Adventures in Grave Hunting by Lisa Burks

Outside Conrad Murray's Day in Court

via LisaBurks.com- read more here

Conrad Murray at Forest Lawn: The Breakdown

Kudos to Entertainment Tonight and The Insider for broadcasting you-have-to-see-it-to-believe-it footage they obtained of impending manslaughter defendant Dr. Conrad Murray paying a visit Forest Lawn Glendale, the cemetery where his patient, Michael Jackson, was entombed five months earlier, to the day.

Video content provided for information/educational purposes only and remain the copyrighted material of CBS Studios, Inc. and CBS Interactive, Inc.

But that's only half of the unbelievable story.

The shows were broadcast on February 4. The Insider segment states that the Murray footage was shot the day prior, February 3 - the same day that members of the fiercely devoted Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California Facebook fan club made their monthly pilgrimage to the Great Mausoleum Holly Terrace.

Here's my exclusive breakdown on why we don't see him at Holly Terrace:

Viewer comments on websites for both shows are of the overwhelming opinion that Murray's visit was an outrageously inappropriate publicity stunt. Who shot the footage is unknown, but whoever it was did not go unnoticed by Murray, seen looking directly at the camera.

It's widely speculated that the material was orchestrated and leaked by a British reality show crew revealed to be following Murray around as of late December, as reported by the Associated Press based on an original report by TMZ.

The odds that the visit's documentation was pre-arranged to happen in the presence of at least one professional photographer skyrocket considering the quality and camera angle of this still photo copyrighted by the National Photo Group and published by the UK's Daily Mail. (Thank you reader Marissa Kay for pointing out that the NPG is the same agency responsible for paps Ben Evenstad/Chris Weiss' last photo of MJ, in the ambulance, and the first to get images of Murray when he came out of hiding.)

ET and The Insider both reported that MJ's erstwhile personal physician was seen alone outside the Great Mausoleum and that he left after only staying for a few moments and after never going in. E! Online further reported that he tried to gain access but was turned away because he was not on the approved Jackson family guest list.

Here's where the debunking begins.

This screen capture from the video showing Murray exiting a vehicle parked in front of the Memorial Terrace clearly shows he was not alone. Notice the person on the driver side seemingly getting something out of the minivan's back seat. A camera perhaps?

Next, Murray went to the clearly-marked Memorial Terrace, not the Holly Terrace which has been reported ad nauseum to be the portion of the Great Mausoleum where MJ was entombed.

Further, notice that the Memorial Terrace entrance doors are closed.  This indicates that Murray was either there before 9 a.m. or after 4:30 p.m., the hours of operation for that building. He didn't go in because he couldn't go in and it had nothing to do with a Jackson family approved guest list.

By the way, I was there with the MJFSC at Forest Lawn on February 3. While there, coincidentally, I was told by a cemetery source that the multi-paged family approved guest list was nixed once photos of MJ's crypt, taken by an approved visitor, were published as an exclusive by TMZ in November. For the past three months, the new official ground rules at the park have been that visitors are only allowed in to see MJ if they are accompanied by a Jackson family member.

Photo courtesy of Jim Lacy

Regarding the closed doors, as a comparison, I'm including a shot of my friend Laurie and I, taken in front of the same Memorial Terrace doors after exiting that terrace in 2006. It illustrates the position of the doors during business hours - propped open. You can see the security kiosk through the left door. The position of the car in the background of the photo is roughly where Murray's minivan was parked.

Just to be clear, here's another shot of Murray on the Memorial Terrace steps showing the closed doors, as well as documentation from Forest Lawn-issued literature verifying the mausoleum visiting hours.

Next, let's take into consideration the position of the sun to timeline Murray's visit.

The warm light and shadows in the image of Murray seated on the westward-facing cement bench outside the Memorial Terrace indicate the sun is setting on the western horizon (see map below which includes official coordinates.)  According to data from the National Weather Service, sunset occurred at 5:26 p.m. on February 3.

This narrows down the time of his visit on February 3 to within the scope of less than one hour, between 4:30-5:26 p.m.

