Malcolm-Jamal Warner's widow sues his mother for $1.2M

The widow of Malcolm-Jamal Warner has entered multiple legal filings in an effort to collect around $1.27 million from a family trust headed by the Cosby Show star's mother.

Tenisha Warner, 48, named her late spouse's mother Pamela Warner in a lawsuit in Georgia's DeKalb County Superior Court on Monday, according to documents reviewed by The Daily Mail.

Warner made her filings a year to the day after the 54-year-old actor tragically drowned while on vacation in Costa Rica. 

'For the last year, I have attempted to privately settle my beloved husband’s complicated estate and honor his last wishes,' Tenisha told the Daily Mail in a statement on Tuesday. 'Malcolm had every intention to provide for our nine-year-old daughter [MacKenzie] and me.'

Warner died before updating estate plan 

She said of Warner, who famously portrayed Theo Huxtable on The Cosby Show: 'He was close to finalizing a new estate plan to replace the stale plan created in 1996 when he was 26 years old, 20 years before we met and well before we gave birth to our beautiful daughter. Sadly, he was unable to do so before we lost him.'

Tenisha said she has 'been struggling to care for [her and Warner's] daughter as a single mom and now as her sole provider,' and legally 'had no choice but to take action to protect our rights before any potential statute of limitations expired.'

The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Pamela Warner for comment but has yet to hear back.

Tenisha said in the Georgia filing that on May 15, 2022, she and the late actor had come to a prenuptial agreement in which he consented to making her the sole beneficiary of a life insurance policy worth $1 million, but he fell short on making key moves prior to his passing.

The late actor did not buy or keep up the life insurance policy, Tenisha said in the lawsuit.

Warner allegedly promised Roth IRA contribution 

Tenisha also cited in the suit unpaid expenses left by the late actor, including $16,000 in yearly tax-free payments 'per year on each anniversary of the parties' marriage' that eclipsed $50,000. 

Tenisha said the late actor had agreed to place $30,500 into a Roth IRA in her name, as well as to make her a monthly payment of $5,000 for her work as his chief of staff and assistant.

According to the filing, the payments amounted to around $195,000.

Tenisha said in the filing that she did not think his estate had been funded, and wanted the assets taken from a family trust the actor set up, which is controlled by his mother. 

'Plaintiff performed all obligations required of her under the Agreement, including entering into and remaining in the marriage until the Decedent's death,' Tenisha said in the Georgia filing. 'The Decedent died without having satisfied his obligations under the Agreement, and no person or entity has paid or provided the sums due to Plaintiff.' 

She also requested that the court put a hold on the money in the estate to prevent it from being distributed before the case is sorted. 

Widow seeks more than $1.27M from trust 

The filing in Los Angeles Superior Court named 'The Warner Family Trust, dated October 7, 1996,' and established that Tenisha was requesting $1,276,042.46 and related costs in the Georgia suit. 

The petition was for an order of conveyance of trust property and related claims under probate code, establishment of payee of the trust, preservation of protective actions, determining the omitted spouse's beneficial interest, instructing the trustee to preserve the assets and for trustee to account. 

Tenisha said in a July 17 petition filed in Los Angeles County Court and reviewed by the Daily Mail that she is due 'at least the total amount of $1,276,042.46 in addition to prejudgment and postjudgment interest, attorneys’ fees, and costs.'

On Monday, Pamela Warner posted a statement to a memorial page in the late actor's honor, to mark the one-year anniversary of his passing.

'Today has come so very quickly. It is amazing how a year of pain, hurt, loss, emotional de-stabilization, and most importantly growth, has come and sits here before me,' she said in the emotional statement. 'It has been a whirlwind of experiences, insights, discoveries and the realization that life can bring to your door-step the unimaginable.'

Pamela reflects on painful life lessons 

Later in the post, Pamela Warner said she has been at the end of a number of heavy life lessons following her son's tragic death.

'I have discovered how cruel, evil and greedy a human can be,' she said. 'I have also discovered the depth of love, care, concern and support that humans are capable of. All of which I have been the recipient of. The good, the bad and the ugly. These are the lessons that apparently I will need as I continue my journey.'

Pamela Warner concluded by urging people to 'please take care of yourselves and those who you love.'

'Let them know that they are loved. Clear up any beef you may have with your loved ones, if possible. Cleanse your spirit of negativity,' she continued. 'We all have an expiration date.

'Don’t leave or let your loved one leave without them knowing that they are loved and treasured. That knowledge and "clean plate" has helped me to survive,' she added.

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