Dolly Parton's Estate Demands Bodycam Footage of Alleged Hospital Incident Involving Late Singer's Now-Fired Nephew
Dolly Parton's estate is currently seeking bodycam footage of the alleged hospital incident
Oct. 30 2026, Published 9:52 a.m. ET
Dolly Parton's estate is seeking police body-camera footage from the Nashville hospital where the country music icon died, after a court filing alleged that her nephew and former head of security, Bryan Seaver, was involved in an altercation with police.
She's Alive, LLC, the entity overseeing Parton's professional interests, requested footage from Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center covering Aug. 24 and 25, according to court documents obtained by TMZ and reported by multiple outlets.
The request seeks video that allegedly captures Seaver's "altercation with police personnel."
The footage has not been publicly released, and the circumstances surrounding the encounter have not been independently established.
Estate Subpoenas Vanderbilt For Police Footage
Dolly Parton died on August 25, 2026, at the age of 80
The subpoena was issued Oct. 27 and seeks body-camera recordings from officers present at the Nashville medical center during the specified time period, according to reports on the filing.
The request comes as She's Alive and Seaver remain locked in a broader legal dispute following Parton's death.
Parton died Aug. 25 at age 80 after a battle with cancer. Seaver had served as her head of security for more than two decades and was personally chosen to announce her death in a video posted to Parton's official social media accounts.
The body-camera request does not itself establish that Seaver committed wrongdoing or that an altercation occurred.
Nephew's Side Denies Altercation At Hospital
Insiders claimed that Dolly Parton's nephew came to Vanderbilt to coordinate logistics, aiming to take Parton's body to a funeral home
Sources close to Seaver told TMZ that there was no altercation and that he was not cited by police.
According to those sources, Seaver went to Vanderbilt to help coordinate arrangements for transporting his aunt's body to a funeral home. They characterized his interaction with officers as a "simple discussion" and said he was not out of line.
One source also claimed Seaver believed police had been instructed to keep him away from Parton and said officers treated him like a "fugitive" when he arrived at the hospital.
Those claims have not been independently confirmed.
Firing And Restraining Order Escalate Family Feud
Dolly Parton's nephew served as her head of security for a long time
The request for hospital footage comes amid an escalating legal battle between Seaver and the company managing Parton's business interests.
She's Alive sued Seaver and his security company in September, accusing him of making threats and attempting to interfere with the late singer's business operations.
Seaver has denied the allegations, arguing that messages cited by the estate were private exchanges connected to a business dispute and were taken out of context.
A Tennessee judge granted a temporary restraining order against Seaver and his security company, barring them from coming within 1,000 feet of She's Alive employees, attorneys, and business partners and from interfering with its business relationships.
The order has since been extended through Nov. 10.
Announcement Video And What Comes Next
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Dolly Parton's nephew announced her death in a video shared through her Instagram handle
Seaver's connection to Parton's final days has added another layer to the dispute. After her death, he appeared in a video on her official Instagram account announcing the news on behalf of the Parton and Owens families.
He said Parton had asked him years earlier to deliver the announcement when the time came.
The newly requested body-camera footage could provide more information about what happened at Vanderbilt, but its contents remain unknown.
Seaver is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 2 as the legal fight over his relationship with Parton's estate continues.
