James Brown’s 5 Year-Old Son Left Out Of Will

COLUMBIA S.C. (January 12, 2007) — Where there’s a will — there’s a controversy, at least when it comes to James Brown’s situation.

Attorneys for the late soul singer say Brown’s will was read yesterday, but there appears to be at least one omission. The attorneys say Brown’s five-year-old son, James Junior, isn’t in it.

That’s the child he had with Tomi Rae Hynie, who claims she is Brown’s wife. That’s a claim that Brown’s lawyer has disputed since Brown’s death on Christmas morning. And it isn’t clear whether Hynie herself is included in the will — or whether she may be cared for financially in some other way.

At this point, the will itself hasn’t been filed with Probate Court, a major step in moving forward with handling the soul singer’s affairs.

Earlier this week, the reading of the will was said to be one of the obstacles to having Brown buried. His embalmed body remains at his home, waiting for the trustees to consult with the family about a final resting place.