Casey Anthony's BK trustee asks judge to allow sale of rights to her life story

[ValleYum]

Hubs and I were watching the news when a blurb about Casey Anthony being BACK in BK Court for a hearing. Her trustee wants to auction off the rights to Casey Anthony's life story.

OMG are Casey's lawyers howling. There are bids already in place for at least $10k by a TX attorney who is doing this:

"(First)... to demonstrate that the asset has present value; second, to ensure that the proceeds from the sale of the asset are applied to the payment of her existing debts (which is a basic premise of Chapter 7 bankruptcy); and third, to ensure that the sale of the asset takes place in the clear light of day," he said.

Also, the bankruptcy trustee and his attorney said they are now following the paper trail to see if there were any fraudulent transfers of money and misstatements of Anthony's assets when she testified last month.

Though the bankruptcy judge denied requests from attorneys for Zenaida Gonzalez and Roy Kronk to ask those questions, they said they are glad to know the trustee is issuing a subpoena to Jose Baez to ask about potential hidden assets like payment for some 2011 tabloid photos Anthony said were set up by Baez

Read more: http://www.wesh.com/news/casey-antho...#ixzz2Q2itPk2K

The judge will rule in 30 days.

The tape of her 341 (~40 minutes is what the paper says) is here: http://www.wesh.com/blob/view/-/1917...sey-Audio.null

Should the judge rule to allow the sale of publishing rights to a book not yet written?? Thoughts??

Another good article here:

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/09/17670492-florida-judge-delays-decision-on-selling-rights-to-casey-anthonys-life-story?lite

[mountanddo]

I can't see that this is right. They don't expect other people who file bankruptcy to auction off assets that don't exist before filing. This is the same thing. Otherwise what is the point in filing? I hope this is not granted.

[Floridagail]

I wish it would go thru, but it probably will get knocked down. She always gets the breaks.

[powerless]

This is sticky. If, let's say Penguin Publishing in New York accepts a book proposal for a biography of her life and it's written by a third person -- we'll call Betty Plume -- Casey wouldn't get anything. Betty Plume would get the advance and any royalties after the book is published. The book would not be property of Casey's bankruptcy estate.

Usually when the rights to a life story are sold, it's with the cooperation of the person -- or with the person's estate and family if the person is deceased. I don't see how they can force her to cooperate with whomever buys the rights if it gets that far.

Additionally there are a number of rights, book rights, movie rights, TV rights, and International rights. Which rights are being sold?

[Pjmax]

I believe we have a member here with an unsold screenplay in question by his/her trustee. Intellectual property can have as much or more value than a tangible asset.

It's kind of hard to wish one of the most hated people in America a good outcome, but what will this ruling mean for the more-deserving BK people out there?

[msm859]

I can't see that this is right. They don't expect other people who file bankruptcy to auction off assets that don't exist before filing. This is the same thing. Otherwise what is the point in filing? I hope this is not granted.

Agreed. The judge should issue a quick denial, otherwise this would be a slippery slope. She never has to sell or cooperate with any one regarding her life story. Most people who file BK have a clear "potential" to make money in the "future". That is why some people end up in chapter 13. If she qualifies for a chapter 7 she should get a clean dismissal - period.

[powerless]

An unsold screenplay is an asset because it's already been written. It just hasn't been sold yet. Truth be told the value of that asset is close to $0. It's extremely difficult to get a screenplay sold by an unknown.

[ValleYum]

What about Ms. Zenaida Gonzales (aka the woman said to be Zanny the Nanny) and about Roy Kronk (meter reader)? This filing effectively stops their Defamation lawsuits against Casey.

Towards the end of the 341, a lawyer for one of the two mentioned above read from a newspaper article printed 3 days before Casey's 341 meeting and quoted that one of Casey's attorneys (Mr. Green) had made stating that had offers for her story, movie rights, etc.

Casey was asked numerous times if she had a diary, or any writings. She said no each time. I sure would love to have a computer expert take a look at her laptop's hard drive because I just have a hard time believing that. One of the attorney's asked what email programs she used - that seemed odd to me, too.

She also posed for some pics taken in September 2011 that she said had no value - but that Jose Baez sold. Hmmmm.

Not sure what to think about her rights to her "story", movie rights, etc. - it could be a slippery slope but if she spoke with someone prior to filing about a book, movie, or rights to same - that kind of makes me wonder.

[Pjmax]

I would bet her attorneys are hoping she keeps her story rights so they get paid.

[powerless]

I think what the trustee may not understand is that even if the rights to her life story were sold, that in no way prevents someone else from writing about her. I would not be surprised if two or three of the major publishing houses haven't already contracted a biography with a true crime writer. I also think that there's a movie or two in the works about her life.