Mark Ralston / AFP - Getty Images file

Michael Jackson's brother Randy spoke out on Tuesday about the latest drama surrounding the famous family, from the issue of the King of Pop's will and mom Katherine Jackson's "disappearance."

In an interview with Al Sharpton on MSNBC's "Politics Nation" Tuesday, Jackson accused the executors of Michael's estate -- John Branca and John McClain -- of "using the children to try and put pressure on my mom to try and come out and get her to say things in their favor, to kind of clean up their image." 

Last week, Jackson siblings Janet, Jermaine, Rebbie, Tito and Randy penned a letter accusing the men of fraud, claiming that Michael's will is "fake, flawed and fraudulent."

It was a point that Randy Jackson reiterated in his interview. "(Branca and McClain) know that they've been caught. They know that they've falsified a document," he said. "What they're trying to do is kind of put the attention on something else when the attention is on this letter for us."

Branca and McClain also made their own statement earlier Tuesday: "We are acutely concerned about the welfare of Mrs. Jackson, and most particularly with Michael's minor children. We are concerned that we do what we can to protect them from undue influences, bullying, greed, and other unfortunate circumstances."

Katherine Jackson -- who is the guardian of Prince, Paris and Blanket -- was reported missing last week, but officials have since closed report after looking into the situation. Paris tweeted Monday and Tuesday that she hadn't seen or spoken to her grandmother in days. "This isn't like her at all .. i wanna talk directly to my grandmother!" she wrote. 

"My mom is great," Jackson told Sharpton. "She's relaxing. She's having fun. She's with my sister Rebbie." He also said that his mother's health had been poor, and it was on doctor's orders that she "isolate herself from the outside world and rest."

He also denied that he and his siblings are keeping the children from their grandmother. According to Jackson, when he went along to Katherine's home Monday to bring the children to their grandma, security at the home stopped the family. "Yesterday, we did go to the home to let Paris and Prince know that they can visit with or talk to their grandma at any time because we felt that someone was trying to twist the story and make it feel as though we were the problem."

Jackson also pointed out that the dispute with the executors "is not about money." "For us as a family, this is not about being left out of the will or a fight over the children," he told Sharpton. "This is about a family that has questions, that has lost a family member."

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Laurent Rebours / AP file

Pop star Michael Jackson and his wife Lisa Marie Presley wave to photographers as they visit the Versailles castle near Paris in 1994.

Michael Jackson's insomnia apparently went back much further than his propofol days.

In fact, the late singer was struggling to sleep between 1993 and 1996. Julien's Auctions in Beverly Hills obtained a letter written by Jackson to his then-wife Lisa Marie Presley in which he details his dire need for rest.

Although this little piece of M.J. history was scheduled to be sold in the company's upcoming Music Icons auction, CEO Darren Julien told E! News the letter is no longer going to be up for auction per a request from Presley.

More from E!: Michael Jackson's mom Katherine misses him every day, believes they'll meet again

In the handwritten note, Jackson says: "I truly need this rest. I haven't slept litterally (sic) in 4 days and I need to be away from phones and business people. I just take care of my health first. Im' (sic) crazy for you."

He signs the scribbled note, "Love, Turd," an apparent nickname of his.

Julien said it was because of the "personal nature" of the note and the company's desire to maintain a "good relationship" with Presley (who was married to Jackson from 1994 to 1996) that they adhered to this "reasonable request."

At this time, he was unable to say where the note will end up next.

More from E!: Photos - Michael Jackson: A Life

What do you think about Presley's request? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Michael Jackson is dancing again, on Pepsi cans.

The soft drink maker and the estate for the late pop star on Thursday unveiled plans to put the singer's silhouette on one billion soft drink cans in a global pop culture ad campaign.

The late King of Pop, who pitched Pepsi in 1980s commercials as "the choice of a new generation", will appear in some of his iconic dance poses for the promotion, which will also coincide with the 25th anniversary of the singer's "Bad" album.

The limited edition Pepsi cans will go on sale first in China, starting on Saturday, and then in the United States later this month. They will be rolled out in Asia, South America and Europe later in 2012.

Fans of the singer, who died in June 2009, will also be able to enter contests for tickets to Cirque du Soleil's show "Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour."

Pepsi, Jackson's estate, and his Sony Music record company are also teaming up to share new mixes of music from the "Bad" album as part of the campaign.

"We are thrilled to bring Michael and Pepsi back together, as they were in 1988, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the 'Bad' album and tour and to put Michael on one billion Pepsi cans," John Branca and John McClain, the executors of Jackson's estate, said in a statement.

