Michael Jackson Burial Set for Tonight; Gladys Knight to Sing

by: EURweb.com

Michael Jackson is scheduled to be buried today in a private sunset ceremony at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, Calif., where his body has been kept for most of the two months since his death.

The superstar is to be interred at a 7 p.m. pacific time service /10p eastern / inside the cemetery's massive Great Mausoleum, an elaborate neo-classical building inspired by Genoa's famous Campo Santo.Jackson's gold-plated casket is to be placed in a private section that is also home to the final resting places of famous names from Hollywood's golden age such as Clark Gable, Jean Harlow and Carole Lombard.

The service will be attended by only close family and friends of the music legend, in stark contrast to the star-studded public memorial held at Los Angeles's Staples Center in July attended by 20,000 mourners.

Glendale officials have discouraged anyone not invited to the service from trying to attend, noting that several streets around the sprawling 300-acre site will be closed to the public.

Meanwhile, a judge ruled Wednesday that the current administrators of Jackson's estate can pay what is being called "extraordinary" expenses for Jackson's funeral and interment.

Attorneys for Jackson's mother, Katherine, had asked the judge to sign off on the expenses, which have not been disclosed. No one contested who would pay the costs, but Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff said he had concerns about whether Jackson's estate could foot the bill.Jeryll Cohen, an attorney for the administrators of Jackson's estate, said during the hearing that part of the reason it was so expensive was because 12 burial spaces were being purchased.

Beckloff said normally, costs of a funeral would be paid by the estate after the service. But Jackson's family couldn't afford to pay the costs upfront and wait for reimbursement.

Gladys Knight will be present to sing a song in his honor. Gladys Knight was one of the Motown legends who "discovered" Michael and his brothers.

Her representative says the singer and Michael once shared the same manager.