USLegal Reporter » Wills

Inheritance by Heirs Who Assisted Suicide Upheld

Dana Altman — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 18:53:04 +0000

Wisconsin’s District 4 Court of Appeals has held that a state law that prohibits anyone who “intentionally kills” another from inheriting from the person does not apply to those who assist in suicide. In the court’s unanimous opinion, Judge Margaret Vergeront wrote, “Providing (the man) with a loaded shotgun did not deprive him of his life: he deprived himself of life by shooting himself with the shotgun,”

Edward Schunk, 63, shot himself in 2006 in a cabin on his property while dying from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a form of cancer. His estate was valued at nearly $500,000. The court granted Schunk’s wife, Linda, and youngest child, Megan Schunk, now 20, most of the estate, after five of the six older children challenged his will. The older children claimed that Linda and Megan Schunk took Schunk to the cabin, gave him a loaded shotgun and left even though they knew he was suicidal.

Legal Troubles for Trouble

Dana Altman — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 19:09:06 +0000

Leona Helmsley’s dog Trouble, who received $12 million through a pet trust upon his owner’s death, has apparently been rejected by his appointed caretaker. Helmsley named her brother, Alvin Rosenthal, as the dog’s caretaker, but he has reportedly expressed a lack of interest in caring for the dog, who is currently tended to by staffers at Helmsley’s mansion.

Helmsley also directed that the dog be laid to rest in her mausoleum when he dies. However, the cemetary has cited state law which prevents animal remains from being buried in a human graveyard.

To further compound his legal woes, Trouble’s $12 million is being eyed by a former Helmsley housekeeper, who claims the dog bit her several times during her three-month employment. The housekeeper, Zamfira Sfara, sued her employer in 2004, claiming the dog bit her numerous times. Sfara lost due to workers’ compensation laws, which the judge ruled relieved Helmsley of liability.

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/09/05/helmsley.dog.ap/index.html

Helmsley Dog Inherits $12 Million

Dana Altman — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 18:45:15 +0000

A Maltese dog named Trouble, owned by the “Queen of Mean” hotelier and real estate billionairess Leona Helmsley, has been bequeathed an inheritance of 12 million dollars by her owner’s will. After living the pampered pet life, Trouble will be buried next to Helmsley in a mausoleum.

Alvin Rosenthal, Helmsley’s brother, was named as the dog’s caretaker after Helmsley’s death, and received a large inheritance. Meanwhile, the will omitted any bequests to two of Helmsley’s grandchildren.

Because pets are considered property, they cannot legally inherit. Trouble’s care will be provided through a pet trust. A pet trust was established by Helmsley (the grantor),who left money to a trustee to make payments to the designated caretaker for the lifetime of the pet. Any remaining assets at the death of the pet usually go to a charity but they can also be paid to surviving family members if desired.

Source:

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/08/29/helmsley.dog.ap/index.html