The Jackson cans are part of Pepsi's new "Live for Now" campaign, which seeks to harness pop culture to boost sales. Pepsi-Cola is currently No. 3 in the United States, behind Coca-Cola and Diet Coke in a declining market for carbonated drinks.

Pepsi said earlier this week that rapper Nicki Minaj would feature in a commercial as part of the campaign.

Jackson has been associated with Pepsi since 1983 when he appeared alongside his Jackson 5 brothers in his first Pepsi campaign.

But the memories are not all good. Jackson's hair famously caught fire while filming a Pepsi commercial in 1984 in Los Angeles, scorching his scalp. The incident was later blamed for triggering Jackson's addiction to painkillers that caused him to enter rehab in 1993.

Jackson, 50, died in Los Angeles from an overdose of the anesthetic propofol and sedatives. His personal doctor is serving a four-year jail sentence in Los Angeles for involuntary manslaughter.

What do you think of the cans and the use of Jackson's likeness? Discuss on Facebook.

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Reuters, AP

The star-crossed and much-scrutinized lives of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston may have been intertwined beyond public knowledge, as a bodyguard for Jackson is now saying the two pop enigmas had a brief romantic affair in the early '90s.

Determined to prove he is the biological father of Jackson’s youngest child, Blanket, former bodyguard Matt Fiddes made a number of striking claims to UK’s The Sun, including the suggestion that the pop superstars had a two-week fling at Jackson’s Neverland Ranch in 1991, and that Jackson never quite recovered from it.

"They met because they were two of the biggest recording artists on the planet and mixing in the same circles. They instantly connected as kindred spirits because they understood each other’s massive fame,” Fiddes told the Sun on April 29. “Whitney practically moved into Michael’s ranch and they had a fling like any other young couple. But Michael said later he had always hoped the relationship had gone further, and I know he dreamed of marrying her."

In March, there was speculation that Houston was romantically linked to Jackson’s older brother, Jermaine. The Sun also reported that the affair took place while Jermaine was married to Hazel Gordy, daughter of Motown founder, Berry Gordy. Jackson’s sister, La Toya confirmed the rumor on March 5 when she appeared on the "The Talk," saying, "He [Jermaine] has admitted that they had an affair."

Fiddes further elaborated to the Sun, commenting that Michael "was furious when he heard she had also slept with Jermaine, but this didn’t stop him holding a candle for her his whole life."

The 32-year-old British martial arts expert and fitness instructor met Jackson in 1998, and soon became his bodyguard and confidant until his passing in 2009.  Fiddes insists that Jackson asked him for a sperm donation in 2001 because he wanted to "create an athletic child," and that 10-year-old Blanket (real name Prince Michael II) was the result of his endowment. Though not seeking custody of the boy, Fiddes is aiming to bring the paternity issue to court in order to have DNA testing carried out and obtain visitation rights.

As further testament to his close ties with the late superstar, Fiddes has made a number of other allegations about the singer, including that he was "anorexic" and "impotent" due to heavy use of drugs and alcohol. He claims Jackson’s body was riddled with needle marks, and that he was ashamed of his balding head and had a closet containing more than hundred wigs.

Added Liddes, the last days of the pop icon were sullen. "If he couldn’t get drugs, he would drink. When he announced the 'This Is It' concerts at the O2 in London in 2009, he had downed half a bottle of whisky to cope with the pressure. He was also wearing a bullet-proof vest, petrified he would be assassinated due to the child abuse allegations that haunted him until his dying day."

Though he asserts he spoke to Jackson just three days before his death on June 25, 2009, Liddes was banned from the Jackson family circle following the singer’s passing.

What do you make of Fiddes claims? Share your thoughts on Facebook.

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Bettmann / Corbis

Michael Jackson performed the moonwalk for the first time on television on "Motown 25: Yesterday, Today, Forever" in 1983.

A 30-year-old Idaho resident was charged with felony assault when he took his love of dance a step too far and allegedly forced another man to perform Michael Jackson's always-tricky moonwalk routine at gunpoint.

According to a report in the Coeur d'Alene Press, sheriff's deputies arrived at the home of John Ernest Cross on Monday after being informed he was using drugs and had ordered another man to make with the moves made famous by the late King of Pop -- or else.

On Tuesday, Cross' bail was set at $20,000, and he was ordered not to contact the other man.

Of course, as dance buffs know, even if Cross' as-yet unidentified and unwilling dance partner managed to master the moonwalk, he wasn't just following in Jackson's back-sliding footsteps. The origins are said to go back to jazz great and bandleader Cab Calloway or even earlier, though no one can deny Jackson made the move a pop culture fixture.

