.

Janet Jackson Blames Dr. Murray for Michael's Death in Interview

November 16, 2009 5:19 PM ET

In her first televised interview since Michael Jackson died on June 25th, Janet Jackson tells ABC's In the Spotlight that she blames Dr. Conrad Murray for her brother's death. "He was the one that was administering," she told ABC's Robin Roberts in an interview that will air Wednesday, November 18th. "I think he is responsible." As for the moment she learned Michael had passed away, Jackson said, "It just didn't ring true to me. It felt like a dream."

Look back at Jackson's career, in photos.

Janet added she believes Dr. Murray should never practice medicine again, but the prospect of losing his license is likely the least of his problems: As Rolling Stone reported, Murray has been the focus of the investigation into Jackson's death, which has been ruled a homicide caused by an acute Propofol intoxication. Police have yet to file charges against Murray, but the investigation is reportedly still ongoing.

"I was at my house in New York. You know, another day," Jackson said of the day she learned Michael had died. "Another morning. And I get a call ... [my assistant] said, 'Your brother's been taken to the hospital. It's on CNN right now,' " she told Roberts. "I called everyone's [phones]. There's a line busy or — someone wasn't picking up. I spoke to mother. I spoke to Tito. I spoke to my nephew Austin. I spoke to my sister La Toya. I told them to call me when they got to the hospital. And I remember thinking nobody's calling me back, so I tried calling again, and that's how I found out that he was no longer ... I couldn't believe it."

In the November 18th interview, Janet also reminisces about her close childhood with Michael, what it was like growing up in the Jackson family and the last time she saw her brother. "We had a lot of fun, laughing. ...I was being silly, acting silly," Janet said of seeing MJ two days before her birthday in May 2009, "And he was sitting in front of me and just cracking up, laughing at me. I was being loud. And he thought it was so funny."

Related Stories:
Janet Jackson Honors Michael With Dance Tribute at VMAs
Michael Jackson's Death Officially Ruled Homicide
Report: Doctor Left Jackson Alone After Administering Propofol

To read the new issue of Rolling Stone online, plus the entire RS archive: Click Here

prev
Music Main Next

blog comments powered by Disqus
Stay Connected

Sign up to get Rolling Stone's daily newsletter.

Song Stories

“Smells Like Teen Spirit”

Nirvana | 1991

"Smells Like Teen Spirit," named after a brand of deodorant marketed to girls, was Kurt Cobain's attempt to "write the ultimate pop song," he said, using the soft-loud dynamic of his favorite band, the Pixies. Cobain "had that dichotomy of punk rage and alienation," the song’s producer, Butch Vig, told Rolling Stone, "but also this vulnerable pop sensibility. In 'Teen Spirit,' a lot of that vulnerability is in the tone of his voice." Sadly, by the time of Nirvana's last U.S. tour, in late '93, Cobain was tortured by the obligation to play "Teen Spirit" every night. "There are many other songs that I have written that are as good, if not better," he claimed.

More Song Stories entries »