Murphy pressed to help raise daughter

08/04/2007 5:15 PM, AP
A day after Eddie Murphy confirmed that he is the father of Melanie Brown's baby, the former Spice Girl's lawyer complained that Murphy isn't accepting his parental responsibilities.

"He has not indicated in his statement or to us that he plans to visit the baby," attorney Gloria Allred said Saturday.

Brown's primary concern is that Murphy "see his child, spend time with her, hold her, love her and bond with his daughter," Allred said.

Murphy, 46, "always has and will continue to honor his responsibilities as a father," according to a statement released Friday by his publicist, Arnold Robinson.

"He acknowledges paternity of the child Angel and has paid child support to Ms. Brown, as well as covering the expenses of her pregnancy," Robinson said.

Murphy considers the matter private and planned to have no further comment, he said.

Angel Iris Murphy Brown was born April 3. Brown also has an 8-year-old daughter.

Murphy, nominated for an Oscar for his role in "Dreamgirls," has five children from his marriage to Nicole Mitchell Murphy, who filed for divorce in 2005. He got engaged last week to film producer Tracey Edmonds.