Jacko's mom removed from estate
2009-07-06 21:10
Los Angeles - A judge on Monday removed Michael Jackson's mother as administrator of his estate, a day before a gala memorial service to which more than one million people sought tickets.
The acting mayor of Los Angeles said that Jackson would be buried at the city's well-known Forest Lawn cemetery on Tuesday just ahead of the public ceremony, which is expected to draw giants from the entertainment world.
On the eve of the service, lawyers for Jackson's 79-year-old mother Katherine clashed with two of the King of Pop's business associates for control of his estate which includes the Neverland Ranch and rights to Beatles songs.
A judge had named Katherine, who was close to her son throughout his life, as temporary executor of his estate shortly after the pop icon suddenly collapsed and died on June 25.
But in line with Jackson's will, which emerged last week, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff on Monday handed the estate over to attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain.
Lawyers for Katherine Jackson had opposed the motion to appoint the two men, citing a "conflict of interests" and questioning whether Branca had a current relationship with Jackson at the time of his death.
"Mrs Jackson has concerns about handing over the keys of the kingdom just yet. She feels it is too soon," attorney John Schreiber said.
However, a lawyer for Branca - a prominent entertainment industry attorney - said his client had recently been rehired by Jackson and was well known to the family.
"It's not like these are people are unknown to Mrs Jackson," Paul Hoffman said. "She's well aware of who these people are."
The business partners will control Jackson's estate until a new hearing on August 3.
Owed more than $400m
The Los Angeles Times reported on Monday that although the free-spending Jackson died owing more than $400m, his assets outstripped his debts by at least $200m.
Those figures also do not include the huge sums likely to be generated by posthumous sales of his music and memorabilia, which have surged and are expected to remain strong for months.
Police are preparing a large-scale operation for Tuesday's service at 10:00 (17:00 GMT), warning fans not to show up at the downtown Staples Centre arena unless they were among the lucky few with tickets.
"Stay home, stay somewhere with a television, with air conditioning, with a friend," Los Angeles police department assistant chief Jim McDonnell said.
The appeal came after 1.6 million people entered an online lottery hoping to be among 8 750 registrants to win tickets for the service at the Staples Centre and a neighbouring arena, where the event will be shown on giant screens.
Logistical chaos
Fans from around the world have been arriving in Los Angeles since the service was announced and there have been fears of logistical chaos if hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets.
No details of what Tuesday's service will involve have been revealed, but organisers say the 90-minute event will be a celebration of Jackson's life.
News reports said stars including Mariah Carey, Lionel Richie, Justin Timberlake and Stevie Wonder may perform in tribute to the enormously influential Jackson, who sold 750 million albums throughout his career.
Acting Los Angeles mayor Jan Perry said Jackson would be buried shortly before the service at Forest Lawn, one of the city's best-known cemeteries which is the final resting spot of screen legends Humphrey Bogart, Clark Gable and Jean Harlow.
The funeral would end speculation that the family may wait to clear legal hurdles to bury the King of Pop at his Neverland Ranch, his fantasy estate north of Los Angeles that some fans wanted to turn into a memorial.
Drugs
As preparations for Tuesday's memorial continued, investigators probing the circumstances of Jackson's mysterious death are reportedly looking at the role of five doctors who prescribed drugs to the star.
US media, citing unidentified law enforcement sources, said investigators found the powerful sedative Propofol among a variety of prescription medications at Jackson's home.
Propofol is commonly used in hospitals to induce unconsciousness in patients before major surgery. Healthcare experts say it should never be used at home and should only be administered by trained anaesthesiologists.
Amid the flood of tributes, one Republican member of the US Congress, Peter King, lashed out at the media for their coverage of the late King of Pop, saying they should pay more attention to US troops fighting overseas.
"Let's knock out the psychobabble. This guy was a pervert, he was a child molester, he was a paedophile. And to be giving this much coverage to him, day in and day out, what does it say about us as a country?" King said.
Jackson was charged but acquitted in 2005 on allegations of child molestation.
- SAPA