Michael Jackson's kids going to Kingdom Hall

[Brother_Bliss]

New York post article.... Paris Jackson arrives at Los Angeles' Kingdom Hall with her brothers on Tuesday, carrying the book "Sing Praises to Jehovah."

CHURCHIN' URCHINS JACKO KIDS TAKEN TO WITNESS TEMPLE By TODD VENEZIA and KATE SHEEHY Last updated: 10:20 am July 16, 2009 Posted: 3:28 am July 16, 2009 Michael Jackson was a lapsed Jehovah's Witness, but now that his holyroller family has the kids, they're making sure they get some religion. Jacko's 11-year-old daughter, Paris, and her brothers, Prince and Blanket, were spotted being led into the faith's Kingdom Hall in Los Angeles Tuesday by their aunt, Rebbie Jackson. Dressed in a white shirt and black pants that matched her siblings, Paris was seen holding a book called "Sing Praises To Jehovah." Jacko was raised a Jehovah's Witness as a boy by his mom, who, unlike his dad, is an adherent to the faith. It's unclear if the late King of Pop ever wanted to raise his children in the church. In recent years he reportedly dabbled in Islam and in the Jewish mystical belief of Kabbalah, popularized in celebrity circles by Madonna. He was never seen taking the children to temple, and it's been years since he took part in the faith's best-known practice, knocking on doors to get converts. Jacko's friend Firpo Carr, however, said this week that Michael had recently wanted his kids to embrace the religion. "I was raised as one of Jehovah's Witnesses," Carr quoted Jackson as saying to the "Nancy Grace" show. "And I'd like them to be raised the same way." Meanwhile yesterday, Paul Gorhanson, a masseur who once lived with Jackson's dermatologist, Arnold Klein, told Radar Online that Klein told him he was the real father of all three of Jacko's children. Gorhanson said that Debbie Rowe used that fact to squeeze more money out of Jacko during their divorce in 1999. As reported in The Post this week, Rowe cut a secret deal for about $4 million with Jackson's mom, Katherine, to give the grandmother custody. Rowe's attorney has denied that a deal was cut. A family source told The Post yesterday that, as part of that deal, Rowe agreed to wait to get paid. "She won't get it {the money} right away. {The family has} to retire some debt first," the source said. "The deal is, she's going to get it once Katherine settles in." The family confidante said the new custody agreement shows Rowe has no interest in raising the kids. "It says that if it's convenient for Katherine . . . {a} supervised visit would be allowed. Katherine could make up any excuse {to nix a visit}," the source said. ------

[VegaMcClintock]

I actually read this when you posted it elsewhere. Great that they are going to meetings. Sad that every person to post after the article was a Witness basher.

[Brother_Bliss]

I actually read this when you posted it elsewhere. Great that they are going to meetings. Sad that every person to post after the article was a Witness basher.

Yeah, that's why I usually post the contents of the article. I supposed I shouldn't have made the link active.

[Brother_Bliss]

Original article here...

Michael Jackson's Mom Wins Custody of Kids

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 3, 2009

Michael Jackson's Mom Wins Custody of Kids

Katherine Jackson Named Permanent Guardian of Singer's 3 Children, 2 Men Named in Will Retain Control of Financial Affairs

(CBS/ AP) Michael Jackson's mother gained permanent custody of her late son's children during a hearing Monday that included a surprise objection from the pop icon's former dermatologist.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff made a series of key rulings during the morning portion of the Monday hearing. In addition to approving Katherine Jackson's guardianship petition, he also granted monthly stipends to the 79-year-old and the three young grandchildren she is now charged with raising.

The ruling came after a few tense moments in which an attorney for Beverly Hills Dr. Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson's longtime dermatologist, raised nonspecific objections to the custody arrangements. The attorney, Mark Vincent Kaplan, said they were based on the doctor's long-term relationship with the singer and his children.

"Legally, he is not a presumed parent," Kaplan said. He said Klein had concerns about the children's education and other day-to-day parenting issues.

Beckloff ultimately determined Klein didn't have legal standing to object to the care of Jackson's children, but said he could raise objections later. Klein has repeatedly denied tabloid reports that he is the biological father of Jackson's children, saying last month on "Larry King Live" that "to the best of my knowledge" he is not.

Diane Goodman, an attorney for Katherine Jackson, told Beckloff that Jackson's youngest son, Prince Michael II, was born through a surrogate who has no parental rights.

Katherine Jackson's approval as permanent guardian is in accordance with the wishes of her son, who named her in a 2002 will as the person he wanted to raise his children. Beckloff noted that the singer's two oldest children, 12-year-old Prince Michael and 11-year-old Paris Michael, filed declarations stating their wishes for who would raise them. He did not indicate what they said.

