Godfather of Soul's body moved from home: lawyer

Last Updated: Saturday, January 20, 2007 | 4:25 PM ET

CBC Arts

The body of James Brown has been removed from his South Carolina home, according to his attorney, Buddy Dallas.

The 73-year-old Godfather of Soul died on Christmas Day and his body, still in a coffin, has been kept in a guarded, climate-controlled room at his Beech Island, S.C., home since Dec. 30.

The body of singer James Brown lies in a casket at the James Brown Arena in Augusta, Ga., Saturday, Dec. 30, 2006. The singer's body was recently removed from a sealed room in his South Carolina home.
(Jeff Christensen/Associated Press)

Dallas revealed Saturday the body had been moved on Thursday afternoon but would not say where it was moved to. He said no decisions have been made on the final resting place.

The singer's body was removed the same day his will was filed in Aiken County, S.C.  The will, dated Aug. 1, 2000, declares that Brown has six living children: Deanna, Yamma, Vanisha, Daryl, Larry and Terry.

Controversy has swirled around Brown's family and his estate ever since his will was read out on Jan. 11. It was then revealed that his five-year-old son James Jr., his child with partner Tomi Rae Hynie, has been left out of his will. Soon after, Hynie said the family locked her out of the Beech Island home.

Hynie, a background singer, says she married Brown in 2001 and that James Jr. is Brown's son.

Dallas said the estate — located in a secluded area across the river from Augusta, Ga. — had been owned by a trust since 2000. It was the trustees who had ordered the house locked down with Brown's body inside.

Brown's other six children are contemplating what to do with the property and their father's body.

Last week, Dallas revealed the family was going to consult Elvis Presley's family to get their thoughts about how they converted Graceland, which attracts 600,000 visitors a year.

Reports say Brown's family is thinking of creating a museum and mausoleum on the property for his fans to visit.

Rooms in the mansion are decorated in Egyptian artwork and fabrics, and there's a sunken wet bar in the centre of the house.

Brown passed away from heart failure. Thousands turned up for two public memorials: one in New York City at the legendary Apollo Theater and a massive gathering at an auditorium in his hometown. Friends and family held a private church event.