!!!Michael Jackson's Mother Loses Control Over His Estate!!!

LOS ANGELES - A judge said Monday that Michael Jackson's longtime attorney and a family friend should take over the pop singer's estate for now, rejecting a request from Jackson's mother to be put in charge or share control. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff backed attorney John Branca and music executive John McClain, who had been designated in Jackson's 2002 will as the people he wanted to administer his estate. Attorneys for the pop singer's mother repeatedly objected to their appointment at Monday's court hearing. "It's our desire to do everything we can to carry out Michael Jackson's wishes and to maximize the estate," said Howard Weitzman, who spoke after the hearing on behalf of Branca. Weitzman issued a statement later calling the judge's ruling "the correct decision. "The singer's mother, Katherine Jackson, had applied to oversee her son's estate, but that was before the 2002 will surfaced. Her attorney, Burt Levitch, expressed concerns about McClain and Branca's financial leadership. Jackson died June 25, deeply in debt. But a court filing estimates that his estate will be worth more than $500 million. His assets are destined for a private trust. Jackson's family had wanted Beckloff, the judge in the estate case, to delay the appointment of McClain and Branca as temporary administrators of the pop superstar's estate, a person close to the Jacksons said. The family wanted more time to look deeper into Michael Jackson's affairs, to see if another will emerges, and to accommodate Jackson's memorial service, said a person close to the family who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly. Katherine Jackson's attorneys also had asked that she be appointed to serve as a co-administrator with Branca and McClain. Beckloff refused to grant that request, too.