Leonen joins global call to free Britney Spears from 13-year-old conservatorship

July 1, 2021 - 7:17 PM
3849
A supporter wearing a personal protective face shield holds a sign while rallying for pop star Britney Spears during a conservatorship case hearing at Stanley Mosk Courthouse in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 17, 2021. (Reuters/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo)

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen joined in the widespread call to free Britney Spears from her conservatorship which controlled her career and her personal life since 2008.

Leonen on July 1 tweeted: “Free Britney #FreeBritney.”

He also attached an article from CBS News titled “Britney Spears asks judge to end her conservatorship: ‘I feel bullied and I feel alone.'”

The article talked about Spears’ statement before the Los Angeles court concerning her more than a decade-long conservatorship in a hearing last month.

In her statement which ran for more than 20 minutes, the 39-year-old pop singer told LA County Superior Court Judge Brenda Penny by phone that she felt “traumatized” over the years of being under the court-approved arrangement.

“I just want my life back. I’m not here to be anyone’s slave. I’m traumatized … I’m not happy, I can’t sleep,” she said.

READ: Angry and traumatized, Britney Spears calls conservatorship abusive

Spears also claimed that her conservatorship is “abusive.”

“I think this conservatorship is abusive. I don’t think I can live a full life. I feel ganged up on, I feel bullied and I feel alone. I shouldn’t be in a conservatorship if I can work and provide money and work for myself and pay other people. It makes no sense,” she added.

The conservatorship was first put in place 13 years ago after Spears suffered a mental health breakdown.

The “Free Britney Spears” movement comprising her fans across the world, including Filipino fans, trended on social media after Spears finally spoke up about the matter.

Some fans in other countries took to the streets to rally behind her and call for an end to her conservatorship.

Last February, a new documentary about Spears’ life titled “Framing Britney Spears” led to her legal case being back in court again.

On social media, fans and celebrities also rallied behind the singer with the same hashtag #FreeBritneySpears.

Under California’s laws, where Spears’ case is at, a conservatorship is a court case when a judge appoints a person or an organization called a conservator to manage or take care of another adult called conservatee who cannot take care of his or her own finances.

In the pop star’s case, her conservator is her father Jamie Spears who had full control over her daughter and her estimated $60 million fortune and estate.

RELATED: Overprotected? Britney Spears’ journey from teen phenom to guardianship