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What's ailing king of pop?

As the jury decides Jackson's fate on child molestation charges, his trial woes seem to be affecting his health

BY TINA SUSMAN | STAFF CORRESPONDENT

June 7, 2005

LaToya Jackson, left, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson

The Jackson family passes through security at Santa Barbara County Courthouse in Santa Maria ,Calif., Friday: from left, LaToya Jackson, Janet Jackson and Michael Jackson. (AP Photo / June 3, 2005)

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Is Michael Jackson low on electrolytes? Is he dehydrated? Is he plagued by kidney stones? Is he eating and sleeping? And what's an electrolyte, anyway, and where do you get some if you are, indeed, lacking them?

With the courtroom empty as jurors deliberate the king of pop's fate on child molestation charges - they recessed yesterday without reaching a verdict - attention has turned from Jackson's legal problems to his apparent health problems. Depending on whom you ask, those range from a seriously achy back, aggravated by months of sitting in a heavily air-conditioned courtroom, to possible kidney stones or gallstones brought on by lack of fluids.

Whatever ails Jackson, 46, his discomfort has become painfully clear in recent days, and speculation reached a fever pitch Sunday when he visited a local hospital emergency room.

His spokeswoman, Raymone Bain, told reporters the visit was simply to tend to a back injury that has plagued Jackson since March. He remained at the hospital about five hours before heading back to Neverland, where scores of diehard fans outside the estate's gate had scrawled "We Love MJ" across their car hoods.

With Jackson and his family shrouding themselves in secrecy, it has fallen to people such as Bain and Jackson friend Dick Gregory, the comedian and political activist, to explain Jackson's health issues. As with many things connected to this trial, those explanations often produce more questions than answers, such as Gregory's attempt to shed light on a mysterious blood circulation machine delivered to Neverland during the weekend. "It squeezes the legs and the heart gets a rest," he told Fox News. "Big users are the Chinese."

A couple of hours earlier, Bain had been standing outside a hospital assuring reporters, "Other than his back, he is doing fine." Bain, showing signs of irritation with Gregory's medical hypotheses, added later that he was a family friend, not Jackson's personal nutritionist.

In addition to recommending the blood circulation machine, Gregory pronounced Jackson lacking in electrolytes Thursday, a result of not drinking enough water and becoming so severely dehydrated that fluids must be replenished intravenously. That suggested a hospital visit, and local media reported Friday that Jackson had visited an emergency room the previous night. Bain, though, denied that.

In a television interview later, both she and Gregory conceded that Jackson had not been medically diagnosed as dehydrated. "So you just think he looks like hell, basically?" the interviewer said as she tried to make sense of it all.

Few would argue with that conclusion. The man who 17 months ago jumped atop his sport utility vehicle and danced for fans outside his arraignment now appears to have problems just walking from the vehicle to the courtroom. In recent days, he has stared woodenly ahead and given only half-hearted waves to the regular fans in front of the courthouse.

A longtime friend and spiritual adviser, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, came to the courthouse yesterday and told reporters Jackson was in "a kind of writhing pain" from his back problem.

In addition, he said the entertainer was wrestling with "a sense of betrayal" from watching a parade of witnesses, many of them former employees, testify against him.

Jackson's health has been an issue since the trial began in February, when jury selection had to be delayed several days while Jackson recovered from a flu-like ailment. And in March came perhaps the most memorable day of the trial. Jackson had visited an area hospital because of back pain and had to be whisked to court in his pajamas after the judge ordered him to be present.

After that he arrived on time each day, but over the weeks began appearing gaunter and more lethargic. Nevertheless, his associates insist he remains optimistic. "He has faith in his own innocence, and he has faith in the jury," Jesse Jackson said.