Kecalf Franklin has filed subpoenas for his mother, Aretha’s estate, which is currently in the hands of Aretha’s niece.
What We Know:
- Following Aretha’s death last August, her family agreed to hand over the estate to Owens, a university administrator, who would be co-executor with Aretha’s ex-husband Theodore White II. The two were mentioned in a 2010 handwritten will from Aretha, but Kecalf believes Owens should be removed and he should replace her, a demand Owens’ lawyers will fight in court.
- Kecalf is claiming that a different handwritten will from 2014, found in the couch of Aretha’s home, names Kecalf as the representative of her estate; an appointment worth millions of dollars. This 2014 will shows Owens and White’s names crossed out. Oakland County judges are expected to consult handwriting experts to verify the legitimacy of this second will.
- Kecalf’s subpoenas request information about Aretha’s finances from 2012 to present. This includes bank statements, financial records, wire transfer statements and trust information. Owens’ lawyers are currently resisting handing over the documents due to the amount of effort it would take to locate such records and their having nothing to do with Kecalf’s case to take over Aretha’s estate.
- Kecalf is Aretha’s youngest of four children; Aretha’s lawyers claim there is no evidence Kecalf is a fit manager for the estate. Kecalf was arrested and imprisoned in 2018 for a DUI in Michigan with a jail sentence of up to 93 days.
Kecalf’s case will rest heavily on his ability to verify the 2014 will that names him as estate manager.
