George's Death Controversy Continues

jijaji · December 16, 2001

Friday December 14 07:04 PM EST

All things might not pass if celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred has anything to say about it.

Just days after it was learned that George Harrison's death certificate was peppered with misinformation, the camera-friendly Allred has thrown herself into the fray to, she says, make a point (and if she also winds up on TV, we're guessing that's just a happy coincidence).

The Los Angeles-based attorney--who has been involved in high-profile litigation with Tommy Lee, Courtney Love, Charlie Sheen and Aaron Spelling--has filed a formal complaint with Los Angeles officials over the handling of the Harrison death certificate.

Falsifying public records is a misdemeanor crime in California, but someone must make a formal complaint before the Los Angeles County District Attorney can investigate and decide whether to file charges.

That's why Allred stepped in. "All this must pass, but not this," the sound-bite perfect attorney told reporters at a press conference Thursday, adding the "integrity of public records is at stake."

According to his death certificate, the 58-year-old Harrison passed away from "metastatic non-small lung cancer" on November 29 at 1:20 p.m. at 1971 Coldwater Canyon in Beverly Hills--an address listed as the residence of Harrison's wife, Olivia. (Olivia's family resides in the L.A. area, but she and Harrison spent most of their time at homes in Europe and Hawaii.)

But that address doesn't exist. Harrison was believed to have died at the home of family friend and noted celebrity security expert Gavin de Becker, the person who broke the news of the death. But de Becker doesn't own any property on Coldwater Canyon. (Sources say Harrison died at a rented home on Laurel Canyon Boulevard in nearby Studio City--a property that de Becker does own).

Dr. Lee S. Rosen, the UCLA oncologist who signed the death certificate, says he was not present when Harrison died and couldn't confirm the site of Harrison's passing. As is common in most cases, Rosen signed the certificate after it was submitted to him by the mortuary charged with cremating Harrison's body shortly after he died.

So why the lie?

The main reason most likely has to do with the family's desire to thwart the inevitable pilgrimages from Beatlemaniacs eager to glimpse the place where the rocker died and prevent it from being another stop on Hollywood's ghoulish celebrity death tours. Olivia Harrison and son Dhani have managed to lay low since the ex-Beatle's death. They've also managed to keep the site of Harrison's ashes a secret--it was reported they would be scattered on the Ganges River in India, but the family never showed.

While Allred says she understands the desire for privacy, she doesn't think messing with public records is the way to go. "Celebrities and/or their supporters are not above the law, even if they are acting with good intention, for example, to protect the privacy of loved ones," said Allred.

No immediate word on whether charges will be filed. A spokesperson for the D.A.'s office says, "Whenever someone files a complaint, we look into it. The matter is under review."

Of course, this is not the first mystery involving death in the Beatles family.

Paul McCartney's wife Linda, who died in 1998 of breast cancer at the age of 56, was originally said to have passed away in Santa Barbara, California. It later turned out that the family had fibbed for the purpose of privacy and that she likely died at McCartney's ranch in Arizona.

Gauracandra · December 16, 2001

This is too bad. For those who don't know, Gloria Alred is basically just a publicity seeking lawyer. She will do anything to get her name in the papers, or on TV. I just wish she'd keep quiet for once.

Gauracandra

samarpan · December 16, 2001

i feel sorry for all innocents who have to live in the[land of the free]?poor olivia and dhani, that lawyer needs to get a life,the same disease is spreading in uk.viva lord chaitanyas revolution.haribol.samarpan