Dolly Parton’s Manager Files Restraining Order Against Her Nephew - Newsweek

Dolly Parton's longtime manager Danny Nozell has filed a request for a restraining order against the late singer's nephew, according to court documents.

Nozell was part of Parton's team for more than two decades, first joining as a consultant in 2004, before going on to manage and oversee major aspects of her business empire.

In a filing on behalf of She's Alive LLC (SAL)—a company set up by Parton before her death to manage and protect her business interests—Nozell asked for a restraining order against Bryan Seaver, Dolly Parton's nephew and former head of security, alleging he engaged in a campaign of threats, intimidation and extortion targeting the singer's business operations and associates.

Seaver delivered the news of the singer's death on August 25 in a video shared on Instagram.

Newsweek contacted Nozell and Seaver via email for comment outside of regular business hours.

Parton’s nephew and security personnel were dismissed by SAL on September 15, along with the company he runs Squadron Augmented Protection Services, LLC (SAPS).

The letter, seen by Newsweek, stated that their services were being immediately terminated from providing any security or other services to properties controlled by the DP Dean Trust that manages Parton's professional properties and business interests.

The letter directed Seaver and his personnel to leave the properties, stated replacement security had already been arranged, and warned against returning. It also noted that while Seaver’s security role was being terminated, his status as a beneficiary of the trust was not affected and that trustees would contact him separately regarding those interests.

But a court filing made by the trust to a Tennessee court late Tuesday suggests that things have soured further between the parties.

Court documents filed on behalf of SAL, seen by TMZ, request a restraining order be placed on Seaver, claiming that he has begun extorting the estate for money by "invoking his self-proclaimed military-contractor experience, access to weapons and capacity for violence.”

The filing seeks to bar Seaver from interfering with Dolly Parton's businesses and to keep him away from company offices. Further reports suggest that the filing laid out a clear reason for the order, citing violence and threats from Seaver.

"Mr. Seaver began his campaign of threats, intimidation, and coercion a few weeks prior to Ms. Parton’s passing," one filing said, according to People. "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.'"

Filings also claimed that Seaver made "threats of real-world violence.”

Bryan has denied the claims made in the lawsuit, but told TMZ that he stands by some of the comments, adding that messages have been taken out of context to make him look bad.

“Nothing in this lawsuit were threats and most of the comments I stand by,” Seaver said. “A lot of these messages are two guys having rage talk and crying on the phone together while we were grieving.”

In a video shared on his Facebook page on Tuesday, Seaver said: “I'm so heartbroken right now, but I believe God is watching. He's watching over me, and that's what keeps me going. They can only try to take my job and my inheritance but they can never take my life.

“I respect Aunt Dolly so much, and that's the only reason I'm still calm. You all sure know that I would fight till the end.”

Bryan Seaver is Dolly Parton’s nephew and son of her sister, Cassie Parton, and had served as head of security for the singer and her properties, taking over from his father Larry Seaver, for about 20 years before being terminated on September 15.

Seaver was also the family member chosen to publicly announce Parton's death and had overseen security for roughly two decades. In the video announcing Parton's death, he shared childhood stories of his aunt: "I first went on the road with Dolly as a kid, getting a taste of the road life in the early 1980s."

His sister Rebecca Seaver serves as executive director of Dolly Parton's Nashville museum.