|
 The conflict centers on items the groundbreaking comedian
left behind after committing suicide in August, from clothing
and watches to collectibles such as bicycles and figurines, as
well as some of his fortune.
His widow, Susan Schneider Williams, said in a petition filed in
Superior Court in San Francisco on Dec. 19 that a trust Williams
set up for her entitled her to their home in Tiburon,
California, and most of its contents.
The petition said some property was removed from the house
without her permission and that "Mrs. Williams became frightened
of the co-trustees invading her home," prompting her to hire
legal counsel.
"Susan Schneider Williams lost her husband through a shocking
and emotionally charged event," the document said. "Since the
incident, she was not given time to grieve her loss free from
the frenetic efforts to interfere with her domestic
tranquility."
The filing said that while another home Williams owned in Napa,
California, and most of the items inside belonged to his
children - Zachary, Zelda, and Cody - based on a separate trust,
certain personal items did not.
Robin Williams' children responded in a filing on Jan. 21,
alleging that Susan Schneider Williams was deliberately
attempting to obscure the language of the documents to secure
more of the estate for herself.
[to top of second column] |
The children's filing said they were "heartbroken" and that Susan
Schneider Williams, who became the actor's third wife in 2011, was
acting against his wishes by challenging his plans for his estate.
"Robin's children want nothing more than to be left alone to
grieve," their spokesman Allan Mayer said in a statement. "The fact
that they are being forced into these legal proceedings adds insult
to a terrible injury."
Mayer denied that the children may have taken anything from Susan
Williams' home.
Susan Williams' attorney, James Wagstaffe, did not respond to a
request for comment.
Oscar winner Williams, 63, hanged himself with a belt in his Tiburon
home on Aug. 11, after seeking treatment for depression. He was last
seen alive by his widow.
His death sent shockwaves across the country and stood in stark
contrast to the characters he portrayed in films such as "Good
Morning, Vietnam" and "Dead Poets Society" who encouraged people to
tap into their own inner vitality.
(Additional reporting by Jill Serjeant in New York; Editing by
Richard Chang and Alan Crosby)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
