A Los Angeles judge named Michael Jackson s mother as permanent guardian of the star s children Monday, ignoring a surprise late bid by the singer s dermatologist to have a say in their upbringing.
Lawyers for Katherine Jackson, 79, and the King of Pop s ex-wife Debbie Rowe had last week agreed details of custody arrangements concerning children Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11 and Prince Michael II, 7.
But what was expected to be a straightforward hearing to approve the agreement took a bizarre turn when an attorney for Jackson s Beverly Hills dermatologist, Arnold Klein, appeared at the hearing.
Lawyer Mark Vincent Kaplan said Klein wanted to have a voice in issues concerning the children s education, healthcare and welfare.
Asked repeatedly by Judge Mitchell Beckloff to state what Klein s interest was, Kaplan said it was due to his client s longstanding relationship with the children and longstanding relationship with Mr Jackson.
Klein was not a presumed parent, Kaplan said, although Monday s twist is likely to stir up fresh speculation about whether the doctor is the biological father of Jackson s eldest two children.
In interviews last month, Klein refused to categorically deny that he was the children s father. All I can tell you is, to the best of my knowledge, I am not the father of these children, Klein told ABC television.
Judge Beckloff appeared to disregard Klein s request as a move by nothing more than a concerned friend before inking the custody agreement.
It s in the best interests of the minors, Beckloff said, adding that Klein would have to file a formal request if he wanted to challenge the agreement.
Under the terms of the deal, Katherine Jackson, who attended Monday s hearing, gets permanent custody while Rowe receives visitation rights to Prince Michael and Paris, born during her 1996-1999 marriage to Jackson.
The surrogate mother of Jackson s third child, Prince Michael II – known as Blanket – has never been identified.
Rowe will receive no money beyond an existing spousal agreement, reportedly worth some $8.5 million.
A lawyer for Rowe praised the conduct of the 50-year-old former nurse during the custody negotiations. Rowe did not attend Monday s hearing.
Everyone sought the same objective – doing what was best for the children of Debbie Rowe and Michael Jackson, attorney Eric George said.
I want to applaud Debbie Rowe. She s faced difficulties and pressures none of us know, and today s agreement shows that she responded with heart, integrity and selflessness.
Beckloff meanwhile agreed to provide Katherine Jackson with an allowance, paid by the singer s estate, along with an allowance for the three children. The amount of the payments was not released, but the allowance for the children was only 83.5 percent of what attorneys had requested.
Beckloff said he questioned some of the costs and opted to reduce the amount, although he added: It is not my intention to deprive the kids of anything that they re entitled to.
A further hearing has been scheduled for October 2 to review the circumstances of the children and ensure the custody arrangement has been successful, Beckloff said.
Katherine Jackson, who has been looking after her grandchildren since Jackson s death, earlier told Fox News the children were doing fine.
In her first comments since Jackson s death, she also said she doubted her 50-year-old son had died of natural causes. He s too young for that.
Something happened, I don t know what it was and I can t say, she said.
Later Monday, Beckloff approved a 2002 will drawn up by Jackson which named two music industry figures, John McClain and John Branca, as co-executors of the singer s estate.
McClain and Branca, who were appointed temporary administrators of the Jackson empire last month, were given an additional 60 days in charge pending a hearing on October 2.
Despite speculation that lawyers for the Jackson family would seek to have Katherine appointed as a third co-executor, no challenge appeared to have been registered as Beckloff entered the will on Monday.
The judge did the right thing today. He admitted the will to probate. There was no challenge by Mrs Jackson, said Howard Weitzman, a lawyer representing McClain and Branca.