After spending a few seconds on the bench, Murray is shown walking northward, past the recognizable Builder's Creed, toward Holly Terrace.  He is on the road that leads toward the archway as seen in the footage from MJ's funeral.

He's headed right toward a large gathering of Michael Jackson fans assembled on the Holly Terrace patio,  who appear to have unknowingly created a barrier between their beloved King of Pop and Murray & crew.

How far he made it down that road is questionable, but it's a no-brainer guess that he need not have walked much further before seeing many cars parked on the roadway past the overpass.  Equally a no-brainer call is the fact that he would not have wanted to run into a group of MJ Fans who were there from 1:30 p.m. until the park closed at 6 p.m., after dark.

  

Astoundingly, at the same time that Murray was being documented at Memorial Terrace, around the corner devoted Jackson fans were delivering over 200 Valentine's gifts to their fallen idol from grieving fans in 21 different countries, and conducting a prayer circle summoning swift justice for MJ from the suspected culprit responsible for his death, who just happened to be a few yards away.

To say that there would have been no room for negotiations to surrender had a meeting occurred would be an understatement. Most members were among the fans, outraged by the recent politicking surrounding Murray's arraignment, who flooded the Los Angeles District Attorney and LAPD phone lines today, demanding Murray be brought in immediately and in handcuffs.

Update 2/5/2010: In going over the events of February 3 with members of the MJFSC today, I was reminded that two young white guys arrived to the Terrace just after everything had been taken inside and the prayer circle had concluded. Some remember them to have been there prior, without cameras, arriving in a black Bronco.

The pair returned carrying professional cameras with large lenses, which is not unusual because people who frequent cemeteries today have nice cameras. When asked if they were there to visit Michael, they responded that no, they were visiting someone else, and had went back to get their cameras to photograph the display of gifts.

In hindsight they were most likely lying. I'd bet the farm that they were the NPG pap arranged to cover Murray. I regret that they were not photographed by myself or anyone else with a camera there that I'm aware of at this time.

I'm pretty sure one of the guys was Ben Evenstad. Here's a video of him being interviewed about photographing Michael on June 25. (Thanks, reader L and Karlene Taylor for the assist.)

Gift delivery inside Holly Terrace and prayer circle ~ 4:30-4:45 p.m.

Photo and candles left burning in honor of MJ outside the Holly Terrace at 6pm.

MJ Receives 200+ Valentines at Forest Lawn

Even as I type this story...

Breaking News 2/4/2010: Conrad Murray visits Michael Jackson's Final Resting Place. Unbelievable. I'm getting conflicting reports that he was supposedly there yesterday afternoon, which would be seemingly false because we were there from 1:30 p.m. until the park closed. ET to show footage on today's broadcast. E! Online is reporting it happened today. Smells like a publicity stunt of the lowest form unless video was captured by a citizen witness. Stay tuned. Back to our regularly scheduled blog post.

Update 2/5/2010: Murray was there, at the Memorial Terrace, just a few yards away from the gathering of MJ fans I attended/documented in this story. Read my breakdown of how close he came to us here.

While Dr. Conrad Murray and his defense team prepare to surrender to authorities this week in Los Angeles in the impending case against him for the death of Michael Jackson, across town the King of Pop's loyal Southern California fans made their monthly pilgrimage to MJ's final resting place yesterday at Forest Lawn Glendale.

Their theme was Valentine's Day and they brought with them their largest haul of cards, flowers, stuffed animals, drawings and other tokens to date -- over 200 items in all, sent from MJ fans in 21 different countries.

Heidi Heidel, creator of the Michael Jackson Fans of Southern California Facebook group that facilitates the deliveries, told me that postal workers at the station where she picks up the mail are continually amazed at the volume and variety of incoming envelopes and packages.

Countries represented yesterday were USA, UK, Italy, South Korea, India, Hong Kong, Canada, Trinidad, Netherlands, China, Australia, France, Spain, Finland, Germany, Poland, Portugal, Belgium, Philippines, Hungary and Malaysia.

