The funeral of Michael Jackson on July 7, 2009, in Los Angeles, California, consisted of a private family service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park's Hall of Liberty in Hollywood Hills, followed by a public memorial at the Staples Center. Jackson's closed, solid-bronze casket was taken to the center by a motorcade via the Golden State and Harbor freeways, arriving just before 10:00 a.m. local time, where it was placed just in front of the stage. The memorial began a few minutes after 10:30 a.m. with music and a eulogy from Pastor Lucious Smith. The stage was filled with floral arrangements, with photographs and film of Jackson and the Jackson 5 projected onto screens at the back.

Staples had released 17,500 free tickets, the recipients chosen by an online lottery that attracted 1.2 million applicants in the first 24 hours. Los Angeles was in lockdown after police requests that non-ticket holders stay away were ignored; streets around the center were sealed off, and an extra 1,400 officers were on duty, at a cost of $4 million to the city. The memorial was broadcast live around the world, including to 37 cinemas across America, the global audience expected to exceed 300 million.

The Reverend Al Sharpton won a standing ovation when he told Jackson's children, "There wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. What was strange was what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it." Jackson's daughter, Paris Katherine, broke down as she told the crowd, "Ever since I was born, Daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine ... I just wanted to say I love him so much." Marlon Jackson said, "Maybe now, Michael, they will leave you alone."

Following the public service, family members and close friends attended a Beverly Hills private gathering.

Source: Funeral of Michael Jackson - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia