January 2, 2008 17:44

James Brown will being disputed by family

His children doubt he wanted to leave estate to charity

The will of soul legend James Brown is being disputed by his children, who say it is unlikely he decided alone to leave his estate to charity.

Deanna Brown Thomas, Venisha Brown, Daryl Brown, Yamma Brown Lumar and Larry Brown are challenging their late father’s will that sees most of his money going to charity and trusts that will educate his children who are under 35.

Attorney for the five, Louis Levenson says three of Brown’s advisors Buddy Dallas, Alford Bradley and David Cannon talked him into creating the charities so that they could benefit from the will when he died.

They say earlier wills indicate he may not have really wanted to leave so much to charity.

Buddy Dallas denied having any influence in the will, saying that “no one told James Brown what to do”, and an unnamed grandchild accused the children of trying to break the charities for their own financial gain, according to the Associated Press.

it is understood the dispute is holding up the release of Brown's final album which he recorded before his death on December 25, 2006.

The value of his estate is currently unclear.

--By our New York staff.
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