TJ Jackson Appointed Temporary Guardian of Michael Jackson's Kids, Despite Diana Ross Clause
A judge has just suspended Katherine Jackson's guardianship of Michael Jackson's children (Prince, Paris, and Blanket), and installed the kids' cousin, TJ Jackson, in her place.
Rumors began circulating on Tuesday that TJ was planning to petition for temporary guardianship, but TMZ reports that the judge initially declined to meet with him because—wait for it—no one had told Diana Ross.
Under Michael Jackson's will, Ross would become the kids' legal guardian in the event Katherine Jackson were unable to fulfill her duties. Since TJ was only filing for a temporary guardianship, the petition was eventually allowed to proceed.
One of the things TJ did in court was recount a very bizarre conversation he had with his grandmother Katherine on Tuesday:
"I've never heard my grandmother talk like that. She wasn't sharp. The pauses, choice of vocabulary ... she has not used certain phrases like that before."
TMZ reports that TJ thought she was speaking in code, though whether he said that explicitly is not clear, and Katherine's lawyer told reporters that it seemed like his client was being held against her will at a family home in Arizona.
The judge seemed to agree; he stated that he believed Katherine was being prevented from fulfilling her guardianship by "an intentional act from third parties." Perhaps the children who everyone is claiming kidnapped her.
Under the new guardianship, the children may not be removed from the state of California (as their aunts and uncles allegedly tried to do on Monday, prompting a physical confrontation) without a court order. The judge added that TJ Jackson should file for permanent guardianship (though Katherine Jackson and her lawyer oppose that plan) and notify both Diana Ross and Paris and Prince's mother Debbie Rowe (a cavalcade of stars).
The judge has ordered the Michael Jackson Estate to dispense to TJ Jackson the funds necessary to take care of security and other essentials for Michael's children.
A lawyer for the kids told the judge that the all three supported TJ's becoming their guardian.
[TMZ // Image via AP]