By Lisa Richwine
LOS ANGELES – An emotional Britney Spears on Wednesday called the 13-year-long conservatorship that has controlled her life stupid and abusive, saying she felt traumatized and angry and wanted her life back.
In a statement of more than 20 minutes, pop star Spears, 39, told the Los Angeles judge overseeing the arrangement that she wanted it to end.
“I just want my life back,” she said. “I’m not here to be anyone’s slave.”
“I’m traumatized … I’m not happy, I can’t sleep,” she said. Spears said her frequent upbeat postings on her Instagram account were lies. “I’m so angry. And I’m depressed. I cry every day,” she added.
Spears delivered her remarks by phone, her first public statements about the court-approved arrangement that was first put in place in 2008 when she suffered a mental health breakdown.
“I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive,” Spears said, her words tumbling out so fast the judge asked her to slow down. “My dad and anyone involved in this conservatorship and my management who played a key role in punishing – ma’am, they should be in jail.”
She said she was forced into a mental health facility that cost her $60,000 a month after canceling her planned Las Vegas shows in early 2019. She has not performed since late 2018.
Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny said she would need a petition submitted to the court asking for the conservatorship to be terminated before she could take any action.
Spears has never formally petitioned to have the arrangement terminated. Under terms of the conservatorship, she would have to demonstrate that she can take responsibility for her personal and financial affairs.
Penny praised Spears for speaking out. “I know it took a lot of courage,” Penny said. “I just want to commend you again for really stepping forward and stepping out to have your thoughts heard, not only by myself but by everybody who has been involved in this case.”
The last time Spears spoke directly to the judge was in May 2019 but the court was closed to the public and her testimony was sealed. On Wednesday the singer stated that she wanted people to hear what she had to say. — Reuters
