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LAWYER FIGHTS MUSEUM ON KEVORKIAN PAINTINGS
By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120116/METRO/201160324/1409/metro/Lawyer-fights-museum-Kevorkian-paintings
Jan 16 2012
Oakland court to hear case Wednesday about doctor's art
Pontiac- Even in death, Jack Kevorkian can't stay out of court.
An attorney and friend of Kevorkian will be in Oakland Circuit Court
on Wednesday, fighting efforts by a Boston-area museum to dismiss
a lawsuit here that seeks the return of 17 of Kevorkian's paintings
entrusted to the museum 12 years ago.
Kevorkian, who died in June at 83, was involved in 130 assisted
suicides and sparked an international "right to die" dialogue. The
controversial former pathologist had five criminal trials before being
convicted. He spent eight years in prison and was paroled in 2007.
Before he went to prison, he loaned 17 of his paintings to the Armenian
Library and Museum Association, and Mayer Morganroth said before his
death, Kevorkian indicated to Morganroth he wanted the artwork returned
to Michigan for the benefit of his niece, Ava Janus, who lives in Troy.
"The museum filed a lawsuit over the paintings in federal court in
Massachusetts first, so they feel that is the proper venue," said
Morganroth, executor of Kevorkian's estate.
"Well, Kevorkian lived here, his estate is here and I am here. This
is the proper jurisdiction, not Massachusetts."
The museum's attorney, Gerald Gleeson, could not be reached for
comment Friday.
His request to have the Oakland Circuit Court case dismissed goes
before Judge Martha Anderson on Wednesday.
Morganroth sued for the paintings' return last year while preparing
for a New York City auction of Kevorkian memorabilia, including his
bizarre, some believe grotesque, oil paintings. Morganroth has an
agreement, signed by Kevorkian and an ALMA official, that said the
paintings were to be returned to Kevorkian on request.
The museum contends the curator did not have the authority to make
such an agreement.
"Well, they never would have had the paintings if not for the
agreement," Morganroth said.
The New York auction, which included Kevorkian's infamous Thanatron
- Greek for "death machine" - fizzled, with many bidders scared off
because of the ongoing legal dispute, Morganroth said.
"There were six museums which stayed away (from the auction) because
of the dispute, and I can't blame them," Morganroth said.
"We had bids of $80,000 on some of the paintings, but they were
withdrawn because of the legal dispute."
Morganroth said Kevorkian's artwork had an appraised value of more
than $2.5 million.
From: A. Papazian
By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120116/METRO/201160324/1409/metro/Lawyer-fights-museum-Kevorkian-paintings
Jan 16 2012
Oakland court to hear case Wednesday about doctor's art
Pontiac- Even in death, Jack Kevorkian can't stay out of court.
An attorney and friend of Kevorkian will be in Oakland Circuit Court
on Wednesday, fighting efforts by a Boston-area museum to dismiss
a lawsuit here that seeks the return of 17 of Kevorkian's paintings
entrusted to the museum 12 years ago.
Kevorkian, who died in June at 83, was involved in 130 assisted
suicides and sparked an international "right to die" dialogue. The
controversial former pathologist had five criminal trials before being
convicted. He spent eight years in prison and was paroled in 2007.
Before he went to prison, he loaned 17 of his paintings to the Armenian
Library and Museum Association, and Mayer Morganroth said before his
death, Kevorkian indicated to Morganroth he wanted the artwork returned
to Michigan for the benefit of his niece, Ava Janus, who lives in Troy.
"The museum filed a lawsuit over the paintings in federal court in
Massachusetts first, so they feel that is the proper venue," said
Morganroth, executor of Kevorkian's estate.
"Well, Kevorkian lived here, his estate is here and I am here. This
is the proper jurisdiction, not Massachusetts."
The museum's attorney, Gerald Gleeson, could not be reached for
comment Friday.
His request to have the Oakland Circuit Court case dismissed goes
before Judge Martha Anderson on Wednesday.
Morganroth sued for the paintings' return last year while preparing
for a New York City auction of Kevorkian memorabilia, including his
bizarre, some believe grotesque, oil paintings. Morganroth has an
agreement, signed by Kevorkian and an ALMA official, that said the
paintings were to be returned to Kevorkian on request.
The museum contends the curator did not have the authority to make
such an agreement.
"Well, they never would have had the paintings if not for the
agreement," Morganroth said.
The New York auction, which included Kevorkian's infamous Thanatron
- Greek for "death machine" - fizzled, with many bidders scared off
because of the ongoing legal dispute, Morganroth said.
"There were six museums which stayed away (from the auction) because
of the dispute, and I can't blame them," Morganroth said.
"We had bids of $80,000 on some of the paintings, but they were
withdrawn because of the legal dispute."
Morganroth said Kevorkian's artwork had an appraised value of more
than $2.5 million.
From: A. Papazian