Nina Simone’s family hits out at Kamala Harris over singer’s estate
Late soul musician’s daughter gave up rights to her works when Ms Harris was California’s Attorney General
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Your support makes all the difference.Nina Simone’s family has hit out at vice president Kamala Harris over the legendary singer’s estate.
The entertainer’s granddaughter took to Twitter to accuse Ms Harris of causing the family to lose control over the estate while she was the attorney general of California.
“Nina’s granddaughter here,” tweeted ReAnna Simone Kelly.
“My family doesn’t run her estate anymore. It was taken away from us [and] given to white people,” she wrote.
“Our family name was DRAGGED in the media. We get NO royalties, nothing. Wanna hold someone accountable? Ask Kamala Harris why she came for my family,” Ms Kelly wrote.
The Feeling Good singer died in 2003 at her home in France at the age of 70.
“As I said before, Ask her why she separated my family,” Ms Kelly continued on Twitter.
“Ask her why my grandmothers estate is in SHAMBLES now. Ask her why we as her family no longer own the rights to anything. Ask her why she bullied my mother in court and my mom almost killed herself from the depression.”
Ms Harris, who was California’s top prosecutor between 2011 and 2017, led a legal battle against the singer’s daughter, Lisa Simone Kelly, who was in charge of her late mother’s estate and charitable trust.
The state of California accused her in 2013 of “breaching her fiduciary duty,” alleging she used up to $2m from the funds, including a $1.5m deposit into her personal company, according to The Daily Beast.
Ms Harris’s office sought to surcharge Ms Kelly nearly $6m, as well as more than $2.5m in interest.
But in the end Ms Kelly agreed to relinquish the rights to her mother’s work as well as the title of estate administrator, reported The Daily Beast.
ReAnne Simone Kelly went on to defend her mother in another tweet.
“I’m going to leave it at that for now. Do your research if you like, but know that there is A LOT of slander out there on my mother,” she tweeted.
“There was a lot of false information put out there that is NOT TRUE. Listen. WE LIVED IT. We are still living in the aftermath of this.
“OH WAIT, While we’re asking Kamala questions ask her why after all of this pain and suffering she put us through a Nina Simone song was sang at the inauguration to swear her in as VP?! She knew what she was doing.”
Lisa Simone Kelly then took to Instagram to address the situation in a video.
“While I may not be able to speak on certain things, those close to me who witnessed the happenings firsthand are choosing to step forward with the Truth,” she wrote.
“THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE. My smile is wide for freedom is at hand.”
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