Lawsuit: Martin Luther King Jr.’s children in heated battle over Nobel Peace Prize medal
The children of the late civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are in yet another heated legal battle. This time, the fight is over King Jr.’s Nobel Peace Prize and his personal Bible.
King’s sons, Martin Luther King III and Dexter King filed the complaint against Bernice King on Friday in Fulton County Superior Court in Atlanta by her father’s estate.
Bernice King said in a statement Tuesday that her brothers want to sell the Bible and medal to a private buyer and that she opposes that. […] Bernice King said in her statement that their father “MUST be turning in his grave” at the idea of selling his Nobel Peace Prize medal and Bible, which she said were among his most prized possessions. President Barack Obama used the Bible for his oath of office during his ceremonial inauguration when he was sworn in for his second term on the King holiday last year.
“While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling,” she said. “Not only am I appalled and utterly ashamed, I am frankly disappointed that they would even entertain the thought of selling these precious items. It reveals a desperation beyond comprehension.”
The complaint does not mention any intention to sell the items. It is asking that a judge force Bernice King to relinquish the items and to pay the estate’s legal fees in the matter.
Legal proceedings in a separate case involving the King estate and the Martin Luther King Center for Nonviolence Social Change, where Bernice King is CEO. The estate filed a complaint asking a judge to stop the King Center from using Martin Luther King Jr.’s image, likeness and memorabilia, and charged the King Center with not properly caring for the materials.
Thoughts on the battle over King’s items?
Sound off below!