State Farm v. Crystal Martin and Brandi Barnett will probably be the legacy of the now-deceased Precious Martin as his wife and Brandi Barnett both dispute who should be the proper beneficiary of a $500,272 life insurance policy held by Mr. Martin that named Ms. Barnett as the beneficiary. Crystal Martin also said Ms. Barnett lived in a home owned by Precious Martin and accused her of "seducing" her husband as she sued her for alienation of affection. The case has been assigned to Judge Henry Wingate.
State Farm filed a complaint for interpleader in U.S. District Court on September 18, 2014. Mr. Martin was killed earlier this year in a four-wheeler accident in Ridgeland. His wife and three children survived his death. State Farm asked the court to determine the proper beneficiary of the policy as Mrs. Martin disputed the validity of Ms. Barnett's claim. Mr. Martin purchased the policy in May 2013. Mrs. Martin argued Ms. Barnett had no "insurable interest". The insurer offered to deposit the amount with the court when the court approves such action.
Ms. Barnett responded to the complaint and accused State Farm of improperly contacting Mrs. Martin about the policy and withholding payment of her claim in bad faith. She was employed by Mr. Martin as a bookkeeper. Attorney Nick Norris represents Ms. Barnett. Not to be outdone in legal charms, Mrs. Martin filed her own answer to State Farm and a cross-claim against Brandi Barnett.
Crystal Martin stated in her amended cross-claim:
In January of 2014, Crystal Wise Martin became aware that Brandi Barnett, the bookkeeper at Precious Martin, Sr. & Associates Law Firm, the place of employment of Precious Martin and Crystal Martin, had seduced and continued to recklessly engage in certain solicitous conduct and activities with Precious Martin. Unbeknownst to Crystal Martin, Brandi Barnett resided in Hinds County, Mississippi in a home owned by a Limited Liability Company in which Precious Martin was the sole member and provided to Barnett by Precious Martin. At the time of said solicitous conduct by Barnett, Precious and Crystal Martin resided together with their children in Madison County, Mississippi.
5. On May 11, 2014, Precious Martin tragically died in an ATV accident while riding in his Madison County, Mississippi neighborhood. Subsequent to Mr. Martin’s death, Crystal Martin learned that the application for the State Farm Premium Term Life Insurance Policy purchased by Precious Martin named Brandi Barnett as the primary beneficiary.
6. The home provided to Barnett by Martin as well as the naming of Barnett as the beneficiary of Martin’s State Farm Life Insurance policy are the results of Barnett’s actions in seducing Precious Martin and engaging in and encouraging a continuing elicit relationship between Barnett and Precious Martin for the purposes of receiving material benefits from Precious Martin. Barnett seduced Precious Martin and encouraged and pursued a continuing sexual relationship with Precious Martin for the purpose of unduly influencing Precious Martin to provide material benefits to Brandi Barnett that should have been given to Crystal Wise Martin and her children, including but not limited to exerting undue influence on Precious Martin to name Brandi Barnett as the beneficiary in his application for Precious Martin’s State Farm Life Insurance Policy.
Mrs. Martin then sued Ms. Barnett for alienation of affection:
Cross-Defendant Brandi Barnett seduced Precious Martin and induced, persuaded and encouraged Precious Martin to engage in an extra-marital affair and sexual relationship with her. Brandi Barnett engaged in such solicitous activity culminating in a sexual relationship with Precious Martin with full knowledge that Precious Martin was married to Crystal Martin with children. Brandi Barnett’s actions were wrongful in that she seduced Precious Martin with full knowledge of his marital relationship with Crystal Martin, her employer, and induced and encouraged Precious Martin to engage in a sexual relationship outside of his marriage and continuously encouraged Precious Martin to abandon his marriage and family and affection for Crystal Martin.....
The Cross-Defendant’s wanton and reckless interference with the marriage, destruction of family values and her actions of un-condoned adultery with the Cross-Plaintiff’s husband was accompanied with her continuous encouragement for Precious Martin to leave the marriage and be with the Cross-Defendant, as well as encouragement to provide material assets to the Cross-Defendant including a home and the benefits of a State Farm Life Insurance Policy, as well as concealment of her actions from the Cross-Plaintiff and others further justifying punitive damages against the Cross-Defendant.....
Mrs. Martin also accused Ms. Barnett of committing the tort of intentional infliction of emotional distress. She asked for compensatory damages, punitive damages, and legal fees. She also requested a trial by jury. Attorney Chuck McRae represents Mrs. Martin.
