Aretha Franklin’s sons battle over handwritten wills 5 years after her death

By ED WHITE
Associated Press

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — Five years after music superstar Aretha Franklin’s death, her final wishes are still unsettled. An unusual trial starts next Monday in suburban Detroit where a jury will decide which of two handwritten wills should control her estate. Both documents were found in Franklin’s home months after she died in 2018. One of her sons says a 2010 document should mainly control the estate. Two others are banking on a 2014 document that was discovered under couch cushions. Franklin was a global star for decades, known especially for hits like “Think,” “I Say a Little Prayer” and “Respect.” She died of pancreatic cancer at age 76.