Janet Jackson's Brother: Her Ex Called Her Names 'Every Day'

Wissam Al Mana verbally abused Janet, Randy Jackson says
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Sep 13, 2017 12:05 PM CDT
Janet Jackson's Brother Says Her Ex Verbally Abused Her
This 2012 publicity photo shows Janet Jackson with Wissam Al Mana in a portrait taken by photographer Marco Glaviano.   (AP Photo/Guttman Associates, Marco Glaviano)

Janet Jackson was verbally abused by soon-to-be-ex-husband Wissam Al Mana while the two were together, the singer's older brother Randy tells People in a new interview. "It came on later in the relationship, verbal abuse and being [made to feel like] a prisoner in her own home," Randy says. "No pregnant woman needs to go through being called a b---- every day." Jackson split from Al Mana, whom she married in 2012, just months after their son Eissa was born earlier this year. Rumors soon came out that the split was due to Al Mana's supposedly controlling nature. Contrary to some of those rumors, however, Randy says the situation had nothing to do with Al Mana's reported Muslim faith clashing with Janet's Christian faith: "It's a personal issue that he needs help with and I'm going to pray for him, too."

Jackson, 51, has been engaged in divorce and custody proceedings in the London courts with 42-year-old Al Mana, a London-based Qatari businessman, since April, and Randy has been at her side at some of those proceedings. "The abuse is still going on," Randy says. "She has custody and [Al Mana] of course allowed her to bring the baby on tour, but it's constant harassment. This tour almost didn't happen, but by the grace of God we're here and we're very prayerful." Al Mana's attorneys say in a statement that Al Mana will not "dignify these particular and deeply hurtful allegations with a response," but they add the breakdown of the couple's marriage "is a cause of great sadness to Mr. Al Mana, and it is the wellbeing and privacy of their son, Eissa, that remains his sole focus." (More Janet Jackson stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X