Lloyd’s mother objects to costs to manage Hernandez estate
The mother of Odin L. Lloyd is pushing back on a request from the trustee of Aaron Hernandez’s estate to set aside $100,000 to pay for unspecified costs to manage the ex-New England Patriot’s estate.
Ursula Ward won a $5 million claim against Hernandez in December 2013 stemming from a wrongful death lawsuit against Hernandez for Lloyd’s murder.
Attorney John G. Dugan, who took over managing the Hernandez estate after the disgraced Patriots tight end hanged himself in prison, is asking a Bristol Superior Court judge to release $100,000 from the $5 million awarded to Lloyd’s estate to pay for “ongoing fees and expenses incurred in administering the estate.” Lawyers for Ward say Dugan’s “clearly excessive” request would exhaust a large portion of what’s left in the estate from the sale of Hernandez’ North Attleboro home for $735,595, and the request comes with no expense details to determine whether the funds are needed, according to court papers.
“Attorney Dugan fails to specify any specific expenses that would require dissipation of a major portion of the Hernandez estate into an unsupervised fund,” Ward’s attorneys wrote in opposition to the trustee’s request.
“To release funds in the amount of $100,000.00 without specificity or stated need would be contrary to the previous actions of this Court,” Ward’s lawyers said. “It would only serve to irreparably injure Ms. Ward’s ability to collect against the Hernandez Estate.”
Dugan said the Hernandez estate’s account — without the funds from the home sale, which are being held in the custody of the Bristol Superior Court — has dwindled to $6,406.90. He said the funds are needed as the estate continues to research accounts, assets or claims the estate has, while dealing with the IRS and state tax authorities and compiling claims against the estate.