Michael Jackson reaches peace at long last

Michael Jackson's casket

After more than two months of investigations and inquiries, and an endless assortment of often self-serving gossip, the late singing star, Michael Jackson finally reached his eternal rest late last night, in a coffin quite fit for a king.

Two hundred mourners, including Stevie Wonder, Lisa Marie Presley, Macaulay Culkin, Quincy Jones and Elizabeth Taylor, who arrived in a wheelchair. Many other celebrities such as Barry Bonds were also present at the heavily guarded Forest Lawn cemetery in northern Los Angeles to witness a service of tasteful farewell that lasted well over an hour.

A small crowd of fans, heavily outnumbered by security guards and over 400 journalists gathered outside and witnessed part of the service on video screens, until the feed was cut off as Michael’s gold-plated coffin was removed from the hearse.

Jackson’s brothers and his two sons all wore black suits and red ties and sported purple arm bands, embroidered with gold crowns as they filled the front rows of more than 200 white chairs lined neatly before the Great Mausoleum. Two color photos of Jackson rested on easels before them, and at the start of proceedings his three young children placed personal and heart-rending letters in their father’s gold coffin, along with one of his signature gloves.

As part of the service, Gladys Knight sang the gospel hymn “His Eye Is on the Sparrow.” Once the ceremony concluded, the family released a brief statement;

“Michael Jackson reached his final resting place tonight at 9:43 pm PST in The Great Mausoleum at Glendale’s Forest Lawn Memorial Park.” it read. “The pallbearers were Michael’s five brothers. Michael’s children also placed a crown on their father’s coffin to signify the final resting place of the King of Pop.”

The 13-time Grammy winner was then placed at his rest in a concrete-reinforced crypt in the Great Mausoleum, surrounded by reproductions of Michelangelo statues and Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper.”

With their duty now done, a long line of cars streamed out through the gates and into the night, en route to a private reception that had been arranged in nearby Pasadena.

Known for its high-level security and close-lipped attendants, Forest Lawn covers 300 immaculately manicured acres, at the heart of which stands the castle-like ‘Great Mausoleum’ in which Mr. Jackson now rests, safe in the company of such Hollywood greats as Walt Disney, Clark Gable, Carole Lombard, and the fabled comedian, Red Skelton.

The cause of Michael’s untimely death is still the topic of both police investigation and uninformed chatter. The LA Coroner has ruled the singer fell victim to a lethal blend of the anesthetic Propofol and an unknown sedative. Dr. Conrad Murray, the singer’s physician is helping police to unravel the case, but his Lawyer has made it clear that the doctor did not cause Michael’s death.