Jackson 'left father out of final will'

Michael Jackson reportedly cut his father out of his most recent will. Photo / AP

The intrigue surrounding Michael Jackson's billion-dollar legacy intensified yesterday, when it was claimed that the singer's final will divides his estate between his mother, three children and various charities n excluding the father who has become the public face of the family's grief.

Joe Jackson, who had a strained relationship with his most famous son, is conspicuously absent from the document, which was drawn up in 2002 and is expected to be submitted to Los Angeles Superior Court tomorrow by John Branca, Jackson's attorney at the time of his death.

The development, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, came as the custody battle over the singer's children was muddied by claims that neither Michael Jackson, nor his former wife Debbie Rowe, was actually their biological parent.

It sets the stage for an intriguing legal showdown on Monday, when the court will weigh up claims on the star's former property and resolve the long-term fate of Michael Jr, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, the seven-year-old youngest son who is widely known as "Blanket".

This week, Katherine Jackson, Michael's 79 year-old mother, was granted temporary custody of the children and limited powers over his assets, which were roughly US$400m in debt at the time of his death but have since soared in value.

Jackson's most valuable possession is believed to be a 50 per cent stake in Sony/ATV Music Publishing, a pop archive that includes a back catalogue of Beatles material and has been valued at US$1bn. He also owned Mijac, a catalogue of his own work, which has returned to the top of the charts since his death.

The singer was a partner in Colony Capital LLC, the business that has owned Neverland ranch, his former country seat north of Santa Barbara. In future, the site could potentially be turned into a lucrative tourist attraction along the lines of Graceland, the former home of Elvis Presley.

Joe Jackson seems unlikely to become much richer from any proceeds, though. The family patriarch who managed the Jackson 5 during the 1960s and 1970s, had a famously abusive relationship with his nine children, and is often blamed for Michael's psychological problems.

The will effectively disinheriting him is said to name Mr Branca - who worked for Jackson from 1980 to 2006 and was rehired shortly before his death - as one of the estate's two executors. The other is a veteran music industry executive called John McClain.

Katherine's standing as one of the main beneficiaries is unlikely to subsidise her husband's lifestyle. The couple have been living separate lives for decades, and are based in different homes: one in Encino, the other in Las Vegas. In her autobiography, Katherine revealed that Joe was habitually unfaithful, and said only her beliefs as a strict Jehovah's Witness prevented her seeking a divorce.

The family's lawyer and only official spokesman, L Londell McMillan, said yesterday that he hadn't yet seen a copy of a will. His priority remains establishing the exact circumstances surrounding the 50-year-old singer's death.

- THE INDEPENDENT