Kingfish note: It appears Precious Martin still has the ability to stir things up, even in death.
72 comments:
ROFLMAO
How pathetic. :(
Curious. Is Brandi white?
So, Mrs. Distinguished Counselor-at-Law doesn't know the difference between "elicit" and "illicit"? I agree with 9:48 :-)
Also, does this mean she is too busy to pursue her BS lawsuit against Saint Andrew's?
She actually MIGHT get a shred of sympathy if she made her major point that the funds diverted to the mistress should have been used for the support of several dependent children, who have been deprived of their father and now financial support; I don't know anyone who cares if she herself starves, which she brought on herself. It's a shame the kids suffer because the parents are/were jackasses.
Getting ready to comment on the nature of the "continuing elicit relationship" (page 2 of the second doc) and I've been treed by 11:13.
Better have some extra security if this puts these two in the same room.
What's the name of the LLC? Gotsum LLC? (fun with the bookkeeping aspect)
Total amount of any diversion of funds (assuming there is a legal issue with this expenditure of the Martin's funds)... wouldn't that be the total insurance premiums paid? Said amount shouldn't be that large unless there were high risk health or lifestyle issues...
What's the law on this concept?
Example of concept: Steal $20.00 from a grocery store, buy $15.00 gas and $5.00 lottery tickets, then those tickets win $5,000,000, how much did you steal from the grocery store now? Still $20.00 or now $5,000,000? Or is it $5,000,020.
Sorry, but the Precious one knew what he was doing. He wasn't coerced. Paying for a life insurance policy was his definitive act of purposely making sure the girlfriend was taken care of.
"Let It Go"
I have to agree with 5:32. It was fairly common knowledge that there was another woman in Martin's life. Martin is not innocent nor was he likely the one seduced. As to his health issues, he was, at one time, an extremely overweight person. Enough to have been called morbidly obese, in my opinion. Interesting that wife discovered infidelity in January, was devotedly beside husband at time of late Mayor's death and continued to reside with Martin until his accidental death. Could the bullying problems at school have been caused by comments about father?
Agree. 5:32. There's no way in hell anyone made or coerced Precious to buy this life insurance. He did it because he wanted to provide for this other woman for some reason if he died. He paid the premium obviously, and whoever he named the beneficiary should get the money. If Precious wanted his wife to get the money he would have named her the beneficiary. He didn't.
Please don't be postin' no photographics of a woman who would bed down with that clown.
Unless there is a will and he left the house to Barnett (anything is possible) it looks like Precious left Crystal with just over $7000 in unpaid property taxes. The upside for Crystal may be that she gets to kick Barnett to the street.
Smart Money Solutions LLC, same address as Precious' office, is Brandi Barnett aka Brandi Nicole Barnett aka Brandi Nicole Stapleton aka Brandi Stapleton.
No telling how many things Precious had going on the side with Brandi.
Sick. Sick people. Sick culture. Seems like nobody I mean nobody is teaching good moral character in the black community. And what you read is the direct failure of this. God help America. The fabric of this country is rotten.
you couldn't make this stuff up even if you tried...this shines a spot light on the moral debauchery and lowlife filth that has permeated our very core.
@ 9:09AM, last I checked there were sick puppies in all races and black folk don't have a lock on immorality. Just check and look around a little more before you smugly declare how "pure" a certain race may be with upright moral character. Please. Wrong is wrong no matter whose doing it. But then again, some people's sh*t don't stink, huh?
Women aside, that's pathetic to leave your kids out. Whether he gave two shits about the Mom or not, it's ridiculous to not provide for them in the event of your death. How many kids did they have? Wasn't one with him when he died? I can't remember.
Again, like her or not, now there's a drastic change in income and she has to support the kids on her own or with family help because this guy thought he'd show her and leave it to his mistress, whom he's already bought a house for.
Wrong priorities.
Sounds like a plain case of adultery. Though embarrassing for the wife, the man evidently thought enough of the mistress to provide for her after his death. The truth hurts, but he made his choices. In no way am I defending the mistress, but it sounds as though the marriage was technically over a long time ago. His death just put the final nail in the coffin.
"A Better World" at 9:09 AM, What the eff does this have to do with the black community as a whole? Are black people the only people who have affairs and gives benefits to a mistress? If a white person has an affair and gives something to the mistress is the an exemplar of the moral character of the white community? People who think like you are an example of what's rotten with this country.
