Friend: 'Joe Jackson tried to help Michael'

A friend of Michael Jackson has said that the singer was in denial about his dependence on prescription painkillers.

Biomedical engineering doctor Susan Etok told RadarOnline that she believes Joe Jackson's recent claim that he wanted to help wean his son off the medication.

Etok said: "I knew that Michael Jackson was in trouble, so I did my best to reach-out to the people around him but unfortunately those appeals fell on deaf ears.

"The trouble was he could be very convincing and he distanced his own family from the people that directly worked for him and who he could control - it was hard to say 'No' to Michael Jackson."

She added: "He was in denial that he had a problem and I only wish that those around him weren't that way because he might be still alive today.

"I do believe that Joe Jackson and the rest of his family were trying to intervene but Michael was a difficult person to help."

Etok also confirmed her earlier statements that Michael had offered her $500,000 (£300,000) to procure him a number of drugs in March, including Diprivan, Demerol, Paxil and Zoloft.