More family problems for Eminem. The rapper's grandmother, Betty Kresin, has said she wants him to pay for her dead son's body to be exhumed for autopsy - to clarify the circumstances surrounding his death. According to police reports, in 1991, Kresin's son Ronnie committed suicide at the age of 19 in front of his suicidal girlfriend. Ronnie and Eminem were close and of similar age. Following Ronnie's death, the controversial star had a "RIP Ronnie" tattoo on his arm, as well as using his death as material in his songs. Now, in an interview with UK tabloid the Daily Mirror, Kresin - Eminem's mum Debbie's mother - claims the circumstances surrounding his death were not clear, and she is looking to Eminem to pay for his body to be exhumed so an autopsy can take place.

"They were really good pals, partners, friends, buddies - I'm angry with Marshall," she said. "At the time I didn't want an autopsy. I didn't want them to cut up my son. But I said to Marshall, "Now you're famous and you've got money and you say you love Ronnie so much with that tattoo on your arm. I want his body exhumed to find out the truth of what happened." Kresin said the pair have also rowed over Eminem's plans to use a tape of Ronnie singing on a future release. "(He said) "Grandma I'm going to do this tape" and I said "Over my dead body," she said. "He replied "Well you better die then, because if I want to do it then I will." There's an old tape floating around of Ronnie singing. Marshall said he'll put that out on CD, but I don't want that out there. I don't think I could handle it."

In other news, Eminem's court appearance which was scheduled for last Friday, Dec. 8, has now been postponed until Dec. 15. According to www.launch.com, the rapper made a brief appearance at the Macomb County Courthouse in Michigan last Friday, but proceedings were then adjourned until this coming Friday afternoon. According to the report, when the court case re-commences, Eminem's attorneys and county prosecutor Carl Marlinga will meet to confirm how the rapper will plead to the charges against him. Eminem was released on $100,000 bail in June after pleading not guilty to charges of assault and carrying a concealed weapon, which was unloaded, outside a nightclub in Warren, Mich. Although there have previously been discussions between Eminem's lawyers and prosecutor Marlinga over a possible settlement, nothing has yet been agreed, and he has previously stated that he will request a jail sentence of between six months and a year if he wins a conviction against Marshall Mathers.