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Jackson Service Set For Tuesday |
 A memorial service for Michael Jackson will be held on Tuesday at the Staples Center in Los Angeles where he had been rehearsing for his London concerts.
His family announced the event as concert promoters AEG Live released a video of the singer rehearsing for the O2 gigs two days before his death.
Some 11,000 free tickets will be made available for the service.
Meanwhile, a lawyer for Jackson's ex-wife Debbie Rowe says she is undecided about whether to fight for custody.
Tuesday's memorial service will start at 1000 (1700 GMT).
Footage of Jackson, recorded on 23 June, shows the star singing and dancing as he performed his hit They Don't Really Care About Us - incorporating elements of History and She Drives Me Wild.
The star was rehearsing for a 50-date residency at the O2.
Randy Phillips, president of AEG Live, which also owns the Staples Center, said there were more than 100 hours of rehearsal footage which could be turned into a film and live albums.
"We have enough audio to make two live albums, and he's never done a live album," he added.
"This is really the last great work of a 21st century genius."
Hearing delayed
Meanwhile, Ms Rowe has won a delay in a custody hearing while she decides if she wants to raise Michael Joseph Jackson Jr, known as Prince Michael, 12, and Paris Michael Katherine Jackson, 11.
The singer's youngest son - seven-year-old Prince Michael II - was born to a surrogate mother whose identity has never been revealed.
Jackson's will asks for his mother, Katherine, 79, to get permanent custody of all three children.
A judge has now delayed a guardianship hearing - scheduled for Monday - until 13 July, at the request of Ms Rowe and Katherine Jackson, who has temporary custody of the children.
That follows media reports that Ms Rowe wanted to look after her children.
But her lawyer, Eric George, told reporters: "I am representing to you now. Debbie has not reached a final decision concerning the pending custody proceedings."
On Thursday, it was revealed that Jackson had left Ms Rowe out of his will.
"I have intentionally omitted to provide for my former wife, Deborah Jean Rowe Jackson," the document stated.
Rowe married Jackson in 1996 but filed for divorce in 1999. She gave up custody rights to the children but sought them again in 2003.
They agreed a settlement in 2006 but the terms were never disclosed.
In 2003, Ms Rowe appeared in footage released by Jackson in response to a controversial ITV documentary which raised allegations of inappropriate behaviour with children by the star.
In it, Ms Rowe described her family as "non-traditional", saying her children were her gift to Jackson.
"My kids don't call me mom because I don't want them to," she said. "These are Michael's children."
BBC News July 3rd 2009 |
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