Spears: 鈥業 want my life back鈥
Print Edition
Britney Spears urged a judge in an emotional hearing on Wednesday to end an 鈥渁busive鈥 guardianship that gave her father control of her affairs in 2008.
鈥淚 just want my life back. It鈥檚 been 13 years and it鈥檚 enough,鈥 Spears said in the 20-minute address via videolink as diehard fans chanted their support outside the courtroom.
The 39-year-old star鈥檚 finances and personal life have been largely managed by Jamie Spears since her highly public breakdown more than a decade ago, leading some fans to launch a 鈥淔reeBritney鈥 online campaign in recent years.
In a speech where Spears barely stopped to catch her breath, the star said that, under the legal arrangement, she has been prevented from having a contraceptive implant removed, despite wanting more children.
The mother of two said it had left her 鈥渢raumatized鈥 and 鈥渄epressed.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 not happy. I can鈥檛 sleep. I鈥檓 so angry. It鈥檚 insane,鈥 she said, adding that she cries every day.
鈥淚 truly believe this conservatorship is abusive. I want changes, I deserve changes,鈥 Spears pleaded to Judge Brenda Penny.
The singer has rarely spoken directly about the guardianship but her lawyer Samuel Ingham said in April that Spears wanted to directly address the court, resulting in Wednesday鈥檚 hearing.
Spears has long had a difficult relationship with her father.
Last year, she filed to remove him from the conservatorship and give sole power over her estate to a financial institution. Her court-appointed lawyer said she was 鈥渁fraid鈥 of her father.
Devoted Spears fans have long scoured her social media accounts for hints about her well-being, and any sign that she may be eager to throw off the guardianship.
Confidential records published on Tuesday by The New York Times said Spears told a court investigator that the conservatorship had 鈥渂ecome an oppressive and controlling tool against her鈥 as far back as 2016.
Spears reportedly said the guardianship system had 鈥渢oo much control ... Too, too much!鈥 and that she was prevented from making her own decisions on friendships, dating, spending and even the color of her kitchen cabinets.
According to the Times report, Spears told the investigator that she wanted the conservatorship terminated as soon as possible, and that she was 鈥渟ick of being taken advantage of.鈥
Spears鈥 revelation that the conservatorship is preventing her from removing a contraceptive IUD 鈥 despite her wanting to take authority of her own birth control medication in order to get pregnant 鈥 sparked further outrage from fans and reproductive rights groups online.
鈥淲e stand in solidarity with Britney and all women who face reproductive coercion. Your reproductive health is your own 鈥 and no one should make decisions about it for you. #FreeBritney,鈥 Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson tweeted on Wednesday.
Spears is currently responsible for footing the legal bills for both sides 鈥 including the hefty fees charged by the attorneys opposing her in the case.
The controversy surrounding Spears鈥 legal case exploded following the February release of the documentary 鈥淔raming Britney Spears,鈥 which chronicled her initial mental health struggle and her father鈥檚 ensuing appointment as her guardian.
Spears said she was 鈥渆mbarrassed鈥 by her portrayal in the documentary, in which fans say she is essentially being held prisoner and claim she has been sending coded pleas for help.
Following her 2006 divorce from Kevin Federline, and the loss of custody of her children the following year, Spears was snapped by paparazzi, barefoot and shaven-headed, at a gas station.
Under her father鈥檚 guardianship, Spears swiftly returned to performing. She released three albums, appeared on various television shows and even took up a Las Vegas residency.
But in January 2019 she abruptly announced she was suspending her performances until further notice.
She said her father and associates regularly threaten her.
鈥淚f I don鈥檛 do this, what they tell me to do, enslave me to do, they鈥檙e gonna punish me,鈥 she said.
Spears said doctors forcefully put her on medication that made her feel 鈥渄runk鈥 and that she was not even allowed to get changed in privacy or drive her own car.
Jamie Spears鈥 lawyers say he has done an excellent job of managing his daughter鈥檚 finances.
But a judge ruled in February that both Spears鈥 father and wealth manager Bessemer Trust would oversee the pop star鈥檚 finances, denying Jamie Spears鈥 bid to keep sole power to delegate investments.
In a statement read in court, a lawyer for Jamie said he was 鈥渟orry to hear her in so much pain鈥 and that he loved his daughter 鈥渧ery much.鈥
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
