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Posted: Saturday, 27 June 2009 8:26AM
Mayor backs off funeral request
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GARY, Ind. (STNG) -- On Friday morning Mayor Rudy Clay was hoping to see Michael Jackson's funeral take place in his hometown.
By Friday night, Clay had amended his request.
Clay had earlier reached out to Michael Jackson's father in an effort to bring the pop star's body back to Gary for his funeral, but later said he was simply hoping Jackson's body will be brought home to lie in state for several days at the Genesis Center.
"This is where it all started.," Clay said of Jackson's phenominal career. "Hopefully, they'll honor the request."
Clay had hoped to have a simultaneous service at the Genesis Center.
Joe Jackson, the patriarch of the Jackson 5, visited with Clay at City Hall less than a year ago. Scenes for a reality show starring Joe Jackson were filmed during the visit. The father also helped promote the latest attempt to build a Jackson 5 museum in Gary, and a "Jackson Family Boulevard" sign was erected in front of Michael Jackson's boyhood home at 2300 Jackson St.
"The city of Gary has loved Michael Jackson even before he graduated from kindergarten," Clay said.
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Copyright 2009 STNG Wire, The Chicago Sun-Times. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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