Hopefully this was one of multiple life insurance policies.
11:04: BOOM!
What was funny was Crystal having an "Uncle Tom of the Year" award on her radio show last night.
Who was nominated and who won the Uncle Tom of the Year Award on Crystal's Talk of the Town show?
Who won the Uncle Tom award???
@11:04AM...BOOM! aside, I think that the point is we all remember when Martin died how quickly he was elevated to Sainthood status, the stuff folklore comes from. I am not sure if street renaming has begun? Then Boom!, it turns out martin is nothing more than a adulterous philanderer who's legacy turns out to be a circus full of women mud fighting over some cash...It doesn't seem like a white or black issue to me.
What? Chuckie McRae is the scorned widows attorney? The same chuckie that was voted the single worse judge in the ENTIRE USA? I wonder if he will show up on trial date buzzed, riding his harley and wearing his leather chaps? I think the mistress and her inshorance $$$ are safe!!
Bob Hickingbottom won. He got more votes on the show than he did in the City Council race.
Some of us were already aware that Precious Martin was scum. He ripped off a lot of people because he'd rather buy his mistress a house than pay his bills.
The house in south Jackson according to Zillow is 1600+ sq feet and worth maybe $150,000 tops. No purchase history listed.
Found a roofing company with the same address. Wonder if the girlfriend also does roofs?
So what I am wondering is it customary for an insurance company to contact a family member about a life insurance policy when this person is not listed as the beneficiary? In this case there's no disputing he died accidently in his own neighborhood.
What reason would State Farm have had to make Crystal aware of the policy? Could some State Farm insider have leaked it out?
If so that employee may be asking for a job at Precious Martin and Associates.
Malcolm got a few Uncle Tom votes which he blamed on Thursday nighters.
Surprised The Fish will allow a negative post on here about Chuck McRae. Time was he culled them immediately if not sooner.
um, @ 7:09AM..negative? maybe, truthful? absolutely.
1) Worst judge in entire USA? Fact: According to READERS DIGEST in published article.
2) Showing up buzzed? Fact: On any given night you can find Chuckie holding up the bar at BRAVO!
3) Riding his harley? FACT: Chuckie rides a harley
4) Wearing leather chaps? Fact: Chuckie wears leather chaps.
I really don't think KF is in the business of being intimidated by people like you.
This blog is racist,
9:35 -- This blog is truthful and painful for some people. Not Racist -- we judge a person by their ACTIONS not their skin color. If they're black and their actions are negative -- then so be it -- their skin color does NOT protect them from the ridicule of the unwashed masses out here! Same with Whites --- stupid is as stupid does, and be prepared, whatever your race, to be called out for your behavior.
8:52, people are entitled to form their own opinions about public figures, but informed citizens do not base their opinions on Reader's Digest.
Read some of the former justice's opinions and base whatever your conclusion on your own reasoning.
The insurer should have paid the beneficiary, period.
Interpleader? Please.
I hope the paramour kicks the insurers ass for not paying her as soon as they found out their piece of shit insured twisted his peanut butter neck smooth off.
Wife has zero chance of getting the insurance money...though she is going to need lots of it if she keeps trying cases and turning down millions to get zeroed.
If Crystal is Executor of his estate, then the Insurance company had to contact her for a copy of the death certificate.
Gluttony is ugly y'all! Is this the only mistress? Other kids to support?
Who's to say that there was not another policy naming the spouse or children or estate as beneficiary. Beguiled Mrs. Martin is just trying to stiff the other woman.
" informed citizens do not base their opinions on Reader's Digest."
I'm not surprised you've got it backwards, Sparky. The Reader's Digest article reported the opinions of informed citizens. This clown is one of the worst embarrassments Mississippi ever had to endure, and that's saying something.
11:52, you're making my head hurt. Please notice that you still didn't referene *your* reasoning. Straight to soundbite authority-the 'Murican way.
But I do take it back. Please keep basing your thoughts on words whittled down to a length that your legs don't go numb-FoxNews' advertisers are counting on it.
3:40; I believe you are incorrect in suggesting that the estate executor must be contacted in order to secure a death certificate. The executor is not required (nor does encouragement exist)to provide death certificates to insurance companies seeking to pay out on policies. It may be in that person's best interest to do so, but there is no obligation to do it.
According to the scuttlebutt around the courthouse, Precious' mistress was pregnant, so it would make perfect sense that he would provide an insurance policy for his baby's momma.
