NEWSKatherine Jackson Loses Guardianship of Michael Jackson's Kids For Now
July 25 2012, Published 6:26 a.m. ET
Katherine Jackson, 82, the legal guardian of the late Michael Jackson's children Prince, Paris and Blanket, lost temporary custody today and a judge appointed 34-year-old TJ Jackson — Tito's son, their temporary guardian.
The matriarch of the famous family had TJ look after the kids when she left Los Angeles on July 15. She was not in contact with anyone for 9 days which caused Paris to take to Twitter demanding to know her grandmother's whereabouts.
"We have reason to believe that Mrs. Jackson has been held against her will," Katherine Jackson's attorney Sandra Ribera told Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff at a hearing Wednesday.
"This is not a power play by TJ Jackson," the judge told the court. "This is based on the allegation that Katherine Jackson is being prevented from acting as guardian."
Katherine's custodianship is suspended because she may be "prevented from acting as a guardian because of the acts of third parties."
In addition, the judge ordered "that the children not be removed from California without a court order, by any person."
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TJ's attorney, Charles A. Schultz, said this move is essential on his client's part because the kids are in danger.
"There's immediate harm to the minor children, there was a potential abduction at the house, in addition to a phone call from Katherine last night that gave us real concern," said Schultz. "We are looking at this as a Band-Aid until Miss Jackson returns or re-establishes contact with the kids."
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TJ is very concerned about the situation and believes something is wrong.
"I've never heard my grandmother talk like that," he said when she finally got in touch with him. "She wasn't sharp. Her words were slurred. Her choice of vocabulary, I never heard her use those phrases."
His lawyer said that "maybe she was trying to speak to him in code."
A hearing next month is supposed to take place and custody could be returned to Katherine if she returns home. The judge made clear that his decision is "not based on any wrongdoing on her part."
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In the meantime, the kids are feuding with their aunt Janet Jackson and uncles Jermaine and Randy Jackson. The three tried to convince the younger Jackson siblings to leave Katherine's home with them, but they refused.
Now a video has been released of Janet trying to take away Paris' cell phone and getting upset with her for posting things about the family on Twitter.
