Michael Jackson's will gives guardianship over his children to the singer's mother and leaves all his assets in a trust fund, a person with knowledge of the document told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

Jackson's will was to be filed in court yesterday.

The word came a day after the family said in court documents it believed the entertainer had died without a valid will and moved to take control over his estate.

The will was signed on July 7, 2002, and named as executors Jackson's longtime lawyer John Branca and John McClain, a music executive and a family friend, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the topic. The Jackson family and its lawyers are reviewing the document, the person said.

According to a statement given to CNN's Larry King Live on behalf of Branca and McClain, the two men are carrying out Jackson's wishes and "it is their sincere desire that Michael's affairs be handled with dignity and respect".

That designation complicates a petition by Jackson's mother Katherine to become the administrator of his lucrative, but debt-encumbered estate.

In documents filed in Superior Court on Monday, Jackson's parents say they believe their 50-year-old son died "intestate", or without a valid will.

Judge Mitchell Beckloff granted 79-year-old Katherine Jackson temporary guardianship of his three children, who range in age from 7 to 12.

He also gave her control over some of her son's personal property that is now in the hands of an unnamed third party. But the judge did not immediately rule on her requests to take charge of the children's and Jackson's estates.

Experts said the personal bankruptcy of Jackson's parents in 1999 could work against Katherine taking control of the estate.

Court documents show Katherine and Joe Jackson filed for Chapter 7 and listed nearly $24 million in debts that included court judgments, auto loans and credit cards.

Family meets officials

The will surfaced on a day that members of Jackson's family met with officials from the police and California Highway Patrol about funeral services for the King of Pop.

California Highway Patrol spokeswoman Fran Clader said the meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon and "details are still pending".

There has been intense speculation since Jackson died last Thursday over where and when a memorial service will be held.

One potential site is Jackson's Neverland Ranch, which is located in the rolling hills of central California's wine country, about 240 km northwest of Los Angeles.

It was unclear whether Jackson could be legally buried at the ranch. California Funeral Directors Association executive director Bob Achermann said state law would prohibit Jackson's uncremated remains from being interred at Neverland.

The state's health and safety code makes interring any uncremated remains outside of a cemetery a misdemeanor, he said. Cremated remains can be kept in a home or private mausoleum outside a cemetery, he said.

Rehearsal footage

The organizers of Jackson's London shows said footage of the singer rehearsing for his planned comeback concerts exist and could be released to the public at some point.

The president of promoters AEG Live, Randy Phillips, told Sky News television that video of the pop legend preparing for the 50 scheduled shows would disprove rumors that he was incredibly frail before his death.

"We may at some point release some footage of him in rehearsal that would totally refute that," he said.

Photographer Kevin Mazur also described Jackson as being in good form at a rehearsal just hours before his death.

"He was like an expectant father pacing up and down the stage. He was just so focused. Between songs, he burst into laughter and joked around with his dancers and the director. I have never seen him so happy," Mazur told the Sun in an interview published yesterday.

Source: China Daily/agencies