California law may stop Mark Lester from proving he’s MJ’s daughter’s dad
London, Aug 11 : After late Michael Jackson's friend Mark Lester claimed that he could be the father of the singer's daughter Paris, the Jackson family's lawyer Brian Oxman has revealed that it might be a little difficult for him to prove it, as under California law it is forbidden.
Lester, 51, who is godfather to Jacko's three children Prince Michael, 12, Paris, 11, and seven-year-old Prince Michael II, admitted to having donated sperm to Jackson in 1996, while the singer was married to ex-wife Debbie Rowe.
The Brit came forward with the paternity claim amidst fears that Jackson's mother Katherine was planning on keeping him away from the kids. He also insists he just wants to be a part of the children's lives.
But Oxman, a long-time representative for the Jackson clan, believes it will be difficult for Lester to secure a court-ordered paternity test, because Californian laws protect children from questioning their parentage if they are born to a married couple - and any paternity issues need to be addressed within two years of birth.
"If there were a request for a paternity test the judge would have to waive the law in the state of California, which says that a child born to a man and a woman who are married is conclusively presumed to be the child of that married couple - unless the paternity test is requested within two years of the birth of the child," the Daily Star quoted him as telling British morning show GMTV.
"So the result would be on the late side but it's up to a judge to make that decision. So in the Michael Jackson case I say, `Anything is possible'. I think this is one of the most extraordinary cases I've seen," he added. (ANI)