Chadwick Boseman's family filed for Taylor Simone Lewand's removal from his multi-million-dollar estate. A tense letter sent to his widow has surfaced, in which they asked for his medical records.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleChadwick Boseman's estate has been involved in an explosive lawsuit with the Black Panther star's widow, Taylor Simone Lewand. Earlier this year, Boseman's brothers appealed to the Los Angeles court to remove Taylor as the administrator of his estate.
Amid the legal feud, new details have surfaced, in which Boseman's family raised questions about the circumstances surrounding his death through a series of tense legal letters sent to his widow. One of them requested his medical records and raised concerns about an opioid allegedly found in his system.
The Black Panther star died in August 2020 at age 43 following his private battle with colon cancer. A correspondence recently obtained by TMZ offers new insights into the family tensions that emerged after his death.
In a letter dated November 16, 2020, attorneys representing Boseman's parents, Leroy and Carolyn, and his brothers, Derrick and Kevin, asked Ledward's legal team to preserve information from Boseman's phones, computers, iPads, and other electronic devices.
The family also requested a release of his medical records and financial records relating to his bank accounts. Their lawyers said they wanted the information to help determine Boseman's intentions regarding his assets and ensure his estate was distributed according to his wishes.
A subsequent letter dated August 23, 2021, showed that Boseman's family had also raised questions about his medical treatment and the circumstances surrounding his final days.
According to the family's lawyers, Boseman had been found on the floor of his bedroom on the day he died. The letter said the family had wanted an autopsy and later claimed that the examination produced what they described as startling results that raised concerns about the medical advice or therapy he had received.
The letter further alleged that toxicology testing showed 0.12 mg/L of hydromorphone in Boseman's system at the time of death. The family's lawyers characterized that figure as unusually high and said it raised concerns about his treatment.
Taylor's attorney, in turn, responded on December 1, 2020, criticizing what he described as the "sudden, misguided, and aggressive" nature of the family's request. Her legal team said she had previously tried to cooperate with Boseman's brothers and include them in projects honoring his legacy.
It is important to note that the newly resurfaced letters do not establish that hydromorphone caused or contributed to the Black Panther star's death, which was publicly attributed to complications from colon cancer.
The main fallout stems from the fact that Chadwick Boseman died without a will, and his widow subsequently sought to become administrator of his estate. A 2022 court order gave Ledward control of half of the estate, while his parents were entitled to the other half.
In July 2026, Boseman's brothers Kevin and Derrick asked a Los Angeles court to remove Ledward as administrator, alleging that she had failed to fully distribute the estate and had not provided sufficient information about its assets. The brothers' filing said the estate included movie residuals and royalties, intellectual property, insurance policies, investments, and bank accounts.
Taylor has strongly rejected the claims. In a legal response filed in September 2026, her attorney argued that she had complied with the court's orders and even went beyond what was required of her. Her team states that she had distributed estate assets and had also contributed hundreds of thousands of dollars of her own money to Boseman's family.
Speaking about the Boseman brothers' litigation, Page Six recently obtained court documents where Taylor slammed the claims as a "public-relations stunt to smear [her] in the tabloid press." She is continuing her fight to remain administrator and is contesting the effort to remove her.
What are your thoughts on the newly surfaced letters exchanged between Chadwick Boseman's estate and his widow?
Read Next: Sharon Stone Strongly Reacts To Sydney Sweeney's Nude Ad Backlash, Says 'To Get Men's Attention...'