The legal battle over the estate of the late Dolly Parton continues to rage on, and the beloved country music icon’s nephew Bryan Seaver is making another move.
As allegations fly between Seaver and his late aunt’s manager, Danny Nozell, Seaver is responding to Nozell’s latest court filing — and the shocking accusations it contains.
Alleged Threats Were ‘Taken Out of Context’
In a statement to People on Monday, October 12, Seaver’s attorneys said that they will soon be sharing “his side of the story,” insisting that Nozell’s court filings alleging that he made menacing threats and extortion attempts were “misleading,” and that his words had been “taken out of context.”
“Mr. Seaver has always been a private person, but he was chosen by his aunt, with his family’s approval, to make the announcement about Dolly’s passing. He would have preferred to remain a private person as this ordeal has taken a toll on his family,” read the statement from lawyers Dominic J. Leonardo and James L. Collier.
The attorneys continued by addressing the legal dispute between Seaver and Parton’s“business manager,” identified in court documents as Nozell.
“While the family was grieving, the business manager went to court and the media with a surprising and incomplete story. Seeing text messages that are misleading and taken out of context has been very hurtful to our client and his family,” the attorneys’ statement continued. “The restraining order was granted ‘ex parte’ without the benefit of the court hearing Mr. Seaver’s side of the story, which is coming.”
The statement concluded, “While Mr. Seaver and family work through this they trust the bright light of Dolly’s legacy remains untouched and they are eager to amicably and expeditiously resolve this matter.”
Shocking Allegations
In an earlier legal filing by Nozell’s lawyers, the late singer’s manager claims that Seaver had wrapped barbed wire around his porch in an attempt to avoid being served with the aforementioned restraining order.
“Eventually, Mr. Seaver’s residence had a no-trespassing sign in the front yard and barbed wire draped across the handrails leading to the front door,” the filing said.
As ABC News reported, the restraining order was granted when Nozell presented his communications with Seaver, whom he said made demands to be paid while also claiming he had “access to weapons, experience with violence, and intention to retaliate.” Nozell’s filing described Seaver’s words as “concerning.”
In addition, TMZ revealed details of Nozell’s filing, specifying the threats Seaver allegedly issued.
“Her money better be bigger than I can make elsewhere or I’m going to [expletive] everyone. I am about to become the hand of retribution for my entire family,” read one statement allegedly sent from Seaver.
Another allegedly read, “I’m going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnership and telling the violations these people have done on us.”
Seaver has continually stated that he’s the injured party, blaming Nozell for removing Seaver’s security company from protecting several of the late singer’s properties.
“I was fired,” Seaver said in a statement to ABC News.
“After the estate negotiated with me and my company for services in perpetuity and agreed to that service provision from my company, a week later they fired me for these contrived ‘threats,’” his statement added.
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Dolly Parton’s Nephew Says His ‘Side of the Story’ Will Be ‘Coming’ Amid Claims He Calls ‘Misleading’