Best-selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon drops lawsuit accusing her husband of poisoning her
A best-selling author who accused her husband of orchestrating a scheme to slowly poison her to death has dismissed her case.
Sherrilyn Kenyon, author of the "Dark Hunter" series and several other science fiction and paranormal romance novels, filed a notice for voluntary dismissal last week for a lawsuit she filed in January.
She alleged her husband, Lawrence Kenyon, and his assistant, Kerrie Ann Plump, poisoned her over a three-year period in hopes of cashing in on her life insurance and estate. The family's former IT specialist, Paco Cavanaugh, was also named as a defendant.
In a statement through her attorney, Michele McGill, Kenyon said she decided to dismiss the lawsuit due to the financial impact it was having on her family. Kenyon said she plans to channel her financial resources and energy toward the ongoing divorce proceedings between herself and her husband.
The author also hasn't ruled out the possibility of refiling the lawsuit in the future.
"You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it," Kenyon said, quoting former United Kingdom Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.
Using results from toxicology tests on her hair that were taken on various dates, Kenyon pointed to elevated levels of lithium, tin, barium, platinum and thorium as proof her husband and his assistant were feeding her toxin-laced food.
The lawsuit alleged Kenyon experienced symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, hair loss, broken teeth, trouble breathing and facial swelling after eating the food prepared for her.
She also accused her husband of siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars from her bank accounts over the years by controlling most of the family's finances.
As the case made its way through Williamson County Circuit Court, it took a bizarre turn in April when Kenyon was jailed for contempt after she accused one of her husband's family members of being a pedophile and allegedly called one of the opposing attorneys an "(expletive) liar."
Kenyon's move to dismiss her case came on the heels of Lawrence Kenyon's own motion asking for involuntary dismissal and sanctions for filing "unsubstantiated claims of far reaching conspiracies," said Sean Aiello, one of Lawrence Kenyon's attorneys.
"Mrs. Kenyon opted to dismiss all allegations rather than face presenting her case and her outlandish allegations to scrutiny by a jury of her peers," Aiello said.
No criminal charges were ever brought against Lawrence Kenyon in connection with the poisoning claims.
Reach Elaina Sauber at esauber@tennessean.com or 615-571-1172 and on Twitter @ElainaSauber.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Author Sherrilyn Kenyon drops poisoning lawsuit against her husband
