Cher’s son’s wife formally opposes singer’s conservatorship bid

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) - Cher's son's wife has formally taken a stand against the singer's conservatorship efforts regarding her troubled son and the spouse says in court papers filed today that she's willing to herself serve in the role.

After Elijah Blue's Allman's arrest earlier this year in New Hampshire, Marieangela King Allman filed for divorce because at that time she was "emotionally exhausted, overwhelmed, and believed separation was necessary," King Allman said.   

However, since filing for dissolution, Elijah Blue's placement through the New Hampshire court system into structured treatment environment and her continued concern for his well-being caused her to reconsider ending the marriage and dropped the idea, according to King Allman.

King Allman is acting as her own attorney. She contends in her Los Angeles Superior Court papers that Cher and her husband's other "estranged relatives" have "repeatedly attempted to impose a conservatorship or similar restraints'' on Elijah Blue without her knowledge.

Elijah Blue's siblings, Devon Allman and Chaz Bono, sought appointment as Elijah's guardians in a New Hampshire court, again without King Allman's knowledge, she says. She adds that she found out about the proceeding only after a New Hampshire court issued an order granting their appointment subject to the siblings posting a bond.   

An attorney representing the New Hampshire State Hospital told King Allman that the failure to serve her regarding the guardianship bid was an error and he filed an abeyance of the proceedings so she could be heard, according to King Allman, who further contends that her husband no longer has ties to California and therefore its courts have no jurisdiction over him.   

"I strongly believe that Elijah needs robust, long-term treatment plan to deal with these issues, and appointment of conservator, selected by his mother, from whom he has been estranged for years, wherein her removing his autonomy against his wishes, would demoralize him, thereby jeopardizing his recovery,'' King Allman says.   

King Allman further says Elijah Blue "vehemently opposed" appointment of Cher as his conservator when she sought the role in April only to be denied by a judge.  

"I am extremely concerned that appointment of conservator hand selected by (Cher) is equally not in Elijah's best interests and will be viewed by Elijah as further punishment and an effort to interfere with his autonomy, rather than an attempt to help him,'' King Allman says, adding that an alternative solution would be to appoint her as her husband's conservatory.   

King Allman says she and her husband and have "experienced challenges within our marriage, many of which were related to his struggles with substance abuse, mental health issues and the consequences that followed."  

The next hearing in the conservatorship proceedings is Sept 1. Elijah Blue, 50, is the 80-year-old Cher's only son with the late Allman Brothers singer Gregg Allman.