For Britney Spears (39 years old), this is a huge victory on the way to a self-determined life: after 13 years, the singer’s father has been removed as guardian of his daughter. According to corresponding media reports on Wednesday, Judge Brenda Penny complied with a request from the singer’s attorney at a hearing. “Britney deserves to wake up tomorrow without her father being a guardian,” attorney Matthew Rosengart said in court, as reported by CNN.
On behalf of Spears, Rosengart has long been lobbying for his father to resign as regent. At the hearing, he called Jamie Spears a “cruel, toxic, and abusive man.” The court temporarily appointed accountant John Zabel as the guardian of the singer’s finances on Wednesday, according to the New York Times. The guardianship system is still in effect today. The next hearing is scheduled for November 12, according to TMZ.com. She added that the court could then decide on the possible lifting of all conditions.
Jamie Spears (69 years old) has been the guardian of his daughter since 2008 after the singer had a mental breakdown due to personal and professional issues. At first he managed to manage millions of dollars and his daughter’s private concerns. In 2019 he resigned, but remained in charge of finances. Since then, Jodi Montgomery has been responsible for the singer’s personal concerns, including medical issues. Britney Spears has an estimated net worth of $60 million, compared to other pop stars who are rather few. According to the business magazine “Forbes”, the singer’s concert tours alone have brought in almost 500 million dollars.
The singer was not present at the court hearing on Wednesday. At hearings in June and July, Spears violently attacked her father in emotional letters and raised allegations against her family and caregivers. The singer explained hit songs like “Oops!” …she did it again” or “baby again”. She was threatened and afraid of her father. In some places, the pop star broke out in tears.
According to a new documentary in the New York Times, Spears is said to have been under intense surveillance for years under her father’s tutelage. A listening device was installed in her bedroom and the data was transcribed onto her cell phone, says the documentary Britney Spears Control, citing materials provided by a former employee of a security firm. With “Britney vs. Spears,” streaming service Netflix released another documentary with the allegations this week.
Spears’ case received much attention with the first New York Times documentary on the topic in the spring. The film “Framing Britney Spears” provoked heated discussions, especially in social networks. Several celebrities and fans then expressed their support for the singer under the hashtag #FreeBritney.
Hundreds of fans also gathered in front of the court on Wednesday. They called for the freedom of Spears with chants and posters.
