Jackson Family Challenges 2002 Will, Denies Abuse Accusations

Katherine Jackson has reportedly hired the Jackson family attorney to challenge son Michael Jackson's 2002 will that named John McClain and John Branca as the co-executors of the King of Pop's estate and assets, TMZ reports. Attorney Londell McMillan will reportedly challenge the will's executors, even though there was a "no contest" clause in the document stating that if anyone disputed Michael's wishes, they'd be written out as a beneficiary. Under the terms of the will, both Katherine and Michael's three children were to receive 40 percent of Jackson's assets, with the remaining 20 percent going to charity.

As Rock Daily reported earlier, Branca and McClain are moving quickly to secure deals for Jackson's This Is It rehearsal footage and other music projects while the demand for Jackson's music is still hot. According to the AP, Katherine's lawyers were in court last Friday, July 17th, to see if they can challenge the co-executors' decisions without triggering the "no contest" clause.

In other Jackson news, Michael's father Joe Jackson was on CNN's Larry King last night, denying allegations that he ever physically abused his son. "Oh, that's a bunch of bull S. That's a bunch of bull S," Joe Jackson told King. In the 2003 documentary Living With Michael Jackson, Michael told journalist Martin Bashir that Joe Jackson was abusive to not only Michael but the rest of his siblings, saying his father "practiced us with a belt in his hand" and that they were punished if they were unable to pick up dance moves. "Never. Never have. And I — and I raised him just like you would raise your kids, you know? But harm Michael, for what? I have no reason. That's my son. I loved him and I still love him," Joe Jackson told King last night. Jackson also denied rumors of a Jackson 3 tour and said he was not pushing Michael's own children into show business.

Related Stories:
• Studios Scramble to Bring Jackson "This Is It" Rehearsals to Theaters
• Michael Jackson's Will Filed, Names Diana Ross as Guardian
• Michael Jackson Remembered: Inside Rolling Stone's Special Issue

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Song Stories

“Is It True”

Brenda Lee | 1964

As the British Invasion reached its peak in 1964, Brenda Lee went from Nashville to London to record one of her hardest-rocking hits, her perky vocal backed by a stuttering, squalling guitar. That guitar was played by session musician Jimmy Page, yet to skyrocket to fame with first the Yardbirds and then Led Zeppelin. "She said to me, 'I've come here to make a record with the British sound,'" remembered producer Mickie Most. "She felt she wouldn't get the same sound in Nashville because they're only just catching up on the British beat group sound of about six months ago."

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