X-Message-Number: 19563
Subject: SF Gate: Williams' children ask for second chance at mediation
From: "John B. Krug" <>
Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 18:56 -0700

 Here's the latest! Live Long And Prosper! Best Regards! JBK
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This article was sent to you by someone who found it on SF Gate.
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http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2002/07/18/sports0357EDT0160.DTL
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Thursday, July 18, 2002 (AP)
Williams' children ask for second chance at mediation
MIKE SCHNEIDER, Associated Press Writer


   (07-18) 00:57 PDT INVERNESS, Fla. (AP) --
   Ted Williams' final wish was to have his body frozen, and the two youngest
children of the baseball great say they have the authority to make sure
it's granted.
   John Henry Williams and Claudia Williams stated their beliefs in a court
filing on Wednesday. It was in response to their father's will, which said
that he wanted to be cremated and have his ashes spread at sea. But the
executor of the 1996 will said Williams changed his mind on what should be
done with his remains.
   Williams died on July 5. He was 83.
   The two Williams children also said the Florida court where the will was
filed does not have jurisdiction over their father's body because it is no
longer there. The body has been moved to the Alcor Life Extension
Foundation in Arizona so it can be cryogenically frozen.
   A judge could decide whether Williams wanted to be frozen or cremated
because of the conflicting accounts of his intentions.
   But the two children also asked the judge on Wednesday for a second chance
to work out an agreement privately with their half sister, Bobby-Jo
Williams Ferrell, who wants the body cremated.
   They asked a judge to order a mandatory mediation session with Ferrell in
order to avoid a public showdown in court.
   "John Henry and Claudia feel strongly that the disposition of their
father's body is a private matter," their attorney, Robert Goldman, said
in the motion.
   The children of the former Boston Red Sox slugger already have tried
mediation, negotiating for hours Monday, but they were unable to reach a
compromise.
   "We believe a second meeting could very easily result in a common
understanding of Mr. Williams' wishes and moot the need for a judicial
resolution," the motion said.
   Ferrell's attorney, Richard Fitzpatrick, said an agreement is possible.
   "There's middle ground everywhere," Fitzpatrick said. "Now this is a very
difficult case to find that -- I agree with that -- but I'm not about to
say there's no possibility that there couldn't be any middle ground."
   Ferrell has accused her half brother of trying to profit off their
father's remains or sell his DNA, which he denies.
   "One point should be made clear," Goldman said at a news conference.
"Claudia and John Henry Williams will never profit off their father's body
or the disposition of their father's remains."
   Cryonics advocates say science might one day be able to thaw a body, cure
whatever killed the person and restore life. Most experts say that's
highly unlikely.

 
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Copyright 2002 AP

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