Dennis Hopper, wife agree to stay-away order

[February 12, 2010]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Dennis Hopper's wife has agreed to stay 10 feet away from the ailing actor and not contact him directly as they wrangle through their divorce, court records filed Thursday show.

The agreement came after the "Easy Rider" actor requested an emergency restraining order prohibiting contact with his wife of nearly 14 years. His petition claimed his wife, Victoria, has engaged in "outrageous conduct" in the past year and was accompanied by a doctor's declaration that his treatment for prostate cancer required him to eliminate unnecessary stress.

The filing cites several arguments between the couple over child visitation, issues at the compound where the couple and Dennis Hopper's adult children live, and other matters.

A judge approved the agreement after a hearing Thursday morning. It also grants Dennis Hopper, who was recently released from a 10-day hospital stay, daily visits with the couple's 6-year-old daughter.

Hopper filed for divorce in January and both sides have cited irreconcilable differences for the breakup. A court hearing on visitation and the protective order is scheduled for March 9.

Thursday's filings were first reported by celebrity Web site TMZ.

Victoria Hopper claimed in court papers filed last month that the actor smoked marijuana around their daughter, threatened her and that his illness had left him unable to make sound decisions.

Hopper denied those claims in Thursday's filings. He acknowledged smoking medicinal marijuana, but not near his daughter. He denied threatening Victoria Hopper and said that while he had hoped to avoid a divorce, he recently came to conclusion he wanted the marriage ended.

A prenuptial agreement calls for Victoria Hopper to receive a portion of the actor's estate only if they remain married and living together when he dies. She claims the divorce is an attempt to keep her from an inheritance, but the actor states she is still entitled to a portion of his life insurance.

In a declaration, the actor remains hopeful about his prognosis as he undergoes chemotherapy treatments. "My doctors and I are hopeful that this treatment will be successful so that I may soon resume the full enjoyment of my life and work."

That life, Hopper's attorneys and doctors contend, is threatened by the couple's bickering in recent months.

"Whether motivated by malice, greed, dissolution strategy, or emotional instability, (Victoria Hopper's) actions subjected (Dennis Hopper) to emotional distress which has threatened his ability to survive," the actor's attorney, Douglas Bagby, wrote in a court filing.

[Associated Press; By ANTHONY McCARTNEY]

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