Jackson's Ex-Wife Seeks $490,000 in Defamation Case

The mother of the late Michael Jackson's two oldest children has asked a judge to issue a default judgment on her behalf in her defamation case against a woman who allegedly made false claims about her in a national television interview.

Debbie Rowe, 50, alleges Rebecca White told the TV program "Extra" that Rowe was not interested in winning custody of Prince, 12, and Paris, 11.

White has so far failed to respond to the suit, and now Rowe is asking the Los Angeles County Superior Court for $490,000 in a default judgment.

Part of the money is the $100,000 that White may have been paid for the "Extra" interview.

Rowe also seeks $100,000 for emotional distress, $45,000 for medical and legal fees, and $245,000 in punitive damages.

Judge Zaven V. Sinanian has scheduled a hearing on Rowe's petition to issue a default judgment for Nov. 17.

According to the complaint, White told "Extra" that she is a close friend of Rowe's and that they had exchanged e-mails about the children after Jackson's death June 25.

Rowe claims White told the program that Rowe had sent her e-mails saying: "I'm not going after custody. ... [T]hese kids are not mine. They were never mine. They were always Michael's."

The complaint also claims that White told "Extra" that Rowe had said: "My lawyer is telling me I have to take some responsibility about the welfare of the children. ... Do I want the kids? Hell no."

The lawsuit alleges the statements White made are false. It also says White has a history of defaming celebrities.

According to Rowe, White claims to have worked for supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2001 and made public statements alleging Campbell forced her to smuggle drugs.

White also gave an interview in a documentary in which she claimed that supermodel Kate Moss had collapsed in Barcelona in 2001 after using cocaine, the complaint says. White allegedly claimed she had been there at the time and had been the one who revived Moss, according to Rowe.

Moss later sued British tabloid The Daily Mirror for publishing a story that recited the claims White had made in the documentary. The paper ended up apologizing and admitting in court that White's statements "were untrue," according to Rowe.

Rowe adds that White also claimed to have been part of late actor Heath Ledger's "inner circle" and gave information to U.K. newspaper The Sun about his relationship with actress Michelle Williams that "defies credibility and appears clearly fabricated."

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Rowe is represented by Eric M. George, Marta B. Almli and Ira Bibbero of Browne Woods George LLP in Los Angeles.