A year after Michael Jackson's death caused a worldwide outpouring of shock, tears and tributes, the anniversary of his passing was being marked Friday on a quieter scale, as fans remembered their fallen King of Pop with vigils, prayer and, of course, music.
The electric, enigmatic and troubled icon died on June 25, 2009, at age 50, as he was preparing for a series of comeback concerts in London. Dr. Conrad Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in Jackson's death for administering the powerful anesthetic propofol to Jackson to help the pop star sleep.
At Jackson's final resting place at Forest Lawn in Glendale. Calif., about 500 fans filed past barricades Friday to get close to the mausoleum where Jackson is interred. Some wept, while some carried bouquets; others were armed with cameras to document the moment.
Erick Dominguez, 37, a sales representative from Victorville, Calif., wore a black shirt with Jackson's photo that read: "In Loving Memory".
"He's been my idol all my life since I can remember. I feel like I haven't had closure," he said, starting to weep from behind dark sunglasses.
Yugi Aoki, 33, of Tokyo, came with 13 other Japanese fans. They were all wearing sparkling gloves and fedora hats, one of Jackson's signature looks. Aoki smiled as he described how Jackson influenced him: "Michael Jackson changed myself. We love his dancing and songs".
Members of the Jackson family arrived at the cemetery Friday afternoon, and brother Tito Jackson shook the hands of a few waiting fans.
In Gary, Ind., Jackson's hometown, hundreds of fans began gathering in the afternoon for a tribute at the family home; Jackson's mother, Katherine, was in the city for the event.
Leonia Lowery, 69, a retiree from Chicago, stood against the fence hoping to catch a glimpse of the family matriarch.
"I'm very proud to be here and will be coming here every year because we love him," she said as the King of Pop's music played over loudspeakers set up outside his boyhood home.
In Harlem, pictures of Jackson hung on a wall outside New York's Apollo Theater, where Jackson and his brothers won amateur night in the late 1960s. A sidewalk plaque honored the singer alongside such other legends as James Brown and Smokey Robinson.
Since the Apollo helped launch the Jackson 5, it has had a strong connection to the late singer. After Jackson's death, it became the de facto gathering place for New York fans. It was an emotional though more low-key scene on Friday morning, as Jackson's music blared from boom boxes and passing cars.
