Jackson wins child custody case

A lawyer who asked authorities to remove Michael Jackson's children from his custody had her request denied.

Gloria Allred represented a teenage boy who accused the star of abuse in 1993, which was settled out of court.Although she has no involvement in his latest case, in which he denies child molestation, she said she feared for the safety of his three children.

Los Angeles authorities disagreed with her but she says she is now taking the matter to a juvenile court judge.

Ms Allred first applied to Santa Barbara authorities to investigate the children's welfare before going to the Los Angeles County Department of Child and Family Services in January when he moved to the area.

Her application to have the children made wards of court was turned down, although department officials said they could not comment on individual cases.

But one of Mr Jackson's lawyers, Benjamin Brafman, accused Ms Allred of persuing her own agenda.
"I think it would be best if people who have nothing to do with these proceedings stayed out of them rather than looking at Mr Jackson's case as a vehicle through which to engage in self-promotion," he said.
Mr Jackson has three children under the age of seven.

Two are from his marriage to nurse Debbie Rowe, who is believed to be seeking custody of them. A judge has been appointed to mediate in a dispute between the parents.

Mr Jackson has never revealed who the mother of his third child is.

He has pleaded innocent to seven counts of performing lewd of lascivious acts on a child under 14 and two counts of administering an intoxicating agent

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/entertainment/music/3523424.stm

Published: 2004/03/18 13:21:24 GMT

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