Country legend Arnold's body won't be exhumed

Judge says there is no law or precedent to let him order disinternment

Email | Print By Nate Rau

Circuit Court Judge Randy Kennedy rejected a motion Friday to have country music legend Eddie Arnold’s body exhumed for the purposes of a DNA test in a lawsuit filed by a man claiming Arnold is his biological father.

Christopher Tanner, 48, filed a motion to establish parentage and reached the conclusion that the only way to prove Arnold was his father was to have his body exhumed. Arnold passed away last year.

Kennedy said he did not have the authority to exhume the body unless an agreement was in place with Arnold’s estate. Arnold’s estate has maintained the country music legend is not the father of Tanner.

Both Tanner and his mother were in court to testify if necessary Friday, but Kennedy said the case was a matter of law and found there was no statute or legal ruling giving him the power to disintern the body for a DNA test.