Michael Jackson’s will at center of latest family dispute
By BILL ZWECKER bzwecker@suntimes.com @billzwecker July 19, 2012 1:50PM
FILE - In this March 5, 2009 file photo, US singer Michael Jackson is shown at a press conference in London. Insurer Lloyd's of London sued concert promoter AEG on Monday, June 6, 2011, asking a judge to nullify a policy covering the cancellation of Jackson's planned series of comeback concerts in London. (AP Photo/Joel Ryan, file)
Updated: July 19, 2012 2:48PM
Once again there’s turmoil in Michael Jackson’s family — but this time it seems more intense than ever.
At the bottom of it all? Basically a desire by certain Jacksons to increase their share of Michael’s estate.
The latest dust-up is over the very strongly worded letter — one source called it “insulting” — sent by the Jackson siblings, led by Randy and Jermaine, to the executors of the Michael Jackson estate. At the root of the Jackson siblings’ missive is an ongoing desire to reopen Michael’s will and direct a larger amount of funds to his mother, Katherine Jackson; his children, and other family members.
However, Michael’s mother is not in favor of those particular changes — nor are Michael’s children, particularly his daughter Paris and older son Prince.
A longtime family source said Thursday, “This is yet another power grab by Randy and Jermaine … another grab for money as well.”
Paris went so far as to call her uncle Randy a “liar” in a tweet — something he has countered by saying everything in the letter is correct.
On top of all this, a wrongful death lawsuit has been filed by the family against AEG Live, the company that produced Michael’s ill-fated London concerts and related projects.
The suit claims that it was AEG’s hiring of Dr. Conrad Murray (who administered the doses of Propofol) that led to Michael Jackson’s death. The company is vigorously fighting the lawsuit, arguing that it was Jackson himself who demanded the hiring as Murray as his personal physician.
