The posthumous affairs of Michael Jackson boiled down to two things Tuesday: His memorial service will draw a huge crowd and the settling of his estate will be complicated.
Beyond that was a storm of rumor, supposition and educated guess interrupted by snatches of information more intriguing than complete.
An entertainment attorney who had worked for Jackson produced a 7-year-old will that named him and a music executive as executors. Lawyers for Jackson's mother, who had asked a court for control of his affairs a day before, said they were evaluating the validity of the document.
Meanwhile, reports about funeral arrangements swirled, with a source close to family discussions telling The Times that one potential plan involved a memorial at Staples Center followed by a procession to Jackson's Neverland Ranch, where a more intimate service for family, friends and the music industry would occur.
Law enforcement agencies strategized, school officials near the ranch mulled traffic congestion and broadcast outlets, anticipating one of the largest media events in years, began talking about how to share helicopters, satellite coordinates, video feeds and other resources. There was just one thing missing: official information.
"We don't know the details of what any movement would be," said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Mark Garrett. "We've heard rumors just like the media and the public."
An attorney for Jackson's parents, Katherine and Joe Jackson, declined to comment on the funeral planning and said the couple's legal team was focused on evaluating the July 2002 will.
"I just saw the will for the first time this morning. We are in the process of reviewing it. We did not see it prior to the filing. We wish we had known about it earlier," said attorney L. Londell McMillan.
The document was produced by John Branca, a lawyer who began representing Jackson in 1980. Branca and Jackson parted ways in 2006 in a disagreement over other advisors, but on June 17 -- eight days before his death -- Jackson signed a letter once again retaining Branca as his lawyer, according to a source familiar with the relationship.
The source, like many connected to the Jackson case, spoke on the condition of anonymity, citing the sensitivity of the situation.
