Michael Jackson Memorial

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich on Tuesday said his inquiry into the city's role in providing support for the Michael Jackson memorial may have unearthed some "criminal aspects," although he added that he could not discuss details. Trutanich's assistants are investigating events leading up to the July 7 memorial, including which city officials authorized the deployment of thousands of police officers. The city spent an estimated $1.

An entertainment conglomerate and the estate of Michael Jackson have agreed to donate $1.3 million to the city of Los Angeles to help cover most of the costs of last year's memorial for the international recording artist at Staples Center, officials said Friday. Anschutz Entertainment Group, which hosted the Michael Jackson Memorial at its Staples Center and Nokia Theatre properties in downtown Los Angeles, announced the deal Friday in conjunction with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Money always talks Re "Decision near on tab for Jackson service," Dec. 6 Once again, private campaign contributions influence public policy, as the City Council may not push Anschutz Entertainment Group to defray the public cost of the Michael Jackson memorial service. I take issue with Councilwoman Jan Perry's claim that it's a "stupid way to think" that AEG owns Los Angeles. I think it would be stupid to assume AEG gets no payback for its huge donations to city politicians.

Money always talks Re "Decision near on tab for Jackson service," Dec. 6 Once again, private campaign contributions influence public policy, as the City Council may not push Anschutz Entertainment Group to defray the public cost of the Michael Jackson memorial service. I take issue with Councilwoman Jan Perry's claim that it's a "stupid way to think" that AEG owns Los Angeles. I think it would be stupid to assume AEG gets no payback for its huge donations to city politicians.

An entertainment conglomerate and the estate of Michael Jackson have agreed to donate $1.3 million to the city of Los Angeles to help cover most of the costs of last year's memorial for the international recording artist at Staples Center, officials said Friday. Anschutz Entertainment Group, which hosted the Michael Jackson Memorial at its Staples Center and Nokia Theatre properties in downtown Los Angeles, announced the deal Friday in conjunction with Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said Monday that entertainment company AEG probably will not help defray the $3.2-million cost of police and other city services for the Michael Jackson memorial until the city attorney resolves his "criminal investigation" into the spending. "Threats are not conductive to asking people to make a donation," Perry said, referring to the inquiry ordered by City Atty. Carmen Trutanich. Later, she added, "We're faced with the sword hanging over AEG's head.

In a city fabled for its televised car chases, bejeweled Oscar shows and boisterous Lakers parades, residents and visitors alike have grown accustomed to spectacle, planned and spontaneous. But Michael Jackson's category-defying memorial -- part variety show, part teary service -- drew fans both giddy and sad from around the world, all compelled to bond with one another and take in the moment. They left their cynical bones at home, for the most part. But they did bring their cellphone cameras.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich on Thursday defended his efforts to recoup city dollars spent on the Michael Jackson memorial, but denied asking the top executive of the company that owns Staples Center to pay $6 million during a meeting in July. A day after AEG President and Chief Executive Tim Leiweke told The Times editorial board that Trutanich tried to "bully" the company into paying for various city services provided during the memorial, Trutanich justified his actions during a speech to members of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

It had all the makings of an epic disaster: short notice, family tensions, multiple freeway closures, a potential crowd in the hundreds of thousands, divas galore, even a circus that was waiting in the wings.

Re "I got tickets: Jackson fans wait and hope," July 6 It is morally and ethically disgraceful that Michael Jackson's family should even consider (much less accept) that the city should use the emergency LAPD fund to pay any part of the cost of police coverage of the Staples Center memorial service, in light of the present fiscal emergency in the state. Or even without the recession. If the family and AEG want to stage a gigantic, public spectacle, they should foot the cost. Diana F. Grilli Los Angeles :: Why should the taxpayers of the city of Los Angeles pay for a memorial service for Jackson?

Los Angeles City Councilwoman Jan Perry said Monday that entertainment company AEG probably will not help defray the $3.2-million cost of police and other city services for the Michael Jackson memorial until the city attorney resolves his "criminal investigation" into the spending. "Threats are not conductive to asking people to make a donation," Perry said, referring to the inquiry ordered by City Atty. Carmen Trutanich. Later, she added, "We're faced with the sword hanging over AEG's head.

The Los Angeles City Council on Friday issued a stinging rebuke of City Atty. Carmen Trutanich, voting unanimously to reject his legal advice and back six controversial sign permits at the L.A. Live entertainment district downtown. Trutanich two weeks ago warned building officials, Councilwoman Jan Perry and representatives of L.A. Live's owner, Anschutz Entertainment Group, that they could face prosecution if sign permits for the company's new movie theater were issued, according to Perry and AEG. Trutanich said the large wall signs violated the city's new ban on outdoor ads. During a two-hour council hearing, five members scolded the city attorney for making the threats, although he did not attend the meeting.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich on Thursday defended his efforts to recoup city dollars spent on the Michael Jackson memorial, but denied asking the top executive of the company that owns Staples Center to pay $6 million during a meeting in July. A day after AEG President and Chief Executive Tim Leiweke told The Times editorial board that Trutanich tried to "bully" the company into paying for various city services provided during the memorial, Trutanich justified his actions during a speech to members of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce.

After murdering her children in Euripides' classic "Medea," Annette Bening, with husband Warren Beatty, helped celebrate the launch of UCLA Live's Eighth International Theatre Festival at the play's opening-night party. No matter that the play is nearly 2,500 years old, Claudia Weill said, "the same issues are with us," including "disposability of women." Alan Schwartz, president of the Royce Center Circle, which supports UCLA's performing arts, said that although the university has presented plays for eight years, "Medea" was the first original production to be created by the UCLA Live series.

Los Angeles City Atty. Carmen Trutanich on Tuesday said his inquiry into the city's role in providing support for the Michael Jackson memorial may have unearthed some "criminal aspects," although he added that he could not discuss details. Trutanich's assistants are investigating events leading up to the July 7 memorial, including which city officials authorized the deployment of thousands of police officers. The city spent an estimated $1.

Michael Jackson, we can hope, now rests in peace. Embarrassment over the way Los Angeles handled his memorial service may be with us for a while. It's not like the city is incapable of doing anything right. By all accounts, the Police Department and traffic officers handled their end of Tuesday's event flawlessly.

Just as in life, the King of Pop in death is poised to command nearly unprecedented media coverage. Six days before he was to begin a 50-date comeback tour in London, Michael Jackson will instead be eulogized at a massive memorial service today at Staples Center. All the major networks and a host of cable news and entertainment channels, including CNN, MSNBC, E! Entertainment, TV Guide Network and TV One, plan to carry the event live at 10 a.m.

Michael Jackson, we can hope, now rests in peace. Embarrassment over the way Los Angeles handled his memorial service may be with us for a while. It's not like the city is incapable of doing anything right. By all accounts, the Police Department and traffic officers handled their end of Tuesday's event flawlessly.

It had all the makings of an epic disaster: short notice, family tensions, multiple freeway closures, a potential crowd in the hundreds of thousands, divas galore, even a circus that was waiting in the wings.

I got to Staples Center some time after the parade of Ringling Bros. elephants and just before a bikini-clad woman who held aloft a sign that said, "Go Vegetarian for the Man in the Mirror." I suppose it goes without saying that not all memorial services draw the same crowd. Speaking of crowds, this one was way smaller than the city had planned for.