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Has Jackson's Autopsy Photo Been Leaked?
Chief Coroner Ed Winter told me that officially his office had no comment on any aspect of the Jackson autopsy, including even disclosing the number of people present at the postmortem examination, much less their names.
“I know who was there and I know what pictures were taken,” he told me. If he saw a copy of the photo being flashed in Los Angeles, he could determine, he said, whether it was authentic—the left cheek scar was potentially important, as even if it was faked, there would be few people outside of Jackson’s entourage who knew about that private, identifying mark.
If the picture is real, “we would conduct an internal investigation here, and one would be done in all likelihood by the police department and the district attorney.”
Winter said he had heard rumors of an autopsy photo that circulated, but could never find anyone who had a copy. But he also stressed that until he saw it personally, he couldn’t dismiss the chance that it was a fake worthy of a Hollywood studio’s special-effects department. Not long ago, he told me that The Sun and News of the World had shown him a purported copy of a Jackson autopsy report. “If you paid for that,” Winter told them, “you got taken.” The Associated Press claimed to have obtained access to a copy of Jackson’s autopsy last week. “When I asked them if I could see what they had,” Winter told me, “they couldn’t produce anything.”
Los Angeles prosecutors and police have shown a recent tendency to pursue criminal investigations when it comes to leaked information about high-profile cases. Just during the past two weeks, news has broken that TMZ’s chief, Harvey Levin, had his phone records seized by a secret warrant, as part of an official probe into how the Web site obtained details of the drunk-driving arrest and anti-Semitic outburst of Mel Gibson in 2006.
If Los Angeles prosecutors are upset about who broke the law by leaking word of Gibson’s drunk driving, they are likely to be steamed at the possibility that someone may have shared an autopsy photo of the dead pop star.
Winter understands that while any potential investigation into the restaurant owner’s phone records might well reveal who in the Los Angeles coroner’s office or police department was the leaker, it might also force others who have copies of the picture “to go underground for the time being.” That happened with the Princess Di photos. After my 1999 report that they were for sale, none ran for five years.
“No one here would ever want to see that type of picture published,” Winter told The Daily Beast. “And the people that have it, if it’s real, they should ask themselves how they would feel if someone printed a picture of one of their loved ones from an autopsy.”
Gerald Posner is The Daily Beast's chief investigative reporter. He's the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism. His latest book, Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth and Power—A Dispatch From the Beach, was published in October. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
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Gerald Posner is The Daily Beast's chief investigative reporter. He's the award-winning author of 10 investigative nonfiction bestsellers, on topics ranging from political assassinations, to Nazi war criminals, to 9/11, to terrorism. His latest book, Miami Babylon: Crime, Wealth and Power—A Dispatch from the Beach, was published in October. He lives in Miami Beach with his wife, the author Trisha Posner.
Nuld001
If there is indeed a verified true photo of the corpse of MJ that is to be released or has been released, then the L.A. Police and D.A. must investigate and prosecute. If they don't, then the Estate and family members will sue - and rightfully so. With Mr. Posner's reporting of this case, those with access to or in possession of a photo will give second thoughts to releasing it. How totally repulsive this situation has become.
islandgirl52
Bravo to you! I can only hope & pray I never see the picture! RIP Michael!
sistas27
Who honestly cares if there is a photo that has surfaced of Michael Jackson? I mean, we see photos everyday of deceased people on the News stations or CNN Specials. They may not be famous deceased people, but they should be given the same respect. I really wished the World would treat people as one and a Black person didn't have to put on an act to make you laugh, smile, and feel good about yourself. But they could just be themselves.
nightdragon09
Here's the infamous "leaked" photo that's been circulating around the interwebz...
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3592/3663448097_ccd38b7260.jpg
...apparently it was take just before Jackson's body was transferred to Area 51.
This comment has been removed by The Daily Beast's editors.
Siouxie921
Of course, it would be totally unethical for any autopsy photo to be made public.
But the big reveal here would be: how did Michael Jackson look without all the makeup?
piktor
Dead as reported?
PUPITO
White!
Redhead5050
Okay, why is he wearing a diaper? On the outside of his pants?
amarellis
This is the most news! How could anyone be so callous as to think how someone could take a picture of MJ, our King of Pop at his darkest time. How would you like someone plastering a photo of your face on your autopsy? Shame on you and shame on the vulgar people that write trash on here.
neroves1
Is Gerald Posner impersonating Michael Jackson??
dooreen
I think some of these horrible tragedies, that make news, take rare events, and exploit them, repeat them, until people fear a person walking behind them on a public side walk.
We see starving people in Africa for example, dying in the streets, and people take their picture and print them.
What is the difference.
It is just a line. A manufactured line. Manufactured consent even.
That is why it becomes political. Because it matters. All human suffering matters, especially the preventable kind.
TBritt
People have nothing better to do than try and sell a photo of Michael deceased. Where is the bottom? We have no respect here in America. It's all about the money!! Heaven help you Mr. Photographer, who apparently needs help.
DakLak
Who cares?
Just another stiff.
vadiva30
If there is a photo I'm sure it would have been mentioned that MJ did not have his nose prosthetic on. So this is obviously a fake. Most of his true fans were aware of the scare on his left cheek. NEXT!
Margot62
I am more amazed everyday by the world's obsession with pop culture, celebrity, macabre movies, and violence.
If the world were a person, it would certainly be a sick person...riddled with cancer, and in a mental institution, broken beyond repair.
Here's a wonderful piece of advice: Imagine your life as a tall drinking glass. Each and every day, you have a choice as to how you will fill it. What will you put into it? Beautiful music? Wonderful books and movies that compel you to grow as a human being? Nutritious and lovely food that keeps you healthy? Good thoughts? Positive energy?
Or will you will continue to fill your life with junk, violent movies, silly gossip, and obsessed with celebrities and meaningless chatter? There is so much beauty in the world...do you see it? And there is so much to be done...or are you just busy watching Halloween 12, eating McDonalds and looking for Michael Jackson's autopsy picture on line?
Have you seen the new Hubble photographs from outerspace? Have you ever heard of musician Yo Yo Ma? Could you bring a few canned goods to your local food pantry? Is there an interesting topic you'd like to investigate---the pyramids, black holes, global warming?
Come on, people, wake up. You, too, Mr. Posner. Have you ever wondered, sir, what intrinsic value you are adding to this world? In the end, what will your efforts amount to? Is gossip and celebrity worship a compelling and purposeful part of life on earth? Does it move humanity forward? Is there something of value you could be writing about, that changes the world, or brings us in a new direction?
Time to think, folks. Time to fill up your glass in a better way...
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