Michael Anthony Jackson was born on March 27, 1954, in Los Angeles, California. 

On August 31, 1983, 26-year-old West Covina Police Officer Ken Wrede responded to reports about a drunk man walking barefoot and causing a disturbance. The man was identified as 29-year-old Michael Anthony Jackson. When Officer Wrede tried to handcuff Jackson, he lunged at him. Jackson managed to grab a shotgun from Wrede’s patrol car and shot him multiple times. Wrede called for help over the radio before being shot. By the time other officers arrived, Wrede had already died, and they arrested Jackson at the scene.

During the trial, Jackson's defense argued that he was high on PCP-laced cigarettes, which could have affected his ability to understand his actions. On May 21, 1984, Jackson was found guilty of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Some people believed that he was not mentally stable during the incident and argued that it would be cruel to execute him.

As time went on, Jackson's execution date came closer. On May 9, 2000, a federal court decided that if all evidence had been presented during the trial, Jackson might have received a life sentence instead of death. The judges pointed out that his lawyers had not mentioned that Jackson had previously been diagnosed with schizophrenia, or that the PCP could make him not legally responsible for the murder. Despite these concerns, he remained on death row.

Since 2006, California has not carried out executions. As of 2024, Jackson is now 70 years old and is likely to avoid execution. He continues to be held in San Quentin State Prison.