A Utah Judge has finally injected some sanity into the crazy saga that has marked the end of former child actor Gary Coleman's life.

Fourth District judge James Taylor appointed an independent attorney to oversee the disposition of Coleman's estate and the cremation of his body. Coleman had requested that his body be cremated in all of the wills that have become public.

The judge ordered that Coleman's body be cremated by Wednesday, so that ex-girlfriend and former manager Anna Gray, who also has a will naming her as Coleman's sole heir, can see his body.

The judge also ordered that Coleman's property and ashes be securely stored until a final decision is made about who will be the executor of the estate. Coleman's Utah house is valued at about $315,000, and he also has a valuable toy train collection.

Coleman died May 28, but his body has laid in a morgue as at least three wills have surfaced. Coleman's ex-wife, Shannon Price, says she has a signed 2007 note that supercedes all other existing wills and names her as sole heir. Although they divorced in 2008, Price claims she was Coleman's common law wife. Gray's will dates to 2005.

The judge will have to sort this situation out, because Price hasn't exactly proven herself to be a loving and trustworthy wife.


First there was the cold 911 call, in which Price didn't seem that concerned that her husband was bleeding to death.

Next, there were her attempts to abscond with Coleman's property. And the final, and nastiest, blow came when Price orchestrated the sale of Coleman's death pictures while he was hooked up to a respirator for a paltry $10,000.

A court had to step in and order that no more of Coleman's property be removed from his home and that no more pictures of Coleman before or after his death be distributed. Coleman's estranged parents, since withdrawing their attempts to be named executor of his estate and questioning how their son died, have declined to see their son's body before it is cremated.

"They want Gary to rest. That's all they want. I think they feel like if they came out here it would create 'activity,'" said Coleman's attorney, Frederick Jackman. "Their son is gone. They just want him left alone."

Coleman sued his parents for mismanaging the millions he made as a young star, but I question what parent would not want to see their child one last time, especially after they have been estranged for more than 20 years.

At least a judge with nothing to gain now seems to be making logical decisions. The moves are a step in the right direction to finally putting Coleman to rest.