Larry Speakes had one of those classic Washington careers. A small-town guy with a Mississippi drawl who was promoted amid crisis into a top White House job, he served longer than any other press secretary of the past half-century, wrote a controversial memoir -- then receded into quiet corporate life.
Now 69 and suffering the effects of Alzheimer's disease, the veteran Reagan aide is at the center of a bitter family feud. His third wife is battling two of his children from an earlier marriage over who should oversee his estate and take responsibility for his care -- one side slinging allegations of abduction, the other side claiming neglect.
The two sides faced off in a courtroom, where his wife of eight years, Aleta Sindelar Speakes sought to overturn the conservatorship a judge granted last year to Larry Speakes's daughter, Sondra Speakes Huerta. Not in court: Speakes, who now lives in a nearby assisted-living home not far from his daughter, and 1,000 miles away from his wife. His children, their lawyer Jamie Jacks decided "it was not necessary for him to be present."
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The Speakes Family Battle Goes South
Now 69 and suffering the effects of Alzheimer's disease, the veteran Reagan aide is at the center of a bitter family feud. His third wife is battling two of his children from an earlier marriage over who should oversee his estate and take responsibility for his care -- one side slinging allegations of abduction, the other side claiming neglect.
The two sides faced off in a courtroom, where his wife of eight years, Aleta Sindelar Speakes sought to overturn the conservatorship a judge granted last year to Larry Speakes's daughter, Sondra Speakes Huerta. Not in court: Speakes, who now lives in a nearby assisted-living home not far from his daughter, and 1,000 miles away from his wife. His children, their lawyer Jamie Jacks decided "it was not necessary for him to be present."
Full Article and Source:
The Speakes Family Battle Goes South
10 comments:
This battle will result in a third-party conservatorship.
Sadly, Larry Speaks will be the greatest victim.
Of course it's necessary for Larry Speaks to have been present at the hearing -- it's his life they're deciding for him for crying out loud.
I bet the lawyers are lining up with big smiles on their faces!
Another person stripped of dignity and rights under color of law, in this case a well-known individual will be turned into a product of probate racket to generate profit via the guardianship racket for the person who wins the title: guardian / conservator. It's all about the $.
Larry Speakes' wife and his daughter need to sit down and iron this out -- and keep it out of court!
This battle is going to take everything Larry Speakes worked a lifetime to attain.
The lawyers will walk away with it all.
Another case of the lawyers profiting because of a family dispute.
And of course, Larry Speakes will be the victim of all of this.
The more money, the bigger the smiles!
Not Speaks alone: every family member may become a victim - ofo the hungry lawyers!
Did Mr. Speakes ever name a POA or leave any instructions on how to proceed once he found out about his illness?
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