In the last week alone Bessemer Trust, the wealth management group that was supposed to act as co-conservator of Britney Spears’ estate with her father Jamie Spears. As well as Britney's court-appointed lawyer, Samuel Ingham; and Britney's longtime manager, Larry Rudolph have all recently resigned. However, as stated in Spears’ temporary co-conservator Jodi Montgomery’s petition makes clear, she has no plans to do the same.
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"Since Ms. Spears has requested that Petitioner retain her position as conservator, Petitioner has no intention of abandoning her by resigning because of these threats," Montgomery's filing reads. The document includes a screenshot of a text purportedly from Britney asking that Montgomery "stay as my co-conservator of person" so that the singer can get a new attorney.
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Also in her corner is her longtime friend and idol Madonna, who on Thursday, July 8, took to her Instagram story with a message of support, urging the justice system to "give this woman her life back."
Written over a photo of herself wearing a Britney T-shirt, Madonna posted the following: "Give this woman her life back. Slavery was abolished so long ago! Death to the greedy patriarchy that has been doing this to women for centuries. This is a violation of human rights! Britney we coming to get you out of jail!”
Madge is just one of the latest of many celebs that have joined in rallying for Spears’ release from her 13-year conservatorship that has controlled her finances and personal life. Check out her message below.
However despite news of exits and resignations from Britney’s controversial conservatorship that continue to come to light, the focus has now shifted to the request of delegating a portion of the singer’s more than $50 million fortune to aid the safety of her temporary co-conservator.
In the document Montgomery asks for $50,000 a month for 24/7 protection. The cost of which is based off of an estimate from Black Box Security, who have provided protection in various forms for the Spears conservatorship in the past. However, the singer’s father and co-conservator has made his stance clear on not wanting to hand out any more cash.
As per Montgomery's filings, her attorneys state "there has been a marked increase in the number and severity" of threatening messages since the June 23 hearing was "illegally broadcast." The messages "threaten violence and even death."
While Spears’ father acknowledges an increase in death threats against the conservators since last month's hearing, he believes it to be but unreasonable that Montgomery wants around-the-clock protection, and responded via council to the July 7 petition on Thursday, July 8.
"Mr. Spears is very concerned about the situation that has been developing for many months and the dangerous rhetoric that has been circulating for quite some time regarding the Conservatorship," his attorneys write, noting "the increasing number of threatening communications and social media posts directed to individuals involved in the conservatorship, apparently including Ms. Montgomery now.”
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Interestingly enough, as court filings from earlier this year obtained by Yahoo! Entertainment show, Jamie, whose been in charge of Britney's finances since 2008, generously compensates those involved in the conservatorship. For example, the singer is expected to dish out more than $2 million in legal fees for her father alone this year. In addition, court documents revealed Jamie paid a communications strategist/media handler around $850 an hour to, essentially, clear up the perception that he's a “villain.”
Montgomery’s admittedly pricey petition calls the new security funding request something that is on an “interim basis” and in the proposed order says around “two weeks,” at least initially. Which isn’t adding up for the elder Spears, who "disagrees with and objects" Montgomery's 24-7 request for security at her “residence / home office…for an indefinite period of time," Referring to “as too vague and open-ended, and improperly and inexplicably seeks to shifts the burden of ensuring her safety to Mr. Spears.”
Further driving his opposition, the document filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court docket went on to state “It is not appropriate for Mr. Spears to be put in the position of picking and choosing who among the many individuals impacted by the Conservatorship should be permitted to charge the expense of live security services to the Conservatorship Estate.” Matter of factly and dispassionately adding, “As a licensed professional fiduciary, Ms. Montgomery should pay for any security services personally as a cost of doing business.”
Furthermore, per Jamie's filing, it’s emphasized that Montgomery "is not the only person involved in this Conservatorship who has received threatening communications and/or death threats." Mentioning Britney's sister, Jamie Lynn, as one of the family members receiving threatening communications. As well as “the Conservatee’s court-appointed Counsel, Mr. Ingham,” who has “received threatening communications including receiving two very threatening voicemail messages just this weekend.”
Additionally, “Mr. Spears, himself, has been the subject of innumerable and ongoing threats as well — not just recently, but for years.”
Another hearing is set for July 14.
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