According to Michael Jackson’s last Will and Testament, good friend Diana Ross will raise his three children in the event of his mother Katherine’s death.
The Will, which was drawn up in 2002 and a copy provided to Jackson’s parents yesterday, leaves the bulk of Jackson’s estate (about $200 million) to his mother and three children. The remainder of the estate will go into a Trust to be divvied up among several charities.
Jackson’s father, Joseph Jackson, and his ex-wife, Debbie Rowe — the biological mother of his two oldest kids, get nothing.
Meanwhile, sources say construction work has been halted on a crypt for the pop star at his massive Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara County, California.
Dump trucks and heavy excavation equipment had been spotted coming and going from the ranch in recent days. But according to the AP, the billionaire who co-owned the property with Jackson wasn’t able to obtain an exemption to bury Jackson on the land.
“The family is aware a Neverland burial is not possible. They are expected to make decisions about whatever funeral and memorial service” will take place, the source told the AP.
A planned public memorial scheduled for July 3 at Neverland has also apparently been scrapped.
It was Jackson’s dream to be buried at Neverland Ranch in similar fashion to legendary Elvis Presley, who is interred at Graceland in Memphis along with his parents and grandmother.
Jackson hasn’t lived at Neverland since 2005 when he was acquitted of child molestation charges. Friends say Jackson was paranoid and believed the prosecutor and law enforcement may have planted listening devices after searching the property for evidence in the trial.
Jackson’s death has breathed life into a slumping music industry. Over 415,000 of his albums and 2.3 million digital downloads have sold in the four days since Jackson passed away. Additionally, Jackson music titles occupy the top 9 spots on the Billboard Top Pop Catalog Albums chart.
