Christian Brando’s family fight over his body

A tug of war has broken out over the body of Marlon Brando's troubled son, Christian Brando, as family members feud amid speculation about his death.

The Los Angeles County coroner's office was due to perform an autopsy Tuesday on the 49-year-old, who died on Saturday.

Lawyers representing Brando's estate said at the time that Christian died of pneumonia. But some friends and family members remain unconvinced.

Christian's ex-wife Deborah Presley Brando told a US newspaper that she and Christian's mother, Anna Kashfi, want to "rule out" foul play.

Deborah said: "I believe there were suspicious activities surrounding his death."

A coroner's office spokesman said the autopsy was requested "based on [Christian's] past drug history." But some have hinted that the executors of the Brando estate could have wanted to keep Christian from challenging their decision to allow one of Marlon's Tahitian islands to be turned into a resort.

Brando biographer Peter Manso told the New York Daily News that theory was "absurd."

But he does say the executors may have "bought off" Christian by giving him more than $200,000 so Christian and the other heirs "wouldn't rock the boat."

On Monday, Deborah sued the executors, charging negligence and fraud.

She contends Christian agreed to assign his inheritance to her to settle a domestic violence dispute. Her suit also claims Brando's will "was forged."

"[Deborah] has no standing to sue," says a source close to former studio head Mike Medavoy and his fellow executors.

"How does she know the will was forged? The court will see right through this.

"There's no need for an autopsy. The payout to Christian was from the Christie's auction of Marlon's property. His children control that, not the executors."

Meanwhile, Deborah has teamed up with Kashfi and Christian's first wife, Mary McKenna, to try to block a move by Christian's siblings to have his body cremated.

"He told me he wanted to be buried," said Deborah. So far the executors have refused to pay for a burial.

"Christian led a very self-abusive life," says Manso. "But the fact that he was living on welfare and died in a city hospital would have troubled his father. The executors are sitting on $20 million. The least they could do is bury him."

"Christian's death was a tragedy," the source close to the executors adds, "but they won't be shamed into [a funeral] they're not legally allowed to pay for. "

"It's up to the Brando beneficiaries."

Deborah Presley Brando's claim to be Elvis' daughter was rejected by a judge in 1988.

By Gavin Wilson, Jan 30 2008 © Copyright 2008 - Showbiz Spy