The legal battle for pro wrestler Chris Benoit's estate might be coming to a close and that could be bad news for the WWE. The lawyer for the Benoit family accused the WWE Thursday of contributing to the factors that caused the wrestler to kill his family and then commit suicide.
A lawsuit against the WWE could be on the horizon, but for now lawyers for the Benoit family are hammering out the deal.
The lawyer for the Benoit family said he didn't know the value of Benoit's estate, which includes the home where the murders took place in June. The home is valued at a million dollars.
A Fayette County home where Benoit and his wife Nancy lived at the beginning of his marriage is valued at around $350,000.
On one side of the estate court fight is the family of Nancy Benoit, her parent Paul and Maureen Toffoloni. A court ruling granted the Toffolonis guardianship of the estate with restrictions on selling assets until a settlement was reached.
On the other side of the court fight is Chris Benoit's father, Michael. Michael Benoit is said to be working on behalf of Chris Benoit's two children from a previous marriage.
An agreement in principal was reached Wednesday to the settle the estate, reportedly splitting it in half, depending on the price the two homes fetch. The figure will determine how much money there is to divide.
With Benoit's estate nearly settled, lawyers for the Benoit family are now setting their sites on the WWE, the wrestling federation that employed Chris Benoit. The WWE told FOX 5 News that the organization will not contribute any money to Benoit's children.
The Benoit family says the WWE played a role in what drove Benoit to murder his family and then commit suicide, and accusation the WWE has denied.
The WWE and some of its wrestlers have denied drug abuse and the use of steroids, claiming that the wrestling federation submits all of its employees to a rigid testing program.
Dr. Phil Astin, Chris Benoit's personal physician is scheduled to be back in a federal courtroom Friday. Astin is still attempting to be released from house arrest so that he can work for a Carrollton wrecker service.
Labels: Benoit, Wrestler, Wrestling, WWE
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Brian Vanderhoff @ 10:42 AM
