June 27, 2019 

By City News Service 

 

The mother of the late director John Singleton today was named permanent executor of the filmmaker's estate.

 

In granting Shelia Ward’s petition, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Gus May also admitted to probate Singleton’s will, written in November 1993. The judge directed that a petition for distribution be filed by the summer of 2020.

 

Ward had been previously been appointed temporary executor.

 

Singleton died April 29 at age 51 at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. He had gone to the hospital complaining of leg pain and suffered a massive stroke on April 17. His family said they made the “agonizing decision” to remove him from life support 12 days later.

 

Ward’s attorney, Robin Chow, said after the hearing that Singleton's 19-year-old daughter, Cleopatra, did not oppose Ward’s appointment. Before her father died, Singleton’s offspring took to task Ward’s claim that the filmmaker was in a coma.

 

Singleton was nominated for two Academy Awards for writing and directing 1991’s “Boyz N’ the Hood.” His other films include “Poetic Justice,” “Higher Learn­ing,” “Shaft” and “2 Fast 2 Furious.”

 

He is also the creator and executive producer of the FX drama series “Snowfall.”

Category: Arts & Culture