Court fight over Jackson's children looms

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Jackson's mother is caring for the singer's three children and asked the court Monday to declare her their guardian.

The guardianship papers were filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday. A hearing has been set for Aug 3.

Jackson left behind three children: Michael Joseph Jackson Jr., known as Prince Michael, 12; Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11; and Prince Michael II, 7. The youngest son was born to a surrogate mother.

The filings show that Katherine Jackson is also petitioning to take over the children's estate. Its value is listed as "unknown" in the filing.

The filing lists the children as living at the Jacksons' family compound in the San Fernando Valley, northwest of Los Angeles.

"Minor children are currently residing with paternal grandmother," the filing states in an explanation of why Katherine Jackson should be appointed guardian. "They have a long established relationship with paternal grandmother and are comfortable in her care."

The filings provide no other declarations by Katherine Jackson, nor do they state whether Michael Jackson left a will.

The filings note that Deborah Rowe is the mother of the Jackson's two eldest children, but list her whereabouts as "unknown." An e-mail message sent to Rowe's attorney seeking comment wasn't immediately returned Monday morning.

For Michael Jackson's third child, nicknamed as Blanket, the filing states "None" for the mother.

Londell McMillan, the Jacksons' attorney, said the family hasn't heard from Deborah Rowe, the mother of Jackson's two oldest children, about custody.

"I don't think there will be anybody who thinks that there is someone better" than Katherine Jackson to have custody, McMillan said Monday on NBC's "Today" show. "She is a very loving host of other grandchildren."

McMillan also said on the "Today" show that the family was "quite clearly troubled" about the circumstances surrounding the death, given that Jackson had appeared healthy enough to be rehearsing for his upcoming concerts in London.

Asked whether the family suspected foul play, McMillan said those words were "too strong an indictment."

Edward Chernoff, a lawyer for Michael Jackson's doctor, Dr. Conrad Murray, said in an interview Sunday with The Associated Press that Jackson still had a faint pulse and a warm body when Murray found him in bed and not breathing Thursday afternoon.