PROVO — Child actor Gary Coleman's cremation will have to wait another 48 hours, a 4th District Court judge ruled Monday afternoon.
Judge James Taylor said the cremation must wait two days so Anna Gray, a possible inheritor of Coleman's estate, has time to see the body. Taylor also ruled that an impartial third party will manage and guard Coleman's estate until a permanent executor is chosen in court.
The battle for control of Coleman's estate is between Shannon Price, Coleman's ex-wife, and Gray, Coleman's former girlfriend, manager and business partner.
Gray filed a petition for the estate under a 2005 will that names her as executor. But Price's court filings argue she and Coleman shared a common-law marriage, that she had power of attorney at the time of his death and that she's listed as Coleman's wife on his death certificate.
Price does not have a will to support her claim, but she did file a hand-written addendum dated 2007 and signed by Coleman, naming her the sole heir of the actor's estate.
Dion Mial, Coleman's friend and former manager, also filed a petition for control of Coleman's estate under a 1999 will. But Mial's attorney withdrew his claim at Monday's hearing after Gray's attorney produced a more recent will.
In court Monday, Judge Taylor ordered that Robert L. Jeffs, president elect of the Utah State Bar, be named special administrator of Coleman's estate until the lawsuit between Gray and Price is settled and a permanent administrator can be named. Jeffs is to manage Coleman's estate and oversee the cremation of his remains, but not until Gray has had a chance to see them one more time.
Gray's attorney, Randy Kester, said Gray would be "absolutely giddy" at the judge's decision to delay cremation. Gray will be coming from Oregon to see the body.
"She was very concerned his body would be disposed of before she could see his face again," Kester said. "She just wants to see him. … It's purely sentimental."
Taylor's decision to delay cremation met several objections by one of Price's attorneys. Mitchell Maughan argued the remains should be cremated as soon as possible in everyone's "best interest," and to avoid the expense of storing the body.
Once he receives an official court order, Jeffs said it will be his job to arrange for Coleman's cremation after the two-day window is up.
According to Kester, Coleman and Gray had a close relationship for more than eight years. First it was professional, when Gray served as Coleman's manager and business associate, but it eventually became personal and romantic.
Kester said Gray even moved to Utah with Coleman, but after a "period of conflict" with Price, Gray "chose not to be a part of that" and left.
Kester said he hadn't spoken to Gray about whether she wanted Price to have any part in Coleman's estate.
No one from Price's legal party commented after the Monday's hearing, and phone calls Monday afternoon and evening were not returned. Price said nothing in court and carried a small bin and tissues, as if she might throw up.
Jeffs will manage Coleman's estate while Gray and Price continue their dealings in court. He won't have liberty to make any decisions beyond securing assets and carrying out court orders and won't be dividing any of Coleman's belongings as outlined in the 2005 will. That will be reserved for a permanent executor, Taylor ruled.
Both Kester and Jeffs said they don't expect a quick resolution.
"I couldn't imagine it would be shorter than a few months," Jeffs said. "I have been involved in probate disputes that lasted more than a couple of years."
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