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nationalphotogroup.com; Justin Sullivan/Getty ImagesThe question of whether Michael Jackson had a valid will at the time of his death may have been answered and probably complicated the situation a little more. Yesterday, his parents Joe and Katherine Jackson sought control of his estate, claiming in court documents that he died without a will. Um, not so fast. One drafted in 2002 has surfaced. According to the Wall Street Journal, the document, which will no doubt lead to a lengthy and ferocious legal battle in the months to come, divides the superstar's estate among his mother, his three children (Prince Michael, Paris and Prince Michael II) and at least one charity. This is a major slap to Joe Jackson, who wasn't named as an heir in this will.
It's unclear what custody arrangements, if any, Jackson made for his three children. But a court ruling yesterday gave temporary guardianship to Katherine. The will, drafted by Jackson's longtime attorney John Branca, may be filed in probate court as early as Thursday. So far, the family has not made any comments about this latest turn of events.
Branca reportedly represented the singer from 1980 to 2006, and was rehired by Jackson just one week before his sudden death. Branca and music exec John McClain, a longtime friend of Jackson, are named as executors.
According to the Wall Street Journal, while the pop icon died with roughly $500 million in debt, his assets are believed to dwarf that staggering figure by $200 million. Don't cry for Jackson because among his more prized assets are a 50 percent stake in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and Mijac, a publishing catalog that includes both Jackson's and the Beatles' canons.
