UNITED STATES NEWS

Aretha Franklin’s sons clash over her wishes in trial over dual wills

Jul 10, 2023, 9:33 AM | Updated: 3:58 pm

Ted White II, a son of music superstar Aretha Franklin, arrives for a hearing, Monday, July 10, 202...

Ted White II, a son of music superstar Aretha Franklin, arrives for a hearing, Monday, July 10, 2023, in Pontiac, Mich. Five years after her death, the final wishes of Franklin are still unsettled. An unusual trial began Monday to determine which of two handwritten wills, including one found in couch cushions, will guide how her estate is handled. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Two sons of the late singer Aretha Franklin gave opposing opinions Monday about the Queen of Soul’s final wishes, testifying in an unusual trial that will determine whether a 2014 handwritten document found in couch cushions will lead her estate.

Franklin different sets of handwritten papers at her home.

The issue for a jury: Does a 2014 document count as a will under Michigan law? If so, it could trump a 2010 handwritten will that was found in a locked cabinet at the same time. The older version, however, was notarized and repeatedly signed by Franklin.

Ted White II, a son who played guitar during his mother’s performances, favors the 2010 document.

“With all the time I spent working with her administratively … every other document that she ever signed was something that was done conventionally and legally” and with assistance from a lawyer, White, 60, told the jury.

He, acknowledged, however that the 2010 will found at the same time in 2019 was also written by his mother’s hand.

There are differences between the documents, though they both appear to indicate that Franklin’s four sons would share income from music and copyrights.

Four large posters showing pages from the 2014 document were presented to the jury.

That version crossed out White’s name as executor of the estate and named another son, Kecalf Franklin, in his place. Kecalf Franklin and grandchildren would get his mother’s main home in Bloomfield Hills, which was valued at $1.1 million when she died but is worth much more today.

Kecalf Franklin, 53, said he doesn’t consider it unusual that important papers like a will would be discovered in the living room.

Asked by his attorney where Aretha Franklin often read mail, made important phone calls, signed documents and even slept, Kecalf Franklin repeatedly said, “on the couch.”

A niece, Sabrina Owens, who managed the estate immediately after Franklin’s death, did not appear in court Monday, but her testimony from a formal interview was read aloud. She explained how she was determined to search Franklin’s house for critical records.

“She would use the kitchen and living room — that was about it,” Owens said. “So when I got to the sofa, I lifted up that far right cushion and there was three notebooks there.”

The jury will hear closing arguments Tuesday.

The last public accounting filed in March showed the estate had income of $3.9 million during the previous 12-month period and a similar amount of spending, including more than $900,000 in legal fees to various firms.

Overall assets were pegged at $4.1 million, mostly cash and real estate, though Franklin’s creative works and intellectual property were undervalued with just a nominal $1 figure.

___

Follow Ed White on Twitter at http://twitter.com/edwritez

United States News

Associated Press

University of the People founder and Arizona State professor win Yidan Prize for education work

NEW YORK (AP) — Shai Reshef, president and founder of the online, tuition-free University of the People, and Arizona State professor and researcher Michelene Chi, who has developed a framework to improve how students learn, are the 2023 winners of The Yidan Prize, the biggest award in education. Reshef and Chi will each receive 15 […]

24 minutes ago

Associated Press

Massachusetts man stabs five officers after crashing into home following chase, police say

TAUNTON, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts man who sped away during a traffic stop led police on a chase that ended with him crashing into a home and then stabbing five officers, including the local police chief, before he was arrested, authorities said. The Taunton police officers were injured trying to take Douglas Hagerty, 35, […]

51 minutes ago

Associated Press

3 dead after car being pursued by police crashes in Indianapolis minutes after police end pursuit

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Three people including a teenage boy died when a car being chased by police in Indianapolis for reckless driving collided with another vehicle only minutes after officers ended their pursuit, authorities said Wednesday. An Indiana state trooper began the pursuit Tuesday night when the driver of a Dodge Challenger fled the officer’s […]

55 minutes ago

Associated Press

Man serving sentence for attacking parents fails to return to halfway house and considered escapee

MOUNT LAUEL, N.J. (AP) — A man serving a prison sentence for attacking and seriously injuring his parents more than two decades ago remains missing Wednesday, several days after he failed to return to the halfway house where he was living. Edward Berbon, 54, was assigned to a halfway house in Camden County and had […]

1 hour ago

Associated Press

Montana judge blocks enforcement of law to ban gender-affirming medical care for minors

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A law to ban gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors in Montana is temporarily banned, a state judge ruled Tuesday, just four days before it was to take effect. District Court Judge Jason Marks agreed with transgender youth, their families and healthcare providers that a law passed by the 2023 Montana […]

3 hours ago

Associated Press

Authorities make arrests in the case of Kentucky woman reported missing 8 years ago

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The former boyfriend of a central Kentucky woman who disappeared more than eight years ago has been arrested on charges stemming from the investigation, the FBI and Kentucky State Police said Wednesday in a statement. Brooks Houck was arrested without incident on charges stemming from the Crystal Rogers investigation, the statement […]

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Importance of AC maintenance after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

An air conditioning unit in Phoenix is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat.

Home moving relocation in Arizona 2023...

BMS Moving

Tips for making your move in Arizona easier

If you're moving to a new home in Arizona, use this to-do list to alleviate some stress and ensure a smoother transition to your new home.

...

DAY & NIGHT AIR CONDITIONING, HEATING AND PLUMBING

Here are the biggest tips to keep your AC bill low this summer

PHOENIX — In Arizona during the summer, having a working air conditioning unit is not just a pleasure, but a necessity. No one wants to walk from their sweltering car just to continue to be hot in their home. As the triple digits hit around the Valley and are here to stay, your AC bill […]

Aretha Franklin’s sons clash over her wishes in trial over dual wills