It is an item surely no Michael Jackson fan would want to see, let alone own. But a blood-stained IV drip used to administer drugs from Jackson's bedroom during his final days alive is going to be auctioned off by some of his family.
In a shocking decision, his cousin Marsha Stewart has put the item up for sale alongside other items in what appears to be an attempt to cash in and drain every last bit of income from the global singing star. Las Vegas' Memorabilia Expert team hopes to get at least $2500 for the fluid bag, which was used by Jackson and administered by Doctor Conrad Murray in June 2009 during his daily drug intakes of Propofol.
The disturbing lot comes from an auction of materials from MJ's father Joe Jackson. His niece and Michael's cousin Marsha admits that she took the bag from Jackson's bedroom days after his death during a visit with dad Joe. The Propofol "white milk fluid"' had "later dissolved", but Marsha claims that "Michael's DNA" remains on it as there are traces of bloodstains in the plastic tubes. She claims that the IV is the "last one he had in his arm when he died" - although it is understood LAPD detectives removed medical equipment from the crime scene hours after MJ passed away on June 25 2009.
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Jackson's doctor Conrad Murray was later convicted of involuntary manslaughter after it was found he gave the star excessive amount of drugs including the surgical anaesthetic propofol. Marsha confessed: “Shortly after Michael died I went to the house on Sunset, I was able to go in and go to the bedroom. When I went into the bedroom there was a bed there with some juice, it looked like a sandwich... and I noticed this. This was over by the stand and what I did was took it and put it in my purse.
"This actually belonged to Michael Jackson and it had some white like milk fluid inside of it, which later on dissolved, but this is actually Michael's DNA on it - that's what made me grab it, the blood. This was one of the IVs - the last actually - he had in his arm when he died."
The auctioneer's text used to help sell the item on their website is equally disturbing. It reads: "Now, could this be the IV that was used to administer the lethal dose of Propofol to Michael Jackson? "This IV probably was not the one that was used to administer that dose, however, could more than likely have been used during his many treatments with Propofol."
Memorabilia Expert founder Kieta, who goes by just one name, said: "This is the IV bag that was taken from Michael Jackson's room after he passed and it's important to note that this has come directly from Michael's cousin. "It's from Joe Jackson's estate the provenance is really important with this piece. "For me, I feel that with Michael Jackson we have to embrace all of him, that's his iconic pop status as well as the troubles that he had with addictions and not being able to sleep, pushing himself to perform for his fans and his artistry.
"The IV bag - although maybe morbid to some - I don't see it as that I embrace it as part of Michael Jackson. Addiction is close to many families - it knows no age, race, gender. The IV bag is significant to Michael Jackson and how he ended up dying. It is a controversial piece but it's still part of Michael."
The Braun brand IV drip is not the only unusual lot in around 60 items from Joe's memento collection are up for sale. A pair of the manager's dentures can be snapped up for a minimum of $250 and the slippers that the singer wore during his final days at the Carolwood mansion are on sale alongside, a silver Zac Posen jacket and signed photos are in the collection.
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Stewart, who is part of the Jackson family, and was very close to Joe Jackson, as well as the rest of the family. According to the legal binding contract from the Joe Jackson Estate, Marsha Stewart was his niece and Michael Jackson’s cousin. She is also seen throughout the Jackson Family reunion videos as well as standing side by side with the family during the troublesome court hearings in LA. Toward the end of his life, she was also the caretaker of Joe Jackson.
She has decided to sell the items including the belt worn by MJ on the from BAD tour shoes last days, wigs and Joe's jackets, photo collections and famous hats are also up for sale. Jackson died aged 50 in June 2009, just before he was due to stage a series of comeback concerts in the UK, beginning on 13 July. He scored seven UK number ones as a solo artist and won a total of 13 Grammy awards.