Last week, Katherine Jackson and the singer's ex-wife Deborah Rowe reached an agreement over custody issues. Rowe, who did not appear in court Monday, never formally petitioned for custody, but will receive some visits with Jackson's two oldest children, to whom she gave birth while the couple were married in the late 1990s.

Beckloff also ruled that Jackson's longtime attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain will continue to administer the singer's estate until at least October. The men have had control for nearly a month and have the authority to negotiate deals and transition Jackson's assets into a private trust.

The hearing ended with Beckloff setting several court hearings into early next year to evaluate payments to Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren, a deal Branca and McClain have worked out with concert promoter AEG Live, and other unresolved issues.

Branca and McClain were named as co-executors of Jackson's 2002 will, and have already received millions of dollars in the singer's money, property and a life insurance payout, court filings show. The money is being placed into a private trust, which designates that 40 percent of the estate goes to Katherine Jackson, 40 percent goes to the children and 20 percent goes to various charities.

It is unclear how much money Katherine Jackson and her grandchildren will receive in allowance from the singer's estate in the meantime. Beckloff did not state the figures in court and indicated he was likely to seal those details if attorneys asked him to do so.

The proposed figures have been redacted from court filings so far. Beckloff did trim the amount the three children will receive, saying that there appeared to be some duplication between the expenses Katherine Jackson listed and those listed for the children.

Also Monday, it was announced that the estate has reached a settlement with AEG, the concert promoter that had been preparing for the King of Pop's 50 comeback shows in London. Terms were not disclosed, and the agreement will be filed under seal pending approval from Beckloff, who scheduled a hearing on the matter for next Monday.

Branca said during a break that the settlement also included companies who owned merchandising rights and rehearsal footage.

The judge also said that Mrs. Jackson should be able to review her son's contracts with AEG. The promoter had sought to prevent her attorneys access without a confidentiality order. Beckloff ruled that Katherine Jackson can review the contracts, but only under certain conditions.

Mrs. Jackson's lawyers have also asked Beckloff to allow them to depose Branca and McClain and subpoena their records. Her attorneys have cited a potential conflict of interest between the administrators and AEG as a source of suspicion for the Jackson family; they are also concerned that AEG's request for a protective order bars the family from sharing the concert contract with police.

Kathy Jorrie, an attorney for AEG Live, said the company will share the contracts with authorities if detectives think it will help their investigation into Jackson's death.

Katherine Jackson arrived flanked by daughters LaToya and Rebbie and son Randy Jackson. Several attorneys representing her were also in court.

The hearing was attended by more than 20 attorneys representing a variety of interests, including Sony/ATV, a music catalog in which Jackson had a substantial stake, concert promoter AEG Live, and Columbia Pictures. Several of the attorneys are also handling issues in Britney Spears' conservatorship case, and an afternoon hearing scheduled in that matter was postponed.

The attorneys were outnumbered only by media outlets jockeying for seats in the hearing. A variety of broadcast, Internet and print media outlets covered the hearing, arriving more than an hour before Beckloff took the bench to get a seat. An overflow room was also required.

In a newly-released CBS News poll, Americans believe Michael Jackson will be remembered more for his music than his personal troubles.

The survey found that 66 percent of those surveyed say the so-called "King Of Pop" will be remembered more for his legendary singing and dancing than for the plastic surgery, child sexual abuse charges and erratic behavior of his later years.

By contrast, one in four Americans say memories of that behavior will eclipse memories of Jackson's music.

[Brother_Bliss]

Statue's a Dead Ringer for Jacko Jackson-like bust gets attention at Field Museum By ANDREW GREINER Updated 7:10 PM CDT, Wed, Aug 5, 2009

The Pharaoh of Pop doesn’t quite have the same ring to it as King of Pop, but visitors to Chicago’s Field Museum could swear that’s Jacko’s face on a 3,000-year-old Egyptian bust. The spitting image limestone sculpture has been on display at the museum since 1988, but recently started drawing attention because of its likeness to Jacko --- complete with disfigured nose. Unfortunately the bust, which was carved sometime between 1550 B.C. and 1050 B.C., is of a woman and MJ likely never had the chance to see the statuette. “I have no idea whether Jackson ever visited the museum,” a Field spokesperson said to the Sun-Times' Michael Sneed. “But the similarity between the limestone statue of a woman – which is about 3,000 years old --- and Jackson is astounding.” Interestingly, Jackson cast himself as an interloper in ancient Egypt in his video for “Remember the Time,” so maybe he sensed some Egyptian roots.