Jackson Family Feuds Over Michael's Will, Guardianship

The Jackson Family Drama Explained in 5 Clicks

From disputes over Michael Jackson's will to Katherine Jackson's short-lived disappearance, we've summed up the off-the-wall feud

Kiran Hefa

Published on July 26, 2012 01:30PM EDT

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1. JACKSON SIBLINGS CLAIM MICHAEL'S WILL IS FAKE

In a letter dated July 18, five of Michael Jackson's siblings, including Jermaine and Janet, allege that his will is fake, as only his mother, Katherine, and his three children, Paris, Prince and Blanket, are named in it. They also claim the estate's executors, John Branca and John McClain, manipulated the will to their benefit and are taking advantage of Katherine. "This is not about money for us … They are trying to turn family members against family members," Michael's brother Randy tells Rev. Al Sharpton on MSNBC's PoliticsNation.

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2. KATHERINE 'DISAPPEARS' – TO ARIZONA

On July 21, Katherine's nephew and employee Trent files a report that she's missing, and Paris confirms the news the next day via Twitter. Jermaine must have seen it coming: The day before Trent reports Katherine missing, he Tweets, "I want to reassure everyone … that Mother is fine but is resting up in AZ on the orders of a doctor, not us." Jermaine claims she is on a planned vacation to visit her daughter Rebbie, and a photo emerges of the women playing Uno. Meanwhile, rumors persist that Katherine is being held there against her will until she agrees to help her children overthrow Branca and McClain.

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3. TROUBLE AT THE JACKSON COMPOUND

Police are called to Katherine's Calabasas, Calif., home July 23 after Jermaine, Janet and Randy reportedly attempt to remove Paris, Prince and Blanket, resulting in a physical altercation between two unnamed family members. "They were trying to take Michael's kids somewhere," Katherine's lawyer tells PEOPLE. "But they were very much being the aggressors in the situation … They ambushed the kids." That same day, Katherine's children release a statement calling Trent into question and blasting his missing person's report, saying it was "created by the very person and persons we are trying to protect our mother from."

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4. THE FAMILY FIGHTS IT OUT IN THE PRESS

During a July 24 call-in to PoliticsNation, Randy says he, Jermaine and Janet went to Katherine's compound to inform Michael's kids that they could communicate with their grandmother at any time, but Trent blocked them from entering the house. Meanwhile, brothers Tito, Marlon and Jackie Jackson tell The Insider that they are being kept apart from Katherine too. "There's somebody who made the decision that my mother cannot talk to me," says Marlon, "and whoever that person is, they've got to answer to me." Later, Tito backs out of his siblings' plan to overthrow the estate's executors, saying, "I don't want any part of that letter whatsoever."

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5. KATHERINE LOSES GUARDIANSHIP, HEADS HOME

The Jackson kids face more upheaval July 25 as Tito's son T.J. Jackson (inset) is named their temporary guardian in Katherine's absence. Later that day, Katherine, surrounded by Janet, Jermaine and Rebbie, speaks to ABC News from an Arizona spa to set the record straight. She denies being kidnapped and is "devastated" that her grandchildren have been taken from her. She vows to return to L.A. to straighten things out. Early the next morning, Paris Tweets, "grandma's here! #thankyougod."