James Brown’s family has reached a settlement ending a 15-year battle over the late singer’s estate, an attorney involved in the mediation said Friday.
David Black, an attorney representing Brown estate, confirmed to The Associated Press that the agreement was reached July 9. Details of the settlement were not disclosed.
events over the assets of the “Godfather of Soul” has been ongoing since his events at the age of 73 on Christmas Day 2006.
The performer’s death touched off years of bizarre headlines, beginning with Tomi Rae Hynie — a former partner who claimed to be Brown’s wife — being locked out of his 60-acre estate while photographers captured her sobbing and shaking its iron gates, begging to be let in.
JAMES BROWN’S ESTATE ALMOST SETTLED NEARLY 15 YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH: REPORT
The ‘Godfather of Soul’ passed away in 2006 at age 73.
(AP)
Brown was renowned for hundreds of iconic musical works, including music” target=”_blank”>hits like “I Feel Good”<
Last year, the South Carolina Supreme Court ruled that Hynie had not been legally married to Brown and therefore did not have a right to his multimillion-dollar estate.
Justices also ordered a circuit court to “promptly proceed with the probate of Brown’s estate in accordance with his estate plan,” which outlined creation of a trust that would use his music royalties to fund educational expenses for children in South Carolina and Georgia.
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A 2009 settlement plan would have given nearly half of Brown’s estate to a charitable trust, a quarter to Hynie, and the rest to be split among his adult children. The state Supreme Court overturned that deal in 2013, writing that then-Attorney General Henry McMaster — now the state’s governor — hadn’t followed Brown’s expressed wishes for most of his money to go to charity, having instead selected a professional manager who took control of Brown’s assets from the estate’s trustees to settle debts.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
