Jackson's ex-wife wants custody of children

MICHAEL Jackson's second ex-wife is to fight for their two children, dismissing claims that she is not their biological mother and accusing the late star of breaking his end of their custody agreement by dying early.

Debbie Rowe, 50, revealed in a 90-minute television interview that she will file a restraining order against Jackson's father Joe – who Jackson once publicly accused of having abused him as a child – to keep him away from Michael Joseph Jnr, 12, and Paris Michael, 11.

She will undergo a DNA test to prove that she is the children's biological mother, and psychological testing to prove that she is fit to be a parent, she said – despite having had little to do with their upbringing and having testified in court three years ago that she bore him children only "for him to become a father, not for me to become a mother".

Chuck Henry, a news anchor at the NBC-LA channel, revealed last night that Ms Rowe, who married the star in 1996 and divorced three years later, told him: "Yes, I'm stepping up – I have to."

"She told me that she will seek custody of her two children … she said 'Michael and I had an agreement, he didn't keep his end … he died.

"Now with his death, his early death, it's all change," Mr Henry said ahead of the interview being aired.

"She told me 'They are my flesh and blood and I'm going after my children'," he added. A judge later delayed a guardianship hearing for the children at the request of Ms Rowe's lawyers.

The hearing had been scheduled for Monday. Records show lawyers for Ms Rowe and Jackson's mother, Katherine, named in the singer's will to become the guardian, asked for the hearing to be delayed until 13 July.

Ms Rowe gave birth to Jackson's first two children after artificial insemination but insists the eggs used were hers – countering reports that she merely acted as a non-donor surrogate.

She surrendered her parental rights after their divorce, but an appeals court threw out that contract in 2006, ruling that Ms Rowe remained a legal parent and retained visitation rights.

She has no connection with or rights to Jackson's youngest child, Prince Michael II, seven, born to a surrogate mother who has never been identified.

Meanwhile, Jackson's British bodyguard, Matt Fiddes, has claimed Jackson was often "out of it" during his trips to the UK as a result of unnecessary medications administered by a number of unscrupulous hired doctors using drugs sent from the US.

The martial arts instructor from Devon, who acted as Jackson's minder for more than ten years when the entertainer came to London, said he and psychic Uri Geller, a mutual friend, would often try to hide the drugs and syringes which had been sent from the United States.

Mr Fiddes also claimed that Jackson had a long-term girlfriend whom he kept hidden from the public eye.

The US federal Drug Enforcement Administration joined the inquiry into Jackson's death yesterday to look into several doctors and registered nurses.

Jackson's brother, Jermaine yesterday broke the family's recent silence and said he would be "hurt" if toxicology tests showed his brother had taken drugs.

Concert promoter AEG Live last night said a public memorial would be held for Jackson at the Staples Centre, Los Angeles, on Tuesday.


Jermaine Jackson backs his mother on child custody

MICHAEL Jackson's brother Jermaine broke the family's recent silence yesterday to defend their mother Katherine, 79, named in the singer's will to become guardian to his three children, Michael Joseph, 12, Paris, 11, and Prince Michael II, seven.

"She's capable, she's up to it because she's always with all the grandchildren all the time, she loves the laughter, and the crying and all the excitement," he told ABC's The Today Show.

"She has someone with her to help make sure they are doing the right things. The children are fine, my mother's the perfect person to be there."

He said he would be "hurt" if toxicology tests showed his brother had taken drugs. "Michael has always been against anything like that," Jermaine said.

Jermaine also said he wished he had died instead of Michael, whom he called "a gift from Allah".

"He went too soon. I don't know how people are going to take this, but I wish it was me."

He said he would like to see Neverland Ranch as his brother's final resting place.

Experts predict a protracted legal battle over other aspects of the will. And at a court hearing on Wednesday, Jackson's lawyer John Branca and music executive John McClain were named as executors and sought to end Mrs Jackson's temporary power of attorney over the performer's Neverland estate.

The judge deferred a decision until a full hearing next week.


Film shows star fit and well two days before he died

FOOTAGE of Michael Jackson performing some of his most famous hits for the final time was released last night.

The star looked well and his voice sounded strong as he danced around the stage during rehearsals at the Staples Centre, in Los Angeles.

The star was preparing for his 50-night residency at London's O2 arena, set to begin later this month. Two days later he was dead, having suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.

Jackson's friend, Uri Geller, last night said the footage raised a "big question" about what caused the star's dramatic demise. "The question is: What happened from that point to the day that he died?" said Geller. "In the photographs I've seen, he looked in shape, he was smiling, he was happy.

"What happened? That's the big question."

Kevin Mazur, 48, the photographer who captured some of Jackson's final moments on camera at the rehearsals, said the star appeared to have "incredible energy".

Mr Mazur said: "When he hit that stage, everyone was just mesmerised."

The photographer said Jackson performed his set for 90 minutes until nearly midnight on 23 June.