I don't understand the dislike on here for Crystal. She is a very nice person who was married to a domineering jerk and is left to care for four young children on her own.
5:21 Do your own homework. Search the archives here for the stories about him. Facts are stubborn things, although you are free to ignore them, as you apparently do.
at 12/06 10:45 & 12/06 11:04
What's difficult to defend are the numbers in a culture where only a small minority (pun?)of men ever marry in the first place.
11:36, Marriage rates are down in all "cultures". See FoxNews, which I'm sure you love and trust:Census: Marriage rate in America hits 93-year low and NPR: Marriage Rates Are Falling, And For Some Faster Than Others. According to NPR, the non-married rate for whites has doubled since 1960. How do you defend those numbers?
7:02 - just for future reference. When you start your comment that assumes and then condemns with a "who's to say...." the rest of your thoughts mean nothing.
Sure, I could - even would - assume that there were other insurance policies. So what? That doesn't change the fact that precious Precious bought one for his baby mama - not the baby mama that he was living with at the time along with his four kids. But the one that was going to be for one of his many 'yard chillun'.
I don't know whether Crystal will get any of this $500k or not. Or whether she and her 'alienation attorney' will succeed on this ancient law because baby mama 'seduced' precious Precious. But the good news is a bunch of lawyers will make good money from a bunch of lawyers (Martins) that have been sucking at the teat of Hinds Countians for way too many years.
December 8, 2014 at 5:21 AM,
Since you decided to pounce upon 11:52PM you are owed one as well. Please refrain from criticizing others unless you can do better. "referene" is not a word. Referee and reference are and one has to assume to you were trying to type "reference" and you spittle-laden keyboard omitted the "c." However, the word reference is probably incorrectly used. If one were being asked to provide documentation for their opinion, one would "proffer" it.
Very Sad of you kingfish to post someone personal life, that guy is dead, and you keep pouring salt on wounds..
@ 1:00
the same poll states it's 4X for blacks... sorry.
Maybe they should have settled this amongst themselves instead filing a lawsuit? Now it is Public record. It's salacious and terrible but public record and our court systems are paying for this mess. Just settle with the baby momma out of court… that would have maybe kept it private.
Holy Heysus in a manger, 4:06! Profferin' and all... I just missed a "c" on a phone. You Showin' off that J.D. mighty powerful.
On a more serious note, telling someone to think for themselves (after they twice referen*C*e bs for actual authority) is "pouncing"? Okaayy.
11:19 Has it. Baby's momma. Crystal might as well sit down.
On another note, why would Crystal Wise Martin allow herself to engage with the foolish Malcolm Johnson? This Sanford and Sons radio show does not represent Martin & Associates Law Firm very well. I don't want an Aunt Esther type representing me.
Hasn't her mom, the good judge, told her so?
Not a J.D. type -- but I am a woman. Might want to figure in the idiosyncrasies of the jury. We common folk. People are going to serve, who do not know any of the "players" in this one act drama, like many people on the blog.
What they MIGHT see is that yes, the "other woman" receives her State Farm Life Insurance settlement because it is contractually appropriate, BUT.........she is deemed guilty in court of alienation of affection, and has a compensatory or punitive award....of say $500k. I think it's called splitting the baby. Maybe $250k since Precious, who seems to be the prototype of a scumbag, and was splitting his time equally.
Juries are funny things.....I served on one, and at the end of the day, they can be mighty smart folks, who attempt to apply common sense based on the "law".
Doesn't seem to be anyone here who is "right" or has a moral high ground, with the exception of teh children, who have lost their father (albeit what type of father is still to be discerned).
What I can't understand about 11:19, if the show so bad, why are you listening.. The proof is in the pudding, and that is you are listening, to know that Fred Sanford music being played.. But for the record, that's Quincy Jones music, one of the worlds greatest music writers..
Who in the world buys life insurance from State Farm?
6:18 PM, 1:00 here. I knew that the number for blacks had quadrupled while the number for whites has "only" doubled. I referenced the figure for whites in response to the posters implication that minority men don't get married. I was simply pointing out that marriage rates are down for all Americans, even whites, so if he want's to talk about a cultural problem, its an American cultural problem, not just a minority cultural problem.
"'Who in the world buys life insurance from State Farm? "
Maybe someone who doesn't want his wife noticing the premium payments?
9:20 -- Because we as a society have supported bad cultural decisions in minority communities (through WIC, EBT payments, etc.), now the "glamour" of being a Baby Mama and the sadness that young men are not accountable is evident across the board. It is coming home to roost in every cultural group/race.
