Jackson auction halted

Looks like the weird collection of items from the Neverland estate will remain with the singer, though the explanation is predictably unclear. "We reached a resolution and we're very happy about. It allows Michael to retain ownership of his possessions," said Darren Julien, CEO of Julien's Auctions, which had been hired to conduct the sale. "He contracted us to conduct the auction and had a change of mind for whatever reason." Yeah, that "whatever reason" part says it all. The Jackson stuff went on view to the public today at the former Robinsons-May building in Beverly Hills, and the auction was set to begin April 22. From the LAT:

Representatives of Jackson's production company filed suit last month in L.A. Superior Court to stop the auction, claiming that certain items, including a carousel horse with an inscription from Elizabeth Taylor, are irreplaceable and that Jackson had not signed the auction contract. A judge dismissed that attempt to have the contract ruled invalid, and the company had been seeking a preliminary injunction to delay the sale.

A statement from Jackson's representative Tohme Tohme said that "there was so much interest from so many of Jackson's fans that instead of putting the items in the hands of private collectors, Dr. Tohme and Julien Auctions have made arrangements that will allow the collection to be shared with and enjoyed by Jackson's fans for many years to come." Reached by phone he added, "I think we are going to have a beautiful museum someday for Michael."