Michael Jackson Dies at Age 50

Michael Jackson, the one time "King of Pop," died today after suffering cardiac arrest in Los Angeles. Paramedics found Jackson not breathing or responding when they were called to his home and were not able to revive him as he was transported to L.A. Medical Center.

Jackson's death came less than a month before he was scheduled to begin a series of comeback concerts.

Jackson's sensational music career, that began in 1969, was marred in later years by accusations of child molestation and bizarre behavior that prompted tabloids to tag him with the nickname "Wacko Jacko."

Jackson Found Not Guilty

In April 2004 a grand jury indicted Jackson on 10 charges including four counts of committing a lewd act on a child; one count of conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion; one count of attempting to commit a lewd act on a child; and four counts of administering an intoxicating agent to assist in the commission of a felony.

In a sensational 2005 trial, Jackson was found not guilty of the barrage of sexual charges involving a teenage boy. Although he was cleared of those charges, he was never able to get his career back on track afterward.

But Jackson's worldwide popularity never waned. His series of concerts, planned from July 13 through March 6, 2010 were all sold out far in advance, including 50 concerts scheduled at London's O2 Arena.

Always in the Spotlight

Jackson was only four years old when he started singing with his older brothers - Jackie, Tito, Jermaine and Marlon - in the original Jackson 5. They signed a contract with Motown Records and quickly reeled off four hit songs in a row, including "I'll Be There," and "ABC."

Jackson's album "Thriller" became the biggest selling album of all time, and his records sales and concert tours set records for revenue and attendance while his videos changed the landscape of the music industry.

The peak of his career, the moment when he was catapulted into superstardom, came during a 1983 television special, "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever," when Jackson, wearing a white sequined glove, performed the song "Billie Jean," and moonwalked his way into music history.

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Michael Jackson, King of Pop, Dead at 50
Michael Jackson dies at 50

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