Wills turn up in Aretha’s home
THREE handwritten wills have been found in the Detroit home of Aretha Franklin, months after the death of the Queen of Soul, including one discovered under cushions in the living room.
The latest is dated March 2014 and appears to give the famous singer’s assets to family members.
Some writing is hard to decipher, however, and the four pages have words scratched out and phrases in the margins.
Franklin was 76 when she died last August of pancreatic cancer. Lawyers and family members said at the time she had no will but the three handwritten versions were discovered earlier this month.
Two from 2010 were found in a locked cabinet after a key was found. The 2014 version was inside a spiral notebook under cushions, said an attorney for Franklin’s estate, David Bennett, on Monday.
He has filed the wills but told a judge he’s not sure if they’re legal under Michigan law. A hearing is scheduled for June 12.
Mr Bennett says the wills were shared with Franklin’s four sons or their lawyers.
A statement from the family said two sons object to the wills.