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Dolly Parton’s estate accuses her nephew of threatening violence and to destroy his aunt’s legacy

By HALLIE GOLDEN and TRAVIS LOLLER  -  AP

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Dolly Parton's estate accused the country music icon’s nephew of threatening to commit violence and destroy his aunt’s legacy and business empire in court filings that also asked a judge to keep him away from its employees and business dealings.

Court documents filed Tuesday in Nashville offer the first signs of discord in a carefully managed estate process for one of the most beloved personalities in music and beyond.

Bryan Seaver, who owns a company that provided Parton’s security detail and was handpicked by the star to announce her death from cancer last month, did not respond to an email from The Associated Press requesting comment Tuesday. No one came to the door Wednesday at an address listed in court documents for Seaver in the semi-rural Nashville suburb of Fairview. A woman speaking to a reporter through a doorbell camera said that they would not be speaking to anyone.

In the temporary restraining order request filed by She’s Alive, the entity that manages and protects Parton’s professional property and business, and other court documents, Seaver is accused of sending increasingly threatening messages over the last several weeks. She’s Alive is run by Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager.

Last week, She’s Alive terminated Seaver and Squadron Augmented Protection Services, saying his “terrorizing conduct made their continued retention untenable,” according to court documents. The company is also named in the complaint; its representatives did not respond to an emailed request for comment Tuesday.

The court documents showcase a series of text messages and emails She's Alive says were sent by Seaver, starting just before Parton's death. The messages begin with threats to destroy Parton's brand, and then after her death, depict Seaver reveling in his newfound fame and calling himself an “international arms dealer.”

In one message written on Sept. 1 and included in the court documents, he said: “I’m going to set up a podcast dedicated to ruining Dolly’s brand partnerships and telling the violations these people have done on us. It’s going to be great. Or f——— pay me.”

Seaver also claimed that he worked for private military contractors overseas during the Iraq War and used that experience as part of these threats, according to the complaint.

The messages have resulted in Parton’s trusts and estates attorney leaving and employees of She’s Alive resigning, according to the court documents. The entity has also had to hire private security for its employees, including at their homes, the documents state.

The restraining order, if granted, is meant to stop Seaver from talking with or being within 1,000 feet (305 meters) of She’s Alive employees, attorneys and business partners. It also is meant to keep him from interfering with its business relationships.

Parton wrote hundreds of songs, including classics like “Jolene,” “Coat of Many Colors” and “I Will Always Love You,” that earned a total of more than 100 million worldwide sales and more than 1 billion online streams.

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