Jackson Family Claims MJ Fired Branca

Jackson Family Claims MJ Fired Branca


Posted Oct 1st 2009 4:39PM by TMZ Staff
TMZ has learned an attorney acting on behalf of at least two members of Michael Jackson'sfamily will go to court tomorrow and ask the judge to boot named co-executor John Branca from the case, but there's something they don't know.

Attorney Brian Oxman -- the lawyer who pops up from time to time in the Jackson saga -- says he has a document proving Jackson fired Branca.

Branca served as Jackson's lawyer on and off for 29 years. Sources connected to Branca freely admit Jackson fired the lawyer in 1990, but rehired him 3 years later. We're also told Branca quit Michael in 2006 because Jackson insisted on hiring "advisors" Branca believed would do great harm to MJ.

A month before Jackson died, he began conversations
with Branca, saying he wanted him back in the fold. We've learned on June 17, eight days before Jackson died, Jackson signed a letter hiring Branca back as his lawyer.

Howard Weitzman, a lawyer for the estate, confirmed, "In mid-June, Michael Jackson retained John Branca to represent him as general and entertainment counsel in his business and personal affairs." Weitzman added, "The letter retaining Branca was shared with lawyers for Katherine Jackson very early in the probate proceedings."

Attorney Londell McMillan, who reps Katherine Jackson, tells TMZ "We will not comment on what we will do tomorrow." McMillan also had no comment on Brian Oxman, but did say he had "valuable information."

I also read it some mins. ago...
Don't know how to rate it....

I know nothing about Estate laws or this probate stuff, so I have a question-if Branca isn't legally MJ's lawyer does it make everything he's done so far void? Is this a loophole?

I think there are 2 different issues here:

1- Branca was rehired (alledgedly) to act as Michael's attorney. I assume this to mean his "general" attorney.

2- Branca was named as a co-executor in the 2002 trust.

I'm not sure that one necessarily piggybacks on the other, aren't these 2 different aspects? I

n other words, Branca doesn't neccesarily have to be Michael's business attorney to be the co-executor of the trust.

The will is a fake. The June 17 letter was supposed to improve Branca's position. The court hearing will be tomorrow. It will be very interesting. Revealing.

If MJ's dead... The family can't trust Branca? Why? MJ does (nearly 30 years is solid enough proof) and they should respect that... stop trying to control everything, Jackson family. You FAIL. GTFO. I believe the will was pretty clear.


If MJ's alive... LMAO. I wonder what's going to happen tomorrow now that most of us know that the will is more than likely bogus. More clues or something?

Why would they go againdt him? He has done nothing but bring money into the estate.

their complaint seems to be coming too late in the day. branca and mcclain have, to date, already negotatiated good deals for the estate and are running after merchandise fakers. issues such as this are becoming tiring for me. if the motive is just to keep MJ in the news, i hope they think of something positive, like something nice they're doing for him, or in memory of him (because they're saying he's dead) which does not involve a concern about money or the estate.

why are they so surprised that MJ re-hired branca, when he also just re-hired frank dileo? these people helped him a lot back in the day. maybe he got tired of the procession of bad managers and decided to go back to those who really helped his career and investments.

but then again, i wonder if this is just rumor? i don't know what to believe anymore...

If MJ fired him AGAIN in 2006 then why didnt he update his will as such? the will is from 2002....youd think he would have changed the will...but he did not!!! HA!