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James Byrd's family feuding as TV film date nears
Byrd's family feuding as TV film date nears
Rift, lawsuit develop over donated money
By CINDY HORSWELL
Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle
A television movie will soon air detailing how a small East Texas town recovered after a black man, James Byrd Jr., was chained to a pickup and dragged to death by three white men.
But as the movie about reconciliation airs June 8 -- a day after the fifth anniversary of Byrd's death -- his family is feuding and barely speaking.
A rift has developed between Byrd's children and other family members, mostly over donated money.
The victim's son, Ross Byrd, and daughter, Renee Byrd Mullins, also said they are hurt that nobody consulted them about the Showtime movie Jasper, Texas. They also complained about being excluded from a private family viewing of the film.
The children have filed a petition in district court seeking an accounting from their grandparents, aunts and uncles of public donations made in tribute to their father.
"There have been rumors of large donations. People who felt sorry for us sent cash and checks. And it is still coming in," said the daughter, 32, who was medically discharged from the military with a back injury in 1996 and now stays home with two children.
"People gave from all over the world -- famous ones like Oprah Winfrey and Don King. People opened their hearts and wanted to help his kids," said Ross Byrd, 24, who was discharged from the Army in 1999 and has since been trying to start a career as a rap singer.
Both children are living in a small rental house in Lufkin with their mother, while a third child, Jamie, attends Texas Southern University in Houston. Their parents divorced in 1993 after two decades of marriage.
The children's grandmother, Stella Byrd, who has lived in the same frame house for decades, denies ever receiving any windfall. She said she has kept records but declined to say how much money was received.
"Oprah only sent us a bouquet of flowers," she said. "Those kids just want free money. They need to get a job like the rest of my children. I've been pushed far enough. I don't want to have anything more to do with my grandchildren. They just keep lying and lying."
She notes that the judge "refused to give them anything" when he denied the children's request to review family members' bank accounts and financial records. The judge said the request was too broad.
But the case is pending because the children's attorney filed an amended request that limited the time frame for the search. Mullins has since dismissed that attorney and said she and her brother are temporarily representing themselves.
Meanwhile, their grandmother is thinking of taking legal action to stop them from talking about her.
She acknowledges that one benefactor bought her a luxury car, but not much else. Much of the rest of the money was used to pay for her son's bills and burial in a vault, she said, as well as establishing the James Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing.
Anything that arrived addressed to the children was forwarded to them, she added, including $45,000 in cash that her grandchildren split.
She said the grandchildren also were given college scholarships, which Ross Byrd and Renee Mullins have failed to use.
"This all hurts, because I've been helping take care of these children since they came into the world," she said.
While the daughter and son acknowledge receiving the $45,000, they want to know what other money was collected and where it has gone.
Meanwhile, they consider the movie another "slap in the face," Mullins said.
"I was not involved and have yet to view it. But some of my dad's side of the family has seen it. The producers should have contacted and included us," said the daughter, who dreads seeing a re-enactment of her father's grisly death.
Her brother also wants to know who may have profited from helping with the movie's production.
In a written statement, Showtime said it had secured "whatever rights were necessary in connection with production of the film."
Stella Byrd said she had nothing to do with making the movie and was never paid anything. When she and some other family members were allowed to see it at a private showing recently, she said, "It was all right."
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I am a woman, I make mistakes. I make them often. God has given me a talent and that's it. ~ Jill Scott
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