ATLANTA (AP) — The family of Martin Luther King Jr. has warned Georgia's governor it wants input on any monument to the slain civil rights icon that might be erected on the grounds of the state Capitol.
A bipartisan bill is pending before the Georgia Legislature that calls for a statue of King to be placed on the grounds of the Capitol or another prominent location. Gov. Nathan Deal in January said he'd work with the Legislature on the effort.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (http://bit.ly/1ch5Ztv) Intellectual Properties Management, which is run by King's family, sent a letter to the governor's office this week reminding him that the estate owns all rights to King's "name, image, likeness, words, rights of publicity, copyrighted works, recorded voice, and trademark interests."
Deal's chief of staff replied by email, saying they were monitoring the legislation. King was born in Atlanta.