Despite earlier predictions of rain on Wednesday, the storm clouds held off and the fans were able to complete their mission under sunny skies and pleasant temperatures.

Their activity attracted the attention of several cemetery visitors, as well as new club members, dozens in all, who joined in on taking in the display as well as participating in a traditional prayer circle to summon the power of love, healing and justice for Michael.

Among them, two sets of parents with 3-month-old babies and an elderly woman who was visiting her son-in-law's grave on the nearby hillside. She spoke little English but told me, "Michael, I pray for him, a good man."

Members of the club have been coming to Forest Lawn on the 3rd of each month since October, a date that marks Michael's entombment in the Ascension Windows sanctuary on the Holly Terrace of the venerable Great Mausoleum. 

The tradtion was started by Erin Jacobs and Kathy Lawson. Each month the visits gain momentum in the number of participants and items.  Along the way, the club has developed a reputation for being respectful visitors while on the cemetery grounds, and in turn, a trusted working relationship with security personnel in regards to the cemetery's privacy policy.

I enjoy creating video interpretations of these monthly gatherings, letting the music choose itself as I edit the photos. With so many images this month I went with three songs, rather than cut short the love. Especially not on Valentine's Day. ;) ♥

Palimony Pioneer Michelle Triola Marvin 1932-2009

Dodging the raindrops last Sunday, while exploring the Woodlands Cremation Garden at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills with my friends Karen Fogerty, Luis Mata and his nephew, Matt, I happened upon the erstwhile unknown (in grave hunting circles) final resting place of palimony pioneer, Michelle Triola Marvin.

Michelle passed away last October after an 18-month battle with lung cancer. Her landmark case against former live-in lover, actor Lee Marvin, back in the 70s is well documented in her lengthy Los Angeles Times obituary.

I grew up very sheltered when it came to things like *gasp* living in sin. What I remember most about this trial was A) the word "lover" being uttered on the evening news, B) thinking "only in California" could someone even think they were entitled to money and/or property from an out-of-wedlock relationship and C) what did she find attractive about Lee Marvin to begin with?

Then I went to college and learned a lot about life. But that's another story.

What I find most heartwarming and inspirational about Michelle's life story is her post-palimony journey; that she found lasting love in a 30-year relationship with another actor, Dick Van Dyke. Those crazy kids didn't get married either, although they did have a cohabitation contract. Glad to know that she continued to march to the beat of her own drum and found happiness.

Dick Van Dyke and Michelle Triola Marvin in 2008 (photo © Katy Winn)

Want to visit Michelle?  Here's how.

Upon entering the front gates, drive forward on Memorial Drive to the first stop sign and turn left on to Evergreen Drive. Drive a very short distance, in front of the Church of the Hills, where you'll encounter another stop sign. Just past the sign is the intersection of Evergreen and Valley Drive (right) and (left) the church driveway.

Look to your left across from driveway. There you'll see the garden which is made up of above ground niches as well as landscaped pathways that contain misc vegetation and large, fake rocks constructed of concrete which cap over ground niches.

Take the path leading furthest away from the church, closer to the trees, to Section 40. Keep walking along this section until just before the wall niches, where you will find Michelle's niche rock (#179) next to a directional lot marker for 40/43.

Or, leave her a virtual flower and message on her memorial page at Findagrave.com.

Special shout out to the Queen of the O.C. for pointing me to the new Forest Lawn Burial Site Locator tool.  After discovering Michelle in person, I also discovered that, unlike most of Forest Lawn's privately guarded celebrity citizens, she's actually listed. Another reason to admire the lady.

Rest in peace, Michelle.

Who Shot Lana: The Blog

For those of you interested in finding out who shot Lana Clarkson (remember, innocent until proven guilty in this country) check out the Phil Spector Trial blog at the LA Times.

Music mogul Spector, 67, has been accused of murding actress Lana Clarkson, 40, by shooting her through the mouth in the foyer of his Alhambra mansion in the wee hours hours of Feb. 3, 2003.  Spector claims it was suicide.

The trial is currently in the jury selection phase.

Thanks to Scott Michaels for flagging me on this latest informational blog.