Check out some gun-free, early inspirations for the dance in this YouTube clip:

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Nate D. Sanders.com

The black surgical mask Michael Jackson was often seen wearing when he was alive is up for auction, and already a hot commodity on the market board.

Contributed by Jackson’s former personal bodyguard, Eric Muhammad, who signed a certificate stating the pop icon wore it the day before he died, the item is being bid on through auctioneer Nate D. Sanders, and already has stacked up more than $21,000 through seven bidders alone. 

Described as “the mask that covered the singer's nose and mouth” during his final rehearsal for comeback tour, “This Is It,” the silk guise is said to have been tailored for Jackson and shows “visible traces of his makeup.” Additionally, the auction site notes, “a single dark strand of Jackson's hair accompanies the mask.”

Bidding for the musician’s relict ends April 30.

Sanders told TODAY.com he predicted the mask would sell for “at least $50,000,” and that Jackson’s estate would not receive profits from the trade.

The pop star passed away on June 25, 2009, and there have previously been other auctions and exhibitions showcasing his remaining artifacts. The Associated Press reported in December 2011 that furniture from the mansion Jackson was renting when he died, including beds, chairs, clocks, paintings, dishes and other objects, sold for nearly $1 million through Julien’s auctions, even though the singer didn’t own most of it. His mere touch was enough to raise the value exponentially.

According to AP, a kitchen chalkboard where Jackson's children wrote "I love daddy," went for $5,000, and an armoire upon which Jackson wrote a message to himself on the mirror fetched $25,750.

Julien also sold Jackson’s “Thriller” jacket for $1.8 million at a prior event.

As for the mask, Sanders’ site estimates it could tip the scales at $150,000.

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Dave Hogan / Getty Images file

In today's macabre Michael Jackson news: a gambling website has purchased some of the singer's hair and plans to convert it into a roulette ball.

Championed in a press release under the heading "The King of Pop to Rock & Roll Again," the casino website purchased the small portion of hair from an online memorabilia merchant, Gotta Have Rock & Roll, for $10,871. (The sellers, in turn, nicked it from the Carlyle Hotel in New York after Jackson stayed there.)

Michael Jackson's Dermatologist Investigated by Medical Board

"As its proud new owners, we have decided to convert Michael Jackson's hair into a roulette ball – an appropriately unique way to immortalize a small part of a truly peerless entertainer," said OnlineGamblingPal.com in a statement. "The ball itself will be made to the highest professional standards, ensuring it will be eligible for use at any licensed casino's roulette table. Indeed, considering Jackson dedicated his life to entertaining millions, the prospect of this very special ball captivating crowds at roulette tables seems like a fitting use for it. . . Together, we can ensure Michael Jackson continues to rock and ‘ROLL' forever."

Unseen Michael Jackson Footage Flops at Auction

May we suggest a new slogan for the website: "It don't matter if you're black or red."

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Dr. Conrad Murray received a maximum four-year sentence on Tuesday for his role in the death of Michael Jackson, and the deputy district attorneys who prosecuted Murray, David Walgren and Deborah Brazil, appeared on TODAY exclusively Wednesday with their reactions to the sentence.

The sentence came after the judge proffered a 24-minute dressing down of Murray, and the harsh tone did not come as a surprise to the prosecution. "He (the judge) had sat through the trial, had heard all of the evidence, he was one of the most informed people in regards to the facts of the case, and I think being aware of all the facts and all the evidence, he was rightfully offended by the actions of Conrad Murray and was expressing that," Walgren said.

Although Murray received the maximum sentence of four years, he is unlikely to serve anything close to that amount of time, a fact that the prosecution does not find disappointing. Brazil told Savannah Guthrie, "The judge clearly sent a message to Dr. Murray as well as any other physician by imposing the maximum sentence. The actual time spent behind bars is not a reflection of the seriousness of Conrad Murray's conduct."

Walgren agreed: "I think he certainly deserves the full weight of the punishment and he certainly deserves the full four years ... How much time he actually serves at the end of the day will be up to the sheriff."

Although the facts of the case were presented at trial, Murray gave the prosecution and judge fodder from outside the courtroom in the form of a documentary about the case, and accompanying interview with Guthrie -- an action that might have ultimately hurt him at sentencing Tuesday. "I certainly don't think it helped him," Walgren said. "I think the fact that in that interview he expressed a complete lack of remorse, a complete lack of personal responsibility, he blamed it again on Michael Jackson rather than himself ... that he Conrad Murray was the victim and not Michael Jackson, I think it showed a complete failure to recognize what he did."

