Jacksons 'plan private ceremony'

Pop star Michael Jackson's family is to hold a "private function" at a Los Angeles cemetery on Tuesday, the BBC has learned.

Police confirmed the event would be taking place at the Forest Lawn Cemetery, but it has not been confirmed if the singer would be buried there.

A memorial service for the singer is due to take place a few hours later.

A total of 8,750 fans were chosen at random to receive tickets to attend the ceremony at the Staples Center.

More than 1.6 million people applied for one of the 11,000 passes issued for the event, with an additional 6,500 issued for a screening at the nearby Nokia Theatre.

On Monday the family announced a preliminary list of those taking part in the service, who include Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder and the Britain's Got Talent finalist Shaheen Jafargholi.

Fans will need to a ticket and wristband to enter the Staples Center

Fans have begun collecting the tickets and wristbands they need to enter the memorial from the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Deka Motanya of San Francisco, one of the fans to win a ticket, said: "I'm in shock that it's happened. It's surreal."

Stanford University student Dave Gobaud did not believe the e-mail telling him he was a winner was genuine at first.

"It's Michael Jackson, one of the greatest musical stars of all time," he said.

'Stay at home'

City officials are preparing for massive crowds and have urged people to stay at home and watch the memorial on TV amid estimates up to 700,000 people may flood the area trying to reach the arena.

Streets around the Staples Centre are being closed off, and Los Angeles Assistant Police Chief Jim McDonnell warned ticketless fans they would be "standing in the hot sun on a city street with a lot of other people... but not within eyeshot of Staples".



Meanwhile, a Los Angeles judge has ruled that Jackson's mother, Katherine Jackson, should be replaced as temporary administrator of his estate.

Superior court judge Mitchell Beckloff said the estate should be administered by Jackson's lawyer, John Branca, and music executive John McClain in accordance with the singer's will.

The judge last week gave temporary control to Mrs Jackson before the 2002 will surfaced. Her lawyer had expressed concerns about Mr McClain and Mr Branca's financial leadership.

The will says the $500m (£303m) estate will be left to a trust benefiting the singer's three children, his mother and charities.

The full preliminary list of those taking part in the memorial service comprises: Ron Boyd, family friend; Kobe Bryant; Mariah Carey; the Andrae Crouch Choir; Berry Gordy; Jennifer Hudson; Shaheen Jafargholi, finalist on Britain's Got Talent; Magic Johnson; Martin Luther King III; Bernice A King; John Mayer; Lionel Richie; Smokey Robinson; Rev Al Sharpton; Brooke Shields; Pastor Lucious Smith, family friend; Usher; and Stevie Wonder.

Original Post : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8137184.stm