LOS ANGELES (CNS) - A longtime producer for the late Larry King who alleges the radio and TV icon's widow, Shawn King, mistreated and abused her husband before his 2021 death has won release from her lawsuit against multiple defendants in which she alleges millions of dollars from her husband's estate were wrongfully kept from her.
In her lawsuit brought Oct. 6 in Los Angeles Superior Court, the 63- year-old Shawn King alleges Blouin & Co. colluded with Larry King Jr. to divest her from the estate in addition to illegally transferring millions of dollars to numerous people and entities without her permission. She seeks over $100 million for claims that include professional negligence and fraud.
Shawn King further maintains that Blouin managed secret bank accounts to facilitate transfer of funds directed by King Jr., who allegedly gifted money to several others. Those named in the complaint included Greg Christensen, a producer on the "Larry King Live" television show from 1998 until its conclusion in 2010, and Becky Radant, King's former assistant, who allegedly helped Blouin keep financial information away from Shawn King. Radant was allegedly paid $50,000 and Christensen $40,000. They allegedly used the money to buy designer clothes, jewelry, furniture and other items.
On Tuesday, Judge Michael Stern granted a motion by Christensen's lawyers to dismiss him as a defendant in the case under the state's anti-SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) law, which is intended to prevent people from using courts, and potential threats of a lawsuit, to intimidate those who are exercising their First Amendment rights. Stern also said Christensen is entitled to attorneys' fees and costs.
The judge heard arguments on the motion May 30 and took the case under submission.
In their anti-SLAPP papers, Christensen's attorneys said payments by Larry King to Christensen were made by Larry King or Larry King's accountants in order to reimburse Christensen's expenses, which were incurred in providing essential litigation support to Larry King.
Assisting a litigant both in the preparation prior to litigation and during litigation are protected activities, Christensen's attorneys further state in their court papers.
Christensen, at Larry King's request, helped King move out of his house to escape Shawn King's control in order for Larry King to prepare to file for divorce, Christensen's lawyers stated in their court papers.
In a sworn declaration in support of the anti-SLAPP motion, Christensen says he saw Shawn King mistreat and abuse Larry King after her husband returned home from a hospital, where he was treated for a stroke.
"Shawn King prohibited Larry King from living or sleeping in the main home and forced him to live and sleep only in the backhouse, which was located behind their home which Larry King had purchased," Christensen said. "Shawn King also deprived Larry King of his wallet and sometimes his phone for extended periods of time, keeping him trapped in the back house."
Shawn King further abused her spouse by limiting the resources the his caregivers had in order to take care of him, so if something was not in the back house, the caregivers had to provide their care without it or wait until it could be brought next time, according to Christensen.
Shawn King also tried to limit or prevent people from seeing her husband after his stroke, Christensen said.
Shawn King also used the home's surveillance and intercom system to monitor and listen to people who visited Larry, including Christensen, he says.
Larry King died of sepsis at age 87 in January 2021. He and Shawn King, his seventh wife, were estranged and going through divorce proceedings at the time of his death.
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