The absolute prize celebrity photo for any tabloid is a picture of a dead superstar. When Elvis died, a photo of him in his coffin was sold to the National Enquirer for a reported seven figures. A blurry photo of John Lennon's body on a stretcher fetched a similar amount after his death.
So it's not surprising that several photos of a dead or dying Michael Jackson are being released, thanks to the modern day explosion of paparrazi, cellphone cameras and greedy celebrity posse members.
The television show and web site "The Insider" has published a photo it claims is an exclusive "last" photo of the dying singer. In the image, he's show receiving medical attention through what seems to be the window or door of the ambulance.
It's a sad and jarring photo, and while I understand the economic reasons to air it, I'm a bit depressed that it has seen the light of day.
But if you find that image troubling, it's only going to get worse.
A national tabloid is telling journalists that it has obtained an "exclusive" photo of Jackson's body, apparently taken somehow at the UCLA Medical Center. As far as I can tell, no one has seen the photo, and I couldn't even get a public confirmation from the tabloid that it indeed had the picture. But rumors persist that the image will hit the checkout lanes of your local grocery store next week.
As for any photos of Michael Jackson's autopsy (or his body just before or after the procedure), law enforcement officials I've spoken with believe it's very unlikely that any will appear. Jackson's autopsy was very closely watched and guarded, and his body has been locked in a special vault awaiting its transfer to his family.
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