It’s hard to tell if this story is true or not, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it is. The Sunday Mirror, which probably has no access to insider information in the Jackson case unless their private investigator is wiretapping some phones, claims that grandmother Katherine Jackson and supposed biological mother Debbie Rowe have worked out a behind-the-scenes custody agreement for Jackson’s two older children that ensures that Katherine retains custody – as long as evil grandfather Joe is completely out of the picture. Rowe has expressed ambivalence about her role as mother, and seems unsure about whether she wants responsibility for her children after they lived with their father for years. According to this report, Rowe will get monthly visits with them as per this new arrangement with Katherine.

Jacko dada Joe won’t be getting his hands on King of Pop’s tots according to secret custody deal that Michael Jackson’s mom Katherine and baby maker ex-wife Debbie Rowe have cut.

According to UK tab Sunday Mirror Rowe agreed to drop her custody claim on Jackson’s children’s – two of which are hers via artificial insemination as long as creepy dad Joe, who announced last week, he’d like to help Prince Michael I, Paris and Blanket pursue a show biz career now that their faces are world-famous.

“The last thing she wanted was for those kids to be looked after by Joe and go through what Michael went through,” a source told the tab.

“Michael (had) poured out his heart about how much he loathed Joe for what he had done.”

In a blockbuster MJ 2003 documentary, Jacko revealed that during his tumultuous childhood his abusive father would lash out with anything he could get his hands on: “Ironing cords, whatever’s around . . . throw you up against the wall, hard as he could.”

Under the tentative deal struck by Katherine and “Miss Debbie” -as she’s known to the kids not Mom – Rowe promised not to pursue a custody battle in exchange for monthly supervised visits, a source told the NY Post.

Although still married, Jacko’s parents, Katherine and Joe, have lived apart for years.

[From The National Enquirer]

Again, fingers crossed that this is the case and that Katherine and Debbie are talking and working together. Their primary concern seems to be the well being of all three children, who seem comfortable and happy with the grandmother they’ve known all their lives. It would be jarring for Paris and Prince Michael to have to live with the mother they’ve never known and be split up from their younger brother, Blanket. If this agreement really happened, they’ll get to live with their grandmother without the threat of their grandfather Joe stepping in to exploit them for cash and worse. You only hope that if something happens to Katherine that Michael’s siblings will step in and ensure that Joe has no role in the children’s lives.

We’ll know soon enough if this story is based in reality. The next custody hearing is scheduled for next Monday, July 20, and Rowe is slated to be there.

Katherine Jackson is shown out in May, 2008. Debbie Rowe is shown on 7/9/09. Credit: Fame Pictures