Looks to me like all those VULTURES that claimed they were helping and advising James, all those years, were simply out to help themselves. Lawyers? If they were REAL Lawyers, it estate damned well wouldn't be in the condition it is, now.
AIKEN — James Brown's possessions and homes will be sold off to pay mounting legal bills and $400,000 in overdue estate taxes.
In an order filed in Aiken County Court this week, Judge Jack Early revealed that the music legend's estate is in serious financial trouble. Approximately $1.6 million is needed just to pay bills this year.
The singer's possessions will be auctioned off by Christie's auction house in New York before Aug. 1. His Beech Island home and another house, which his children get first shot at buying, will be put up for sale.
The order calls for the singer's Beech Island home to be turned into a museum, "if feasible." Mr. Brown's heirs are asked to submit a list of items they do not wish to be sold.
Judge Early also authorized the special administrators to loan some memorabilia to museums for up to three years.
The court had previously approved auctioning off the singer's possessions, but the judge's order provides the first true glimpse of the turmoil of the estate's finances. During a closed hearing Feb. 7, Judge Early was told:
- $400,000 in estate taxes were overdue.
- Papers to declare as a charity the James Brown "I Feel Good" Trust, which is to pay to educate needy children , were not filed with the IRS.
- The estate is so low on money it couldn't pay court-ordered bills stemming from a New York lawsuit, or Adele Pope or Robert Buchanan's salaries.
- Royalties to fund the education trusts won't be available for five to seven years because they have to repay a $21 million bond Mr. Brown secured in 1999.
When he appointed Ms. Pope and Mr. Buchanan to oversee Mr. Brown's estate on Nov. 20, Judge Early's order says, its condition "was deplorable."
"Basic security for Mr. Brown's home Estate was in arrears; valuable and deteriorating Masters (original recordings of Mr. Brown's songs) had been left in his home for almost a year; income taxes were unpaid for a number of years; and the former (trustees) had not prepared or filed an Inventory for the Estate or the 2000 Trust."
THE BILLS
The two court-appointed special administrators say they need $1.6 million to pay estate bills this year. Those costs include:
- Administrative claims
- Defending the singer's will
- Defending the estate against $35 million in claims filed against it
- Preserve and evaluate the masters of Mr. Brown's recordings
- Provide security for Mr. Brown's home
- Protect and secure other estate and trust assets
Comments
Looks to me like all those VULTURES that claimed they were helping and advising James, all those years, were simply out to help themselves. Lawyers? If they were REAL Lawyers, it estate damned well wouldn't be in the condition it is, now.
All the other vultures are SOL.
Since the lawyers advised Mr. Brown so poorly, why pay them anything? It seems they have helped themselves to more than their salaries should have been. Amazing how some seem to never being accountable for their actions. Sad....
Po bro ain't gonna have nuttin left!
Sounds like he's got less than nothing!!
Who wrote or sang that old song, "Too Much of Nothing" ?
It should be no surprise that Mr. Browns finances are a complete mess. Just look at his life.
To idiots like badmoon, I doubt that a dead person has any needs for money nor anything else. You feel me, BRO.
I didn't care that much for James Browns music, although I did love a few of his songs. I didn't care for some of the things he said. I didn't care for some of the things that he did. At times his life was a mess. His estate is a mess. But, I have fond memories of James Brown. When I was a child I remember him attending church close to my house. I remember as a child going with my dad to a Dairy Queen. James Brown pulled up and bought every kid that was out there ice cream. I remember sitting next to him on an airplane once and the wonderful conversation that we had. I'm sure Mr. Brown had many sides but (some nice and some not so nice) but I can tell you from first hand experience that he did have a wonderfully kind side to him. So what if his life was somewhat of a mess, or his estate. History will remember James Brown as a brilliant artist, an innovator, and basically a good man. 100 years from now his legacy will still stand.
The things which remain unpaid SHOULD have been the first things paid when someone was appointed either as trustee or executor of his estate. Where were the required filings in the probate court? Why didn't someone, particularly in the probate court, realize that there had been no accounting of the estate. This mess lies not only with those appointed to look after the estate, but also with the court not being certain that required documents and accounting were on record. As for the attorneys, those initially involved need to be brought to account. This whole thing has been one great big show - and if his house is sold, does that include possession of the body?
Hippo, I can't "feel" you BRO, but I can read your dumb [filtered word] comments constantly in these forums!
Too much of nothing
Can turn a man into a liar,
It can cause one man to sleep on nails
And another man to eat fire.
Too Much of Nothing, by Bob Dylan.
badmoon u are the dumb one. "Bro is dead", so why in the world would he be a "Po bro left with nuttin"? Have you at least earned your GED? Your grammer is embarassing. You are not even able to relay slang in a correct manner. I feel you Hippo. I have a college degree, and I still feel you!
They are going to sell the house in Beech Island. Would that be the one where he is buried. Does the body come with the house, sounds like a bargin.
Little Lamb. What do those lyrics mean?
Get Real, ok, "dude"!!!!
James Brown as a result of his drug abuse and being "undereducated" allowed himself to be taken advantage of by Aiken county "vultures" or lawyers as they are called on paper. He neglected his family in some ways by spending a lot of his life touring and getting involved with different women. His children may not be perfect, but I believe they loved him and he should have trusted them more when he was alive. Instead, he hired lawyers who believe me when I say, this is the most dishonest professional besides of course being an outright thief. This is legal thievery.
James Brown as a result of his drug abuse and being "undereducated" allowed himself to be taken advantage of by Aiken county "vultures" or lawyers as they are called on paper. He neglected his family in some ways by spending a lot of his life touring and getting involved with different women. His children may not be perfect, but I believe they loved him and he should have trusted them more when he was alive. Instead, he hired lawyers who believe me when I say this is the most dishonest professional; besides of course being an outright thief. This is legal thievery.
Regardless of how he lived, some of the Lawyers he used are proven crooks, I know of one in particular, get rich is the only thing on his mind!
Grandpa died last week
And now he's buried in the rocks,
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked.
But me, I expected it to happen,
I knew he'd lost control
When he built a fire on Main Street
And shot it full of holes.
Memphis Blues Again, by Bob Dylan
Paying the Piper for a dubious life style. Trouble is with many music people they don't have the education or discipline to avoid being a victim.
The man's not worried about it he dead and you can't get anything from a dead man unless he has something left. Sounds like the trustees have already cleaned him out.
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