Family feud over man's fortune rages on

Thursday, July 27, 2006

Ted Oberg
More: Bio, abc13.com News Team, E-mail

(7/27/06 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- For love or money? It's a family feud caught up in the courts -- a battle over a multi-million dollar estate and the man at the center of it all is refusing to budge.

Perry Whatley, 83, spends his days working out the kinks of old age. The World War II Marine spent his career working for Exxon at the Baytown refinery. He and longtime wife Florence had no kids and amassed a $2.5 million fortune. When Florence got sick, the couple hired Dawn Johnson to take care of her. And after she died, Dawn stuck around to care for Perry. A short while later Perry and Dawn got married themselves.

"I guess I was more or less lonely," Perry said. "(It wasn't) necessarily (love). Maybe some."

The marriage brought court troubles. Perry's niece and nephew thought they should take care of their uncle, and not his new wife. The judge appointed a lawyer instead.

"It was more or less money, really," Perry suggested.

In 12 months, the case has moved from the old probate court, to the state appeals courts, to the federal court and now to the new probate court. Nothing's been solved, about a million dollars of Whatley's estate has disappeared. And now so has Perry Whatley. His lawyers were ordered to bring him to court Thursday morning. They didn't. Judge Mike Wood said if they don't bring him next week, Mr. and Mrs. Whatley, "will be brought to court in chains" by deputies.

The case is seemingly without end and now Perry Whatley's lawyer complains of cronyism. According to court documents, Whatley's guardian somehow knew he would be appointed more than a week before Judge Wood had a hearing on the matter.

Attorney Susan Norman said, "To me it proves that there is collusion and conspiracy with somebody."

The last state appeal stripped Whatley of his guardian. Next week, the judge could give him one back.

Perry said, "I tell the judge he better stay behind me a few days."

Judge Wood said he is only interested in protecting Mr. Whatley's safety, and maybe some of his fortune. Though after this long, Judge Wood admitted in court, that may be difficult.
(Copyright © 2006, KTRK-TV)

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