TOMI RAE SEEKS HALF OF JAMES BROWN ESTATE

*Claiming to be the surviving spouse of James Brown, Tomi Rae Hynie filed a petition in Aiken County probate court Thursday seeking half of the singer’s estate and to be allowed back into the South Carolina home she was locked out of following his death. Brown's attorney and trustee, Buddy Dallas, claims Hynie never asked for any personal items from the singer's home. "She never requested anything," Dallas said. "She's used a camera crew and a lawsuit. I'm sure the court will inquire into it and make a proper determination." As previously reported, Hynie and the 5-year-old son were not included in Brown’s will, which divided his possessions among his six adult children. Brown's trust is separate from his will and contains most of the singer's primary assets, including music rights and his 60-acre Beech Island home. "We say the will, since it omitted her, is not valid and that the trust is not valid for a variety of reasons," Rosen said. Brown's attorneys contend that Hynie is not Brown's widow because she was still married to another man when she and Brown said their vows in 2001. They have said Hynie later annulled her previous marriage, but she and Brown never remarried. Hynie says she was legally married to Brown.