Joe Jackson went to court on Monday, November 9, alleging his son, Michael Jackson, never signed his will and co-executors Branca and McClain have committed a fraud. Photo Credit: TV GrabNovember 09, 2009, (Sawf News) - Joe Jackson went to court on Monday, November 9, alleging his son, Michael Jackson, never signed his will and co-executors Branca and McClain have committed a fraud.
Doubts were raised about the authenticity of the will after Randy Jackson told TMZ in October that Michael wasn't in Los Angeles on July 7, 2002, the place and date ascribed on the will be a witness.
However, Jackson's estate lawyer, Howard Weitzman, told TMZ that the witnesses to the will were face to face with the singer when he signed it.
Speculation that the will is forged was put to rest after a source told TMZ that one of the witnesses to the will incorrectly wrote Los Angeles instead of New York on the document.
However, Joe Jackson is not convinced the inconsistency in the document is an innocent oversight and believes attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain should be booted out as co-executors.
In legal documents filed on Monday, Joe Jackson's attorney, Brian Oxman, alleges that Michael fired Branca in 2003 on suspicion of embezzling his money. An investigation exposed an improper relationship between Branca and Tommy Mottola and revealed the two were "illegally funneling Michael Jackson's money to off-shore accounts in the Caribbean."
John Branca had been associated with Michael since 1985 and helped Michael purchase The Beatles' publishing catalog.
Michael rehired Branca shortly before his death on June 25.
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