Twenty-five years have passed since the murder of the "Queen of Tejano" Selena Quintanilla. Although her husband, Chris Perez, and his family seem to have tried to get along after her death, legality and money got in the way.
The deal the Quintanilla family made with Perez almost immediately after Selena's death
It is unclear whether Selena left a will. It is most likely that she did not, since she was only 23 years old at the time of her death and could expect to have to create a will when she reached a much older age.
Two months after his daughter's death, her father, Abraham Quintanilla Jr. created an estate agreement that gave him exclusive rights to Selena's name, voice, photographs, her story, and other rights forever.
The agreement stipulates that Quintanilla, Jr. is the exclusive owner of the rights to all 'Entertainment Properties,' which includes contracts, trademark and copyright rights, income rights, publicity rights, name, voice, signature and photograph rights, among other rights, 'worldwide forever without restriction.'
Perez agreed to the agreement and to receive 25 percent of the net profits from the properties listed above.
Perez's book, 'To Selena With Love'
In 2012, the Grammy-winning artist published To Selena With Love , a memoir about his love affair and marriage to the slain singer. He spoke to The Hollywood Reporter at the time about his former father-in-law's support for the book.
"I didn't say anything to anyone when I was writing it. It wasn't because I was afraid of the reaction, but I just wanted to be at peace while I was writing it. When I finished and talked to Abraham about it," he said, 'Son, if it's something you feel you have to do, you have every right to do it.' "
"It was something I had to do to move forward. I was dealing with boxes and boxes of luggage that I had suppressed. So I went through them, dusted them off and then wrote the book".
The television series that never existed and the legal disputes with Selena's family
The support for Chris Perez was not there, however, when in 2016 he announced A Selena with Love would be made into a television series.
Abraham sued Perez, relying on the real estate agreement as his defense, which he says the now 50-year-old widower signed under duress . In any case, Abraham won that battle, and it is unclear whether Perez will proceed with an appeal to get the TV series.
According to Abraham's estate attorney , 'The petition alleges that Mr. Perez violated the Entertainment Properties Agreement. He does not have the rights to publish a book or produce a television series based in any part on Selena '.
Selena's Hollywood Walk of Fame star ceremony – 'I didn't feel very welcome'
The 'Dreaming of You' singer posthumously received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2017. Although it was a joyous event for Perez to see his wife honored in that way, according to him, his family's lukewarm desire to have him there was disappointing.
'Technically, I was invited through email,' he told The Houston Chronicle in 2019. 'But I didn't feel very welcome and his family didn't make it easy.'
'I have a feeling that they were hoping by making it difficult that I wouldn't show up and that would make me look bad to his fans. The fans don't understand all the obstacles I had to go through just to get a place at that event. '
'But I don't want people to talk about his family. I might feel a certain way, but what would Selena want . . . I want to keep it all together for her '.
Written by Michael Zippo
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