» News
Sherman Hemsley still not buried 3 months after death; bizarre legal dispute continues
Sherman Hemsley died at his home in El Paso, Texas on July 24. But three months on, the star of the CBS series “The Jeffersons” has yet to be laid to rest as the beneficiaries of his will, and even his cause of death, have been called into question.
A worker at the Eastside location of the San Jose Funeral Home in El Paso, Texas confirmed to FOX411’s Pop Tarts column that Hemsley was still at the home, and that they were waiting for a court order telling them what to do with his body.
It was revealed in August that Hemsley’s body had not been buried amid a legal dispute between his former manager and self-proclaimed business partner and live-in best friend Flora Enchinton – who was named as the sole beneficiary in his will – and a Philadelphia man, Richard Thornton, who claims to be the actor’s brother. Thornton filed a civil lawsuit disputing the validity of the will, signed by Hemsley one month prior to his death.
Hemsley had said in media interviews that he was an only child. His estate is reportedly valued at $50,000.
On September 24, Probate Court judge Patricia Chew delayed the trial over the actor’s estate and remains — which had been scheduled for the following Monday — to October 31, and ordered the man who claims to be Hemsley’s brother to undergo a DNA test. Thornton’s nephew Robert Thornton took the stand in support of his Uncle’s allegation, and also questioned the authenticity of the signature on the will, which left everything to Enchinton, saying it “looked like tracing.”
But this is not where the bizarreness ends. A third person has since come forward amid the battle over Hemsley’s estate, vowing to intervene on the issue prior to the October 31st bench trial date.
Mr. Happy
October 30th, 2012
At least they are not battling over his frozen head like Ted Williams’.
So he’s got that!
Alxandro
October 30th, 2012
You can’t be buried under ground when you’re moving on up.
moarkdave
October 30th, 2012
What surprised me the most about this:
1) He lived in El Peso, Texas. Not a city I would have imagined him living in.
2) His estate was only valued at $50,000. I would have thought that he would have banked more money than that.
Two Legged Blue Eyed Cracker
October 30th, 2012
He would be in the deluxe apartment in the sky if they weren’t squabbling about a small piece of the pie.
srdem65
October 30th, 2012
By the time the courts and lawyers are finished, his estate will be valued at (-$50,000).
cfm990
October 30th, 2012
Probably still voting.
Edith McCrotch
October 30th, 2012
50 k ? How long do you think that wouldlast in the hands of these kind of people?
about as long as it took to read this comment.
Mountain Dog
October 30th, 2012
Is the money in his pockets? Just bury the guy and leave him alone. Leeches.
frank k.
October 30th, 2012
One can only hope that the per-diem rate at the mortuary is less than the per-diem rate at the nearest ‘Motel 6′ … Otherwise , this entire fiasco is financially , ‘much ado about nothing’ …
Libra
October 30th, 2012
The cemetary has to bury three more white people in order to maintain their diversity quota.
Tim
October 30th, 2012
I can’t imagine getting into a legal wrangle over an estate of $50,000.
After the lawyers and judge, they’ll get to split taxi fare … maybe pick up a quarter pounder and fries on the way home from the hearing.
Moe tom
October 30th, 2012
That 50K is shot by now. Refrigeration time, lawyers, Funeral Home. FFS!
Buffalobob
October 30th, 2012
$50,000 ???? if that is true the lawyers will burn trough it in less than a week. As for the body, the funeral director can always charge admission to view it to recover his storage costs.
dba_vagabond_trader
October 30th, 2012
Very few events bring out the ugly like an estate dispute no matter how little is up for grabs. What does it have to do with interring the body?
Sickening.
Boobie the Rocket Dog
October 30th, 2012
TLBEC wins!!
Anne
October 30th, 2012
They’ve got to let him vote on Tuesday before they bury him.
scr_north
October 30th, 2012
“We’re Moving on UP, to the East Side to the…er, not moving at all actually”. For the love of god just bury the poor man then have it out in the courts. Friggin bloodsuckers. Also, if he was only worth 50K at his death then I’m pretty sure the court should be checking the activities of his “self proclaimed business manager”.
Alxandro
October 30th, 2012
@moarkdave
Hey vato, be careful what yoo say ’bout my home town, esse.
just kidding, I was surprised myself when I found out about hime living there.
Don’t live there any more, but 50K sounds about right for a small home.
I do remember once upon a time, I saw a guy that looked just like George Jefferson at the mall.
Now I realize after all these years it was definitely him.
btw,
Q: What do you call a Mexican quarterback?
A: EL PASO
Lowell
October 30th, 2012
To me, the squabbling over a 50K estate tells me every thing I need to know about the plaintiffs.
norman einstein
October 30th, 2012
Disgraceful. If I was the judge in this mess, I’d say bury the poor sod and give the money ($50K…that’s IT?) to charity!
These freeloading wannabes disgust me.
moarkdave
October 30th, 2012
@Alxandro
I meant no disrespect to El Peso or to Mr Hemsley either.
It just would not be a city that I would have associated him living in. If you were to have given me 200 choices of where he lived, I would not have guessed there.
Trixie Bluebell
October 30th, 2012
After the costs of the funeral home there’s probably just enough left to bury the poor man. In El Paso. May he rest in peace.
Alxandro
October 30th, 2012
@moarkdave
I guess we’ll call this a “gotcha” moment.
I know you meant no disrespect, you just gave me an excuse to use my Messkin accent on someone.
As I stated earlier, I was just kidding, esse.
Btw, for the record, you’re not allowed to say Messkin, unless you happen to be of Messkin descent.
even steven
October 30th, 2012
I don’t imagine he’s aged very well over the past few months… probably has freezer burn.
MaryfromMarin
October 30th, 2012
@even steven–
Eww, gross.
mkultra
October 30th, 2012
Poor bas7ard. What a gang of degenerate hyenas.