The objection of Katherine Jackson, the mother of Michael Jackson, against the possible sale of the estate of the late pop icon was rejected.
Accordingly PeopleIn court documents filed Wednesday (August 21), Jackson’s request to stop the sale of half of her son’s music catalog to Sony for $600 million was denied by a Los Angeles judge who ruled that the sale complied with the terms of the trust and that Jackson’s objections were “without merit.”
While Katherine Jackson claims that her son told his family members and himself before his death that he wanted his assets to remain in the family forever, the judge relied on Jackson’s own will, which gave his executors full control of his estate.
Michael Jackson (right) leaves the Santa Barbara District Court with his mother Katherine Jackson (left) after another day of testimony in his child molestation trial on April 21, 2005 in Santa Maria, California. Jackson is charged in a 10-count indictment with molestation of a boy, supplying alcohol, and conspiracy to commit child abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion.
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“Here, the will gave the executors broad powers to sell, with no exceptions for the assets at issue in this case,” the court filing states. “Therefore, the probate court did not err in concluding that it was Michael’s intent to allow the executors to sell all of the estate’s assets, including those at issue in the proposed transaction.”
The ruling is the latest development in the legal battle between Katherine Jackson and attorney John Branca and A&R executive John McClain, co-executors of Michael’s estate and trustees of the Michael Jackson Family Trust.
In February 2023, it was reported that Jackson’s estate was preparing to sell half of the singer’s music catalog, asking for between $800 million and $900 million, with Sony Music and other parties named as potential buyers.
Michael Jackson and his mother Katherine Jackson pass through a security checkpoint on their way to his child molestation trial at the Santa Barbara District Court in Santa Maria, California on May 20, 2005. Jackson is accused in a 10-count indictment of sexually assaulting a boy, giving him alcohol, and conspiring to commit child abduction, false imprisonment and extortion.
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Branca and McClain had previously filed a motion to approve the sale, which was granted despite protests from Katherine Jackson.
According to Michael Jackson’s will, his estate should be bequeathed to the Michael Jackson Family Trust, whose beneficiaries are his three children Prince (27), Paris (26) and Bigi (22).
