Michael Jackson's family on Thursday announced a free public memorial service for the tragic pop icon in Los Angeles, as a custody battle loomed with his ex-wife seeking their children. Ending a week of feverish reports, the family confirmed Tuesday's ceremony as a video was released which appeared to show the 50-year-old in good health at a rehearsal just days before his death. The family, in a brief statement, said that 11,000 tickets would be distributed for free to fans who want to mourn Jackson at the Staples Center, home of the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers basketball teams. The family was mum on where Jackson would be buried. Jackson's elder brother Jermaine said he would still like the pop legend to be buried at Neverland, a tribute to Jackson's fascination with childhood that in its heyday had giraffes, tigers and a private amusement park. “I feel his presence because this is his creation,” Jermaine Jackson told CNN in an interview at the ranch. “I really feel this is where he should be rested because it's him,” he said. “It's serene.” Ex-wife speaks up As the funeral took shape, legal battlelines were drawn over the King of Pop's legacy and the fate of his offspring, with ex-wife Debbie Rowe declaring she planned to seek custody of the star's eldest two children. Rowe, who has remained largely silent since Jackson died, told NBC television in Los Angeles that she would seek custody of Prince Michael, 12, and Paris, 11. “I want my children,” Rowe was quoted as saying in a 90-minute phone interview with the station. “I am stepping up. I have to.” Rowe, who was married to Jackson between 1996 and 1999, was omitted from a 2002 will filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Wednesday in which Jackson named his 79-year-old mother Katherine Jackson as guardian. She filed a petition in 2001 to give up her parental rights but later reversed her decision and secured visitation rights. Legal experts say that Rowe's chances of winning custody could hinge on her relationship with the children. Several reports say she has not had any contact with the children for years. In good health Rowe's comments came as new footage of Jackson taken two days before his death emerged, showing him rehearsing a vigorous routine which appeared to refute suggestions the star was in ill health during his final days. Jackson, while thin, is seen dancing with energy in a tightly choreographed sequence with a group of performers. Jackson sings on a headset and at one point pushes back his jacket to reveal his red shirt underneath. Rehearsal video could become movie The 30-second snippet of Michael Jackson rehearsing is part of more than 100 hours of footage that could be turned into live albums, a movie and a pay-per-view special, the promoter said. The treasure trove of material, along with possible insurance proceeds and ticket sales to memorabilia collectors, could help benefit the late singer's estate, which is burdened by an estimated $400 million in debt. “He was our partner in life and now he's our partner in death,” Randy Phillips, president and CEO of concert promoter AEG Live, said in an interview at Staples Center. “If we all do our jobs right, we could probably raise hundreds of millions of dollars just on the stuff we have worldwide and then the estate could eradicate its debt.” AEG Live also stands to profit from the material. “We have enough audio to make two live albums, and he's never done a live album,” Phillips said. “This is really the last great work of a 21st century genius.”
