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SUIT OVER KEVORKIAN ART BACK IN MASSACHUSETTS
By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120119/METRO/201190390/1409/METRO/Suit-over-Kevorkian-art-back-Massachusetts
Jan 20 2012
MI
Pontiac - A legal fight over the ownership of artwork by the late
Jack Kevorkian is headed back to Massachusetts after an Oakland
Circuit Court judge dismissed a lawsuit Wednesday filed on behalf of
his estate.
Kevorkian's friend and executor of his estate, attorney Mayer
Morganroth, filed the lawsuit here seeking return of 17 oil paintings
loaned to the Armenian Library and Museum Association (ALMA) more
than a decade ago. The Massachusetts museum says it owns the artwork.
ALMA has filed its own lawsuit in Massachusetts. The case is now
before a federal judge in that state because Morganroth has filed a
legal motion seeking to have the suit there dismissed.
Oakland Circuit Judge Martha Anderson said Wednesday because the
Massachusetts suit was filed first, it should proceed. She did not
consider the merits of either claim to ownership.
But Anderson said if the Massachusetts case is ultimately dismissed,
the matter could go back to her court.
Gerald Gleeson, an attorney for ALMA, said Anderson ruled properly
and he expects his client will ultimately be determined the legal
owner of the artwork.
According to Morganroth, Kevorkian, who died in June at age 83,
entrusted the paintings to the Armenian Library and Museum Association
12 years ago before he went to prison. Morganroth said a written
agreement, signed by him, Kevorkian and an ALMA official, spelled
out that the artwork was on loan.
Morganroth said that before his death, Kevorkian said he wanted the
artwork returned to Michigan to his niece, Ava Janus of Troy.
The museum argued the curator never had the authority to make such
an agreement. "Well, they never would have had the paintings if not
for the agreement," Morganroth said.
A sale in October of Kevorkian's work, valued at more than $2.5
million, was dampened by the lawsuit, Morganroth said.
From: A. Papazian
By Mike Martindale
The Detroit News
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120119/METRO/201190390/1409/METRO/Suit-over-Kevorkian-art-back-Massachusetts
Jan 20 2012
MI
Pontiac - A legal fight over the ownership of artwork by the late
Jack Kevorkian is headed back to Massachusetts after an Oakland
Circuit Court judge dismissed a lawsuit Wednesday filed on behalf of
his estate.
Kevorkian's friend and executor of his estate, attorney Mayer
Morganroth, filed the lawsuit here seeking return of 17 oil paintings
loaned to the Armenian Library and Museum Association (ALMA) more
than a decade ago. The Massachusetts museum says it owns the artwork.
ALMA has filed its own lawsuit in Massachusetts. The case is now
before a federal judge in that state because Morganroth has filed a
legal motion seeking to have the suit there dismissed.
Oakland Circuit Judge Martha Anderson said Wednesday because the
Massachusetts suit was filed first, it should proceed. She did not
consider the merits of either claim to ownership.
But Anderson said if the Massachusetts case is ultimately dismissed,
the matter could go back to her court.
Gerald Gleeson, an attorney for ALMA, said Anderson ruled properly
and he expects his client will ultimately be determined the legal
owner of the artwork.
According to Morganroth, Kevorkian, who died in June at age 83,
entrusted the paintings to the Armenian Library and Museum Association
12 years ago before he went to prison. Morganroth said a written
agreement, signed by him, Kevorkian and an ALMA official, spelled
out that the artwork was on loan.
Morganroth said that before his death, Kevorkian said he wanted the
artwork returned to Michigan to his niece, Ava Janus of Troy.
The museum argued the curator never had the authority to make such
an agreement. "Well, they never would have had the paintings if not
for the agreement," Morganroth said.
A sale in October of Kevorkian's work, valued at more than $2.5
million, was dampened by the lawsuit, Morganroth said.
From: A. Papazian