Manuscript of Aretha Franklin Found in Bench Recognized as a Will in Court

A manuscript found on a couch in Aretha Franklin’s home constitutes a valid will, a US court jury ruled Tuesday to resolve a dispute between the children of the “Queen of Soul,” who died in 2018 .

The legendary American singer, who died on August 16, 2018 in her hometown of Detroit, left no official will, but handwritten documents later discovered in her home led to years of conflict between her four children.

The documents, which are difficult to read, seem to share their assets, namely real estate, but also jewelry, furs, sound equipment and music rights.

One, dated 2010, was discovered in a locked cabinet. Another, dated 2014, was found under the couch cushions.

Two of his sons, Edward and Kecalf Franklin, spoke out in favor of the 2014 document.

Another, Ted White Jr., said the 2010 document was more legitimate.

Both wills seem to indicate an equal distribution of copyrights among these three children.

According to the New York Times, Clarence Franklin, the singer’s first child, suffers from mental health issues and lives under legal guardianship, with his brothers sworn to support him.

The decision of the six-person jury is particularly favorable to Kecalf Franklin and his children, who must inherit the singer’s main residence, a mansion in an upscale Detroit suburb, as well as the cars.

The action targeted the signature of the 2014 document, which read “A. Franklin,” with a small “smiling face” design on the first initial, which Kecalf Franklin said was “characteristic” of his father’s handwriting. mother.

The jury made its decision after an hour of deliberation, ending a two-day trial.

For years, administrators of Aretha Franklin’s estate paid off debts and paid taxes while managing the rights to her music.

The “Queen of Soul” died of pancreatic cancer in Detroit at age 76 after a six-decade career that made her one of America’s most respected performers.

Unforgettable performer of “Respect,” the diva was also a figure in the fight for African-American civil rights and sang at Martin Luther King’s funeral in 1968.