911 Caller: Jackson "Not Breathing"

(CBS/ AP)  A 911 caller seeking help for Michael Jackson told an emergency operator that only a personal physician had seen what happened, and an ambulance was urgently needed because resuscitation efforts weren't working.

The Los Angeles Fire Department on Friday released a redacted audio recording of the call made Thursday by a person who only referred to Jackson as a 50-year-old man. It appeared that a mention of the phone number was deleted from the recording.

"I need an ambulance as soon as possible, sir," the caller said urgently but politely. "We have a gentlemen here that needs help and he's not breathing yet. He's not breathing and we need to - we're trying to pump him, but he's not, he's not."

The caller reported that Jackson was on a bed and the emergency operator began to instruct him to do CPR, but stopped when the caller said that the personal physician was there.

"Oh, OK. We're on our way there. If your guy is doing CPR and you're instructed by a doctor, he's a higher authority than me. And he's on the scene," the 911 operator said.

Listen to the 911 call


The operator asked if anyone witnessed what happened.

"No, just the doctor, sir, the doctor was the only one there," the caller said.

"Did he see what happened?" the operator asked.

"Doctor, did you see what happened, sir?" the caller asked someone in the room. Only an urgent mumbling can be heard on the recording.

"We're on our way. It's less than a mile away from Cedars," the operator said, referring to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Paramedics, however, took Jackson to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.

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Motown's Gordy On Discovering Jackson
Gary, Indiana Mourns Hometown Star
The Man With The Moves
King Of Pop Lived In Luxury, Died In Debt
Coroner: Cause Of Jackson Death Deffered
911 Caller: Jackson "Not Breathing"
KHOU: Texas MD With Jackson Amid Collapse
A Collection Of CBS Videos Of Michael Jackson
The Death Of Michael Jackson, Full Coverage

[eviey47]

Come on the man is dead. Let him be. Time to move on to something else. I tired of hearing about how he died. Maybe, just maybe, he had a heart attack, after all he was 50 years old.

[deerui]

This is unbelieveable !!!! you people have serious problems saying the mean and nasty things your saying. MJ has 3 beautiful cildren that may some day read this. Not only that but, when you say he is in trouble when he meets his maker, What do you think's gonna happen to you when you meet him? A lot of you must NOT know too much abot MJ, because he gave a lot of money to charities. IF he did molest those kids ( which I doubt ) he will be judged by GOD!! I for one dont hink God needs your help in judgeing. R.I.P Michael, You WILL be remembered and GOD bless your family.

[jincstress]

This is our cue to "unplug" and go out and get some fresh air for the next 3 weeks.

[erasmus111]

by taebok June 26, 2009 8:02 PM PDT

"Michael's music made me want to stab my brain with an ice pick..."

That's what Janis Joplin's voice did to me. And I would bet you any money that if she had have stuck around, she wouldn't have been around for long. People get tired of hearing screaming and screeching.

And as for Jim Morrison, well he was depressing. People only want to be depressed for so long. So Hendrix was the only one that was half decent and that was because of his guitar playing.


"Does standing there being stoned take that much less effort than grabbing your crotch and yelling 'HEEEE! HEE!'"

Well, I will admit it takes a little effort to stand up when you are that stoned, but I bet it took more effort standing on your toes, grabbing your crotch and yelling 'HEEEE! Hee!'

I would rather watch Michael Jackson dance than watch a couple of stoned dumb bunnies standing their moving their lips. :P

[jetranger7]

SICK'O SICK'O SICK'O and thanks to idiot Reporters and the low life news media, for providing wayyyy tooo much coverage on this nuts death,,, like he really did anything for anybody anyway - except himself,,, and lately he couldn't even do that,, not to mention couldn't actually afford his weirdoland home in L.A. or his behind in rent flop house in thialand or whereever it was,,, he was a pop idiot,, made too much money and no brains to go with it, like many of tadays black rap stars are headed, some have already fallin off the wagon, after their 1 hit wonder or end up in prision or shot dead - some role model,, and mikey --- well he liked Tinker Toys and little boys,,, fact,, and thats sick !!!!!!! enough of this weird fairy - you news media outlets,, enough is enough ~ !!!!! I'm not the only one who feels this way, theres apparently millions getting ready to stage a protest nationwide for giving this lunitic sick'o this much media coverage anyway,,,, so watch out CBS/ nbc/abc /CNN/ FAUX NEWS,, you may be boycotted by corporate sponsors here really soon for catering to a "CHILD MOLESTER" - Known= FACT !!!!

[winstrv]

This guy was 50 years old! I believe he had a song about the "Man in the Mirror". He is responsible for what happened in his life once he reached legal age. Another blame everybody else for his problems. Great talent who did this to himself. They'll throw someone in jail and there will be lawsuits but the bottom line is he is at fault. Does anybody other than me and my wife take personal responsibility for their decisions anymore?

[erasmus111]

by taebok June 26, 2009 1:34 PM PDT
except that half the people you named were hardly 'over the hill celebs' with 'fame and fortune fading'.... Morrison, Hendrix & Joplin never even made it to 30... though at least those three had talent... Michael's 'music' was excruciatingly painful


You can't REALLY be serious. Hendrix may have been a great guitar player, but it doesn't take too much talent to be stoned out of your mind and stand there and sing. And then there was Janis Joplin's screeching and screaming. Michael Jackson could not only actually SING, but DANCE as well. I do not think that Michael Jackson was doing drugs while he was performing. He started taking pain killers for a reason, but that was much later.

[Audrey_Dern]

Most of you people have your head in the sand. Michael was a freak who liked little boys. What about Farrah Faucett and Ed Macman? They did so much good in life. Farrah died a long agonizing death...it took years and was brave to the end. Ed was by Jerry Lewis's side for years trying to raise money to cure people. Why isn't more said about them. Michael was a nothing and was lucky enouth to die a quick, painless death. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes when he meets his maker.

[thusspokezara]

There is no way that he died from a Demerol overdose!!! Demerol overdoses are easily reversed with Narcan which must have been available at the home. There is no way that the doctor would have given him a large dose of Demerol without knowing that he could easily reverse it. The doctor is being set up!!! We need to know who was in the home in the previous 72 hours.

[skydrifter1]

He had his successes, but at a terrible personal price.

Without his paying off everyone, I suspect that his factual legacy will probably come forth.

At least all this attention gives Farrah's family & loved ones a break from the otherwise assured media blitz nightmare.

[zonkzilla]

No offense to Michael because it is not his fault, but the way the media is hyping this thing you would think a god has died.
Give me a break. The attention, special programming, headlines are way overkill.
Now if someone wants to worship Jackson as their god I have no problem with that but he is not my God.
Guess I will have stop watching network TV for at least a month.