Judge Orders Court Receivership for Curlin Part-Owners

From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh The acquittal of Lexington attorney Melbourne Mills in the northern Kentucky fen-phen, diet-drug case is not the only news being made in the case.Lawyers Shirley Cunningham and William Gallion, who remain on trial in the fen-phen case, own 20-percent of Horse of the Year Curlin. But more than 400 of the lawyers’ former clients say they should receive 20-percent of Curlin’s winnings because they’re suing Cunningham and Gallion for allegedly failing to properly distribute 42-million dollars from the fen-phen settlement.While their civil suit proceeds, 20-percent of Curlin’s winnings are supposed to go to a court receiver. But senior Judge Roger Crittenden of Frankfort says that’s not happening. In fact, Crittenden says the wives of Gallion and Cunningham have received some of the money. He’s putting a stop to it.In a Boone Circuit Court order, Crittenden says the receivership will make all future management decisions involving the 20-percent stake in Curlin, including receiving all income and paying all expenses.