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Law of Wills, 2016A

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A. There were plenty <strong>of</strong> instances where he tried to intimidate me physically. But as for hitting me, it<br />

was confined to 97 and one in 94–95.<br />

Q. Did you—<br />

A. And that was in front <strong>of</strong> the aunts too.<br />

Q. What happened then?<br />

A. He started an argument with Mildred about giving me money and about me being around them,<br />

which is what he usually complains about. And when she told him to get out, he said, I’m not going<br />

anywhere. Then he promptly punched me in the stomach in front <strong>of</strong> them and I went down like a<br />

ton <strong>of</strong> bricks.<br />

He’s a martial—he knew martial arts at this time. So he was pretty strong at that time....”<br />

Proponent’s violence and other intimidating behavior had a keen effect on decedent. Kate testified<br />

at her deposition:<br />

“... I remember the conversation happening at the end <strong>of</strong> August, beginning <strong>of</strong> September <strong>of</strong> 97<br />

where she said one day—I came in one day to talk to her.<br />

“She said—and I quote—I did a really stupid thing. I made your brother the executor <strong>of</strong> my estate<br />

and I should have made you that, meaning me. And I said, Well, easy thing to do. Call your lawyer<br />

and have it changed if that’s what you want to do.<br />

“Oh, no. If I do that, he’ll hurt me. And I was, like, Um, it’s your estate. You shouldn’t have to be<br />

intimidated by him. If you’re afraid <strong>of</strong> calling the lawyer, I’ll call the lawyer. No. If you do that, he’s<br />

just going to end up making things a lot worse and he’s going to hurt you and I don’t want that on<br />

my conscience.<br />

* * * * *<br />

“And I talked to her about it and I said, Well, it’s your money. It’s your estate. If you don’t want<br />

John to be the executor, you have the right to call your lawyer and have it changed.<br />

“She kept saying that if she did that, John would hurt her. Which I could believe, because he<br />

intimidated her a lot over the years.”<br />

There is also evidence decedent believed that, even if she were to make a new will—and expose<br />

herself and Kate to the risk <strong>of</strong> proponent’s violence—proponent, nevertheless, would thwart her<br />

intent. Kate testified at her deposition that, in 2002, when Loretta complained that proponent had<br />

taken $10,000 from her:<br />

“Mildred said, Well, he did the same thing to me. I mean, he’s the executor <strong>of</strong> my<br />

estate and I really don’t want him to be.... And then she said, Well, he’s probably<br />

going to find a way to steal my money anyway....”<br />

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