Jackson Family Says Private Goodbye

King of Pop's Relatives, Friends Hold Service at Forest Lawn Cemetery Before Spectacle of Public Memorial

(CBS/AP)  Last updated 12:24 p.m. ET

Michael Jackson's family and close friends gathered for a private funeral service Tuesday, shortly before the late pop icon's public memorial was set to kick off in Los Angeles.

Jackson's family members and dozens of friends, led by his parents, Joe and Katherine, were seen walking into a hall at Forest Lawn Cemetery, which is no stranger to celebrity burials, where a small viewing was apparently held the night before.

The family emerged around 30 minutes later, along with Jackson's casket, which was loaded into the back of a hearse as the motorcade prepared to head to the Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles. Jackson's body will be present at the public memorial.

Before the service, numerous vehicles under California Highway Patrol escort headed out from the parents' home around 8 a.m. and reached the cemetery about 15 minutes later.

Authorities shut down sections of freeways during the height of Los Angeles' morning rush hour to allow the motorcade to pass.

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Complete coverage of Jackson's death

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Among the celebrities expected to attend the memorial are Stevie Wonder, Mariah Carey, Usher, Lionel Richie, Kobe Bryant, Jennifer Hudson, John Mayer and Martin Luther King III.

The addition of the body adds to the spectacle currently gripping downtown Los Angeles. Police blocked off roads and warned those without tickets to stay away because they would not be able to get close to the Staples Center.

Some fans were allowed past street barriers into the immediate area around the Staples Center early Tuesday. Dozens of street vendors lined up selling T-shirts, photos, buttons and other Jackson memorabilia.

More than 1.6 million people registered for free tickets to Jackson's downtown memorial. A total of 8,750 people were chosen to receive two tickets each.

Bratton said Tuesday on CBS' "The Early Show" the department would have more officers on the streets of downtown for the memorial service than it had for last month's Lakers victory parade.

A few dozen people, some wearing the gold wristband that will allow them into the memorial service, gathered early Tuesday at the perimeter set up outside the Staples Center.

"They're touching us and saying, 'Can you bring the love in for us?'" said Mishelle Van, 37, who said she drove from Hesperia to spend the early morning hours meeting other Jackson fans.

Los Angeles was the epicenter of Jackson-mania, but the outpouring of emotion was worldwide. Belgium's two national public broadcasters were to broadcast the memorial live later Tuesday and several hundred Jackson fans gathered at a Hong Kong mall late Tuesday.

Holding white candles, Hong Kong singer William Chan and Taiwanese pop star Judy Chou led the audience in observing a 30-second silence. Many of the fans clutched red roses and wore black; some donned Jackson's trademark fedora hats.

In America, about 50 movie theaters across the country, from Los Angeles to Topeka, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., were planning to broadcast the memorial live, for free. Jackson died at age 50 on June 25.

"There are certain people in our popular culture that just capture people's imaginations. And in death, they become even larger," President Barack Obama told CBS News while in Moscow. "Now, I have to admit that it's also fed by a 24/7 media that is insatiable."

[alainholmes33]

I've been a fan of MJ every since I was 5 trs. of age. He have and always be my favorite artist and he will always be in my heart. I'll always keep him and his family in my prayers. RIP Micheal Jackson. Gone but not 4gotten.

[pitty_pie]

IVE NEVER SEEN MICHAEL IN CONCERT BUT I LOVED HIS MUSICAND VIDEOS IT WAS VERY SAD TO HEAR OF HIS PASSING HE WILL ALWAYS BE VERY SPECIAL TO ME AND MY FAMILY REST IN PEACE MICHAEL AND LIKE YOUR BROTHER STATED MAYBE NOW THEY WILL LEAVE YOU ALONE
BUT I WISH YOU WAS HERE GONE TO SOON MICHAEL WAY TO SOON

[winchesterla]

I don?t want to sound controversial, but now we know who loves Michael ? his immediate family and ----. Those that deceived him into saying that his Dad abused him are those that led him to the alley way of abuse of drug and eventual death. Those people did not turn up today, pretending to be grieving alone. Joe Jackson was a rock of a Dad, period. He kept his boys and girls off the street, off drugs, off arrests etc and if Michael had stayed close to his family, he would have been here with us today.

[azure13]

MJ was the master of live entertainment.

Here is where he truly became an ultrastar in 1983 with his performance of Billie Jean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rG0cjYwgqxA

And here is a much refined performance of the same song many years later. Absolute brilliance in 2001:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2nTSbHfJvk&feature=related

[edgy44]

I will never understand how he expected to get through 50 circus acts (shows) and not being able to get any sleep. Someone should have cried foul about 6 months ago. You can't do 50 shows if you need prescription pain killers on a daily basis. AIG seems to be the enabler in this case. They gambled, and they lost. It just seems to me, he should have found a nice 5 acres in France and let his kids go to public school, as he learned how to paint. I'm sure sleep would have returned to normal.

[gheemaster38]

I guess the people have spoken. They dont care to much of anything BO does anymore.. If MJ wasn't the number one story then it would have been Farrah. Even Palins' resignation got more play then what Obama did - Even though Obama work was historical and Very important.

[chiliplum]

I was never a fan of his music, but I'll admit that his passing will leave a vacuum that wil be hard to fill. May his soul rest in peace.

[babylove777]

my heart goes out to Paris micheal daughter and his other two children.and now that this is over I hope that media and the paparazi will leave Michael alone and his family.Its timed too He gone so let him be at peace.

[timothyjo]

jackson family says goodbye. hopefully media and his blood sucking family will move on he was at best average ! maybe for a black person for most there are many many singers as good and better and not with a dark side that jackson had !!Let it go moveon

[HooksHornets]

No one "owes" MJ anything! Let's get him buried and move on. I'm 'way past done with all this.

[dragyn30]

I agree, he has really done nothing sensational. As for his "gift$" to charity, it was more like hush money to shut folks up so they would not "out" him.

I firmly believe Debbie Rowe signed over her parental rights because she was threatened. MJ has proven that he used his money for more evil than good!

I wish the children well and I hope the Executors of the will can keep the money from the parasites!

[sktsalad]

Was such an amazing music!!!He gave fun for the world. And he worked hard for it. And, well, BO went Russia to slow down nuclear weapons from 2000 to 1600 nuclear bombs, so whats the diference??? And the city owes to Michael Jackson a decent ceremony because he brought such lot of money to the town, believe me.

[gunownerdan]

Maybe tomorrow we can start getting some important news, but I doubt it.

[gunownerdan]

Since California is going bankrupt, how the heck can they afford the millions of tax dollars it will take to pay all the the police and security teams for MJ's memorial service?
Americans have been blinded by ignorance.

[edgy44]

The Jackson family has probably paid more taxes in a year than most of our families have paid since the Boston Tea Party.

[willow0313]

All they have to do is legalize marijuana and tax the sales..Problem solved...

[gjacques2004]

I still can't believe that this news (Jackson) took over and ran before the news that President Obama was signing an important treaty (nuclear weapons)with the Russian President yesterday. Where the heck are your priorities?

[MPHgrad]

by keeping everyone ignorant, they continue to vote the same. horrible cycle.

[joule18]

Why the heck didn't Obama have Russia agree not to supply Iran with equipment, etc., for their nuclear program, before he committed us? Such a bonehead.

[willow0313]

Good riddance!!!