Michael Jackson’s Mom Katherine ‘Finds It Very Difficult’ To Talk About Late King Of Pop As LaToya’s Ex Demands 92-Year-Old Be Grilled About His Final Day
March 2 2023, Published 7:00 p.m. ET
Michael Jackson’s family revealed the late pop star’s mother Katherine Jackson “finds it very difficult” to talk about her son’s death — as her lawyers fight a demand to depose the 92-year-old, RadarOnline.com has learned.
According to court documents obtained by RadarOnline.com, Katherine’s lawyers are demanding the 92-year-old not be forced to sit and be grilled by LaToya’s ex-fiancé, Jeffree Phillips.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, last year, Jackson’s estate accused Jeffree of stealing memorabilia worth over $1 million.
In court, the estate said Jeffree and LaToya arrived at Michael’s home on June 25, 2009. The pop star had been rushed to the hospital where he would later be pronounced dead.
The estate believes Jeffree stole various personal items including Mac laptops, pajamas, medicine bottles and private letters. Other items include a signed, framed photograph of Jackson, a Michael Jackson doll, and roughly 11 framed platinum/gold record awards.
In response, Jeffree, who dated LaToya from 1995 to 2015, denied he stole the items and claimed Michael’s mother Katherine had instructed him to take the property.
He said, “had the Estate simply asked for the property and not resorted to the premeditated set-up and bullying tactics, I would have called La Toya to inform her that the Estate was requesting the items, and the two of us would have then called her mother. If Ms. Jackson instructed me to give the property back to the Estate, I would have done so.”
The court granted a temporary injunction prohibiting Phillips from selling the items to third parties. Phillips recently asked for the trial date not to be set until he has the chance to depose Katherine.
As RadarOnline.com first reported, Katherine’s lawyers are objecting to the request. They wrote, "it is troubling (to say the least) that Phillips, who claims to have been very close to Mrs. Jackson and the Jackson family, is seeking to have his attorneys interrogate the elderly Mrs. Jackson over her objections about what we understand is the most painful weeks and months of her long life.”
In a new filing, they provided additional context. In a declaration filed by Taj Jackson, he said he has not spoken to his grandmother about Jeffree’s claims that she told him to take Michael’s property.
He said, “The reason I have not spoken to my Grandmother about the subject is simple. My Grandmother was and is still very affected by the death of my Uncle, her child. This was by far the saddest event that I saw her experience in her life. Understandably, she finds it very difficult to talk about my Uncle’s last few years and also about the very sad weeks and months following his sudden and unexpected death.”
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“The last thing I want to do is upset her and ask her questions about those very difficult weeks and months,” he added.
Taj said, “I find it extremely hard to believe that my Grandmother would have entrusted Mr. Phillips to handle the storage of my Uncle’s personal belongings taken from the Carolwood residence. In fact, as my Grandmother knew, I had been entrusted by my Uncle before his passing personally to handle storage of many of his personal items.”
A judge has yet to rule.
