Politics
Aretha Franklin’s sons Theodore and Clarence file FOURTH will they claim will split $80M estate among four children
ARETHA Franklin’s sons Theodore Richards and Clarence Franklin have filed a fourth will that they claim will split their late mother’s $80 million estate among her four children.
Aretha passed away on August 16, 2018 at the age of 76 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
A fourth will has been discovered by Aretha Franklin’s estate[/caption]
After three conflicting handwritten wills were found in the Queen of Soul’s Detroit, Michigan home, a fourth one has now been filed.
In court documents obtained by The Sun, the legendary singer’s sons Theodore, 47, and Clarence, 66, through his guardian, requested the judge allow the new will.
The court papers claimed Aretha was in discussions for over two years with a law firm about her final estate plan.
Aretha became too ill to “finish discussions on a few items,” according to the March 5, 2021 filing.
Her sons Theodore and Clarence [center] are asking a judge to use the fourth will[/caption]
Theodore [pictured] and Clarance claimed their mother was ‘too ill’ to sign the will[/caption]
A majority of the items were “seemingly agreed upon as represented by decedent’s initials on a summary letter from attorney.”
The court papers claimed: “Decedent recognized that the documents that attorney were preparing would constitute her final wishes.
“The letter was returned with various changes that were initialed by decedent.”
The sons believe the notes reflect that Aretha did not recognize the 2010 and 2014 wills, and wanted to move forward with the one dated 2018.
Kecalf [right], Edward and Theodore would be personal representatives of the will[/caption]
Edward [right] would get Aretha’s Ford convertible, according to the will[/caption]
The documents were unsigned, as she was “too ill” to give her signature.
The men provided email exchanges from 2017 between Aretha and the attorney discussing details of her will.
In a draft of the alleged will, her sons Edward Franklin, 64, Theodore and Kecalf Cunningham, 51, were listed as “personal representatives,” as her son Clarence has special needs.
Aretha left her clothes and furs to her niece Sabrina Owens and cousin Brenda Corbett to be divided between them.
Kecalf would receive her Mercedes in the will[/caption]
Her son Kecalf received her Mercedes, while Edward got her Ford convertible.
She left her tangible personal property, which include personal computers, jewelry, art, books, pictures, rugs, china, silverware and more to Edward, Teddy and Kecalf to divide.
She granted her personal representatives the authority to make determinations regarding her music assets that include her name, image and likeness, musical instruments, stage dress, musical compositions, master records, recording contract and more.
Aretha Franklin passed away in August 2018 at the age of 76[/caption]
Clarence will be the primary beneficiary of the Clarence Franklin Discretionary Trust during his lifetime.
The trustee shall use the assets to “maximize Clarence’s potential and enhance his life.”
The documents are labeled “draft.”
There will be a court hearing to discuss the petition on April 22.
Detroit Free Press was the first to report on the new will.
The outlet reported the previous three handwritten wills have caused fighting among the sons.
The sons have been fighting over their mother’s estate, as Kecalf has fought to be the personal representative[/caption]
Aretha’s youngest son, Kecalf, requested to be a personal representative of the estate.
The brothers have fought against this, as a representative for Clarence said Kecalf hasn’t “displayed any ability or inclination to support himself and lacks the financial knowledge or ability to act as a fiduciary,” Detroit Free Press reported.
One of the handwritten wills also gives Kecalf a larger share and Clarence less, according to The New York Times.
Detroit attorney Reginald Turner was appointed the state’s personal representative last year after the songstress’ niece Sabrina resigned.
Aretha’s estate is estimated at $80 million.
Aretha’s estate is estimated at $80 million[/caption]
National Geographic released a biopic on the Queen of Soul called Genius: Aretha.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Aretha’s niece Sabrina said the family is upset with the portrayal of her Baptist pastor father C.L. Franklin.
They are also upset that producers claimed the estate and family were 100 percent supportive of the series.
Sabrina told The Sun: “I was negotiating the agreement (for the Genius show) while I was with the estate. However, it wasn’t completed before I resigned from the estate so I really had nothing to do with the Genius series at all.
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“The negotiations would have been completed by the new personal representative of the estate, Reginald Turner. I don’t know if it was him or somebody from his law firm.
“I’ve been away from the estate now for about 14 months and the negotiations were not complete before my term was over and I resigned. I can say that while I was there, we had nothing to do with the content and no agreement was signed.
“I wasn’t happy with the show, but that’s all I’ll say about that. We weren’t consulted on the content, so I’m just not happy with a lot of it.”
Aretha’s family is ‘not happy’ with the new biopic[/caption]
