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 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.
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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 high-profile 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.
In a declaration filed as part of his petition for an "elder abuse
restraining order," Lallas described Lee as being in frail health.
It said Lee suffers from severe hearing and vision impairment,
relies on round-the-clock nursing care and has "recently exhibited
short-term memory impairment, impaired judgment, and an inability to
resist undue influence."
"Mr. Lee has a large estate worth over $50 million and therefore is
vulnerable to financial predators," Lallas wrote in the declaration.
(Additional reporting by Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; Editing by
Darren Schuettler)
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