The jury hearing arguments surrounding the disposition of Aretha Franklin's estate on Tuesday determined the 2014 version of her will should stand as the document of record for the estate.
After deliberating for almost exactly one hour, jurors found that the 2014 will was signed by the music legend and does show her intent.
Jury deliberations began on Tuesday in the battle over Franklin's estate in a Michigan probate court, where three of Franklin's four sons were at odds over different versions of her will, dating back to 2010 and 2014.
Franklin's son Kecalf Franklin testified Monday that he believes the signature on the 2014 document is valid particularly because it contains the smiley face "characteristic" of Franklin's signature.
Referencing the first few lines of the 2014 document, attorney Craig Smith said, "She's speaking from the grave, folks: 'This is my will.'" Smith is only representing Franklin's son Ed Franklin, but both Ed and Kecalf were asking for the 2014 will to be declared valid.
During closing arguments, Smith also addressed royalties stemming from the Queen of Soul's iconic hits. "Now, we may all be dead from global warming, but if we're around, my belief is they'll be playing Respect 300 years from now," he said.
Another son, Ted White, believed a 2010 version of his mother's will should stand as the instruction of record.
Ted's attorney Kurt Olson, focused his closing argument largely on the validity of the two wills, arguing that evidence shows the 2010 will was treated like a formal document "intended" to be a will, and as such holds more weight than the 2014 version.
Additionally, Olson argued the testimony showed Franklin's 2010 will was found in the cabinet where Franklin kept her "important documents," indicating it was intended to be *the* will, not the 2014 document.
The jury had to decide whether the 2014 will is signed and if was intended to be Franklin's will, which they did ultimately determine was signed on Tuesday.
Franklin died in 2018 after suffering pancreatic cancer.
