Michael Jackson's ex-wife 'uncertain' over custody battle
Michael Jackson's ex-wife 'uncertain' over custody battle
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Friday, 03, Jul 2009 09:01
By Lewis Bazley.
The ex-wife of the late Michael Jackson may fight for custody of the two children she had with the music legend, her lawyer has said.
"I want my children," Debbie Rowe said in a 90-minute telephone interview with NBC's Los Angeles network.
The station then reported Rowe, who was married to Jackson for three years from 1996, was willing to undergo DNA testing to prove she was the biological mother of Prince Michael, 12, and 11-year-old Paris.
Ms Rowe said she would seek a restraining order to keep Jackson's father Joe away from the children and was prepared to accept custody of Prince Michael II, the Thriller star's youngest child, so as to avoid splitting up the children.
"I am stepping up," she said. "I have to."
During a Thursday press conference Ms Rowe's lawyer, Eric George, said his client "has not reached a final decision pending final custody".
"It would be distortion to allow that snapshot to stand as truth of Debbie's position on these matters," he added.
Jackson's mother Katherine has been granted temporary custody of his children and was named in a will, drawn up in 2002, as their guardian.
Ms Rowe was omitted from the late singer's will, which left his entire estate to a family trust.
As the Jackson family announced a memorial service would be held for Jackson next Tuesday in Los Angeles, footage of the star in rehearsals for his planned comeback tour has been released.
The short clip, recorded on June 23rd, shows the self-styled King of Pop rehearsing a routine for his song They Don't Care About Us at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles.
-Courtesy of AEG Live