Sherman Hemsley's body stayed in a funeral home refrigerator for months while a half-brother contested his will

Sherman Hemsley played George Jefferson on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons." He died of lung cancer at his El Paso home on July 24, 2012, at 74. On June 13, 2012, a month after his diagnosis, he signed a will naming Flora Enchinton Bernal, his manager who had lived with him for a decade, as executor and sole heir. Richard Thornton, 78, of Philadelphia, said he was Hemsley's brother, challenged the will, and asked for the body and possessions. Hemsley's embalmed body stayed under refrigeration at San Jose Funeral Home. Enchinton said she had never heard of Thornton in 20 years. Thornton's lawyer questioned whether Hemsley was of sound mind; the lawyer who drafted the will said he never suspected incapacity. DNA tests showed a 99.99 percent probability that the two were half-brothers. Thornton testified that their father was a Methodist minister and that Hemsley was born from an extramarital relationship. Thornton's lawyer said the judge did not consider the DNA because Thornton missed a deadline. Judge Patricia Chew upheld the will and gave Enchinton control of the remains. Court documents put the estate at more than $50,000. Thornton's family said he "didn't come after money." Enchinton planned a military funeral at Fort Bliss National Cemetery, where Hemsley is buried^†.