>>> THIS MORNING, A CASE BEING
CLOSELY WATCHED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY, COULD HAVE BIG
IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW WE TREAT
THOSE WHO FACE MENTAL HEALTH
CHALLENGES.
BRITNEY SPEARS FIGHT TO END HER
CONSERVATOR SHIP.
THE 39-YEAR-OLD POP STAR
SPEAKING OUT IN COURT YESTERDAY,
PLEADING WITH THE JUDGE TO END
IT.
>> Reporter: THIS MORNING,
BRITNEY SPEARS DEMANDING TO
REGAIN CONTROL OF HER LIFE,
TESTIFYING REMOTELY IN COURT
WEDNESDAY.
THE 39-YEAR-OLD LASHED OUT AT
HER FATHER AND CONSERVATORS THAT
MANAGED HER CARE AND FINANCES,
CALLING THEM THREATENING,
ABUSIVE, SAYING SHES FORCED TO
ENDURE OPPRESSIVE CONDITIONS
COMPARABLE TO SLAVERY.
I LIED AND TOLD THE WHOLE WORLD
I AM HAPPY BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN
IN DENIAL.
I AM TRAUMATIZED, CANT SLEEP.
SO ANGRY, I CRY EVERY DAY.
HER DAD WAS COURT APPOINTED AS
HER CONSERVATOR AFTER SHE WAS
PLACED IN TWO INVOLUNTARY STRIK
HOLDS FOLLOWING A PUBLIC
BREAKDOWN.
SHE WANTS HIM OUT, TELLING THE
JUDGE HE LOVED THE CONTROL TO
HURT HIS OWN DAUGHTER, 100,000%,
HE LOVED IT.
SHE SAID HE FORCED HER TO TOUR
AGAINST HER WILL.
WHEN SHE COMPLAINED, SHE WAS PUT
ON LITHIUM.
I FELT DRUNK.
I TOLD THEM I WAS SCARED.
THE POP STAR SAYS THEY WONT LET
HER GET MARRIED OR HAVE MORE
CHILDREN, PREVENTING HER FROM
REMOVING AN IUD.
I FEEL GANGED UP ON, BULLIED,
ALONE.
>> DID NOT APPEAR PEOPLE WERE
LISTENING TO HER.
I THINK THE NEW JUDGE, HOWEVER,
IS TAKING STEPS TO DO EXACTLY
THAT.
>> JAMIE SPEERS DID NOT SPEAK,
BUT HIS ATTORNEY TOLD THE JUDGES
HE IS SORRY TO SEE HIS DAUGHTER
SUFFERING AND IN SO MUCH PAIN.
MR. SPEERS LOVES HIS DAUGHTER
AND MISSES HER VERY MUCH.
LAST YEAR, SHE PETITIONED THE
COURT TO HAVE HER FATHER REMOVED
WHICH A DIFFERENT JUDGE DENIED.
IN THE LAST 13 YEARS, SHE
RELEASED SEVERAL ALBUMS, STARRED
IN A TV SHOW, PERFORMED IN A HIT
LAS VEGAS RESIDENCY.
NOW TELLS THE COURTS IF I CAN
WORK FOR MYSELF AND PAY OTHER
PEOPLE, IT MAKES NO SENSE.
I JUST WANT MY LIFE BACK.
FANS AND OTHER CELEBRITIES
AGREE, INCLUDING FORMER
BOYFRIEND JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE WHO
TWEETED WE SHOULD ALL BE
SUPPORTING BRITNEY AT THIS TIME.
NO ONE SHOULD BE HELD AGAINST
THEIR WILL OR HAVE TO ASK
PERMISSION TO ACCESS EVERYTHING
THEY WORKED SO HARD FOR.
>> I NEED THIS EXPLAINED TO ME.
JOINING ME.
JOYCE VANCE, PROFESSOR AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA LAW SCHOOL
AND MSNBC CONTRIBUTOR.
JOYCE, EXPLAIN TO ME THE TYPE OF
PERSON -- WHAT KIND OF CONDITION
WOULD SOMEONE NORMALLY BE IN
WITH -- TO HAVE THIS KIND OF
CONSERVATORSHIP?
I WOULD MANUAL SOMEONE IN A
VEGETATIVE STATE OR WITH
DEMENTIA, NOT SOMEONE MAKING
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.
>> THATS A GOOD GUESS, STEPH.
AND YOURE EXACTLY RIGHT.
CONSERVATORSHIP S
CONSERVATORSHIPS ARE FOR PEOPLE
WHO ARE COMING TO THE END OF
THEIR LIVES, PEOPLE WITH
DEMENTIA OR LONG-TERM COGNITIVE
IMPAIRMENT.
IT WAS IMPOED AT A TIME WHEN SHE
WAS STRUGGLING.
THERES BEEN SOME SUGGESTION
PERHAPS SHE SUFFERED FROM
POST-PARTUM DEPRESSION AND WAS
GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT PERIOD
OF TIME.
NOW 13 YEARS DOWN THE ROAD ITS
TOUGH TO SEE, ESPECIALLY BASED
ON WHAT WE HEARD FROM HER
YESTERDAY WHY THE
CONSERVATORSHIP IS STILL IN
PLACE.
UNDER CALIFORNIA LAW, THERES A
PROVISION FOR TERMINATING A
CONSERVATORSHIP.
TYPICALLY, THEY TERMINATE
AUTOMATICALLY WHEN SOMEONE DIES.
A JUDGE CAN TERMINATE IT IF SHE
FINDS ITS NO LONGER REQUIRED.
>> AND WHAT ARE THE ODDS THIS
JUDGE LETS HER OUT?
WHEN SHE DID SUFFER THOSE
BREAKDOWNS, SHE WAS ONE OF THE
MOST PUBLIC PEOPLE ON PLANET
EARTH WHO HAD BEEN IN THE PUBLIC
EYE SINCE SHE WAS A CHILD.
>> THIS RAISES REALLY TROUBLING
QUESTIONS.
YOU CAN THINK OF SO MANY PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HAD A ROUGH PATCH IN
THEIR LIVES BUT DONT SUDDENLY
GIVE UP CONTROL.
NOT JUST OF THE MONEY THEYRE
EARNING BUT INTIMATE DECISIONS
LIKE THE REPORTING THAT SHES
NOT PERMITTED TO HAVE AN IUD
REMOVE
REMOVED.
TOUGH TO SAY WHAT THIS JUDGE
WILL DO BUT THIS CASE DESERVES A
GOOD, HARD LOOK.
UNLESS THERES INFORMATION THAT
WASNT PRESENTED YESTERDAY AND
HASNT FILTER EDED OUT TO THE
PUBLIC OVER THE YEARS, ITS
TOUGH TO MAKE A CASE THAT THIS