On Tuesday, we reported that Michael Jackson’s father Joe Jackson had come forward to say he wants his “fair share” of the late singer’s estate. But now, a lawyer for Papa Jackson has gone to court with accusations of fraud against the administrators of the Michael Jackson will.
Brian Oxman, the attorney for Joe Jackson, filed a series of documents in court late Monday claiming the singer believed his old friends John Branca and John McClain had defrauded him. He also accused both of conflicts of interest and said they should be removed from administering the will. As noted here Tuesday, Joseph Jackson was omitted from his son’s will with all of Michael Jackson’s assets going to his mother, his children and children’s charities. Howard Weitzman, one of the attorneys representing Branca and McClain, issued a statement Monday night, saying “These claims filed by Joe Jackson are so outrageous that they don’t deserve any response.”
Oxman claimed that Michael Jackson believed Branca had committed “crimes” against him including embezzlement and funneling money into offshore accounts, although he acknowledged in an interview Monday night that may not be true. “It’s not the truth or falsity of the accusation,” he said. “It’s that Michael believed it and that’s why he terminated him.” But Branca says he was not terminated. He says he resigned because he felt Jackson was being influenced by people who did not have his best interests at heart.
But in an 11th hour ruling from Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff, Joe Jackson does not stand to inherit any of his son’s assets and cannot challenge the appointment of the executors chosen by the singer to handle his will. Noting that Joe Jackson and his son had an often-strained relationship, prompting Michael Jackson to get physically sick at the very sight of his father, and that because Joe was not named in the will, he had no standing to prolong the legal fray over Jackson’s estate and would gain nothing from doing so. “I don’t think he gets to step into this and create further litigation,” the judge declared. “Joe Jackson takes none of this estate. This is a decision his son made.”
With millions at stake and Joe Jackson willing to pull out all stops to get his “piece of the pie,” this story is surely to continue to develop for many months to come.
