James Brown’s embalmed body remains unburied and is in his gold sealed casket in an “undisclosed” location amid questions over who will inherit his fortune, and presumably who has control over the body. His South Carolina mansion was locked shortly after his death by the trustees of his will, his lawyer and accountant, who locked out his last partner and sort-of wife, Tomi Rae and her five year-old son with Brown. Tomi Rae was finally allowed to enter the home she shared with Brown after a judge ordered that she could retreive personal items. She was let into the estate on Friday accompanied by the trustees of the will and three of Brown’s adult children. She left with clothing and items belonging to her son.

James Brown’s long term butler, who probably needed the money after he lost his job, has told The Enquirer that Tomi Rae, 36, was deliberately snubbed by Brown in the will because he thought she was gay. He says it broke Brown’s heart that his wife liked women more than him, and that she was having an affair with one of his female backup singers:

In an astonishingly candid interview, Roosevelt Johnson – Brown’s close companion and personal valet for 40 years – claims the singer died with a broken heart because his marriage was a sham.

Johnson claims that it was Brown’s belief that his last wife Tomi Rae had sex with women – and was having an affair with one of his backup singers…

“People in James’ entourage knew there was something going on between Tomi Rae and Candice. I even saw them kiss on the lips in a dressing room.”

Despite Tomi Rae’s supposed sexual preference and the embarassment it caused him, James did not want to lose her, says Johnson.

“But he told me: ‘She wants me to remarry her. I never will. She’s a lesbian. And I’m cuttig her out of my will, too.'”

[From The National Enqurier print edition, January 19, 2007]

When questioned, the backup dancer Candice told The Enquirer she was gay but said nothing happened with Tomi Rae. Candice did say that she heard Brown call Tomi Rae a lesbian all the time. Rae also denied an affair with Candice.

Brown’s butler Johnson said “There’s no question that’s why he would not legitimize their marriage and why he left her nothing at his death.”

I read that Brown’s will was drawn up before he “married” Tomi Rae and that she was not deliberately snubbed, but it could be true that Brown suspected she was gay but stuck by her anyway.

The Enquirer ran a story in an older edition, I think it was the January 15 print date, showing Tomi Rae out singing karaoke with her friend right after Brown’s funeral. I didn’t mention it as maybe she just needed to blow off steam after the sad event.