Anthropologically over the centuries, bastards were labelled, targeted...whatever, because they were a drain on the village. Families took care of families, and when a female had a child, without the support of a man in the home.....the village had to take on the care and maintenance of both in addition to their own families, whom they had a CHOICE in making/developing, etc........jump forward centuries -- and substitute care and maintenance with WIC, Housing, etc. We, the village are now taking care of people who cannot take care of themselves because they chose not to assimilate into societal norms which were developed over centuries FOR A BASIC ANTHROPOLOGICAL REASON (security, safety and continuance of the village). When we decided we could not censure bad behavior, for the good of the "village", we ended up with bad behavior taking over the village.
Now -- in the white, Hispanic, and Asian communities it is permeating, just as it did in the black community. WHY NOT? There is an infrastructure now in place to take care of everyone.......for awhile at least.
I do not agree with the Asian comment. Maybe a subsection of Asian Pacific Islanders. But not Chinese or Japan even Korea. Show me numbers or stats and I will retract my statement.
10:49 AM: Let me get this straight, Black America and the Government are responsible for the declining marriage rates in the White, Hispanic and Asian communities?
@10:10 "Who in the world buys life insurance from State Farm? "
I do - and since they have over $800 billion of life ins. in force, I would say a lot of people do. And no, I ain't a state farm agent.
All right, clowns, get back on topic.
Didn't they exhume singer James Brown's body to prove paternity? Is there a question about the baby momma's kids parentage? If the wife will sue for the life insurance policy and Alienation. I wonder if she will go full fight mode and drag this thing further into the gutter. Back on topic.
He's dead.
What's the point of airing this other than to bring the children more grief than they're already experiencing?
11:04am is right and if inflicting more pain is what we do these days, do be sure to inflict it on all the white folk as well.
They've got more money and property to fight over so it'll keep everyone busy.
A female state farm manager is married to a black plaintiff attorney who was big buddies with precious. Maybe that's how the wife got the news.
Talk about how stupid, kingfish u is for going on Gil Sturgiss show. A poor negro, that is sponsored by precious Martin brother..
This is sad... No matter what, Precious didn't leave any money for his kids future but planned for the future of a grown ass women!!!!!!!!!!! His wife should sue for that money.. She has his kids and had put up with his adulterous ass!! If Andrew does this I will sue the shit out of the chic and cremate his remains!
"Talk about how stupid, kingfish u is for going on Gil Sturgiss show. A poor negro, that is sponsored by precious Martin brother.. "
Ask someone else on the short bus to edit your comments before posting them, ok?
"Precious didn't leave any money for his kids "
Who said that? Just because he had one insurance policy for the baby mama doesn't mean he didn't have another one for the wife and kids. Unless that is what the angry widow is claiming, and I don't recall hearing that.
This post has gotten more hits than the one that broke the story about the break-in to Rose Cochran's nursing home room.
If by chance u think that Crystal Martin is a SAINT, u have no idea. She is far from it. Yes Precious was a very horrible and hurtful husband but he just maybe he had some reason to be. She is a woman that's was forced into marriage by her parents and motherhood by her decreased husband and she has no mothering skills or the time to be a mother. She would rather spend her time in a court room or vacationing or shopping or anywhere but home with her kids. And that was a big problem to Precious. Precious was a many bad things, but he was a wonderful father and mother to those kids. Now with that been said all if this nonsense that Crystal is doing right now to this lady is out of spite, she knows and she knew that he was a womanizer, she caught him on several different occasion with women. This woman BranNi is NOT the only woman that has received big costly material items and big lump sums of money, so I say to u Crystal let it go cause u will have to sue half of Mississippi to get what u think should be your or is it really about REVENGE?????? Grown up and live life like u have wanted to for so long but couldn't because of his control over u......PLEASE
I think Crystal deserved every bit of what she got and if I was Precious I would have done the same thing he did. She along with her scheming mother both do unethical things in court which she still does today 2022, and nobody likes working under her. She sides with majority of the women in her court cases, refuses to remain impartial in court, she isn’t consistent with her judgements or cases-you can compare where she will allow certain things in one case and refuse it in another based on her personal emotions against the defendants, and does other unethical things in court, honestly she is blaming men for her husbands cheating in her court room(conflict of interest/discriminatory prejudice bias), she even follows criminals on social media…..this whole thing screams toxic, low budget and it screams lack of successful independence.
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