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Family dispute over MLK’s Bible, Nobel in Fulton Court

By
Feb 4, 2014

Bernice King, in a stinging rebuke against her brothers, is accusing them of trying to physically sell their father’s Nobel Peace Prize, as well as the family Bible used by president Barack Obama when he was sworn in for the second time as president.

On Friday, brothers Martin Luther King III and Dexter Scott King filed a complaint in the Fulton County Superior Court on behalf of the King Estate for emergency injunctive relief, claiming their sister has hidden the items.

The suit seeks to have the items turned over to Martin King III, who is the chairman of the estate’s board.

In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Bernice King said that last month, her brothers informed her that they wanted to sell the items, which she opposes.

“While I love my brothers dearly, this latest decision by them is extremely troubling. Not only am I appalled and utterly ashamed, I am frankly disappointed that they would even entertain the thought of selling these precious items. It reveals a desperation beyond comprehension,” Bernice King said. “Our Father MUST be turning in his grave.”

Please return to ajc.com for updates.

About the Author

Ernie Suggs is an enterprise reporter covering race and culture for the AJC since 1997. A 1990 graduate of N.C. Central University and a 2009 Harvard University Nieman Fellow, he is also the former vice president of the National Association of Black Journalists. His obsession with Prince, Spike Lee movies, Hamilton and the New York Yankees is odd.

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