If you’ve been having some difficulty keeping up with all of the issues that have been plaguing the Jackson family, NewsOne has got you covered. Here is a breakdown of the Jackson’s unfortunate series of events, since the matriarch, Katherine Jackson (pictured), went missing this past weekend.
RELATED: Katherine Jackson Speaks: Someone’s Trying To Take My Grandkids From Me
The Jackson family meltdown began with the news that a few of Michael‘s siblings (Janet, Jermaine, Randy, Tito, Rebbie) want to get rid of his estate’s executors, John Branca and John McClain. The named Jackson siblings penned a letter accusing Branca and McClain of fraud, mismanagement and of manipulating their mother. The only beneficiaries of Michael’s will are his children and his mother Katherine.
Braca, a long-trusted entertainment lawyer, and McClain, a family friend, are credited for meeting their duties as the executors of Michael’s estate since his untimely death in 2009. The men have earned a windfall for the estate of $475 million, nearly getting them out of their $500-million debt.
The pair have also negotiated many lucrative deals, such as negotiating with Pepsi to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the late singer’s “Bad” album and securing a deal with the Cirque de Soleil Jackson-themed tour.
The Jackson saga began to get really ugly, though, when Katherine’s nephew Trent “T.J.” Jackson, Tito’s son, reported her missing to police on Saturday, July 21, stating that the family had not heard from her in about a week. Paris, Michael’s daughter, took to Twitter and discussed her fears about her grandmother’s disappearance:
RELATED: Breaking! Katherine Jackson Reported Missing
Yes, my grandmother is missing. I haven’t spoken with her in a week I want her home now.
Jermaine also took to Twitter on the day before the missing persons report was filed and tweeted:
I want to reassure everyone (inc all sudden medical experts) that Mother is fine but is resting up in AZ on the orders of a doctor, not us. This is our mother and her health is paramount. We are not inventing or plotting anything. We are following doctor’s advice. Period.
Late Saturday night, another family member contacted the Sheriff’s office stating that he was unable to speak with Katherine and was very concerned about her well-being. Later that evening, investigators took over the case to further delve in to Katherine’s safety.
According to authorities, Michael’s three children, Paris (pictured center), Prince Michael (pictured far right) and Prince Michael II or “Blanket” (pictured left) were allegedly told by family members that their grandmother could not speak with them, and upon going to Rebbie’s, Katherine reportedly left them in the care of her adult grandsons.
Following the Katherine-missing incident, it was reported that there was a family dispute on Monday at the Jackson estate. Law enforcement officials didn’t release many details, saying only that “members of the Jackson family were involved in a physical altercation.”
RELATED: Janet, Jermaine Have A Heated Dispute Outside Jackson Compound
Reportedly, Janet, along with brothers Randy and Jermaine who did not have the authority to be on the Jackson compound, followed a car with Michael’s three children on to the property. The trio then reportedly tried to ambush the children and forcefully remove them from the family home on Monday afternoon to take them to their grandmother in Arizona.
It was on and poppin’ at this point and things got a little too physical.
The Jackson drama further escalated, when, according to TMZ, Janet snatched Paris’ cell phone away, slapped her across the face, then called her a spoiled little bit*h.” The violent face-off was caught on a security tape (pictured right) at the outside of the home.
The little ball of fire, Paris, who has not been silent about her family’s recent antics via her Twitter account, supposedly had a few choice words for her beloved aunt about being strong-armed, so the 14-year-old responded with a slap of her own, a source told the New York Post, telling her aunt, ‘This is our house. Not the Jackson family house. Get the f*** out!”
Watch the scuffle here:
But wait…
Not only did Janet and Paris have a violent altercation but so did Randy, Jermaine,and T.J.(pictured). Allegedly, T.J. put Randy in a headlock and punched Jermaine in the mouth, reports the New York Post. Police were called to investigate the ruckus but no arrests were made.
And speaking of T.J.!
On Wednesday, T.J. was appointed temporary guardian over Michael’s children. The 34-year-old claims he had been assisting with the care of M.J.’s children since their father passed away, and even before Katherine disappeared, she reportedly placed them in his care.
RELATED: Judge Strips Katherine Jackson Of Guardianship Of M.J.’s Children
Before a judge handed down the decision, T.J. claims to have received a strange phone call from his grandmother just a day before. TMZ reports, “I’ve never heard my grandmother talk like that.” T.J. added, “She wasn’t sharp. The pauses, choice of vocabulary…she has not used certain phrases like that before.” T.J. reportedly thought she was talking in code and choked up as he addressed the court.
Meanwhile, Katherine’s lawyer told reporters that it seemed like his client was being held against her will at a family home in Arizona. The judge seemed to agree; he stated that he believed Katherine was being prevented from fulfilling her guardianship by “an intentional act from third parties,” implying that her own children are the ones who actually kidnapped her.
Under the new guardianship, Michael’s three children may not leave the state of California without a court order. The judge added that T.J. Jackson should file for permanent guardianship (though Katherine and her lawyer are against that plan) and notify both Diana Ross and Paris and Prince’s mother, Debbie Rowe.
Both Ross and Rowe could also be appointed as guardians. Ross is actually named in Michael Jackson’s 2002 will as a potential guardian to his children if his mother was not able to serve.
After the hearing, Katherine contradicted T.J.’s story insisting she was “devastated” by the court’s decision and never wanted him to step in to the role. She reportedly plans on challenging the court ruling that stripped her of her guardianship.
TMZ stated that in a taped segment for ABC’s “Nightline,” Katherine read cheat sheet notes from a book, saying, “The ruling in court today was about the guardianship, and I think it was based on a bunch of lies. But I have a good idea who’s doing that … who’s behind it.”
Katherine then went on to state that she spoke to T.J. last night and “told him it wasn’t necessary for him to go down and sign up for guardianship, but I don’t know who instructed him to do that … ’cause he wanted me to come home before that happened.”
Sounds as if she knew he was going to the court to file for guardianship of the children.
Things are getting kind of convoluted!
And by the way, if you’re wondering where on earth is Papa Joe Jackson (pictured). He just arrived at the family’s Encino, Calif., estate on Wednesday afternoon in a black Mercedes. He was sporting a fedora and was looking cool as a cucumber as he got the mail. He spends most of his time in Las Vegas and now rarely gets to California, reports TMZ. No word as to whether he will step in to help squash his family’s feud.
Reality TV at its best, the Jackson family show continues, stay tuned!
