Nichelle Nichols's son became her conservator in 2019 and fought her manager in court; after her 2022 death a jury awarded her family $13 million, capped at $400,000

Nichelle Nichols was diagnosed with dementia in early 2018. After a dispute over her manager and caretaker, Gilbert Bell, her son Kyle Johnson petitioned for conservatorship, and a Los Angeles court granted it in January 2019. Bell sued in Los Angeles Superior Court over eviction from her guest house. Johnson cross-complained, alleging Bell used undue influence to control her pension, Social Security and other assets. Bell told the Los Angeles Times his arrangement was meant to protect her finances. Bell has also sued Johnson and the estate for unpaid management fees and alleged Johnson sold her house for $2.2 million; these are allegations. A relative's GoFundMe page alleged Bell took at least $1 million. No ruling on the merits was found^†. Nichols died on 30 July 2022 in Silver City after lawyers say she was sent from Gila Regional Medical Center to an assisted living center. Her family sued, alleging staff missed acute heart failure. On about 4 June 2026 a Sixth Judicial District Court jury awarded $13 million after an eight-day trial and about two hours of deliberation. Because the county owns the hospital, the Tort Claims Act caps recovery, and the family's lawyer said it can collect at most $400,000. A second suit against HealthTech Management Services is pending in Santa Fe.