Former British child actor Mark Lester is now claiming to be the sperm donor of his Goddaughter Paris Katherine Jackson, 11, one of the 3 children raised by his longtime friend Michael Jackson, who passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest on June 25. Lester, who met Jackson 25 years ago, says Jackson asked him to donate sperm so he could raise his own family. Lester said he complied with his friend’s request by going to a London clinic to make a deposit.
Mr. Lester has injected himself (literally and figuratively) into this story from the moment the news broke of Jackson’s untimely death. Lester, 58, who gained worldwide fame as the star of the classic 1968 movie “Oliver!” pointed out how closely Paris resembles his own 15-year-old daughter Harriet (they don’t resemble each other at all). Lester says he’s willing to take a paternity test to prove his claims.
But even if it’s proven that Lester is the sperm donor, he signed away any parental rights to Paris when he donated his sperm to a London clinic. Lester claims he’s speaking up now because he wants to remain in contact with the children — and because he has concerns about the way Jackson’s mother — and the children’s guardian — Katherine Jackson, is raising the kids.
Lester said he took action after he saw a pic of Paris carrying a Jehovah’s Witness book on her way to a study hall. Katherine Jackson is a lifelong Jehovah’s Witness. Lester told a British tabloid that he had “concerns about the welfare and upbringing of the children.” “It’s a contact issue,” he said. “I dearly want to remain in contact with those kids and I feel now this is the only way I can ensure that.”
Jackson’s longtime dermatologist and friend Arnold Klein also claims he donated sperm at Jackson’s request because Jackson clearly did not want black children. Jackson has always insisted that he fathered the Caucasian children with his then wife Debbie Rowe, who worked as Klein’s nurse.
