War over Anne Heche estate gets personal: Homer Laffoon SLAMS ex James Tupper's claim to be court guardian
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The legal battle to gain control over Anne Heche's estate after the actress' death has intensified as Homer Laffoon officially filed a lawsuit objecting to her ex-lover James Tupper's petition to be appointed guardian of him. According to the legal documents, Homer lashed out at Tupper for his intention to "preserve family harmony and a healthy, brotherly relationship" between Heche's two sons, ie, Homer and Atlas Heche Tupper, 13.
"Mr. Tupper gives no support or context for these claims; Mr. Laffoon can confirm for the court that there is no disharmony' between them," stated the documents. However, Tupper has filed in the court over the last week to be appointed 'guardian ad litem' over his 13-year-old son, reported DailyMail. Homer, 20, had filed paperwork asking that he be awarded control of his mother's assets as she had not written a will before her sudden and tragic demise. The paperwork lists both Homer and Heche's other son, Atlas, as rightful heirs to Heche's estate.
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The 20-year-old son of Heche is the son of Heche's former husband, cameraman Coleman Laffoon. However, the duo who got married in 2001 ultimately divorced in 2009. Tupper explained in his court documents, " He 'loves both Homer and Atlas as a father and wants the best for them both." Meanwhile, Homer claims, "Instead of advocating solely for the interests of the minor (Atlas), Mr. Tupper's professed affection and wishes for both the minor and Mr. Laffoon creates a potential conflict of interest in the event the guardian ad litem is ever forced to side with one child against the other."
He also added in the documents, "Both sons share the common goal of administering the estate as efficiently as possible, maximizing the distributable value of the estate and then distributing the estate to the intestate heirs (the minor and Mr. Laffoon) as soon as reasonably practical." Homer was appointed as a "temporary administrator" in September. He was responsible for managing the publication of Heche's upcoming book 'Call Me Anne.'
Tupper, in his filing, claimed that Homer "is not suitable" to run the estate as "he is too young, unemployed and was estranged from his mother at the time of her death." Meanwhile, Homer claimed that these claims were clearly "unfounded personal attacks and frivolous legal claims." The actor also accused Homer of changing the locks on the apartment Heche shared with Atlas, allegedly preventing the younger brother from retrieving his belongings. Previously, TMZ reported that Tupper claimed that Anne emailed him and 2 other people a copy of her will back in 2011 when they were still dating. He also alleged that says in the email Anne stated she nominated him as the executor of her will so he could carry out her financial wishes.
However, Homer fought back by stating, "Mr. Tupper repeatedly refers to the email as a ''will'' however – as a matter of law – the email does not qualify as either a holographic will or formal witnessed will." "The email was not signed by [Heche] and does not have two witnesses who signed the document during [her] lifetime," stated Homer. Further, he said, "Without a will, there can be no nomination of an executor."