‘Everyone who did this should be in jail’: Britney Spears on her devastating conservatorship
By Jennifer McShane
24th Jun 2021
24th Jun 2021
The pop star passionately addressed the court, denouncing her conservatorship, which has controlled her money and affairs since 2008. This was the first time she has been heard in open court in 13 years.
The’s star’s heart-wrenching, gut-punching statement in Supreme Court detailed the abuse she has suffered at the hands of others – her closest family – for over a decade.
Britney made a number of devastating claims, including that she was forced to take lithium after publicly announcing she was taking a break from live performing, and being under watch even while she gets changed. Britney isn’t just under “control” by a conservatorship — she is apparently forbidden from doing anything of her choosing in life, getting married, driving in a car with her boyfriend, everything from the life-altering to the completely mundane such as painting her kitchen cabinets.
Perhaps most heartbreaking is her claim that the team managing her decades-long financial and personal conservatorship used an IUD to prevent her from having more children.
“I have an IUD in my body right now that won’t let me have a baby and my conservators won’t let me go to the doctor to take it out,” she told the court. “I feel ganged up on. I feel bullied and I feel left out and alone.”
“I want to be able to get married and have a baby,” she added.
“I am not happy, I can’t sleep. I’m so angry, it’s insane. And I’m depressed,” she said.
“My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship, including my management … they should be in jail.”
“The last time I spoke to you [the judge] … made me feel like I was dead. I am telling you again because I am not lying … so maybe you can understand the depth and the degree and the damages.”
She said she felt her experience was similar to sex trafficking.
“And I would honestly like to sue my family, to be totally honest with you. I also would like to be able to share my story with the world, and what they did to me, instead of it being a hush-hush secret to benefit all of them. I want to be able to be heard on what they did to me by making me keep this in for so long. I’ve been so angry and I cry every day. It concerns me, I’m told I’m not allowed to expose the people who did this to me.”
“I’m not good, IM GREAT at what I do” – @britneyspears ??????
— Nicole Crentsil (@NKrystal) June 24, 2021
She said her management had threatened to sue her if she didn’t perform in 2018: “It was very threatening and scary … I’m not here to be anyone’s slave.”
“I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive”
Alone
On why she didn’t tell the public about how she felt, she said, “I honestly don’t think anyone would believe me. I thought people would make fun of me. I just want my life back. It’s enough. ”
Ultimately, Spears seeks to end her conservatorship without being evaluated by medical professionals, saying, she has “done enough” over the past 13 years and she should be in charge of her own life.
“I deserve to have a life. I’ve worked my whole life… And I’m tired of feeling alone. I deserve to have the same rights as anybody does, by having a child, a family, any of those things, and more so.”
The judge, Brenda Penny, said the singer’s lawyer could file a formal petition to end the conservatorship.
Fans and supporters gathered outside the courts, the #FreeBritney movement in full force. The devastating statement from Britney not only shows us fans were right, but that it was much worse than anyone could have imagined.
She said that she was “in denial” when she made several Instagram posts saying she was fine, adding that some of these she was forced to make.
The next hearing regarding her Conservatorship is scheduled for July 14th.
The singer received support from Mariah Carey, Rose McGown, and other celebrities who offered their support.
You can read Britney’s statement in full here
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