Michael Jackson ‘died desperate for sleep as he worked in gruelling rehearsals’

Bang Showbiz | Los Angeles

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Michael Jackson’s former lawyer has said the star died desperate for sleep as he rehearsed for concerts he never got to perform.

The singer was in the middle of preparing for a planned concert residency at London’s O2 Arena – set to run from July 2009 to March 2010 – when he died of a heart attack aged 50 caused by an overdose of sedatives and propofol on 25 June 2009.

In his new book Crazy Lucky: Remarkable Stories from Inside the World of Celebrity Icons, Michael’s friend and former lawyer John Mason reveals Michael was in dire financial straits and under immense pressure when he complained he was knackered.

The singer is said have told the lawyer about his upcoming tour he was working on at the time of his death:

“ I can’t function if I don’t sleep. They’ll have to cancel it. And I don’t want them to cancel it.”

John added: “In 2009, I was living in Reno when I got a call from someone who told me that Michael was in ‘really bad shape.’

“He was trying to tour again, but he had collapsed onstage during rehearsals. Yet, he was back at it the next day. Michael was Michael.”

According to John, Michael was on the verge of losing his Neverland Ranch when AEG Live’s tour promoter brought in Dr Conrad Murray, at Jackson’s request, to manage his severe insomnia with nightly propofol infusions.

As rehearsals wore on, Michael reportedly became fixated on the residency.