Judge reappoints co-trustees of Rosa Parks estate
6:09 PM, February 1, 2012
A Wayne County judge today put Elaine Steele and Adam Shakoor back in charge of the estate of Rosa Parks, the late civil rights icon.
Probate Judge Freddie Burton Jr. reappointed the pair as co-trustee’s of Parks’ estate at the behest of the Michigan Supreme Court, which twice ordered him in recent weeks to reinstate the pair despite his reservations about Steele.
Steele is Parks’ longtime assistant, caregiver and co-founder of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, which Steele created with Parks in 1987 to teach young people about the civil rights struggle.
Shakoor, Parks’ former probate lawyer, is a retired 36th District Court judge and former deputy Detroit mayor under Coleman Young.
They replace Detroit attorneys John Chase Jr. and Melvin Jefferson Jr., whom Burton put in charge of the estate after Parks’ 15 nieces and nephews challenged the validity of Parks’ will in 2005. The relatives accused Steele of manipulating the elderly Parks to cut them out of her estate, which Steele denied.
“I’m absolutely elated that justice has been done,” Steele said today. “It definitely restores my faith in the justice system.”
Shakoor was happy, too: “This is what Mrs. Parks intended — for Elaine and I to serve. I’m elated to be able to serve with her.”
Alan May, who represents Chase and Steele, said Burton simply followed the Supreme Court’s directive.
“It means my clients are out and Steele and Shakoor are in as long as they obey the probate court’s orders,” May said.
Lawrence Pepper, who represents Parks’ nieces and nephews, said he was disappointed.
“I don’t think the Supreme Court thoroughly examined the reasons that were provided,” Pepper said. “I have a large number of clients who believe that substituting fiduciaries may be detrimental to their interests.”
Steele’s lawyer, Steven G. Cohen, had urged the Supreme Court last July to intervene in Parks’ estate, saying Chase and Jefferson had drained the estate with unnecessary fees. Then, he said, they fabricated a phony dispute that prompted Burton to order the Steele and the institute to forfeit their share of Parks’ memorabilia collection, potentially worth $8 million.
May said the lawyers did nothing wrong, noting that the Michigan Court of Appeals had twice upheld their fees and had praised their handling of the estate.
The appeals court said Chase and Jefferson alone had recognized the value of Parks’ belongings and got them in the hands of a New York City auction house which has been trying to sell them to an institution that can put them on public display. The appeals court said Steele and the institute obstructed the lawyers’ efforts and had done a poor job of storing some of Parks’ possessions.
Burton last month had urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its Dec. 29 directive to reappoint Steele and Shakoor. Burton said Steele had previously ignored court orders in the case, resisted efforts to inventory Parks’ property and failed to file complete financial statements. Cohen told the Supreme Court those charges were untrue.
Contact DAVID ASHENFELTER: dashenfelter@freepress.com
Please read complete article at link below:
6:09 PM, February 1, 2012
A Wayne County judge today put Elaine Steele and Adam Shakoor back in charge of the estate of Rosa Parks, the late civil rights icon.
Probate Judge Freddie Burton Jr. reappointed the pair as co-trustee’s of Parks’ estate at the behest of the Michigan Supreme Court, which twice ordered him in recent weeks to reinstate the pair despite his reservations about Steele.
Steele is Parks’ longtime assistant, caregiver and co-founder of the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self Development, which Steele created with Parks in 1987 to teach young people about the civil rights struggle.
Shakoor, Parks’ former probate lawyer, is a retired 36th District Court judge and former deputy Detroit mayor under Coleman Young.
They replace Detroit attorneys John Chase Jr. and Melvin Jefferson Jr., whom Burton put in charge of the estate after Parks’ 15 nieces and nephews challenged the validity of Parks’ will in 2005. The relatives accused Steele of manipulating the elderly Parks to cut them out of her estate, which Steele denied.
“I’m absolutely elated that justice has been done,” Steele said today. “It definitely restores my faith in the justice system.”
Shakoor was happy, too: “This is what Mrs. Parks intended — for Elaine and I to serve. I’m elated to be able to serve with her.”
Alan May, who represents Chase and Steele, said Burton simply followed the Supreme Court’s directive.
“It means my clients are out and Steele and Shakoor are in as long as they obey the probate court’s orders,” May said.
Lawrence Pepper, who represents Parks’ nieces and nephews, said he was disappointed.
“I don’t think the Supreme Court thoroughly examined the reasons that were provided,” Pepper said. “I have a large number of clients who believe that substituting fiduciaries may be detrimental to their interests.”
Steele’s lawyer, Steven G. Cohen, had urged the Supreme Court last July to intervene in Parks’ estate, saying Chase and Jefferson had drained the estate with unnecessary fees. Then, he said, they fabricated a phony dispute that prompted Burton to order the Steele and the institute to forfeit their share of Parks’ memorabilia collection, potentially worth $8 million.
May said the lawyers did nothing wrong, noting that the Michigan Court of Appeals had twice upheld their fees and had praised their handling of the estate.
The appeals court said Chase and Jefferson alone had recognized the value of Parks’ belongings and got them in the hands of a New York City auction house which has been trying to sell them to an institution that can put them on public display. The appeals court said Steele and the institute obstructed the lawyers’ efforts and had done a poor job of storing some of Parks’ possessions.
Burton last month had urged the Supreme Court to reconsider its Dec. 29 directive to reappoint Steele and Shakoor. Burton said Steele had previously ignored court orders in the case, resisted efforts to inventory Parks’ property and failed to file complete financial statements. Cohen told the Supreme Court those charges were untrue.
Contact DAVID ASHENFELTER: dashenfelter@freepress.com
Please read complete article at link below:
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