Lawyers for Dolly Parton's nephew and longtime security guard, Bryan Seaver, are speaking out for the first time since Seaver was sued and became subject to a restraining order from the country icon's company.
Attorneys Dominic Leonardo and James Collier alluded to there being more to the story than what representatives for Parton's company, She's Alive, LLC., described in allegations and screenshots of communications included in their court filings.
"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," the Oct. 12 statement to USA TODAY read.
"This
legal dispute arose between Mr. Seaver, a family member also in charge of Dolly’s private security, and a business manager. While the family was grieving, the business manager went to Court and the media with a surprising and incomplete story," the statement continued. "Seeing text messages that are misleading and taken out of context has been very hurtful to our client and his family."
The lawyers noted that She's Alive's restraining order against Seaver was granted "without the benefit of the Court hearing Mr. Seaver's side of the story, which is coming." After Seaver requested more time to meet with his legal team, a temporary injunctive relief hearing was pushed back to Oct. 20.
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."
Why is Dolly Parton's estate suing Bryan Seaver?
Seaver, who served as his aunt's head of security for over 20 years, was the person whom the late country music icon entrusted with announcing her death to the world on Aug. 25. The Queen of Country died at 80 after privately battling cancer.
Since Parton's death, her longtime manager, Danny Nozell, has overseen the administration and operations of her estate. On Sept. 16, Seaver was notified that he and his services were terminated.
On Sept. 22, She's Alive – a company Parton established to protect her professional property and business interests upon her death – sued Seaver and his security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services. She's Alive also filed a motion for a temporary restraining order, alleging he threatened to smear his aunt's legacy and made violent threats against several employees.
"Mr. Seaver began his campaign of threats, intimidation, and coercion a few weeks prior to Ms. Parton's passing," one of the filings, obtained by USA TODAY, alleged. "In writing, he vowed to 'destroy the entire brand' and also told her entertainment attorney: 'I'm not an entertainment person. I'm a killer.'"
Seaver later denied all allegations in a Sept. 23 statement to ABC News, calling the order "spurious and simply a publicity stunt."
"Dolly called me her killer. It was a joke we used around her camp," Seaver said. "I was her 'baby boy ninja' and Danny Nozell took that text out of context to somehow imagine that I was threatening him. He's always called me The Killer.
"I've never threatened anyone," he continued. "They are my friends and my brothers and colleagues."
Dolly Parton's sisters deny 'feud within our family'
Seaver is the son of Cassie Parton and counts Dolly, Freida Parton and Stella Parton among his aunts. Freida and Stella have both issued public statements defending their family as Seaver's legal battle took the spotlight.
In a Sept. 23 Facebook post, Freida Parton wrote that there "is no feud within our family."
"No one among the Parton/Owens family is fighting over Dolly's estate," she added. "We all love Bryan, just as we all love each other."
In a lengthy Facebook post on Sept. 24, Stella Parton noted the siblings also lost brother Coy "Denver" Parton less than a month before Dolly Parton's death.
"We are still intact and moving forward because our children and grandchildren look to us for strength and guidance during this difficult time of loss and confusion for them as well," she wrote. "Regardless of what you may have seen on different news outlets, we are all doing what you would be doing under the same circumstances, we are living our lives one day at a time and being grateful for every blessing."
Contributing: Liza Esquibias, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dolly Parton's nephew fires back at lawsuit, restraining order
