Jun 29 2009 04:19 PM ET

Michael Jackson's mother granted temporary custody of his children

Tags:

Katherine Jackson, mother of the late Michael Jackson, filed a petition today in Los Angeles asking to be the legal guardian of his three children and was granted temporary custody. The news comes after Jackson family lawyer Londell McMillan made it clear to the Today show's Matt Lauer this morning that Katherine, who'd already been caring for the children, wanted them to remain with her and husband Joe. "The fortunate reality is that they have a long-term relationship with their loving grandmother, Ms. Katherine Jackson, who I think the world knows and appreciates as just an amazing woman. A very, very loving and strong woman," McMillan said. Asked if Debbie Rowe, mother of two of the children, had approached the family since Michael's June 25 death, McMillan said, "To my knowledge, she has not. And I have no knowledge to suggest that she would do anything to uproot the best interest of these children, which is to stay together in a family that they've known and that they love, and that they feel very, very comfortable in."

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

More Michael Jackson coverage:
Janet Jackson appears at BET Awards
Doctor's lawyer says Michael Jackson was not injected with Demerol
Jackson's former nanny talks about singer's drug use
LAPD interviews personal physician; second autopsy reportedly completed
Francis Ford Coppola remembers Jackson as 'innocent, eager and joyful'

Comments (62 total) Add your comment
Page: 1 2 3 5
  • Brandy

    No way should his parents have custody. After all the reports from all the Jackson children, including Michael, about their father’s physical abuse and both parent’s verbal abuse, that’s all the kids need. Michael was probably very gentle with his children. The last thing they need is to get beat now.

  • Nobody

    Brandy, the woman is 79. Chances are good neither she or Michael’s dad will be around much longer.

  • joe kirsh

    brandy you’re an idiot

  • imominous

    Has everyone already forgotten the MJ interview where he talks about Joe and his beatings? Wouldn’t Joe just try to exploit these kids the way he did his own?

  • Paul

    I agree. There is no way the courts should give custody to a known child abuser.

  • Maura

    You’ve got to be kidding me!…She did a bang up job keeping her children safe from the sick bas**** Joe didn’t she?!…
    I wonder before Michael died, when was the last time old Joe had seen his grandchildren – I bet not for a long, long, time…These Jacksons are the most greedy, uncaring people in the country….Only grabbing the children to keep the cash flowing!..Disgusting!..
    Michael – I hope to GOD you left a will!….Bad enough they didn’t care a thing about you and let you get down to 112 pounds!…These people should never have custody of any children!

  • Troy

    Some of the comments I find to be downright ignorant. Again, people continue to judge others as they did Michael. Every family has some dysfunctional people and situations, and it doesn’t mean that Katherine Jackson or Joe Jackson or any of the family members are not good parents. We teach our children the rigths and wrongs of this world and what they grow up to do and become is totally up to them. All parents can do is nurture their children. It would be baseless to uproot those children to be with a mother they don’t even know. Katherine Jackson has raised not only her children, but all of her childrens children and I’m sure that she has every intent to keep these children protected. She has other grown children who have grown children whom I am sure can give those three children the nurturing of a good healthy, strong family. The problem is the constant judging that people do about people they don’t even know personally. Leave the judging up to God.

  • Blanket

    Just give them to Obama. He can fix everything!!!

  • CatJane

    I don’t believe those poor children should be in any Jackson household if all that has been said is tue.

  • Catherine Wambui Kimonyi

    Mjs mother is great, but i personalldont think grandparents are very good at raising kids, they tend to spoil them. In my opinion Mjs sibling would be in a better position.

  • Terry

    The law should prevail for MJ’s children as it did for him. In addition, his estate guardians should attempt to limit child care and custody payments to twice that of other foster children; such that, MJ’s children can receive it at their majority.

  • Michael

    What ever happened to waiting for the reading of the Will? I’m sure Michael has provisions in his will for the kids, as well as his money for the children. Not waiting for the will to be reviewed and read tells me that they are concerned that the children are gettting the money and they want to control that, and the ONLY way than can handle the money is through the kids. Any judge worth his salt will put a hold on this request UNTIL the will is released in order to look at Michael’s request as to where he wanted his children to go. Then it would be up to the mother for the 1st two and so on.
    The Jacksons need to understand that EVERYTHING has to be considered, not just what they think their rights are, because actually, they have little to no rights to ANYTHING from their son unless his will states it.

  • Jason

    I think that Katherines filing for custody of those children is only fair, since she is their grandmother and that Michael was her son. Debbie Rowe has not seen those children and if she does come back into the picture it is solely because she wants notoriety and money. That goes to show the mindset of people and that is why so many of these children end up the system.

  • Jay Gordon

    Re:Troy Mon, Jun 29, 2009 at 11:58 AM EST:
    For the love of Pete…these people have already ruined their children, Michael in particular. And you want to give them your blessing to ruin his kids as well?
    When I recall Michael relating how the very sight of his father pulling up in the driveway induced him to vomit…it makes me physically ill to think of putting his children in the same circumstance. Mom Jackson stood by and allowed pop Joe to abuse her children. This does not speak well of her abilities to nurture and raise children.

  • Gaius

    @Jason
    Debbie Rowe already said that she doesn’t want to see or have anything to do with the kids. Read instead of speculate.

Page: 1 2 3 5
Add your comment
The rules: Keep it clean, and stay on the subject - or we may delete your comment. If you see inappropriate language, e-mail us. An asterisk (*) indicates a required field.

When you click on the "Post Comment" button above to submit your comments, you are indicating your acceptance of and are agreeing to the Terms of Service. You can also read our Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP
Which will you see this weekend?