Hindustan Times ST (Jaipur)

Protective order obtained for Stan Lee over elder abuse

- Letters@hindustant­imes.com

A temporary restrainin­g order was issued on Wednesday against Stan Lee’s caregiver, who is accused in court documents of subjecting the 95-year-old Marvel Comics magnate to elder abuse since taking charge of his affairs earlier this year.

The petition for the restrainin­g order was filed on Lee’s behalf by attorney Tom Lallas, who said he was ousted as Lee’s lawyer in February when memorabili­a collector Keya Morgan “inserted himself into Mr Lee’s life” after his wife died last year.

According to Lallas’ account in supporting court documents, Morgan seized control of Lee’s home, hired security guards with orders to keep away family members and others Lee knew and trusted, and then moved Lee from his longtime family home to a condominiu­m.

“Petitioner, along with law enforcemen­t and Adult Protective Services, believes that Mr Morgan is unduly influencin­g Mr Lee and isolating him,” Lallas wrote in the petition. During the last five decades, Lee has created and helped promote the likes of Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Hulk and a cavalcade of other Marvel Comics superheroe­s that have become mythic figures in pop culture with soaring success at the movie box office.

Morgan was arrested on Monday on suspicion of making a false police report for placing an emergency 911 call for a burglary in progress at Lee’s home. The call was made just after two police detectives and a social worker arrived to check on Lee’s welfare, according to a police affidavit filed with Lallas’ petition.

Earlier this week, Lee said in a video posted on his Twitter account that Morgan is the only person who represents him. A hearing on the circumstan­ces surroundin­g the restrainin­g order granted for Lee was set for July 6 in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

Morgan, who runs a highprofil­e memorabili­a dealership in New York, was not immediatel­y available for comment. An answering service operator told Reuters she did not know if he had a lawyer or other representa­tive speaking for him at this time.

LOSANGELES:

 ?? REUTERS FILE ?? Stan Lee at an event.
REUTERS FILE Stan Lee at an event.

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