John Singleton’s Daughter Disputes Coma Reports Following Stroke, Says He’s ‘Progressing’

John Singleton’s daughter, Cleopatra Singleton, hit back at claims that her father was in a coma following his recent stroke. According to The Wrap, a court filing on Friday says that the Boyz N The Hood director is “not in a coma” and her grandmother, Sheila Ward, is “misrepresenting” the director’s medical condition.

According to the court documents obtained by The Wrap, Singleton’s daughter is opposing the petition of her grandmother to be named conservator of the director and his estate. She calls Ward’s behavior “disturbing” and claims that a family meeting with doctors earlier in the week revealed that her father’s condition was “progressing every day” and he could be released from the ICU within a week.

“My father is breathing on his own. He is only medically sedated to keep his blood pressure low and allow the vessels in his brain to heal,” Singleton wrote in the court filing. “My father responds to stimuli and has even smiled on many occasions.”

The director’s adult child also adds that she believes her grandmother would have a conflict of interest in being Singleton’s conservator due to her role as the filmmaker’s personal and business manager.

“She has abused this position particularly pertaining to the support of his children,” the filing reads. “Sadly my father’s allowed his mother to stay in that position out of fear and obligation to her as she’s bullies and abandoned my father since he was a small child, leaving him emotionally defenseless. She had already stated that she plans to liquidate his assets immediately and leave his children with nothing, even to go so far as to sell his house and remove his girlfriend and infant son from the premises.”

According to The Wrap, Cleopatra Singleton has asked that her brother, Maasai, or grandfather, Danny, be named the conservator of the director and his estate over her grandmother.

The court filing on Friday followed another set of documents on Thursday filed by Ward claiming the director had suffered a “major stroke” and was currently in a coma as a result. The Wrap notes that this claim stood in contrast to earlier reports that the director had only suffered a minor stroke.

Ward’s documents claim that her son was “engaged in several business projects” and was about to sign a “lucrative” agreement at the end of the month, with the reported stroke blocking those plans. The documents also add that the director’s estate will face a “substantial financial loss” if a conservator isn’t chosen to execute the agreement by April 30.

Fans and friends have spoken out with well wishes and memories about Singleton following the news of his stroke. Grey’s Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes recently shared a touching message about her relationship with Singleton while she was still at USC, struggling to break into the business and looking for some support or guidance from anywhere.

“John did not know me at all. But someone at USC had told him I was talented and he was kindly calling to offer me some words of encouragement. He told me to keep writing. I never forgot it. Praying for him and for his family now.”