Michael Jackson's father calls for new probe into death

A WEEK before jury selection begins in the manslaughter trial of Michael Jackson's doctor, the late singer's father has renewed calls for a federal probe into his son's death based on his belief that a conspiracy was at work.

Joe Jackson, in Madrid to promote a worldwide tour of the hit Spanish musical Forever King Of Pop, said on Friday he believes Dr Conrad Murray was acting on behalf of other people involved in Michael's career and said Michael had warned his family he would be killed over the publishing rights to hit songs such as Thriller and Billie Jean.

"I want to get the other people that's involved, not just Dr Murray. That's why I'm trying to get a federal investigation, so they can grab them all," Jackson said.

He characterised Murray as "just the fall guy", but declined to say who else he thought might be to blame for the death of his superstar son.

"I'm not calling names, but they know who they are," said the patriarch of the family of Jackson singers who helped define the Motown sound.

"Michael knew that something was going to happen to him before it happened," said Jackson.

Michael Jackson, dubbed the King of Pop for his many hits, died in 2009 at age 50 in Los Angeles of a drug overdose only days before he was to begin a series of comeback concerts in London. Murray was hired by concert promoters AEG Live to care for the singer as he rehearsed, and he was giving Jackson the anaesthetic propofol to help him sleep at home.

But propofol typically is used in hospitals, not as a sleep aid. Coroners have ruled propofol was the key drug that caused Jackson's death and prosecutors have charged Murray with involuntary manslaughter for improperly administering it. Murray has pleaded not guilty, and lawyers begin jury selection next week for a trial set to begin in Los Angeles on 9 May.

Joe Jackson was in Madrid to present an agreement between the Jackson Family Foundation and the Summum Music production company for a worldwide tour of Forever King Of Pop, which the Jackson family has chosen "to represent Michael's legacy across the world".