Cops probe elder abuse of comics icon
LOS ANGELES: Los Angeles police are investigating reports of elder abuse carried out against Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee, according to court documents.
The investigation was revealed in a restraining order granted against Keya Morgan, who in recent months has been acting as Lee’s business manager and personal adviser.
Morgan had inserted himself into the life of Lee, 95, notes the restraining order.
The filing accuses Morgan, 42, of taking advantage of Lee’s impaired hearing, vision and judgement, moving Lee from his long-time family home and preventing family and associates contacting him.
Morgan was arrested last week for allegedly filing a false police report by calling 911 and saying burglars were in his house, when in fact two detectives and a social worker were doing a welfare check on Lee.
Attempts to reach Morgan were not immediately successful. An attorney he hired on a previous criminal case said he no longer worked for Morgan, and it’s not clear if he has retained a new attorney.
Morgan’s arrest and ouster is the latest and most dramatic move in a struggle that has emerged over Lee’s business and fortune since his wife of 69 years, Joan, died in July.
Police have been investigating reports of elder abuse against Lee since at least February, and had issued an emergency order keeping Morgan from Lee before last week’s order was issued.
Lee has for decades been revered as a comic book giant for his central role in creating the Incredible Hulk, Spider-Man, Iron Man and other major Marvel characters. More recently he has become a grandfatherly figure over the Marvel cinematic universe, with comical cameos in each film.
Morgan is a memorabilia dealer and Marilyn Monroe expert who befriended Lee’s daughter and only child JC Lee, and since February has increasingly taken control of Lee’s life.
Lee appeared in a video yesterday posted to his Twitter account declaring that Morgan was his only partner and representative, and anyone claiming otherwise was lying.
Detectives said in police reports that in interviews Lee acknowledged that Morgan had helped him, but would frequently forget his name when talking about him. – AP