Jackson executors get control of singer's assets

LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted control of singer Michael Jackson's assets to the executors of his will Monday.
The executors -- John Branca, Jackson's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend -- had sought immediate control of the entertainer's assets at a hearing before Judge Mitchell Beckloff.
The judge appointed the men special administrators until another hearing August 3. He said they will be responsible for protecting the estate from immediate losses.


The executors -- John Branca, Jackson's longtime personal attorney, and John McClain, a music industry executive and longtime friend -- had sought immediate control of the entertainer's assets at a hearing before Judge Mitchell Beckloff.

The judge appointed the men special administrators until another hearing August 3. He said they will be responsible for protecting the estate from immediate losses.
But Branca's lawyer, Paul Hoffman, said Branca had represented Jackson off and on since he was 21, that he was his lawyer at the time the will was written and that he was rehired in mid-June before the singer's death.

Katherine Jackson's lawyers also brought up "infirmity" in relation to the second executor, McClain. His lawyers responded that he is in "fine mental capacity."

The judge ruled that Michael Jackson felt strongly enough about these executors to name them in his will. He required the two men to acquire a $1 million bond to insure their work as executors.

"It's not like these are people who are unknown Katherine Jackson," he said.

The judge said he hopes the two sides can come to an agreement -- a "free flow of information" -- by August 3.

Hoffman said the two sides met for four hours over the weekend but were unable to reach "an acceptable accommodation."

Eight lawyers addressed the judge at various times: four for the executors, three for Katherine Jackson and one from the state attorney general's office, since charities are among the beneficiaries in Jackson's will.
Another 14 attorneys sat in the first two rows of the courtroom, including a lawyer for AEG Live, the concert promotions company that was in the process of putting together 50 sold-out shows for Jackson in London, England, beginning in mid-July. It is now handling Jackson's memorial service at the Staples Center.

Branca represented Jackson from 1980 until 2006 and was hired again before the singer's death. He helped acquire Jackson's music catalog, which is worth millions.

McClain is a longtime Jackson friend who has worked with him and his sister Janet.

In their filing for control of the estate, the men said it would allow them to tend to Jackson's numerous outstanding debts, legal cases and business obligations.

At a hearing Wednesday, Beckloff had appointed Katherine Jackson the temporary administrator.

Crowds claim tickets

Meanwhile Monday, fans chosen by random lottery for Michael Jackson's funeral service began arriving in a steady stream of cars to Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles to pick up their tickets.

The 8,750 fans have from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT to claim their tickets.

At the stadium, organizers will give each winner a pair of tickets and wristbands, "one of which will be placed on their wrist at that time," a Jackson family statement said. The measures are meant to prevent resale of the tickets. Winners must meet other requirements as well, a Jackson family statement said.

Each winner gets two tickets, bringing the number awarded in the lottery to 17,500.

Just 11,000 of those are for seats inside the Staples Center. The other 6,500 would be for viewing the memorial telecast at the adjacent Nokia Theater. AEG Live, the promoter of Michael Jackson's London shows, owns and operates both venues.

Organizers used a computer to choose the 8,750 names from 1.6 million who registered online during an 18-hour window from 10 a.m. PT Friday and 6 p.m. PT Saturday. The winners began receiving e-mailed notification on Sunday. The e-mail gave them a secret code and instructions to appear at the stadium.

The Jackson family set aside 9,000 Staples Center seats for people they choose, according to organizers. Some people were seen picking up those "friends and family" tickets at Dodger Stadium on Sunday afternoon. Two wristbands -- one blue and one gold -- were given out with each ticket.

Deka Motanya, 27, who works in a doctor's office in San Francisco, scrambled Sunday night to line up plane tickets so she and her boyfriend could fly to Los Angeles Monday.

"Oh, yeah, I'm going," she said. "I'm e-mailing my boss saying I've got to leave early because I'm going to L.A."

Very little is known about the memorial, but it is expected to be a star-studded and emotional tribute. Singer Jennifer Hudson will be among the performers taking the stage, CNN has confirmed.

Ken Ehrlich, known for producing the Grammy Awards, is producing the memorial show, his company said. And Kenny Ortega, who was to have co-directed Jackson's series of concerts in London this summer, will direct it.

Fans without tickets to the memorial are being asked to stay away from downtown Los Angeles and watch the service on television. iReport.com: "Surreal journey" to get Jackson tickets

Jackson funeral plans uncertain

Though no specifics have been confirmed, Jackson's lawyer said at Monday's court hearing that the singer's funeral will be Tuesday.

Jackson's family has issued no public statement on burial plans, although brother Jermaine Jackson said Thursday that a private service would be held Tuesday morning.

The first official indication that a family service for Michael Jackson will be held at Forest Lawn cemetery came from a Los Angeles police official Sunday.

LAPD Assistant Chief of Staff Jim McDonnell said the Forest Lawn officials were working with the Jackson family on their plans, which were part of "a package" of events Tuesday.
"It's a package, basically," McDonnell said. "Forest Lawn has their staff that are also working on their needs relative to the cemetery with them."

Although there are five Forest Lawn cemeteries in the Los Angeles area, a long line of media trucks and crews has been parked at the gate of the Hollywood Hills facility for several days in anticipation of Jackson's possible interment there.

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