The family of late country music icon Dolly Parton is facing a dramatic legal battle following allegations that her nephew and former head of security, Bryan Seaver, threatened to damage her legacy and made violent threats towards employees and business associates.
Seaver, who had worked as head of security for Parton’s properties for more than two decades and was the person who publicly announced her death last month, was terminated from the role shortly after her passing.
Now, Parton’s estate entity, She’s Alive, LLC (SAL), has obtained a temporary restraining order against him after accusing him of a campaign of “threats, intimidation, and coercion”.
The legal action was filed in Tennessee on Tuesday, September 22, with Parton’s longtime manager Danny Nozell seeking court protection for the estate and its employees.
Nephew allegedly vowed to ‘destroy the entire brand’
According to court documents obtained by People, the estate claims Seaver’s alleged threats began weeks before Parton’s death on August 25.
The filing alleges that Seaver became increasingly “emboldened” following the singer’s death and threatened to cause reputational and financial damage to those responsible for protecting her legacy.
Among the allegations is that Seaver vowed to “destroy the entire brand” and threatened to launch a podcast aimed at damaging Parton’s business partnerships unless he was paid.
The estate also claims that Seaver made threats invoking his alleged military and weapons background.
In one alleged message to Nozell, Seaver reportedly wrote about seeking “vengeance” for his family and referenced owning swords and guns.
He allegedly added: “All I do is warfare… Everyone needs to be worried about what I might do.”
‘I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer’
Perhaps the most alarming allegation in the lawsuit concerns an email Seaver allegedly sent to Parton’s entertainment attorney on September 3.
According to the filing, he described himself as a “killer” and wrote: “I’m not an entertainment person. I’m a killer.”
The documents also claim Seaver described himself as “literally an international arms dealer and mercenary” and said he had plans for “long-term vengeance”.
Another alleged message claimed he had sold millions of dollars worth of ammunition and arms to Haitian police on the day Parton died.
The allegations have not been proven in court.
Employees allegedly feared retaliation
SAL claims the alleged behaviour created an increasingly hostile environment for employees, advisers and business partners tasked with managing Parton’s affairs.
The company said some employees had “resigned rather than risk retribution” from Seaver and people associated with him.
In court documents, SAL argued that it needed to protect its operations and employees from what it described as intimidation by an “armed former security contractor”.
“Without relief, Defendants’ calculated campaign will continue to inflict fear, to destabilise SAL’s operations, and to cause further irreparable harm,” the filing stated.
The estate is asking the court to prevent Seaver from interfering with its business operations and contacting or interfering with its business partners. It is also seeking compensatory and punitive damages, with the amount to be determined at trial.
Seaver was recently fired from Parton’s properties
The legal action comes days after Seaver was removed from his longtime security position.
According to a termination letter obtained by TMZ, Seaver and his security companies were formally dismissed following changes in ownership of Parton’s properties.
He and anyone working under his control were instructed to leave the properties and were barred from returning.
The properties included Parton’s Life of Many Colors Museum, warehouse, Big House and Inca Hoots.
The termination did not affect Seaver’s personal interest as a beneficiary of the estate trust, according to the letter.
Seaver inherited his security role from his father and had worked in the position for more than 20 years.
Seaver’s team denies being intimidated
Following his dismissal, Seaver and his representatives told TMZ they were “dismayed by the unexpected and, so far, unexplained actions”.
They said they remained committed to carrying out what they described as Parton’s final wishes to protect her family.
“We remain unshakably resolved to fulfil her final directive to protect her family, and we refuse to be intimidated by those whose actions we believe are being taken in bad faith and with the intent to profit from the life of someone who willingly gave so much,” they said.
The latest legal dispute adds another complicated chapter to the handling of Parton’s affairs following her death at the age of 80 on August 25.
