Tomi Rae Hynie

Tomi Rae Hynie (born May 21 1969) is an American singer who claims to be the widow of James Brown. Hynie is the mother of "James Joseph Brown II", born June 11 2001.Stritof, S. & Stritof, B. (2007). [http://marriage.about.com/od/entertainmen1/a/jamesbrown.htm The marriages of James Brown.] About.com: Marriage. Retrieved January 8, 2007.]

inging career

Hynie worked as a sound alike Janis Joplin impersonator in Las Vegas, Nevada and as a backup singer in the James Brown Revue. [Graham, C. (2006, December 30). [http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/femail/article.html?in_article_id=425570&in_page_id=1879 James Brown spent last days tortured by "old age and fading libido."] "The Daily Mail" (London, UK). Retrieved January 8, 2007.]

Controversy of marriage to James Brown

Much controversy surrounds Hynie's December 2001 "marriage" to James Brown.Martin, J. (2007, January 4). [http://www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/5091311.html Tomi Rae defends her relationship with James Brown.] WRDW-TV (Augusta, GA). Retrieved January 9, 2007.] According to Brown's longtime attorney, Albert "Buddy" Dallas, the marriage between Brown and Hynie was invalid because Hynie was married at that time to Javed Ahmed, a Pakistani whom Hynie claimed married her for a "green card" in an immigration fraud. Although Hynie stated that her marriage to Javed Ahmed was later annulled, the annulment for Hynie's 1997 marriage to Ahmed did not occur until April 2004. [Gardner, L. (2006, December 26). [http://www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/5018766.html Tomi Rae Hynie: "It's a blatant lie."] WRDW-TV (Augusta, GA). Retrieved January 8, 2007.] In an interview on CNN with Larry King, Hynie produced a 2001 marriage certificate as proof of her marriage to James Brown, but she did not provide King with court records pointing to an annulment of her marriage to him or to Ahmed.Anderson, V. (2007, January 5). [http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2007/01/04/0105hynie.html Probate hearing may determine whether Hynie is James Brown's widow.] "The Atlanta-Journal Constitution". Retrieved January 8, 2007.]

Annulment of previous marriage to Javed Ahmed

According to Dallas, Brown was angry and hurt that Hynie concealed her prior marriage to Javed Ahmed from him. Brown moved to file for annulment of his marriage to Hynie, which occurred after he was charged with domestic violence against her. [Singer James Brown files for annulment. "Jet Magazine", 105(8), p. 18. Retrieved January 11, 2007 from the Biography Resource Center database.] In August 2003, Brown also demonstrated his intention to annul his marriage to Hynie by taking out a full page notice in "Variety Magazine" that featured Hynie, James II and himself on vacation at Disney World to announce that he and Hynie were going their separate ways. [ [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/jabrown1.html Public announcement of annulment in "Variety Magazine".] (2003, July 22). The Smoking Gun. Retrieved January 8, 2007.] Stritof, S. & Stritof, B. (2007). [http://marriage.about.com/od/entertainmen1/a/jamesbrown_3.htm James Brown and Tomi Rae Hynie timeline: The puzzle of a complicated marriage relationship.] About.com: Marriage. Retrieved January 14, 2007.] In addition to the public notice in "Variety Magazine," Hynie was even asked to leave an overseas tour after Brown found out that she was married to another person at the time that she married him. According to Hynie, she was returning to the United States at that time to sign papers proving that her previous marriage was indeed dissolved. [James Brown's wife asked to leave tour. (2004, April 6). "The Augusta Chronicle". Retrieved January 14, 2007 from the Lexis-Nexis Academic database.]

In 2004, the annulment of the marriage between Hynie and Javed Ahmed was granted by Family Court Judge Charlie Segars-Andrews in Charleston, South Carolina, dissolving the marriage on the basis that Hynie did not consummate the marriage with Ahmed and clearing the way for Brown and Hynie to remarry. Judge Segars-Andrews also mentioned in the ruling that Ahmed was already married to at least one other woman in Pakistan and that Ahmed had fraudulently married Hynie to obtain U.S. citizenship.Eldredge, R.L. (2004, April 2004). Brown, wife get OK to unmarry, remarry. "The Atlanta Journal-Constitution", p. 2. Retrieved January 14, 2007 from the Lexis-Nexis Academic database.]

