James Brown

The estate of James Brown is facing another court battle from a woman who claims she was still married to the late soul legend when he died. Velma Warren Brown, 73, from Georgia, says she and the performer married in 1953 and were never divorced. However, lawyers for James Brown have dismissed her claim, saying she remarried and cite court documents granting a divorce in 1969. Louis Levenson, a lawyer representing James Brown's estate, said: "If Ms Brown believed that she was not divorced, she's admitting to having herself committed bigamy." However, David Bell, representing Ms Brown, has insisted there was never a formal separation or a divorce. He added that his client married the Brown on June 27, 1953, had three children, and lived with him for 17 years. Mr Bell said: "They kind of went their separate ways, but he always kept in touch with her." He said his client was coming forward now because it was something that "she had just never thought about." Brown on Christmas Day last year at age 73.