Brown trustees want spousal claim dropped
Trustees of the James Brown estate want a judge to dismiss all spousal claims of Tomi Rae Brown to the estate of the late singer.
A motion was filed this week in Aiken County Court by James Bailey, the attorney for Robert Buchanan Jr. and Adele Pope, stating that Mrs. Brown is not the surviving spouse of James Brown, who died on Dec. 25, 2006.
According to the motion, when the couple obtained a marriage license on Dec. 11, 2001, Mrs. Brown stated on the application that the marriage would be her first and did not mention her 1997 marriage in Harris County, Texas, to Javed Ahmed. She did not seek an annulment from Mr. Ahmed until April 15, 2004, which was granted by the court.
The motion also says that in an Aug. 16, 2004, court order, Mrs. Brown agreed to "hereby forever waive any claim of a common law marriage to the Plaintiff (James Brown), both now and in the future."
In January 2007, Mrs. Brown said on CNN's Larry King Live that she was forced to sign the document in order to get back into his home after a quarrel between them led to Mr. Brown's arrest.
Phone calls to Mrs. Brown's attorney, Robert Rosen, of Charleston, S.C., were not returned Wednesday.
Thomson man receives probation for tax fraud
A Thomson man who pleaded guilty to tax fraud more than two years ago in a closed court proceeding was sentenced to probation last week for tax fraud.
The federal criminal case against Charles E. Willis Jr., of Thomson, was sealed for more than two years as Mr. Willis worked for the IRS, according to court records.
He was sentenced Thursday to five years' probation. Mr. Willis must repay the federal government $197,740 in restitution and perform 150 hours of community service.
Bank robber gets time in prison for '07 crime
A man who robbed a Martinez bank after Thanksgiving 2007 was sentenced this week to serve 61/2 years in prison.
Shawn N. Whiddon admitted he robbed the Regions Bank on Furys Ferry Road in Martinez on Nov. 26.
Teacher of the Year finalists announced
The Richmond County school system named its finalists for teacher of the year on Wednesday.
The finalists are: Heather Davidson, of John S. Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School; Patricia Davis, of Sue Reynolds Elementary School; Bobbie Lawhead, of Westside High School; Suzanne Swann, of Wheeless Road Elementary; and Andrea Williams-Baugh, of Tubman Middle School. The teacher of the year will be announced during a banquet at the Augusta Marriott Hotel & Suites in November.
The Columbia County school system will hold its annual Teacher of the Year Awards on Oct. 2 at Savannah Rapids Pavilion. Finalists for the award include Patty Barrett, of Cedar Ridge Elementary; Toni Cliatt, of Grovetown Middle; Emily King, of Riverside Middle; Michele Rigsby, of Bel Air Elementary; and Christi Thigpen, of Greenbrier Middle.
-- From staff reports
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