This year marks 16 years since Michael Jackson died. His sudden rush to the hospital and subsequent death stunned the world on June 25, 2009.

What happened:

Jackson died at the age of 50 of an overdose of the anesthetic propofol.

The funeral:

A televised memorial service, held at the then-Staples Center in Los Angeles, was reportedly watched by more than 2.5 billion people. Jackson was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, nearly two months after his death.

What is propofol?

Big picture view:

Propofol is a widely used anesthetic in U.S. hospitals.

Dig deeper:

It’s a white, oily solution injected into a vein. It acts fast, in about 40 seconds, and wears off quickly too. Patients wake up with no hangover or nausea.

Why did Michael Jackson take propofol?

FILE – Michael Jackson held a press conference at the O2 arena in London, on March 5, 2009, announcing he will play a series of comeback concerts in London in July, his first major shows for over a decade. (Photo: Carl de Souza/AFP via Getty Images)

Jackson had been struggling to sleep, and reportedly had chronic insomnia. At the time of his death, Jackson was rehearsing for a world tour meant to reignite his career and rehabilitate his image.

Prosecutors said Jackson’s personal doctor Conrad Murray gave the singer propofol to help him sleep, as he had many times before, then left him unattended.

Because propofol lowers blood pressure and suppresses breathing, patients need to be monitored.

Conrad Murray trial

The backstory:

Murray had been hired just a few weeks before he administered what turned out to be a fatal dose of the anesthetic propofol to Jackson.

The charges:

Murray, who had no training in the use of the drug, was charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Trial and conviction:

After a televised trial that took more than six weeks in 2011, a Los Angeles jury found Murray guilty. A judge called him “a disgrace to the medical profession” and sentenced him to four years in prison.

He was released two years ahead of schedule because of good behavior and California’s prison overcrowding. He has kept a low profile since his release and has lost his medical licenses in several states.

Michael Jackson legacy

Forty years ago, it was immediately clear that “Thriller” was an historic album. From the music to the dance moves and the now-iconic mini-movie video, here’s a look back at original 1984 coverage of Michael Jackson’s biggest hit – along with his clouded legacy.

Meanwhile:

Jackson leaves behind a complicated legacy, hailed professionally as the King of Pop and beloved by millions, intertwined with sexual criminal allegations that marred his personal life.

Allegations of child molestation peaked with a 2005 trial that ended in his acquittal on criminal charges, but were renewed in the HBO documentary “Leaving Neverland” 10 years after his death. Jackson always vehemently denied the allegations, and his estate and family refuted the claims made in the documentary.

Posthumous albums, a film drawn from the rehearsals for his final tour and a pair of Cirque du Soleil shows using his music have carried on his stardom and influence.

Jackson has three children: Prince Jackson, 28; Paris Jackson, 27; and Bigi Jackson, 23.