Gary Coleman's ex-wife fights for common-law status

SANTAQUIN — Shannon Price, variously known as Gary Coleman's wife and ex-wife, now wants a court to recognize her as his common-law wife.

In an affidavit filed Thursday in 4th District Court, Price argues that her relationship with Coleman constituted a common-law marriage and, therefore, she should be the executor of his will.

Price is in a legal battle with Coleman's former manager, Dion Mial, over the deceased actor's remains and estate.

Mial filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming he should be recognized as sole executor of a 1999 will.

Coleman, 42, died May 28 after suffering a brain hemorrhage at his Santaquin home two days earlier. Price was listed in a health care directive as the agent to make life-and-death decisions for Coleman. She made the decision to remove him from life support.

Officially married in 2007, Price and Coleman were divorced a year later. As part of the divorce decree, Price was awarded the home in Santaquin, and the two continued to live together.

In the affidavit, Price argues that despite the divorce, she and Coleman continued to present themselves as husband and wife and entered into a common-law marriage. Price says the couple maintained a common-law relationship while they continually resided together for five years.

According to the court documents, Price and Coleman continued to have sexual relations, maintained joint bank accounts, filed joint tax returns and "even fought on occasion."

During their time together, Coleman provided most of the income, the documents state.

Price contends that the 1999 will is "outdated" and does not represent Coleman's final intentions.

Coleman made major lifestyle changes after moving to Utah, and it is "naive" to believe that his intent would be the same in 2010 as it was in 1999, the affidavit states.

Mial and Coleman, meanwhile, "became estranged and had little, if anything, to do with each other" after Coleman moved to Utah, Price said.

After the move, Mial and Coleman didn't communicate or do any "male bonding," the documents contend.

Price's lawyers also filed affidavits by a woman who says Coleman and Price acted like they were married, and an accountant who says he filed joint tax returns for the couple. Included in that affidavit is a heavily redacted 2008 tax return that lists Coleman and Price as jointly filing.

The documents also revealed a few more aspects of Price's relationship with Coleman, including the fact that they talked about "death and its mystique."

e-mail: jsmith@desnews.com

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