By Anthony McCartney
A judge on Wednesday stepped into the turmoil roiling the Jackson family, appointing the son of Tito Jackson to serve as temporary guardian of Michael Jackson’s children in the absence of the family matriarch and in the midst a feud over the pop superstar’s estate.
Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff temporarily suspended Katherine Jackson as the children’s guardian because she was in Arizona and hadn’t spoken with them in several days. He appointed Tito Joe “TJ” Jackson to serve as temporary guardian with the ability to control the hilltop home where the children live and to take on other supervision duties.
Beckloff said there was no evidence that Katherine Jackson had done anything wrong but instead it appeared she was being prevented from fulfilling her role as guardian through the “intentional acts of third parties.” He didn’t elaborate.
He also said the children — Prince, Paris and Blanket — cannot be taken outside California without court approval.
Beckloff listened as attorneys described Katherine Jackson’s demeanour as unusual on phone calls placed to the children hours before the hearing.
However, her attorney Perry Sanders Jr. said after the hearing that he spoke with his client as she was driving back to Los Angeles from Tucson, Arizona, where she had been since July 15.
“She sounded absolutely fine, lucid and her normal self,” he said.
Sanders plans to ask the court to reinstate Katherine Jackson as guardian of the children when she is back in Los Angeles. He was looking forward to meeting with her in person on Thursday.
The developments came after days of turmoil among the Jackson family that included a relative reporting Katherine Jackson missing before she was located safely with other family members in Arizona and an altercation between relatives on Monday.
Jermaine Jackson has said his mother was following doctor’s orders to cut off communications with the children, who range in age from 10 to 15. He didn’t provide further details. Sanders said he was told she had high blood pressure before she left for Arizona.
His co-counsel, Sandra Ribera, expressed concerns during the hearing that Katherine Jackson may have been held against her will. Ribera said one of the singer’s children told her a conversation with the 82-year-old woman on Tuesday seemed to be monitored and influenced by others in the room.