Judge weighs spat between LA and Marilyn Monroe home owners

An aerial view of Marilyn Monroe s former home in Brentwood Photo courtesy of the Los Angeles City Planning Department A judge is mulling a dispute between the city of Los Angeles which has declared Marilyn Monroe s former home a cultural landmark and a couple s desire to demolish it Brinah Milstein and her husband producer Roy Bank bought the residence in July for million and obtained a demolition permit from the city They want to move forward with their planned razing so they can tear down the Monroe structure to expand their current home which is adjacent to the property Bank and Milstein filed a petition in Los Angeles Superior Court in May alleging illegal and unconstitutional conduct by the city with respect to the house where they say Monroe occasionally lived for a mere six months before she tragically committed suicide on Aug at age Judge James C Chalfant heard arguments on Thursday took the matter under submission and commented he would have a ruling early next week According to court papers from the City Attorney s Office the populace inundated city executives with calls and emails to express their dismay at the imminent demolition of the home and urging preservation of the property In response City Councilwoman Traci Park stated an effort to save the house by initiating the historic-cultural monument application which was later approved Monroe would have turned next June City News Organization