Britney Spears‘ father’s attorney spoke out on Thursday to deny claims he is controlling her against her will and said he actually ‘saved’ her life and finances after watching her be exploited by others.
For the last eight years, Britney, 39,has been under the legal conservatorship of her father Jamie. He controls her business decisions and her personal decisions.
In recent court documents, she claimed through her attorneys that she was afraid of him and wanted a court-appointed professional to take over from him. He is fighting it, saying he should stay on because he loves her and wants to protect her.
The legal fight along with Britney’s cryptic social media posts and lack of public appearances have triggered a fan movement called #FreeBritney that was bolstered by Framing Britney Spears, a recent New York Times documentary about the singer.
After months of silence, Jamie Spears finally hit back at the claims against him through his lawyer on Thursday morning.
The attorney Vivian Thoreen appeared on Good Morning America to dispel the allegations and to insist that in the past year, Britney has never asked Jamie directly to step down – even though she has in court documents.
For the last eight years, Britney, 39,has been under the legal conservatorship of her father Jamie. He controls her business decisions and her personal decisions
Jamie’s attorney, Vivian Thoreen, appeared on Good Morning America on Thursday to deny allegations he is abusing the conservatorship
‘I understand that every story needs a villain but people have it so wrong here. This is a story about a fiercely loving dedicated and loyal father who rescued his daughter from a life threatening situation.
‘People were harming her and exploiting her. Jamie saved Britney’s life,’ she said.
She claimed that when Jamie took control of his daughter’s finances, she had just $2.8million in the bank despite having earned tens of millions every year for more than a decade.
Thoreen says that under Jamie’s guidance, Britney’s earnings have grown so she now has $60million in assets, and that it was all because her money was being ‘mismanaged’ in the past.
‘Britney’s assets were clearly being mismanaged. She was being taken advantage of by some of those around her,’ Thoreen said.
Jamie’s lawyer shared never-before-seen videos of the family in Louisiana, at the start of 2020, when they were ‘hunkering down’ together at the beginning of the pandemic. Britney is shown with her sister, Jamie Lynn
Jamie is shown with a young relative, thought to be Jamie Lynn’s daughter. He has not been seen in public for months
Britney and her niece riding bicycles in the family driveway. The attorney says she was happy and made no request for her father to step down as her conservator
Britney, her father and her two sons – Sean and Jayden. The photo is undated
Since her father took control of her career, Britney has worked as a judge on America’s Got Talent, released several albums and has held a residency in Las Vegas.
Her fans say that Jamie is using her as a workhorse to profit off of her earnings himself.
They say the fact she is well enough to work means she needs no conservator at all.
Thoreen did not address that on Thursday morning.
Instead, she said: ‘He has collaborated with her… when she is up for performing, she performs.
‘When she wants to record an album, she records an album and when she wants to live her life like a normal person he has collaborated with her on that.’
She also shared never-before-seen videos of the pair in Louisiana, at the start of 2020, when she says the pair ‘hunkered down’ with the rest of the family in the early days of the pandemic.
Britney is shown in a recent social media post (left) Fans are concerned for her wellbeing and want her to be released from the control of her father, Jamie (right) who can still legally make decisions on her behalf
Fans are concerned for her wellbeing and want her to be released from the control of her father, Jamie, who can still legally make decisions on her behalf
Jamie is shown in the video playing with a small child. Britney is shown riding a bicycle with her niece and doing gymnastics with her younger sister, Jamie Lynn.
‘Throughout 2020, Britney and her father had any conversations. Early on in the pandemic, they spent two weeks with other family members in Louisiana.
‘Britney and Jamie went on long drives together… they played in the family garden. Every night, Jamie cooked southern comfort food.
‘In that time, Britney never expressed those words to her father. She’s never asked him to step aside,’ she said.
‘Jamie loves his daughter. Like any other family, issues come up but this in no way takes away from the love and support they have from each other. Britney knows her daddy loves her and she can call on him, conservatorship or not.
‘Jamie serves as her conservator because he loves her. He wants the best for Britney.
‘We have to remember how the conservatorship was started. Britney needed help and that’s why it was put in place.’
Timberlake and Spears dated from 1998 until 2002 and were an iconic star duo. After their break-up, she suffered mental health episodes and had control of her life taken by her father. He gave her a groveling apology earlier this month after being portrayed as one of those who exploited her in the Hulu documentary
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