Jackson estate to pay for `extraordinary` burial costs

The estate of late pop king Michael Jackson has been asked to bear the costs of his planned funeral Thursday.The singer, who died in June from an overdose of the hospital anaesthetic propofol, is due to be buried at the historic Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Los Angeles suburb of Glendale. He will be laid to rest in the cemetery`s Grand Mausoleum, which features flowers, statues and stained glass windows, alongside other stars such as Jean Harlow, Carole Lombard and Clark Gable.

Along with Jackson`s family, entertainment figures including Diana Ross, Brooke Shields and Larry King are expected to attend the no-expenses spared funeral that will even feature Jackson`s favourite donuts flown in specially from Connecticut.

Probate Judge Mitchell Beckloff approved the payment at a hearing this morning in downtown Los Angeles, after an attorney for the estate`s administrators, John Branca and John McClain, assured him that the estate has enough cash to cover the expenses and that paying for the funeral will not affect its solvency.

"The expenses are extraordinary; however, Michael Jackson is extraordinary," said attorney Jeryll Cohen, who told the judge the administrators did not object to the expenses. "They may not be appropriate for an ordinary person, but Michael Jackson was not ordinary."