New lawsuit hits comic's widow

One of Richard Pryor’s daughters has claimed his widow abused the comedian by isolating him from his family.

In the latest dispute to rock the feuding Pryor family, Elizabeth has reportedly lodged a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court.

She accuses her stepmother Jennifer Lee Pryor of ‘elder abuse’ because she kept the ill star isolated from friends and family, the website TMZ.com reports.

Pryor, who had multiple sclerosis, was only allowed to see his family for 40 minutes once a month, which caused him ‘depression, despair, agitation, and other extreme mental suffering,’ the suit said.

‘Given Mr. Pryor's utter dependence on Jennifer for his personal and financial welfare, her actions were reckless, oppressive, fraudulent and malicious,’ the court papers said.

Elizabeth wants Jennifer Lee Pryor, removed from her position as trustee of the comedian's estate.

Pryor and Jennifer were divorced in 1982, but remarried in June 2001. Pryor died in December, aged 65.

Published: 12 May 2006