Family Law

Michael Jackson - Presley Marriage & Divorce

By Erin Kelley

Since the passing of Michael Jackson on June 25^th, there has been a myriad of information being strewn throughout the internet, across media channels and laden in the majority of conversations of Jackson’s past.

Topics ranging from his undeniable brilliance in music with the lasting mark he made on contemporary music to the less than kind allegations and whispers of misconduct which hovered over Michael for a number of years.

In most conversations surrounding Michael Jackson there is bound to be chatter concerning his private life: finances, family, misconduct and marriage.

The latter being of the least popular topics, it was and remains to be the most convoluted.

Both marriages for Michael Jackson ended in divorce with only one of them producing anything other than PR speculations.

Jackson?s most scrutinized marriage, to which both supporters and critics of Michael Jackson stood in amazement and bewilderment as they learned of the union was that of his marriage to Lisa Marie Presley. He later married Debbie Rowe, which also made headlines with the critics.

Jackson and Presley were married in De La Vega, Santa Domingo in 1994 under a shroud of secrecy. Many believe that their marriage was a PR stunt to cast Jackson in a better light after allegations of sexual molestation charges involving a 13-year old boy surfaced.

Whether a public relations maneuver to outshine rising public speculation of sexual misconduct or a less than traditional (Jackson proposed to Presley over the phone) marriage of two relative pop culture icons, the marriage did not last long.

Their marriage ended after a brief two-year stint with both parties citing irreconcilable differences.

The two remained friends following their divorce and remained in contact up until Jackson?s death.

Recently commenting on Michael Jackson?s death, Lisa Marie Presley was gracious in saying:

“I do believe he loved me as much as he could love anyone and I loved him very much … I became very ill and emotionally/spiritually exhausted in my quest to save him from certain self-destructive behavior and from the awful vampires and leeches he would always manage to magnetize around him. I was in over my head while trying … He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together.”

Source: Brian Orloff. “Lisa Marie: Michael Would Talk About His Death.” People.com. 6/26/2009.

Full post as published by The Divorce Blog on June 29, 2009 (boomark / email).