Michael Jackson‘s mother Katherine Jackson dropped her elder abuse case against her nephew, Trent Jackson, hours before she was scheduled to appear in court last month.
The 87-year-old Jackson matriarch is currently residing in London, England with her daughter, Janet Jackson, and her infant grandson, Eissa Al Mana.
A judge in California refused Katherine’s attorney’s request to allow her appear via closed circuit television from Janet’s home in London. The judge ordered her to appear in person at a hearing last month or risk losing the case. So Katherine dropped the case.
Now Trent and his attorney are demanding she pay his legal costs out of the generous monthly allowance she receives from her late son Michael Jackson’s estate.
According to Trent’s attorney, Ron Rale, Katherine can afford to pay Trent’s legal fees because she gives away most of her $67,000 monthly allowance to her unemployed adult children Jermaine, 62, Maureen (Rebbie), 66, and La Toya, 60.
According to estate documents obtained by the NY Daily News, Katherine gives $12,000 a month to Jermaine, $7,000 a month to Rebbie, and $30,000 a month to La Toya.
Additionally, she pays over $9,000 a month for a leased Los Angeles home for several unemployed grandchildren (Jermaine’s kids).
Katherine dropped the case against Trent on April 25, the same day she was scheduled to appear in court. Her lawyer, Nelson Handy, said his client dropped the case because she wanted to “take a step back.”
In her initial complaint, Katherine requested a restraining order against Trent because she says he bullied her, invaded her privacy and stole money from her. She told the court she hid in a closet to talk to her children because she was afraid Trent would hear her.
Trent was hired by music icon Michael Jackson to take care of his ailing mother. Trent’s duties included driving her to the grocery store and running errands for her, as well as paying her bills from her monthly allowance.
Trent’s lawyer says other family members manipulated Katherine into making accusations of elder abuse against him, and since he is the “prevailing party,” she should pay.
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