Marilyn Monroe’s heir fined $200,000 for ''shenanigans'' over famous pics

marilyn-monroeNew York, Dec 10 : Marilyn Monroe’s heir, Anna Strasberg, was fined 200,000 dollars on Tuesday, after a judge accused her of "unacceptable shenanigans" in a legal battle over licensing the legendary actress’ famous photos.

Anna is the third wife and heir of Monroe acting mentor Lee Strasberg, to whom the veteran bombshell left most of her estate,

Manhattan Federal Judge Colleen McMahon ordered her to pay 166,000 dollars in fees to the attorney for the estate of late photographer Sam Shaw, who had clicked the iconic photo of Monroe standing over a subway grate, dress billowing upward, in "The Seven Year Itch".

The judge also asked Strasberg and her legal team to pay 30,000 dollars in sanctions for delaying the turnover of documents showing that Monroe was legally a New Yorker when she committed suicide in California in 1962.

The actress’ residency turned out to be a major issue in the case, which eventually went in Shaw family''s favour in September.

In New York, heirs can''t profit from publicity generated by a dead person''s name.

"The center ring of this three-ring circus was the right of publicity claim, and the parties argument over whether Monroe had any such right to leave to her heirs. That depended on where Monroe lived when she died," the New York Daily News quoted McMahon as saying in her decision.

Shaw Family Archives sued Anna for trying to bar Shaw''s estate from profiting off their Monroe images, while she made millions.

It was found in September that Anna spent 100,000 dollars in an unsuccessful effort to get Albany lawmakers to change the law on dead celebs. (ANI)

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