Page 29 - Aruba Today

PEOPLE & ARTS A29
APNewsBreak: Casey Kasem’s
widow sued for wrongful death
In this Feb. 24, 2013 file photo, singer Adele arrives at the Os- ANTHONY McCARTNEY
cars in Los Angeles. Adele’s new album “25” has sold more than AP Entertainment Writer
2.3 million copies in the United States during its first three days LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three
on the market, a stunning number for a music industry that has of the radio personal-
seen sales steadily fall in the digital era. ity Casey Kasem’s children
and his brother sued his
Associated Press widow on Wednesday,
claiming her actions led to
Adele announces his death in 2014.
The wrongful death lawsuit
first tour in five years filed in Los Angeles Supe-
rior Court accuses Jean
for new album ‘25’ Kasem of elder abuse and
inflicting emotional distress The 28-page lawsuit gives
LONDON (AP) — Adele has announced her first tour since on Kasem’s children from
2011, with a string of European dates in support of her a previous marriage by re-
record-breaking new album, “25.” stricting access to their fa- the extent of his ailments
The British singer announced Thursday that she will play ther before his death.
venues in Britain and Europe starting Feb. 29 in Belfast, “Casey’s early death oc-
Northern Ireland. curred as a direct and
Adele has previously said she finds touring lonely. But in proximate result of Jean’s
a video on Facebook, the 27-year-old said she was “re- neglect and physical
lieved to finally tell you I am of course coming on tour and abuse of Casey,” the law-
I can’t wait to see all of you there.” suit states.
The album sold a record 2.4 million copies in its first four A call and email sent to
days in the U.S., according to Nielsen Music. In Britain, it Jean Kasem’s attorney, H.
sold 737,000 copies in its first week. Michael Soroy, was not im-
The first single, “Hello,” is a hit on both sides of the Atlantic. mediately returned.
One reason for the astronomical sales may be that Adele The longtime “American
declined to make her album available through music- Top 40” host had a form
streaming services including Apple Music and Spotify, of dementia and a severe
forcing listeners to buy it either digitally and at stores. bedsore when he died at
It can be heard via U.S.-based online radio company age 82.
Pandora Music Inc., which announced this week that it Kerri, Julie and Michael Kas- unmarked grave. That was
was playing all the songs on “25.” q em are joined in the lawsuit
by their uncle, Mouner. The
Signed editions of lawsuit seeks more than
$250,000, although a jury
Harper Lee novel would have to decide any
damage award.
offered for $1,500 Prosecutors earlier this year are seeking “fair recom-
declined to charge Jean
NEW YORK (AP) — How much is a signed Harper Lee nov- Kasem with elder abuse, a
el worth? Her publisher is offering a special edition of “Go decision that Kerri Kasem
Set a Watchman” for $1,500. said Wednesday led to her
HarperCollins Publishers announced Wednesday that 500 family filing the civil case. physical effect on their be-
collector’s editions are available — leather bound with “We would rather see her in
gold foil stamping, inside a velvet-lined cloth box. Harp- jail than receive one dime,”
erCollins told The Associated Press that Lee, 89 and in frail Kerri Kasem said. “We don’t
condition, signed the books during the past few months. care about the money. We
Prices on eBay for signed Harper Lee books range from care about justice.”
$1,000 for an anniversary edition of “To Kill a Mockingbird” The lawsuit follows years of
to $15,000 for a signed and inscribed first edition of her legal wrangling between
Pulitzer Prize winning novel. q Jean Kasem and three
of his adult children from
a previous marriage. The
groups fought over visita-
tion access to Casey Kas-
em before his death in June
2014, with his daughter Kerri
Kasem assuming control of
his medical care.
A Los Angeles judge
stripped Jean Kasem of
decision-making authority
over concerns about her
decision to move Casey
Kasem from a medical fa-
cility in Santa Monica, Cali-
Friday 27 November 2015
In this Oct. 27, 2003, file photo, Casey Kasem poses for photog-
raphers after receiving the Radio Icon award during The 2003
Radio Music Awards at the Aladdin Resort and Casino in Las Ve-
gas.
Associated Press
fornia, to a friend’s home in is reprehensible,” Kerri Kas-
Washington state. em said. “It’s disgusting. It’s
Jean Kasem contended horrific.”
at the time she moved her Los Angeles prosecutors in
husband to protect his pri- May rejected filing elder
vacy. abuse charges against
Jean Kasem, saying they
a detailed account of Kas- could not prove at trial that
em’s final days, including her actions led to the radio
host’s death. An explana-
and the family infighting tion of the decision stated
swirling around him. Jean Kasem ensured her
It states that in the months husband was medically
before Casey Kasem’s supervised during his trans-
death, his wife repeatedly port from Santa Monica to
left him in various hospitals Washington, which includ-
for days despite the fact ed a brief stay in Las Vegas.
he was ready to be dis- “Because of Mr. Kasem’s
charged. longstanding profound
health issues, this case can-
The lawsuit also details not be proven beyond
numerous confrontations a reasonable doubt to a
about Kasem’s care, and jury,” the decision stated.
it states Jean Kasem trans- “The development of a
ported his body to Norway bedsore by itself is insuf-
where it was buried in an ficient evidence of abuse
or neglect because of Mr.
despite Casey Kasem’s Kasem’s overall weakened
wishes to be buried at a health.” Casey and Jean
cemetery in Los Angeles, Kasem were married for
the lawsuit states. more than 30 years.
The lawsuit states the Kas- Casey Kasem’s legacy
em’s children and brother reached well beyond mu-
sic. His voice was heard
pense for the suffering they as the character Shaggy
personally endured from in the “Scooby-Doo” TV
witnessing the abuse and cartoons and in numerous
its painful and damaging commercials.
His “American Top 40” be-
loved father and brother, gan July 4, 1970, in Los An-
and the gross treatment geles. In his signoff, Casey
and disposition of Casey Kasem’s would tell viewers:
Kasem’s remains in an un- “And don’t forget: Keep
marked grave in a distant your feet on the ground,
land unknown to him or his and keep reaching for the
family.” stars.” q
“What she did to my father