Appeals Court Affirms Rejection of 5 Would-Be Prince Heirs
The judge overseeing the estate of the late rock superstar Prince
decided correctly when he rejected five people who claimed to be
half-siblings and heirs of the late rock superstar Prince, the Minnesota
Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday.
Carver County District Judge
Kevin Eide properly applied state laws on parentage when he barred the
five people from claiming shares of Prince's estate, the appeals court
said. Court papers filed earlier in the estate case have suggested that
Prince's fortune was worth around $200 million.
Eide declared in
May that Prince had no will when he died in April 2016 of an accidental
painkiller overdose, and that six recognized surviving siblings are his
legal heirs. He ruled earlier that John L. Nelson and Mattie Shawwere
legally presumed to be Prince's parents since they were married when he
was born.
The five who were rejected -- Darcell Gresham Johnston, Loya Janel
Wilson, Loyal James Gresham III, Orrine Gresham and Venita Jackson
Leverette -- claimed that Nelson wasn't really Prince's father. They
claimed they were Prince's half-siblings through other men. They were
not allowed to undergo genetic testing to try to prove it.
An
appeal is still pending for two other would-be heirs whose claims were
rejected. Briana Nelson and Victoria Nelson are the daughter and
granddaughter of the late Duane J. Nelson, who was once Prince's
security chief. They acknowledge John L. Nelson was not Duane's
biological father, but claim he considered Duane his son anyway, so they
should be recognized as Prince heirs. The appeals court heard oral
arguments in their case in July but hasn't ruled.
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