Debbie Rowe, Michael Jackson's ex-wife, arrives at the
Santa Barbara County courthouse in Santa Maria, California
in this file photo. (AP Photo/Aaron Lambert, Pool, FILE)
Michael Jackson's ex-wife Deborah Rowe has sued a woman
who claimed in a television interview that Rowe didn't want
custody of the pop star's children but was interested in
getting money from the Jackson family.
Rowe filed a defamation and invasion-of-privacy lawsuit
against Rebecca White of Florida. The suit seeks unspecified
damages, but specifically targets any money that White may
have been paid by TV show "Extra" for an interview that aired
earlier this week.
The stories were based on White's description of e-mails she
said she exchanged with Rowe after Jackson's death on June
25. Rowe, 50, denies she sent any recent e-mails to White.
The lawsuit also claims intentional infliction of emotional
distress and states that Rowe has suffered "shame,
mortification, hurt feelings and injury to her reputation" as
a result of White's interview.
An e-mail sent to a publicist for "Extra" seeking comment
wasn't immediately returned. A phone message left on a phone
number registered to White in Key West, Fla. was not returned
Friday.
The stories based on White's interview remain active on the
show's Web site.
Rowe's lawsuit states that she hasn't communicated with White
since Jackson's death. The suit states that White interviewed
her in 2008 for an MTV production and has since been
"attempting to portray herself as a friend."
In the "Extra" interview, White is described as a "close
friend" who claimed Rowe had emphatically stated in an e-mail
exchange that she didn't want custody of Jackson's three
children.
Rowe is the mother of Jackson's two oldest children.
White also told "Extra" she thought Rowe was motivated by
money, and that was the reason she was getting involved in a
guardianship case that will decide who cares for the
children, who range in age from 7 to 12.
A hearing on whether Jackson's 79-year-old mother, Katherine
Jackson, should continue to care for the children has been
postponed until Aug. 3.
The lawsuit came two days after Rowe's attorney, Eric M.
George, demanded a retraction from White. The lawsuit states
White hasn't responded.
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