JAMES BROWN - JUDGE DEMANDS DNA TEST FOR JAMES BROWN'S 'SON'

A US judge has told a former partner of the late soul singer James Brown to have a DNA test carried out on the child she claims to be his son, the BBC has reported.

The DNA test is just the latest twist in the current legal battle over Brown's estate.

The legendary singer died of pneumonia on Christmas Day 2006 at the age of 73 and left the majority of his estate to trusts set up to educate disadvantaged children and to his grandchildren.

However, Brown's six adult children and his former partner Tomi Rae Hynie are contesting the singer's will.

The will mentions Brown's children but crucially makes no mention of Ms Hynie nor her six-year-old son James Brown II.

Ms Hynie's lawyer Robert Rosen claimed she had no problem in taking a paternity test.

"She's said that she was in favour and would do the test, provided that the other children also took the test," the BBC quotes Mr Rosen as saying.

Brown's adult children have alleged that the singer's former advisers convinced him to create the trusts so that they could profit from the managing them.