.

June 27, 2006

Career

A spokeswoman says Jackson plans to move from Bahrain to Europe in order to reignite his music career.

July 13, 2006

Legal

Santa Monica jurors award Jackson's former business partner $900,000 but also order the man to pay the singer $200,000. F. Marc Schaffel had claimed Jackson owed him $3.8 million. Jurors said they found neither man credible. Jackson's testimony in the trial was presented in a videotaped disposition.

Sept. 29, 2006

Legal

Jackson and Rowe reach an undisclosed settlement in her effort to reestablish parental rights to Prince Michael and Paris Katherine.

Jan. 12, 2007

Legal

Mickey Fine Pharmacy sues Jackson for $101,926 in unpaid prescription bills. Owners of the Beverly Hills pharmacy owners allege Jackson has not made a payment since 2005.

March 3, 2008

Legal

The owner of a private jet service who secretly taped Jackson talking to his lawyers on a flight from Las Vegas to Santa Barbara to surrender on child molestation charges is ordered to pay $18 million to attorney Mark Geragos and $2.25 million to his associate Payt Harris.

May 12, 2008

Legal

Jackson sidesteps a foreclosure auction of Neverland Ranch after investment company Colony Capital LLC, buys the loan on the troubled property.

Nov. 12, 2008

Legal

Jackson gives up the title to Neverland, transferring the deed to Sycamore Valley Ranch LLC, a company he partially owns. The company is a joint venture between Jackson and Colony Capital LLC, which bought the loan on the ranch earlier in the year.

Nov. 17, 2008

Legal

Bahrain Prince Abdulla ibn Hamed ibn Isa Khalifa sues Jackson for $7 million in a London court, claiming the pop star reneged on a deal to use Bahrain as a recording venue and kept his advance.

Nov. 24, 2008

Legal

Jackson's lawyers reach an out-of-court settlement with the Bahraini prince who alleged the singer had reneged on a deal.

Jan. 7, 2009

Family

Jackson leases a seven-bedroom, 13-bathroom French chateau in Holmby Hills for $100,000 a month. Manager-spokesman Tohme Tohme says the singer wants to be closer to "where all the action is" in the entertainment industry.

Jan. 28, 2009

Legal

Director John Landis, who co-wrote and shot the "Thriller" video, sues Jackson for unspecified damages alleging that Jackson had failed to pay him royalties.

March 5, 2009

Career

Appearing at London's O2 Arena, Jackson tells screaming fans that he will play a series of London concerts before retiring from public performance.

May 1, 2009

Career

Jackson is reported to be in rehearsals for an ambitious schedule of 50 concerts to begin at O2 Arena in London on July 8. It is to be his first extended concert run in 12 years.

May 20, 2009

Career

Jackson pushes back the first four of his comeback concerts at London's O2 arena. Organizers say the decision is not linked to his health.

June 23, 2009

Career

Jackson rehearses at Staples Center for an upcoming string of concerts in London.

June 25, 2009

Death

Jackson is rushed to a hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics, who found him in cardiac arrest and not breathing. Efforts to revive him are unsuccessful.

June 26, 2009

Death

The Los Angeles County coroner completes an autopsy of Jackson but defers the cause of death until more tests are done. Coroner's spokesman Craig Harvey said there is no evidence of foul play or "exterior trauma" but that more toxicology and other tests will take several weeks.

June 29, 2009

Death

A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge grants temporary guardianship of Jackson’s three children to his mother, Katherine Jackson.

July 1, 2009

Death

At the request of the LAPD, Drug Enforcement Administration officials join the investigation into Jackson's death.

July 1, 2009

Death

John Branca, Jackson's longtime entertainment attorney and advisor, files a will drafted by Jackson in July 2002. The will appoints Branca and John McClain, a music executive and family friend, as executors of the estate. Katherine Jackson is named as guardian of her son's three children, and singer Diana Ross is named as the backup caregiver.

July 2, 2009

Death

In interviews with Matt Lauer and Larry King, Jermaine Jackson talks about his brother's legacy and how he learned of the death.

July 3, 2009

Death

A Jackson family spokesman says a public memorial for the singer will held be July 7 at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Tickets to the event will be free and available through a public lottery.

July 6, 2009

Death

Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff appoints two longtime advisors of Michael Jackson -- an entertainment attorney and a music executive named in a 2002 will -- as temporary administrators pending an August hearing. He denies Katherine Jackson's request to remain in temporary control of her son's estate.

July 7, 2009

Death

Jackson's family attends a private memorial at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills before leaving by motorcade for the public memorial at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Aug. 28, 2009

Death

The Los Angeles County coroner's office officially rules Michael Jackson's death a homicide.

Jan. 11, 2011

Death

A judge strips Michael Jackson's personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, of his California medical license after ruling that prosecutors have sufficient evidence to try him for manslaughter in the death of Jackson.

Jan. 25, 2011

Death

During a Los Angeles County Superior Court appearance, Dr. Conrad Murray declares himself “innocent” in the death of his patient Michael Jackson.

Conrad Murray, left, with attorney J. Michael Flanagan

Sept. 27, 2011

Death

Opening statements begin in the highly anticipated trial of Michael Jackson’s personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray.

LaToya Jackson arrives for opening statements

Nov. 7, 2011

Death

A jury of seven men and five women deliberates for about nine hours over two days before reaching a guilty verdict in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray. The judge remands Murray to county jail. Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 29 at 8:30 am.

Nov. 8, 2011

Death

With the conviction of Michael Jackson's doctor on an involuntary manslaughter charge, the question of blame in the pop star's death shifts to a new and much wealthier defendant: Los Angeles entertainment behemoth Anschutz Entertainment Group.

Michael Jackson rehearses at Staples Center

Published: Sept. 22, 2011

Sources: Times research

Credits: Maloy Moore, Ben Welsh, TimelineSetter

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Timeline

Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

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