Paris Jackson’s lawyers say the co-executors of her late father Michael Jackson’s estate have used money generated by the late King of Pop’s works to ‘mock and belittle’ her amid their ongoing legal battle.
‘From the first day Paris dared to raise an objection,’ executors John Branca and John McClain ‘have used her father’s money to attack her in the media,’ attorneys for Paris, 28, said in legal docs Monday reviewed by the Daily Mail.
The executors have sought to ‘avoid merits’ of arguments she has raised by ‘characterizing [her] concerns as lawyer-driven’ or for a ‘purported desire for media attention,’ Paris’ legal team said in the filing, denying both claims.
Attorneys for Paris – asking the court to reprimand the estate and its attorneys – said that the legal battle was a ‘painful … distraction from her own life and her own career,’ and that she ‘would rather there be no press coverage of it whatsoever.’
The executors’ complaints of Paris ‘playing to the media,’ lawyers for Paris said in the court filing, were ‘both unfounded and hypocritical in the extreme.’
Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for both parties for further comment on the story.
Paris is merely seeking ‘competent and ethical administration of her family’s estate,’ her legal team said.
Paris’ legal team said the executors ‘further patronized Paris by describing themselves as the “grown-ups,” in contrast to a 28-year-old woman and her adult siblings’ Prince, 29, and Blanket, 24.
Paris’ legal team said the aforementioned items ‘have nothing to do with the merits of the litigation and are not in the interests of the estate.
‘The fact that Michael Jackson’s money is paying for these attacks makes them even more offensive.’
A source close to the executors told Daily Mail Tuesday that Paris and her team were trying to change the subject, as her actions contradict the words on paper.
Paris and her lawyers have put out misinformation about the ongoing legal proceedings, and recently sought to portray legal setbacks as wins, the source said.
In other legal filings from the executors’ attorneys, Branca and McClain called the year 2022 ‘another banner year for the estate.’
Branca and McClain said they have stewarded the estate to earnings of $3 billion in the years since Jackson’s death at 50, noting that Paris was personally provided with $3.2 million from the estate in 2022. The estate noted that they spent about $91,000 on construction for Paris’ home.
A source close to Paris told the Daily Mail on Monday that ‘from the moment she filed an objection, Paris Jackson has been the victim of a disgusting, outrageous smear campaign by the executors and their attorneys.
‘These lawyers are using Jackson family resources to mock, belittle and attack her for demanding transparency and accountability from the people who control every aspect of her family’s finances.’
Michael Jackson died at the age of 50 on June 25, 2009 after suffering a cardiac arrest in the Los Angeles mansion he was living in.
Authorities in February 2010 deemed his death as the result of acute propofol intoxication. Jackson had been administered the powerful drug by his personal doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, who told investigators that the singer called the substance (which he took via an IV drip) ‘milk’ and said he needed it to sleep.
Jackson’s death spurred a tidal wave of international tributes from fans both in person and on burgeoning social media platforms.
Jackson’s family, including his three children – who had not been seen publicly without masks on prior to that time – were on hand for a highly-viewed July 7, 2009 memorial at the Crypto.com Arena (then known as the Staples Center) in Los Angeles.
‘I just wanted to say, ever since I was born, daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine – and I just wanted to say I love him so much,’ Paris, then 11, said at the emotional service.
A private funeral for Jackson’s family and friends was held in Glendale, California at Forest Lawn Memorial Park.
Eventually, Murray’s care of Jackson fell under scrutiny after the singer’s death, amid questions about his judgment in giving Jackson the substance in certain doses, and not meeting safety precautions in administering the drug.
Jackson’s death was ultimately deemed a homicide by investigators and in November of 2011 – more than two years after his death – Murray was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years in prison.
Jackson had an unprecedented career in music, as one of the best-selling artists of all-time, who won 13 Grammys over 38 nominations.
Honors included Best Male R&B Vocal Performance on Don’t Stop ’Til You Get Enough in 1980, Album of the Year for Thriller in 1984 and Record of the Year for Beat It the same year.
He was also given the Grammy Legend Award in 1993, and posthumously, The Recording Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010. He had been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2001.
