Britney Spears tells court she wants her father charged with “conservatorship abuse”
Addressing a Los Angeles court yesterday (July 14) amid the ongoing legal battle over her conservatorship, Britney Spears reiterated that she wants her father Jamie Spears removed as co-conservator and to “charge him for conservatorship abuse”.
During Wednesday’s court hearing, Spears spoke publicly on her conservatorship for the second time in two months. “I’m here to get rid of my dad and charge him for conservatorship abuse,” she told Judge Brenda Penny via remote video, as Variety reports. “I want to press charges for abuse on this conservatorship today… all of it.”
She further alleged that during her ‘Circus’ tour, she was forced to take psych tests “against my will” and had her blood drawn multiple times a week, claiming she was promised she could have her life back if she complied.
“I did it all and they lied…they did nothing,” Spears said. “They didn’t end it, and I kept working.”
Spears also made other claims against Jamie, alleging that her driver’s license and “pink hair vitamins” were taken away from her, and that she was not allowed to drink coffee or choose what she wants to eat.
“Instead of trying to investigate my behaviour or my capacity, I want my dad investigated,” Spears told Judge Penny.
“This conservatorship is literally allowing my dad to rule my life…that is abuse, and we all know it.”
She stated again that she wanted to press charges against her father for conservatorship abuse, saying, “I’m angry, and I will go there.”
In the hearing yesterday, Spears was also granted permission to appoint her own legal representation – something she had said she wanted in her explosive court testimony in June.
Judge Penny allowed Spears to retain Mathew Rosengart, a former federal prosecutor who has previously worked with Sean Penn and Steven Spielberg.
Rosenberg’s appointment follows the resignation of Spears’ court-appointed attorney Samuel D. Ingham III earlier this month. He had represented the pop singer in court since 2008.
The move to allow Spears to select her own legal counsel was lobbied for by the American Civil Liberties Union and 25 other civil rights and disability rights organisations, in addition to Spears’s own mother.
Rosengart, who present at the hearing in person, called for Jamie Spears to voluntarily resign from the conservatorship, and questioned his motives behind staying on as the conservator.
“This is not working. What is supposed to be at the heart of this has been lost,” Rosengart said.
“There is a real question as to why Mr. Spears does not voluntarily step down today,” he continued, “Is he here for financial reasons? Does anybody really believe that Mr. Spears’ involvement is in the best interest of his daughter?”
In response, a lawyer for Jamie Spears said that he would not voluntarily resign from the role, and questioned the accuracy of Britney’s claims of abuse.
After the hearing, Spears made a joyful post on Instagram, saying she feels “gratitude and blessed” for being able to select “real representation”.
“Thank you to my fans who are supporting me … You have no idea what it means to me be supported by such awesome fans !!!! God bless you all !!!!”
Spears’ new statement follows her address to the court on June 23, when she said she wanted to end her “abusive” conservatorship without further evaluation and alleged that she is forbidden from having more children, getting married or taking out her IUD under the arrangement.
“I’m not happy. I can’t sleep. I’m so angry it’s insane. And I’m depressed. I cry every day,” she said during the June hearing. “I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive… I don’t feel like I can live a full life.”
Following Spears’ court testimony, Judge Penny denied a request, made before the June hearing, to remove Jamie from the conservatorship. Besides her court-appointed attorney Ingham, Spears’ longtime manager Larry Rudolph also resigned, and the wealth management firm appointed as the co-conservator alongside Jamie, the Bessemer Trust, backed out of the arrangement.
Though Jamie is listed as Britney’s conservator, he temporarily stepped down in 2019 citing health problems. Jodi Montgomery stepped in as a temporary co-conservator. In the hearing yesterday, Spears said she wanted Montgomery to remain on the case. Montgomery’s lawyer called Spears’ testimony “heartbreaking,” and told her, “We’re here to help.”
