Dolly Parton’s longtime manager dropped a lawsuit Thursday accusing the late singer’s nephew of threatening her estate and employees.
She’s Alive, the entity founded to manage and protect Parton’s estate, had obtained a temporary restraining order against Bryan Seaver and his security company, Squadron Augmented Protection Services, in September.
A hearing, postponed several times over the course of a month, was scheduled for Tuesday.
A very brief filing Thursday in a Tennessee court gave no reason why the complaint was withdrawn.
He said only that a proposed order was being drafted for the judge to approve dismissing the case without prejudice, meaning it can be refiled. A court filing from the day before indicated the two sides had reached an agreement, but gave no details.
The Associated Press sent emails seeking comment from lawyers for She’s Alive, Seaver and his company.
The case exposed a serious rift in Parton’s inner circle that came to light publicly in the weeks following her death.
She’s Alive fired Seaver and SAPS in early September and, the following week, sought a restraining order against him, arguing that his “terrorist conduct made their continued employment untenable.”
The petition stated that shortly before Parton’s death on August 25 and afterward, Seaver made threats and directed them directly at “She’s Alive’s staff, attorneys and business partners. In writing, he vowed to “destroy the entire brand.”
He said he “introduced himself as ‘literally an international arms dealer and mercenary'” and said everyone “should be worried about what I might do.”
In granting the temporary order, Chancellor I’Ashea L Myles cited Seaver’s “claimed access to weapons, his experience with violence, and his intention to fight back.”
Seaver said in court filings that he considered Danny Nozell, Parton’s longtime manager, a close friend and ally before Nozell took out the restraining order.
In an affidavit, Seaver said the text messages cited by Nozell as evidence of his threats were a “private conversation between two friends who were both frustrated, grieving and discussing strategy.”
“I never threatened physical harm to Mr. Nozell, any employee, contractor, attorney, advisor or business partner of SAL, or anyone else associated with SAL,” Seaver said. “I have no intention of doing so.”
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