Michael Jackson's family in public fight over his fortune
Wednesday 25 July 2012
A very public fallout erupted on Monday between the Jackson family when cameras on an American network allegedly caught Janet Jackson slapping her niece Paris, calling her ‘a spoiled little b****.’
According to an American news site, things got so bad that police were called as the 46-year-old singer, along with brothers Randy and Jermaine stormed the children’s house.
The Jackson children are in the permanent custody of grandmother Katherine (right)
The source added that when Janet supposedly screamed abuse at the 14-year-old, Paris responded by saying: ‘This is our house. Not the Jackson family house. Get the f*** out!’
The argument then allegedly moved inside with Michael’s brothers seen fighting with Trent Jackson, Joe Jackson’s nephew, who has sided with his young cousins.
Trent is accused not only of holding Randy in a headlock, but punching Jermaine in the mouth.
Though no arrests have been made, officials are saying there is an active battery investigation.
A lawyer acting on behalf of Prince, Paris and Prince Michael II, better known as Blanket, has claimed the children ‘aren’t safe’ around the Jackson family.
The bickering all began in a dispute over the whereabouts of the children’s grandmother, Katherine Jackson, after she failed to contact them since July 15.
Despite Jermaine Jackson, posting on Twitter on Sunday that his mother ‘is safe and well in Arizona with her daughter and our sister, Rebbie, resting up on doctor's advice,’ Michael’s children have still not heard from their grandmother.
Paris tweeted a day later: ‘8 days and counting . something is really off , this isn't like her at all .. i wanna talk directly to my grandmother!!<|3’
It is believed that the leaked video shows Janet trying to take Paris' phone away for using it to write about family issues on the social networking site.
Randy said he and his siblings went to the children’s home on Monday to invite Prince and Paris to join their grandmother in Arizona, but Sanda Ribery, Katherine’s attorney, believes that ‘a plan has been in place for the last three years to remove Katherine Jackson from her home and her beloved grandchildren.’
Janet Jackson (right) and La Toya Jackson (centre) at a memorial concert for brother Michael
The messy dispute is just the latest in a series of dramas between several of Jackson siblings over Michael’s £323m will.
The ‘Man in the Mirror’ singer died, aged 50, with more than £320m in debts but his estate has earned £300m in gross profits since his passing in 2009. It is thought that many of his major debts have now been resolved and as a result his family fortune has significantly increased.
Katherine was left with custody of his children and a 20% share in his large estate. Her husband, Joe, and her eight surviving children were completely left out of the picture and is thought that at several times they have tried to intervene.
Police say investigators are looking into claims that Katherine is the subject of financial abuse because of the will.
It comes as no surprise that a family that has spent several years under the spotlight is airing its troubles in public, but the latest fracas has left many, including estate executors, very worried.
John Branca and John McClain wrote in a letter posted on a fan site hours after the disturbance: ‘We are concerned that we do what we can to protect them from undue influences, bullying, greed, and other unfortunate circumstances.’
To make matters worse, Randy Jackson then accused Branca and McClain of criminal misconduct claiming his brother’s 2002 will was a fake!
He told Rev. Al Sharpton on American TV: ‘They know that they’ve been caught, they know that they’ve falsified a document and they know that there are questions that we want answered.’
He was later joined by siblings Jermaine, Janet, Tito and Rebbie in a leaked letter last week calling on Branca and McClain to resign and accusing them of manipulating their mother.
The estate has denied the accusation and there have been no challenges filed in court, but it looks like there is one brother who, like Paris, hasn’t got the message.
In a tearful interview aired in America, Marlon claimed he and other siblings had been cut off from their mother.
He said: ‘We’ve been told that our mother is safe. She’s doing well. But we haven’t spoken to her. We have not talked to her and I don’t know where my mother is.’