John Singleton’s Family Is Fighting Over His Estate As He Remains On Life Support (UPDATE)

There was some sad news over a week ago when it was reported that director John Singleton was in the hospital after what was described as a mild stroke. Things got worse when it was revealed that the stroke was anything but mild and John was actually put in a medically induced coma. Things are now moving over into even worse territory, as now it’s being reported that while John is still in a coma his family is already fighting over all his money.

John checked into the hospital after a flight from Costa Rica because he felt some pain in his leg and he ended up suffering a stroke right there in the hospital. He’s been on life-support ever since. TMZ is reporting that now the drama is brewing in the Singleton family. Specifically: the money drama.

John has been in the ICU since he suffered a stroke April 17th, and afterward his mother, Shelia Ward, filed for a conservatorship so she could make medical decisions for him. It seems reasonable, a mother taking control of the decisions surrounding the medical care of her afflicted adult child. But John’s daughter, Cleopatra, is not here for it and smells something fishy! And so do John’s current girlfriend and his estranged father–who’d have guessed?

Cleopatra filed a motion last week to block her grandmother’s conservatorship over John, claiming Shelia was trying to:

“Liquidate all of John’s assets and freeze out his 4 children. She also insisted her father was not in a coma and was improving every day.”

Family insiders tell TMZ that Cleopatra did this because she’s scared about getting access to Singleton’s $35 million estate. TMZ is being told that Cleopatra thinks Shelia will:

“Make it impossible for her, and others in the family, to gain access to Singleton’s money.”

Problem for Cleopatra is that Shelia is also John’s longtime business manager, so it’s not crazy that she would be handling professional decisions as well as medical ones considering the whole: “Next of kin” thing. Shelia also denies trying to screw over John’s kids. But Cleopatra is still calling foul and wants either John’s son, Maasai, or his estranged father, Danny, be appointed conservators. Girl, if “estranged” is in the descriptor, chances are you aren’t gonna be considered.

There were then reports that John had died, but his publicist denied that, saying he’s still on life support at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

I really hope this doesn’t get messy, but it’s lots and lots of money so it definitely chances are that it will. Just once can’t a tragedy bring rich people together the way it’s supposed to?

UPDATE: A rep for the family sadly announced that he will be taken off life support today.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce that our beloved son, father and friend, John Daniel Singleton will be taken off of life support today. This was an agonizing decision, one that our family made, over a number of days, with the careful counsel of John’s doctors.”

Pic: Wenn.com