The battle for Larry King’s property has begun. The ex-wife of the famous announcer, Shawn King, is contesting a secret will that leaves her estimated $ 2 million estate to her children – and a legal expert says she has a good chance of winning.
Shawn went to court to oppose his stepson Larry King Jr.’s emergency petition to become a special estate administrator. Earlier this month, Larry Jr. sent a handwritten will, known as a holographic will, from his father dated October 17, 2019 that left his property for his five children. The former CNN presenter died in January after contracting sepsis.
According to the objection filed on Tuesday, as Los Angeles TimesShawn’s lawyers say the holographic will may have been written in questionable circumstances. Peter Walzer, founding partner of the Walzer Melcher family law, told Yahoo Entertainment that they probably have a strong case for this argument.
“It will be argued that Larry did not have the ability to write a will. The fact that he wrote the will by hand, combined with his possibly diminished ability, could lead one to believe that he did not know what he was doing,” says Walzer. “A man with Larry’s wealth and experience would normally hire a lawyer to prepare a property plan that would include a trust fund.”
Larry has battled several health problems over the years. In March 2019, he suffered a stroke and was in a coma for weeks. A month later, he underwent cardiac surgery. Larry was hospitalized with COVID-19 before his death.
The times obtained the handwritten note, which said: “This is my last will. It must replace all previous writings. In the event of my death, any day after the above date, I want 100% of my funds to be divided equally among my children. Andy, Chaia, Larry Jr Chance & Cannon. “(Chance and Cannon are the two children Larry shares with Shawn. Larry’s daughter Chaia and son Andy died later weeks apart last year.)
“The holographic will is suspect. It is likely that the will will be discarded,” Walzer told Yahoo. “Most people don’t write a will in their own handwriting.”
Larry filed for divorce from Shawn, his seventh wife he married in 1997, for the second time in August 2019. (Both withdrew their divorce petitions in 2010.) The divorce was not final when Larry died.
“Larry was not pushing for a divorce and generally did not respond and refused to participate in the divorce process,” says Shawn’s objection, obtained by The times. “He gave no indication that he really wanted a divorce (other than the initial filing of the Dissolution Petition). Although he was entitled to seek preference in the trial because of his age, he did not use that option and allowed the dissolution process, which was filed in August 2019, to languish. “
Larry Jr. argues in his lawsuit that the separated couple “were actively involved in the ongoing dissolution processes” and “have lived separately from each other since 2019, and have lived separate and separate at the time of Mr. King’s death”.
Walzer believes that while the divorce was pending, “it is not enough to indicate that he intended to disinherit his wife”.
Another obstacle in the real estate battle are two post-nuptial agreements that Shawn claims have been made, limiting his ability to make testamentary gifts for his children. The holographic will would violate the terms of these agreements. According to Walzer, this is big business.
“A valid post-nuptial agreement would take precedence over a will. Because of fiduciary duties between husband and wife, a post-marriage agreement would require consideration, full disclosure and power of attorney from the parties, ”he explains.
In the opinion of Walzer’s expert, it is “unlikely that the holographic will be maintained”.
“Shawn is likely to inherit Larry’s property,” he says.
The trial date was set for March 25.
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