Dallas, Brown's lawyer, also mentioned that, although Hynie's marriage to Javed Ahmed was annulled after she married James Brown, the Brown-Hynie marriage was still not valid under South Carolina law because Brown and Hynie did not remarry after the annulment. Brown was to remarry Hynie once the annulment was granted, but he did not follow through on that action. According to Debra Opri, another of Brown's lawyers based in Los Angeles, Hynie knew that she was only Brown's companion, since Hynie signed a document in 2004 mentioning that she was not Brown's wife and that she would not refer to herself as his wife in the future.

Paternity of James Brown II

In a separate CNN interview, Debra Opri, another Brown family attorney, revealed to Larry King that Brown wanted a DNA test performed after his death to confirm the paternity of James II — not for Brown's sake, but for the sake of the other family members. [ [http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,21026466-5006024,00.html Brown wanted paternity test.] (2007, January 8). "The Herald Sun" (Australia). Retrieved January 8, 2007.] In April 2007, Hynie selected a guardian ad litem that she wants the court to appoint to represent James Brown II in the proceedings to establish paternity. [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040400490.html James Brown's partner selects guardian.] (2007, April 4). "The Washington Post. Retrieved April 11, 2007.]

Lockout from the Brown estate

On the day after Brown's death, Hynie returned to the Brown estate to find padlocks on the gates and security personnel guarding the property. [ [http://www.cnn.com/2006/SHOWBIZ/Music/12/26/james.brown.widow.ap/index.html Brown widow: I've been locked out.] (2006). CNN Entertainment News. Retrieved January 8, 2007.] According to Brown's attorneys, Brown's estate was secured to protect the property in trust and prevent anyone from removing the property from the estate.Anderson, V. (2007, January 12). [http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2007/01/12/lvbrown0113a_Web.html Bulk of Brown's estate to be put into trust.] "Atlanta Journal-Constitution". Retrieved January 14, 2007.] [Anderson, V. (2006, December 31). [http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2006/12/31/0101metestate.html Guards say they didn't lock Hynie out: They say they were told by lawyer to lock up to keep looters out.] "The Atlanta-Journal Constitution". Retrieved January 14, 2007.] On January 11 2007, lawyers for the Brown estate read his will, and neither Hynie nor her son James II were named as beneficiaries of the estate. [Baker, S. (2007, January 12). [http://www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/5179571.html Clear answers in James Brown's will may be some time in coming.] WRDW-TV (Augusta, GA). Retrieved January 14, 2007.]

According to Hynie's attorney, Hynie plans to contest the will to fight for a share of Brown's estate now that the will has been filed with the probate court. Hynie wants the court to rule that she was legally married to Brown at the time of his death and that she is entitled to half of Brown's estate because of marriage. [http://www.wsbtv.com/news/10770425/detail.html James Brown's "wife" plans to fight over will.] WSB-TV News (Atlanta, GA). Retrieved January 21, 2007.] After weeks of legal wrangling, Hynie received permission by the court on February 9 2007 to access the Brown estate to gather her belongings.

Burial of James Brown

After more than ten weeks since the public and private memorial services for James Brown, Hynie and Brown's children agreed on a temporary burial site for James Brown. [ [http://www.showbuzz.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/02/20/people_late_great/main2495254.shtml Deal reached on James Brown's burial place: Judge appoints administrator to oversee "Godfather of Soul's" property and trust.] (2007, February 20). CBS News: The Show Buzz. Retrieved March 10, 2007.] Brown was buried on March 10 2007 in a crypt at a temporary site near the home of Deanna Brown Thomas, one of his daughters. The private ceremony for Brown's temporary burial was attended by Brown's children, Hynie and a host of other family and friends. According to Brown's family, Brown's body will remain buried at the temporary site while a public mausoleum is built for him and a decision has been made for his final resting place. [http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/Music/03/10/james.brown.burial.ap/index.html James Brown laid to rest in temporary tomb.] (2007, March 10). CNN Entertainment News. Retrieved March 10, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.wrdw.com/news/headlines/5091311.html Tomi Rae defends her relationship with James Brown]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPzb8FA5M_o Tomi Rae Hynie discusses her relationship with James Brown on "The Insider"]