King Siblings Reach Settlement Agreement Over Estate Squabbles

The children of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. have reached a settlement late yesterday that will keep the family from airing their dirty laundry about King Inc., in a public jury trial. Martin Luther King III, Bernice King and Dexter King aired their grievances in open court for more than a year. That behavior is contrary to everything Dr. King and Coretta Scott King stood for. They fought and allowed money to come between them. Their parents preached unity and working together toward a common goal and they did the opposite. Martin III and Bernice sued their brother in July 2008, and accused him of acting improperly as head of their father's estate, which the three of them control as a private corporation. They claimed, in the lawsuit, that he shut them out of decisions involving King Inc.,  and refused to hold a shareholders meeting since 2004. They have been largely estranged for months and they claim their brother continued to make decisions for King Inc. without their knowledge.

 According to the settlement agreement, Fulton County Superior Court Judge Ural D. Glanville has declared the siblings "deadlocked" as shareholders and will appoint a temporary custodian who will run King Inc. and work with them to determine the future of the corporation. I don't know why anyone in their right minds would donate to King Inc., if there is so much turmoil and allegations of wrong doing. That's where the temporary custodian would come in. This position will add a level of credibility to the troubled estate.

It is amazing that the family squabble had to hit this level. Now, all three have reportedly said they are looking forward to mending the rifts and that significant progress had been made with Monday's resolution. Couldn't they have done this on their own without wasting taxpayers' money to resolve their disputes? Funny how Dexter King said in an interview,  "It was a tiring day, but I would say a very triumphant day." "This allows us to begin the healing process. I'm looking forward to the future. The most important thing is that we can advance the legacy of our parents." Really? I think they have tarnished the legacy of their parents.

Martin Luther King III and Bernice King, in a media interview, called the settlement a positive one. "We have always loved one another," said Martin III. "We disagreed with each other, but we still always loved one another, and I think that's probably the most important factor." Bernice King said reconciliation with Dexter King would be a process. "Love compels you to take a higher road," she said. "We love our brother and the legacy of our parents. At the end of the day, we're still a family." Sure, family that have no qualms about suing one another. I can't imagine that this would have been pleasing to their parents. Besides, isn't Bernice King a pastor at Newbirth Missionary Baptist Church? Was this the best way she could handle this conflict with her brother? I don't think so.

Under terms of the settlement, both parties must submit three names of proposed custodians within 14 days of the settlement. The candidates "must be qualified to manage a business but must also be sensitive to the nature of the legacy to be managed." The court must interview at least one choice from both sides, and will name the custodian within 30 days of receiving the proposed list of candidates. Once approved, the custodian will report regularly to the court on King Inc.'s progress.