Jackson memorial plans to be revealed

Plans for Michael Jackson's memorial extravaganza were to be revealed here on Friday as the prospect of a legal battle loomed over the tragic pop icon's children.After a week of feverish speculation following the music legend's sudden death on June 25, the singer's family has confirmed that a public service would take place at 10:00am (1700 GMT) on Tuesday at Los Angeles's Staples Center.

The family said 11,000 tickets would be distributed for free to fans who wanted to mourn Jackson at the 20,000-seat arena in a poignant farewell expected to bring America to a standstill.No details on where Jackson would be buried have been released but organizers said they would announce more plans for the event at a press conference on Friday at 10:00am.The Jacksons earlier quashed the idea of a public viewing and private service at the singer's Neverland Ranch, which posed logistical headaches due to its remote location in ritzy Santa Barbara wine country.

However, 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 Thursday. "I really feel this is where he should be rested because it's him," he said. "It's serene."As the funeral took shape, legal battle lines 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.

A court hearing is scheduled next Monday to determine who will administer Jackson's estate, and another hearing is set for July 13 to discuss the guardianship of the singer's three children.Rowe, who has remained largely silent since Jackson died from an apparent cardiac arrest on June 25 aged 50, 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.Jackson's mother was on Monday appointed temporary guardian of the two children and their seven-year-old sibling, Prince Michael II or "Blanket," who was born to an unidentified surrogate mother.

Rowe filed a petition in 2001 to give up her parental rights but later reversed her decision and secured visitation rights.Rowe's lawyer Eric George later told reporters in a conference call Thursday no final decision had been made.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.

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.Concert promoters AEG Live said the footage was recorded on June 23 at the Staples Center as Jackson prepared for a 50-date set in London starting in July.

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.A final cause of death for Jackson has not yet been determined but attention has focused on whether he was taking powerful painkillers.

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