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NBC News

The doctor who was convicted in the overdose death of Michael Jackson was sentenced to the maximum four years in prison Tuesday in a finale to the tormented saga of the King of Pop.

Dr. Conrad Murray sat stoically with his hands crossed as Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor repeatedly chastised him for what he called a "horrific violation of trust" while caring for Jackson.

Read the full story here.

Al Seib / AP

Dr. Conrad Murray listens as the jury returns with a guilty verdict in his involuntary manslaughter trial Monday, Nov. 7 in a Los Angeles courtroom.

In an interview scheduled to air Friday as part of an MSNBC documentary, Dr. Conrad Murray insists that Michael Jackson “begged and pleaded” to get propofol, an anesthetic drug Murray administered to Jackson to help him sleep. “He asked me, ‘Please, please Dr. Conrad ... I need some milk so that I can sleep. If I don't get any sleep today, I cannot perform, I cannot do anything.’”

“Michael Jackson and The Doctor,” which premieres on MSNBC Friday at 10 p.m. ET, chronicles the trial from the points of view of Murray and his defense team. Murray, who chose not to take the stand during the trial, talks about the day Jackson died and shares details of his relationship with the pop star.

On the morning of the day Jackson died, Murray says that Jackson appeared “hysterical.” “He looked to me like the ‘Thriller’ image,” said Murray, referring to Jackson’s costume in the 1982 music video.

Murray says Jackson considered him his “one friend.”

“I think in many ways, there were some mirror images in our lives,” says Murray. “I’ve seen him cry so many times. He lived a life greater than a hundred years of pain of any human.”

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Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's personal physician, was convicted Monday afternoon of involuntary manslaughter in the singer's June 25, 2009, death.

The seven-man, five-woman panel had to be unanimous on their decision to either convict or acquit Murray of the charge. They began deliberating Friday and did not meet over the weekend. Overall they deliberated for about nine hours.

After the verdict was announced, Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor lifted the gag order that had been imposed during the trial.

The Houston cardiologist, 58, faces a sentence of up to four years in prison. He could also lose his medical license.

Read the full story.

AP file

Michael Jackson in 1993

In the end, the music is all that remains.

Dr. Conrad Murray has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Michael Jackson. Whether he serves years in jail or just days, nothing can bring the singer back. There seems to be no doubt that both Jackson and Murray made some incredibly dumb decisions.

You feel for Jackson -- pushing himself to take on a 50-date concert extravaganza, and with dreams of opening the world's largest children's hospital. He must have felt there weren't enough hours in the day. No wonder he couldn't sleep, and no wonder he became increasingly desperate to somehow force his body to do so, even if it meant taking the surgical anesthetic propofol.

Murray is a little more of a mystery. He must have thought he'd landed the job of a lifetime, the job of anyone's lifetime, being asked to serve as the personal physician to the legendary singer, earning a reported $150,000 per month. Did that make him think that he had to give the singer anything he asked for?  Surely he figured that if he didn't provide the magic "milk," an increasingly desperate Jackson would simply fire him and hire someone else who would.

That's understandable, but it's not forgivable. Personal assistants can do what it takes to fulfill the requests of their celebrity clients, but we hold our doctors to a different standard. Time and time again during the trial other doctors took the stand and said that, in Murray's place, they would have told Michael Jackson "no." No, I can't give you propofol to sleep, it's a drug used for operations, not to be given in one man's bedroom. No, I realize you think it's what you need, but we're going to have to find another way.

No one but Jackson and Murray were in that room on June 25, 2009, and the real story of what happened there will never be known. Those of us who are just onlookers, merely fans of Jackson's incredible career, don't have to live daily with the pain that his three children do. Sure, they're rich and famous and set for life, but the son known as Blanket isn't even 10 yet. Would many of us trade a lifetime with our father, however many years we were allotted, for luxury goods and cash?

The Murray trial will soon slip into history, like Jackson's earlier court cases and headlines. It'll forever be a part of his life story, but it'll never outshine the real legacy, his music. Walk away from a television covering the Murray trial and find a radio or a CD or MP3 player playing Jackson's music. The hypnotic opening beats of "Billie Jean," the haunting notes of "Thriller," the jazzy tune of "Black or White," the soaring notes of "Man in the Mirror."

Turning on Jackson's music after hearing more of the endless details of the Murray case is like walking into a cool lake after a slog through a mud puddle. For those of us who grew up with it, our own life memories flash through our head when we hear it. School dances choreographed to "Thriller," dramatic breakups spent humming "She's Out Of My Life," the early days of "Rock With You" and even "ABC." They're a part of our culture, almost inescapable. Whatever Jackson did with the rest of his life, he gave us that.

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