Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Larry Speakes Estate Ruling Disputed

Was former White House press secretary Larry Speakes, who is suffering from Alzheimer's disease, abducted from his wife's care in 2008? Or had she already neglected and abandoned him?The state Supreme Court could hear the family feud over who oversees the care and $1 million estate of this Mississippi native. It depends on whether justices agree to hear the appeal by Speakes' wife, who is fighting a Bolivar County Chancery Court ruling that awarded conservatorship to Speakes' daughter, Sondra Lanell Speakes Huerta of Cleveland.

Jack Andrews of Kentucky, one of the attorneys for Speakes' wife, said she was never notified of an August 2008 hearing in which the judge granted the conservatorship. Speakes, 70, has hardly been able to speak to his wife since he's been abducted, he said. "The spouse of a prisoner on death row has greater rights than the wife has been given to communicate with her husband in this case."

Jamie Jacks of Cleveland, Huerta's attorney, said Speakes' wife, Aleta Sindelar, previously agreed to terms that limited her contact to two phone calls a week and a 30-day written notice for any supervised visitation in exchange for forgiving most of the $120,000 Sindelar took from Speakes' accounts or borrowed after he was diagnosed in February 2008 with Alzheimer's.

Full Article and Source:
Speakes Estate Ruling Disputed

See Also:
Twist in Speakes Battle

8 comments:

StandUp said...

I hate the generic term, "family feud". It makes it seem like the participants are the Hatfields and the McCoys. And that's not what these battles are about. The intent of these disputes is in regard to the care of the person or the management of the person's estate --- real important issues.

Not generic "family feuds"

Barbara said...

Did you see the quote --- "The spouse of a prisoner on death row has greater rights than the wife has been bigen to communicate with her husband in this case"

How true.

"Supervised" visitation should never be allowed unless a person has been proven to be a danger to the ward.

Anonymous said...

Speaks needs his wife, especially now.

Anonymous said...

Both the wife and the daughter should be allowed to visit or communicate with Speakes whenever they want. They can work it out --

Max said...

If the wife neglected and abandoned him, there should be a police report so saying.

Is there?

Or are allegations just being made and those allegations are growing their own feet?

Watching said...

I feel sorry for Larry Speaks. He is the one being deprived. This family should work it out and keep it out of court.

jerri said...

this is an example of how nobody and i mean nobody knows what is in our future how sad it is that aging is our own enemy attacking body and mind my prayers are with the family and Larry Speakes who needs love and compassion now more than ever

Thelma said...

Families should do everything they can to stay out of court!