By Dorothy Rowley
AFRO Staff Writer
In the aftermath of Michael Jackson's unexpected death, questions have been raised about who will receive custody of his children. (Courtesy Photo)
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(June 27, 2009) - The shocking death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has left legal minds to ponder the fate of his three young children, his estate and the career-revitalizing tour he planned to launch this summer.
Jackson, who evolved from being a shy teenage heartthrob to mega superstar to legend, died at age 50 on Thursday. His death has been attributed to cardiac arrest.
In the hours immediately after his death, it had been assumed his mother, Katherine, would take custody of the children, Prince Michael Jr., 12; Paris, 11 and Prince Michael Jackson II, 7, also known as “Blanket.”
During his 2003 interview with Martin Bashir, Jackson claimed that his sperm cells were used in the conception of each of the three children.
“I used a surrogate mother [for Blanket] and my own sperm cells,” he said at the time. “I had my own sperm cells in my other two children. They are all my children.”
However Debbie Rowe, the dermatology nurse Jackson married in 1996, is the mother of the two oldest children and has expressed interest in raising them. Although she attempted in 2005 to give up custody of the children, having described Jackson as a wonderful father, a judge ruled later that Rowe hadn’t completely terminated her parental rights.
The third child was conceived with a surrogate mother, whose name has yet to be released.
Another possibility is that all three children might continue in the care of the moon-walking star’s longtime employee and confidante, Grace Rwaramba, 42.
According to Stacey Brown, a family friend and co-author of “Michael Jackson Behind the Mask,” Jackson wanted Rwaramba to take over.
“Michael always said he wants Grace, the nanny, to have them if something happened to him,” Brown said in a statement Friday.
In the event Rowe gains custody, she would be eligible for a huge chunk of child support from Jackson’s estate.
But determination of that estate’s value could take months or even years and it remains unclear if, despite a career that spanned 40 years, Jackson had any money to leave to any of his beneficiaries.
According to reports, Jackson spent money lavishly, but never quite recouped that spending. Some reports estimate he was spending about $20 million a year more than he was bringing in. Other estimates hold that his estate could be worth a billion dollars, but that his debts could easily reach $500 million.
One of his shrewdest deals came at the height of his fame in 1985 with the $47.5 million acquisition of ATV Music, which owned the copyright to songs written by the Beatles’ John Lennon and Paul McCartney. The catalog was estimated to be worth between $500 million to $1 billion and provided Jackson a steady stream of income and the ability to afford his over-the-top lifestyle.
But during the last few years of his life Jackson had relied on benefactors to assist him financially. Last year, Jackson lost his 2,500-acre Neverland ranch in Santa Barbara, Calif., to foreclosure. A financier pal purchased the property and is making extensive repairs after the property was allowed to fall into disarray. Jackson purchased the ranch in 1988 for $14.6 million and at the time of his death, was living at a rented multimillion dollar home in Bel Air, Calif.
Citing sources familiar with his finances, The Journal in Los Angeles reported that the value of Jackson’s biggest assets probably still exceed his debt. Furthermore, the estate’s division has been complicated by his family, including his parents, brothers and sisters.
In addition, the highly sought-after contents of Neverland, which include stage costumes, paintings, sculptures and 18 Grammy awards removed for an auction this past spring, could go back on the block in the wake of Jackson’s sudden demise. To the chagrin of investors, Jackson had abruptly changed his mind about the auction and the items were carted off to storage where they remain.
But Jackson, after surviving a decade of scandal, had also been on the cusp of a major comeback tour. The 50-concert tour was slated to kick off in just a matter of weeks and ticket sales had been brisk.
Jackson, listed among the most influential and infamous celebrities of modern times, reportedly had the potential to generate between $750,000 and $1 million in gross receipts each night of the tour. Reports state he could have easily walked away with half of that amount.
Jackson, who hadn’t toured since 1997, was also working on getting his body back into shape for the grueling performances. On the day he died, he had prepared to drive to Burbank, where he was rehearsing the new show.
But the tour could face other problems. It had reportedly struggled to find an insurance broker willing to take a risk on the final leg of the performances and, as of this weekend, fans were waiting to see if they could get a refund on their tickets.
As lawyers, family and associates attempt to untangle these issues, it seems clear that the final chapter of Michael Jackson’s life and legacy could take years to write.
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