Kirk Kerkorian’s widow is seeking a one-third interest in the billionaire’s estate, saying she was pressured by those close to the businessman into signing a waiver to any interest she had when the two married in 2014.
Una Davis’ Los Angeles Superior Court petition includes a sworn declaration in which she alleges Kerkorian never said he wanted a prenuptial agreement and that the idea was instead pushed by those in his inner circle.
“Kirk and I never discussed any such agreement directly, but I was willing to do whatever was necessary to wed the man that I loved,” Davis says in her Friday filing. “I honestly was not too concerned with the specific terms of any premarital agreement and neither for that matter was Kirk. We just wanted to be married and to move forward with our lives together.”
Davis’ court papers ask that a judge find that she was an “omitted spouse” who is entitled to the same amount of money she would have received had Kerkorian died without a will. She is not a beneficiary in the will, but Kerkorian’s attorneys state in their court papers that she received $10 million from him immediately upon their marriage.
Kerkorian died last June 15 at age 98 from age-related causes. His estate has been estimated to be worth $2 billion to $4 billion.
Documents filed by Kerkorian’s attorneys when his estate was opened included a copy of his will, written in July 2013. Kerkorian designated several beneficiaries to receive millions of dollars, including $15 million to Patricia Mary Christensen, the wife of attorney Terry Christensen, and $7 million to Anthony Mandekic, secretary-treasurer of the billionaire’s Tracinda Corp.
He left additional gifts of $6 million to attorney Patricia Glaser and $5 million to his longtime assistant, Jaclyn Thode.
The will leaves no money for two of Kerkorian’s daughters, Tracy Kerkorian and Linda Kemper, but the document states that he “made provisions” for them during his lifetime.
In March, a judge approved a settlement of a possible will contest that gave $8.5 million to Kira Kerkorian, who is now appealing the agreement. Now 18 years old, she says she is the late billionaire’s biological daughter born during Kerkorian’s relationship with former tennis player Lisa Bonder Kerkorian.
According to Davis’ declaration, a few days before her scheduled wedding to Kerkorian on March 30, 2014, her lawyer, Hillary Slevin, told her that Kerkorian’s attorney insisted she sign a document giving up any interest in his estate.
“In short, (the Kerkorian) attorney stated that Kirk would not be going forward with our wedding unless I signed the waiver,” Davis says in the declaration.
She said she was “emotional” at the time because she and Kerkorian met 18 years earlier and their romance became public four years after that.
“Guests would be in attendance at our ceremony in just a few days,” Davis said. “I felt that under the circumstance I had no choice but to sign the waiver as demanded … or risk losing Kirk forever.”
With the possibility looming that her wedding could be canceled, Davis said she had no alternative but to agree to the Kerkorian attorney’s demands.”I signed the waiver.”
In their court papers, Davis’ attorneys state that although their client agreed to the waiver and Kerkorian penned his name on the gift instruction, neither of them executed the portion signed by the other.
“As a matter of law, a valid premarital contract requires the signatures of both parties,” according to Davis’ lawyers’ court papers.
Davis’ attorneys also contend that the aging Kerkorian lacked the mental capacity to understand the impact of the prenuptial agreement and that his close confidantes subjected him to undue influence. The businessman never intended that Davis be excluded from sharing in his estate, according to her lawyers’ court papers.
A hearing on Davis’ petition is scheduled for July 21.
The son of poor Armenian immigrants, Kerkorian developed key properties on the Las Vegas Strip, including the MGM and MGM Grand.
He also invested in and operated businesses in a number of industries, including airlines, automakers, Chrysler Corp., General Motors and film studios. He purchased MGM Studios three times, bought United Artists and tried to acquire Columbia Pictures.
— City News Service